Review of the Northumbria University Degree Show, 2012

This is a review I wrote for GRADmag, a bi-monthly publication which was released by the ArchiGRAD scheme to keep local architecture practices abreast of the scheme’s endeavors. As I had left the scheme at the time, my review was unsurprisingly ousted from the final publication in favour of another – however I publish it here in an attempt at completeness.

Always intrigued by what architectural life is like on the other side (of Northumberland Street), for the third year in a row I headed to the Ellison Building to take in the Northumbria Graduate show. By now, I know the setup well and head straight to the downstairs (BA) displays.

First impressions are very promising, as I am greeted by the sight of some highly accomplished models exploring the tension between heavy slate walls with lightweight timber thresholds. Once again, the BA show is dominated by a visitor centre typology; once again whilst the majority are very good, by the time I am half way around the room I can’t help but feel bored looking at what are largely similar responses to the same landscape. If there’s one thing I have learnt from my trips to these shows, it’s that the Northumbria degree is much more prescriptive than Newcastle’s.

That said, there is more variety in terms of material choice than previously and, refreshingly, a small number of students have chosen to display an urban project – whilst this is a promising development, as yet it largely serves to explain why there is a tendency to stick with the isolated and windswept visitor centre. One reason this typology serves the Northumbria students so well is because they clearly are instilled with an admiration for structure. Whereas my experiences at Newcastle tended to revolve around the idea of structure being an addition to resolve a form, at Northumbria it appears that form and structure are developed more simultaneously – and very frequently the visitor centre lends itself to bold timber, concrete or stone structures.

The MArch show this year, though, is really something to behold. An obvious standout is the river water treatment and research centre, which aesthetically looks like the set of Waterworld as designed by the robots from The Matrix. Also intriguing is a circus school which successfully translates the appearance of a big top tent into a small and awkwardly shaped alley. But aside from the really striking projects, the show still has plenty to offer. I was quite taken by a project which aimed to form a link between Bigg Market and Grey Street: inspiration taken from paintings of street life were both insightful and beautifully resolved. For the first time, I struggled to find anything to fault in this show.

All in all, amongst a very good BA show and a truly sublime MArch show, the greatest disappointment was the setting for the show itself. The Ellison building has always been a rather cramped place to hold the event and the show does not have any coherence – it is simply a case of maximising wall space and cramming as much as possible in. The layout prohibits the casual meander that I usually find is the best way to take in these shows, which results in some students getting a more favourable position than others. Above all, hosting the show in the architecture building itself makes the show seem more like simply a step in the academic process, rather than a celebration of completion and an important cultural event. As one of the top Architecture Schools in the country, isn’t it time Northumbria took a little pride in their Graduation Show?