Education
Winston’s Story
Winston Grant-Preece began the MA in Sustainable Urbanism in September 2015, and currently is on placement at the Foundation supporting our international building projects. He talks about his experience of our MA Programme in Sustainable Urbanism.
“Before starting the MA I was working on various architectural projects with a firm based in Australia. This included heritage restoration works as well as new build projects in Melbourne, Sydney and Albury.
“Part of the reason I applied for the programme was because of the lack of urban design courses on offer in Australia, especially programmes which offered a more traditional, holistic approach to planning and urbanism. What this course offered in terms of placements and work experience was also hugely attractive because this a major part of the learning experience for me and an important factor when gaining employment afterwards.
“Through the Foundation, I’ve had the opportunity to work on international projects, met many professionals working in the various fields of sustainable urbanism through our weekly masterclasses, and covered key aspects of the current issues surrounding sustainable urbanism. As a class we have also taken part in various initiatives of the Foundation such as Enquiry by Design and BIMBY events. Also, via various walking tours of London, we have gained a comprehensive understanding of the urban morphology of the city and how it has changed and evolved over time.
”The course has already been a great benefit to my future professional career due to the contacts that I have established”
“Being based in London, the city itself offers so much in terms of activities, architectural and urbanism precedents, history, art and culture. The richness and complexity of the city compliments the course and has helped further my understanding of architecture and urbanism in ways that would not be possible in Australia.
“The work placement aspect of the program is definitely one of its biggest strengths – the Foundation has an incredible amount of contacts within the architectural and urban design world. The smaller class sizes are also a huge asset as they allow for a close, more personal learning experience with academics and design professionals. The course has already been a great benefit to my future professional career due to the contacts that I have established, the work experience I have gained, and the work I have produced for my portfolio.
“My next aim is to work for one of my favourite architectural and urban planning firms in the UK. Then I can take the skills gained in the UK back to Australia to combine my architectural and sustainable urban design skills to respond to the large scale urban design challenges apparent in this part of the world.”
The MA in Sustainable Urbanism has been discontinued. We are working to launch an MSc in Sustainable Urbanism in 2020 with a university partner responsible for validation and accreditation.