Students James Langlois and Claudia Gomez have both been awarded Student of the Year at the Royal Institute of British Architecture (RIBA) London Student Awards.
RIBA is a global professional membership body that aims to drive for excellence in the architectural field. RIBA London represents some of the best creative talent in the capital.
The prestigious RIBA London Student awards promote excellence and reward talent in the study and education of architecture, and they are open to eligible students studying architecture at eleven universities and colleges in London. Their submitted projects are judged by five RIBA London Architect Groups.
James Langlois is a student on the Master of Architecture (MArch) (RIBA Pt II) course. His winning project, Reawakening Monteruga, was situated within a depopulated area in Puglia, Italy. The intervention centred bio-composite construction with a focus on self-sufficiency, New Ruralism and localised production.
Speaking about his project, James said: “Monteruga was once a vibrant agrarian commune - at its peak, reaching eight hundred permanent inhabitants. Its isolated location and a societal shift towards urbanity in the mid-20th century concluded in Monteruga's total abandonment. However, a wave of Reawakening Projects across Italy has seen the previously undesirable features of such forgotten spaces now remembered and celebrated. Reawakening Monteruga looks to encapsulate this movement, building upon the relevant values of the original community including self-sufficiency and localised production.
“The fluctuating nature of such a community will be answered by the formation of a transient architectural vernacular achieved through a re-understanding of Monteruga’s first industry, tobacco. This time in the form of a bio-composite building material, utilised to create a series of interventions that exist alongside and within the original architecture, consisting of spaces to, produce, learn, share, and live, once again reinstating a self-sufficient community within the colonnades of Monteruga.”
Claudia Gomez is a student on the Architecture BA Honours course. Her winning project was a sustainable, energy-efficient dance studio in Hackney Wick, London.
She said: “The objective of this project was to craft a communal space in Hackney Wick to enhance the overall well-being of its residents while utilising sustainable energy sources. The 2017 Hackney Wick Through Young Eyes report highlighted concern among young individuals regarding the neglect of their mental health and well-being and the need for accessible community spaces for fostering self-expression. In my perspective, mental well-being hinges on the ability to embrace the present moment, momentarily shedding the burdens of daily life. Dancing has afforded me the opportunity to achieve precisely that, all while promoting physical fitness and facilitating social connections.
“Hence, I embarked on a journey to create a dance studio for Hackney Wick's local community. This space encompasses three dancing areas, a café, comfortable relaxation area, spectator stands and a physiotherapy room. The architectural design of the building seeks to mimic the graceful and fluid movements of the human body during dance, imbuing the structure with an organic and harmonious form that allows dancers to interact with the building while dancing, with curved walls and large stairs.”
Learn more about Architecture, Interiors and Urban Design courses at the University of Westminster.
Claudia Gomez: Hackney Wick Dance Studio; Dancer Room Interior View
Claudia Gomez: Hackney Wick Dance Studio; First Floor
James Langlois: Reawakening Monteruga; The Courtyard Axonometric Section
James Langlois: Reawakening Monteruga; Adaptive Reuse: the Church as a space of Learning
