I have just completed second year and regardless of the distance-learning, it has been a very enjoyable experience and I am proud of how I have persevered and developed over the last year. My work from Design Studies carries on the theme that I established in first year, placing an importance on the element of interior delight. In both gathering hall and library projects I place an emphasis on there being a journey through the building with the idea that a user can be lured through and directed to intended spaces by provoking interest through design. 

My projects take inspiration from both the sea and the land, and I have tried to embed these into the concept for each proposal. 

THE SEA - In the gathering hall project I have proposed a community hall with exhibition spaces that are housed within a ‘sea grotto’ shell. The concept focuses on being 'beneath the waves’ and is a celebration of the sea - fitting for both its location in St. Andrews, and the function where the exhibition space is a science centre to educate on ocean biodiversity and sustainability. 

THE LAND - The library project takes inspiration from the land, particularly the science of geology. With this in mind, I have designed a facility that is a landform in its own right with a canyon atrium space and an exterior that mimics the platy and eroded cliff faces in the north-east of Scotland.  

Although I have enjoyed the hand-drawn approach and the tangible link I have with my design work, I do need to develop my computer skills and this is something I have started. I hope that in third year, I have built up competence within this area which will allow me to develop further and create a more diverse output.