Libra Architecture & Design Group Course for Fitzwilliam College Essay Competition
What is Fitzwilliam College Essay Competition?
Fitzwilliam College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, one of the top universities in the world. Each year, Fitzwilliam College runs essay competitions covering a wide range of subjects, which allows talented students to explore their interests beyond the school curriculum.
As one of Cambridge’s most architecturally diverse and interesting colleges, Fitzwilliam College is famous for the contrast between the old and the new, and draws architecture students from home and abroad to study its buildings. Secondary school students are welcomed to participate in Fitzwilliam College’s Architectural Design Competition to analytically approach a design problem and creatively develop architectural design solutions. All participating students are expected to design and communicate their design solutions through drawings and a design narrative.
Why do you need to participate in this Competition?
It is an excellent chance for secondary school students, especially Year 12 students, who are interested in architecture & design and seek to apply what they have learned into practice. It is beneficial for students not only because you will acquire all the relevant knowledge and skills when you prepare for the competition, but also your work will be assessed by world-leading professionals. What an opportunity! Additionally, Fitzwilliam’s architecture spans nearly 200 years. The Grove, a 19th-century house in which Charles Darwin’s wife lived, is surrounded by modern buildings designed by prestigious architects such as Sir Denys Lasdun and Sir Richard MacCormac. In this regard, the college itself is an interesting research subject for architectural students to study from various perspectives. More importantly, for students who want to apply to Oxbridge, it would be great to establish a certain kind of connection with the top universities, especially you will get to know how to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the subject you are most interested in and what qualities of students are sought out by the universities, so that you can work harder to try to meet all the requirements, including those soft ones that are not listed in the ‘Entry Requirements’ sections.
Information on 2022 Competition
Tasks: To be released before the New Year
Submission Deadline: March/April 2022
Previous year’s task: Students are required to design a new building somewhere on the Fitzwilliam College site. The designed building will serve as a hub for interaction between teaching fellows and students where they can exchange ideas. Participants are expected to submit 1) the project title that best describes the design intention and final design solution, 2) a 500-word design narrative that explains the design inspiration, objective and final strategy, and 3) drawings that describe the design’s features, location, relation to existing college buildings, etc.
What can Libra Education offer you?
During the winter break right after the tasks are released, we are going to organize a 10-session group course in eight days for our students in their penultimate year of pre-university education (usually aged 16-18) to prepare for the Fitzwilliam College Architecture Competition. You will be guided by our top architecture tutor Virosh to explore traditional and modern buildings further and work on your own designs afterwards. Virosh is an architect who has received multiple prestigious awards, including the Westminster Sir Bannister Fletcher Award and multiple RIBA short-lists. His thesis project was shortlisted for the 2020 President's Medal and is pending the announcement of results. He has many years of practical experience at reputed firms, his first year in practice being with Architect C. Anjalendran, one of the leading architects in Asia, working intimately on residential and institutional projects. Having worked for C Atelier on many international hospitality projects, he now works for MMGS Architects, an award-winning practice. In addition, Virosh is experienced in teaching and tutoring students in terms of architecture design. He has tutored undergraduate design students at the University of Westminster. He has taught at other private institutions and helped develop teaching modules for Lite Regal Education. He has found his niche in Architecture after years of learning and self-discovery and is happy to help younger students find their own. Join our Architecture & Design Group Course this winter, produce a set of original and high-quality drawings and descriptions to participate in this world-renowned competition, and you will develop more than you expected.