This blog was set up in 2008 and served until 2013 to support teaching-related activities for undergraduate design studio unit A at the school of Architecture at Oxford Brookes.
The unit was lead by Carsten Jungfer for 5 years with support of Colin Priest between 2008-11 and Emu Masuyama in 2012-13. During this time a teaching methodology was developed, that is based around a structured learning framework with inspirational lectures, group workshops, site-visits, field-trips and references to theory and practice supporting students to pursue individual interests by working with open briefs.
The approach to design and learning can be described as site-driven, process-orientated and of multi-scalar nature with an agenda that investigates shifting social, spatial and material conditions in the city. The unit established London as study area for their investigations into urbansim and public realm and the city became testing ground for strategic ideas and architectural interventions. Areas of focus and now under rapid transformation included Old Street roundabout, Mount Pleasant, Aldgate East, Deptford and Blackfriars.
The course also provided hands-on experience and live collaborations with institutions such as RIBA Building Futures Initiative, Design for London, Brandenburg University of Technology, Trada and Eco-build.
Examples of work produced by individual students have been collated into a series of catalogues, that can be viewed online or purchased on-demand at print-cost (see links top right).
2012/13 Liminal States
2011/12 Syndicated Infrastructures
2010/11 Complicit Infrastructures
2009/10 Pro-Local Infrastructures
2008/09 Co-habited Infrastructures
Carsten Jungfer is lecturer at the University of East London since 2012, where he leads an undergraduate design studio in architecture.
LINK to Unit A at the University of East London
LINK to zectorarchitects (practice co-founded by Carsten Jungfer and Norbert Kling)
