YALE ADVANCED STUDIO
MAY 2015
Niall completed teaching his Advanced Studio for the Spring Semester in the School of Architecture in Yale University. The students presented projects based upon the theme Unreal City. They looked at the impact of devolved powers on the development of London as a quasi-independent global city, almost without a hinterland. Niall taught with faculty member Andrew Benner.
The final review was attended by Billie Tsien, David Kohn, Jennifer Leung, Pier Vittorio Aurelli, Petia Morozov, Frida Escobedo, Alan Organschi, Mike Tonkin, Michael Schlabs, Tatiana Bilbao and Bob Stern.
RIBA EDUCATION REVIEW PRESENTATION
MARCH 2015
Niall gave a presentation to the RIBA Education Review at a specially convened Forum and Council, which debated significant changes to the structure of architectural education. Niall spoke about the relationship between education and practice, arguing for a lifelong cycle of practice and education.
“Education should not end with RIBA Part III, or even limp along through minimum prescribed CPD events. It should no longer be possible for an architect to finish their education. I propose a more comprehensive model of life-long learning. If practitioners come back to the schools throughout their lives, they will be constantly invigorated and, by extension, they will constantly invigorate the schools to which they return. This would constitute a discourse – in the sense of a ferrying back and forth – in which practice and education are both part of a seamless continuity. The purpose of education is not so much the acquisition of set skills but – to borrow a phrase from John Hattie – learning how to learn. Once you have done this, you have built an engine for a lifetime of renewal.”