Equipment 

Suggested equipment you should have

Standard Equipment for Drawing, Sketching and Modelling 

Pencils 6B - 4H

Set of colour Pencils for illustrations

Set of water colours and brushes for illustrations 

Eraser and sharpener

Metal ruler at least 30 cm for cardboard cutting

Fine liner pens 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 

Sketchbook A5 or A4

Camera/mobile phone camera

Laptop for arranging a digital portfolio

And any other equipment you prefer.

Please note: For some tasks we discourage the use of drawing tablets as it restricts the manual-sensory skill development.

Provided

The equipment and materials below are provided 

Cutting matts

Snap-off-blade cutting knives

Robust scissors

Certain amount of materials will be provided per student

PVA glue

Masking tape

Cardboard 

Foam board

Timber sticks 

Plasticine 

Watercolour paper 

Watercolour jars 

In case of over extensive material use, you need to buy additional materials from the in house art store. 

Engaging with Architecture

I am an experienced and enthusiastic architect, lecturer and educator in architecture with extensive practical experience and many years in architectural education.

Over the last 15 years I have trained hundreds of students, many of whom went on to successful careers in architecture in renowned architectural firms.

For more than 10 years I developed and directed the INTO Newcastle University Architecture programme, a three pathway preparatory programme tailored for international students. I continue to contribute to teaching at all levels in Newcastle University's School of Architecture.

Students who apply to study architecture are often ill-prepared and overwhelmed by the complexity of the subject. For this reason, I decided to provide a more affordable and personal platform to support students venturing into architecture.

A lot has changed in the field of architecture since I studied architecture at the University of Stuttgart (Germany) in the late 1980s. Most striking is the urgency for sustainable design as well as digitalisation (CAD) and the interlinking processes (BIM).

However, many centuries-old principles of architecture remain unchanged and deserve to be rediscovered and applied.

Our ancestors had admittedly a greater awareness and appreciation for simple qualities such as shelter, light, warmth, clothing and food. Therefore, it makes sense to rediscover and reinterpret these concepts as source for inspiration. Many great architects formed their concepts and manifestos based on the vernacular tradition. 

With regard to sustainability, many topics were already known during my time as a student, as were the technical and methodological solutions to address these problems.

It is sobering to note how little has been implemented in terms of application and legislation. At the same time, I notice that in architecture education at universities a lot of energy and time is spent on less relevant theoretical and abstract aspects. Therefore, my focus is on practical application, 'thinking through making' rather than being absorbed by abstract theories and speculative research.

In three decades as a practicing architect, I have had the opportunity to design and contribute to a wide range of buildings in the UK and Germany. In nearly two decades as an educator and lecturer in architecture, I have gained an important insight: our future depends on what we teach the next generation and how we listen and learn from the younger generation, just as we did from our mentors. We remain learners, whether we are teachers or students.

As we live in a time of accelerating change and struggle to keep up, anchoring our manual skills and holistic physical engagement is critical. This is particularly true for students who have to cope with increasing distance from physical activity over the course of their studies. Architecture is an inherently physical-sensory subject. Understanding construction and architecture requires physical effort. Therefore, my approach to teaching architecture is focused on application skills and physical experience.

In this respect, architectural training could be compared to the training of a musician learning an instrument. The metamorphosis of imaginative mind into physically perceived reality.  And when done well, it is a joy for everyone. Tangible results express our feelings and create satisfaction and self-confidence. This is the essence of my personal teaching approach. 

Terms and Conditions

Entry Requirements 

You should have a keen interest in the fields of architecture, art and design, and the built environment. You must be willing to engage in practical tasks and participate in group assignments. Good art and design related skills are appreciated, but are not a requirement. We welcome international participants and participants from divers cultural backgrounds. This is reflected in the course materials and teaching method. The course fees are the same for domestic and foreign students.

Age of 18+ 

If you register for this course yourself you should be 18 years of age. The maximum age we accept is 25. You are required to provide your accommodation address and telephone number in case we need to contact you close to the start date. We recommend that you check the status of your booking and course availability before booking your trip. You must agree to provide contact information in the event of an emergency, such as your parents, guardians, supporters or sponsors who have a responsibility to support you.

Age of 16+

If you are 16 years of age on the day the course begins, you can take part in the course on the condition that parent or guardian consent for you to participate and that your parent or guardian resumes the responsibility and duty of care after course hours. By signing the consent form, the parent, guardian or person with parental responsibility agrees that you will participate in all planned activities, including excursions. The declaration of consent also requires the accommodation address and an emergency contact to be provided.

International Students

If you are an international student, it is your responsibility to meet any visa and travel requirements.

If you do not hold a UK, EU or EEA passport you must check with the UK Border Agency regarding visas before you make your booking:

www.ukvisas.gov.uk

Visa applications can take time.  If you do not leave sufficient time to obtain a visa once you have booked, you will not by right be eligible for a refund.

All classes are delivered in English. 

As a guide you should have an IELTS score of at least 6.0 to be able to follow the contents and instructions.

Booking and payment

All payments are made through the secure payment link using Credit Card, PayPal or Google Pay. 

To secure a place on the course, a 25% deposit is required.

The remaining 75% must be paid 2 weeks before the start of the course. The course fee must paid in full to attend the course. Once the deposit is processed you will receive a confirmation email securing your enrolment on the chosen course. By enrolling on the course and paying the deposit, you agree to the terms and conditions. In case you are under 18, your parents or guardian must agree to the terms and conditions.

Cancellation

If you wish to cancel your participation more than 30 days prior to the start date, your deposit will be refunded minus a 50 £ administration fee.

Where a cancellation is made less than 30 days prior to the start date of your course, you won't be entitled to a refund.

In case you are unable to attend sessions or the course due to illness or unforeseen personal or professional reasons, you will not be eligible for a refund, additional tuition, or a course transfer.

It is your legal obligation to be at all times comprehensively insured for all eventualities in connection with the attendance of the course programme, such as travel and accommodation costs, loss or damage, or any other arising costs. We won't be liable for any losses (including, but not limited to, travel and accommodation costs) arising as a consequence of any modification or cancellation of courses or timetabling constraints beyond the cost of the course fee.

In the unlikely event that we must cancel a course for unforeseen reasons, we will inform you as soon as possible. In this case you are eligible for a full refund of the course fee only.

Attendance

You are expected to attend all scheduled classes on time ensuring your attainment and usable outcomes. Non-attendance of classes due to illness or for personal or professional reasons doesn't provide the right to a refund, extra tuition, or a transfer. You'll need to have a 100% attendance record in order to qualify for the course certificate. 

If you are 18+, in case of Person Extenuating Circumstances (PEC) such as sever illness or unexpected and unavoidable personal circumstances, you must inform the course leader who authorises your absence.     

If you are under 18, you must attend all courses. In the event of illness, your parents or legal guardians must inform the course instructor personally before the course begins. Failing to do so may lead to missed person report to the police. 

Attitude

It is expected that you are ready to fully engage in the course programme, follow the instructions and guidance of the tutors and that you are interested in learning and taking advantage of the peer learning experience. We follow and enforce strict behavioural guidelines to ensure a safe, friendly and inspiring learning environment. Therefore, all participants are expected to behave professionally, inclusively and respectfully at all times.

Intimidating or discriminatory behaviour, the consumption of alcohol or drugs during class time, and attending under the influence of alcohol or drugs are strictly prohibited. Parents or guardians will be contacted if there are any concerns or other behavioural concerns. Depending on the severity of the violation, you may be reported to the police. Violation of these rules will result in immediate exclusion without any right to a refund or any costs incurred as a result of the withdrawal.

Health and Safety

It is your obligation to be sufficiently equipped with appropriate clothing and footwear for safely conducting practical tasks for attending field trips, to have the necessary funds for sustenance for lunch and coffee breaks.

You will be expected to follow the health and safety instructions of your tutors at all times.  Failure to follow health and safety instructions may mean that you cannot participate in certain activities.

Disability and Learning Impairments

Although we welcome applications from students with disabilities, we are not currently equipped to deal with more serious physical or learning disabilities.  Any disability or impairment should be disclosed confidentially when you apply so that we can make an informed decision about whether the course is suitable for you.

The term “disability” refers to mobility difficulties, mental health problems, autism/Asperger's syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome/ME, visual/hearing impairment, learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, and conditions such as epilepsy, asthma and life-threatening allergies.

Data protection

We follow the current EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). All personal data and information will be held securely and dealt with according to GDPR guidelines. Data will be shared only with course tutors. We won’t share any personal data with third parties unless required by law. 

For promotional purposes we may ask you to consent to the use of photos, video recordings, outcomes, feedback, and personal statements with a consent form or in context with your application. We will not share your personal information with any third parties unless required by law, nor will we sell your details.

Force Majeure

We are not liable for failure to deliver the courses if such failure is as a result of fire, floods, earthquakes, storms, hurricane or other natural disaster, war, invasion, act of foreign enemies, hostilities (regardless of whether war is declared), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalisation, government sanction, blockage, embargo, labour dispute, strike, lockout or interruption or failure of electricity or telephone service.