At RIBA we inspire future architects for a sustainable tomorrow through community, education, and recognition. As part of our work in the South region, we work with our local branches in Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire to highlight the incredible work of the next generation of architects.
At the end of every academic year, each of our RIBA-accredited schools of architecture hosts an end-of-year show to celebrate the completion of their student’s portfolios for the academic year and deliver awards to their top-performing students. This includes student awards from each of our local RIBA branches. These awards promote excellence and reward talent in the study and education of architecture across the South.
Three RIBA judging panels visited the 2024 end-of-year exhibitions for architecture students at Oxford Brookes University, University of Reading, and University of Portsmouth.
Oxford Brookes University and RIBA Oxfordshire
RIBA Oxfordshire committee members met up with local architects members and students at the phenomenal Oxford Brookes University end-of-year show launch event on Friday 24 May. RIBA Oxfordshire Chair Daniel Wadsworth, Jessop & Cook Architects, and RIBA Regional Chair (South) and Oxfordshire Treasurer Mark Shipton, Oxford Architects, assessed student portfolios and went on to select three RIBA Oxfordshire award winners. Congratulations to each for their incredible work.
- Anastasiia Dubrovskaia: Leslie Jones Memorial Prize for most progress in Building Construction at Part 1 level.
- Angelica Bagatan: RIBA Oxfordshire Student Prize for best portfolio by a year one student showing consistency of ability and progress.
- Dan Herbert: RIBA South Student Prize for the highest standard of all-round excellence in the Masters course.
During the event, the branch enjoyed many high-quality projects from students at all levels of their education and discussed future collaboration with the Head of School Christina Godiksen. Keep your eyes peeled for future events between RIBA Oxfordshire and Oxford Brookes School of Architecture. Finally, we would love to give a massive shoutout to the incredible RIBA Oxfordshire student representative Raiza Shanavas for organising student-led tours during the first few days of the exhibition for local members. Congratulations to all the winners. The branch is already looking forward to next year’s show. 
University of Reading and RIBA Berkshire
RIBA Berkshire committee members enjoyed an incredible trip to the University of Reading School of Architecture for their end-of-year show on Friday 7 June. The judging panel for the Berkshire branch's RIBA Awards included Chair Fred Guttfield, Guttfield Architecture, and Adrian Collet, Artichoke Architects.
The judging process was a tough task, as the committee assessed student portfolios across years one to three, culminating in the awarding of the Conrad Birdwood Willcocks Prizes for Technical Excellence, congratulations to all of the 2024 winners:
- Year one winner: Sofia Marchenko
- Year one commendation: Emma Martin-Jones and Edison Chung Chang
- Year two winner: Penelope Pomey-Carpentier
- Year two commendation: Jasmine Bensarda
- Year three winner: Tvisha Jadav
- Year three commendation: Will Hooper and Ellie Pascoe
The end-of-year show was a stunning achievement and the prize-giving ceremony is a testament to the supportive and familial environment at Reading. The RIBA Berkshire branch cannot wait to return next year to see more incredible work from Reading’s future architects.
RIBA Hampshire Chair Toby Wincer, OB Architecture, and Vice-Chair Laura Locke, Adam Knibbs Architecture, represented the Hampshire branch during their visit to the 2024 Portsmouth School of Architecture end-of-year exhibition. They were kindly shown around by undergraduate and postgraduate tutors and enjoyed work that was of a high standard. Toby remarked, “It is apparent that life in the studio has benefited those that previously missed out during the years of COVID.” Below are the RIBA Hampshire recommendations for the awards based on their review of the student’s portfolios: BA Under Grad Highest Standard of all-round Excellence - Max Irvin, “For a demonstration of clear and mature communication through diagrams, drawn and animated representations that we as experienced practitioners were very impressed with. These enabled us to understand his scheme and its intent very quickly. The building design and wider urban integration were refined and well executed, and again delivered in a clear, constant, and cohesive language.” BA Under Grad Highest Standard of Detail in Design - Charlie McManus “The level of detail in the thought process was expressed graphically, drawn, and modelled. The resulting representations expressed a geometrically complex, adventurous, and detailed scheme of the highest standard.” MArch Post Grad Highest Standard of all-round Excellence - Amy Blencoe “Amy demonstrated an in-depth level of research and brief development which was then responded to comprehensively delivering a well-considered architectural scheme that related back to the brief and theoretical thinking at both a macro and micro scale.” MArch Post Grad Highest Standard of Detail in Design - Darienne Whalen “Darienne has considered the geotechnical and hydrological context in great detail. This in turn has informed the design through a detailed environmental response resulting in an innovative facade design, considering all seasons and in the context of climate change.” Congratulations to all students from across the South. We cannot wait to follow your architectural journeys. If you would like to get involved in any of the branches, please feel free to reach out via the RIBA South email. .jpg?rev=de50c18f0d6043f391a5511f2004c2b9&hash=A3EB7E06C8C195587D483963EE91BC9D)
University of Portsmouth and RIBA Hampshire
