Young Architects' Group
Monday 6 - 7:30pm, University of West England's Frenchay Campus, BS16 1QY
£10/ session with termly registration after a free trial session. Payment can be made in full or via installments.
We also offer free community spaces (please email to enquire).
Below: Overview/ Session content/ Arrival information/ Timetable
Welcome to the UK's only weekly architecture group! Our sessions are structured to teach our students the basics of building and spacial design to help them understand the implications of their design decisions.
The sessions are led by Kate Byrne, the founder of OCC. She is also lead for Creative Practice & Portfolio module at the University of West England Bristol's International College, which offers a pathway for international students to progress on to study Architecture at UWE.
We are very pleased to be able to offer free community places for our sessions. If you are interested in one of these places, please get in touch. Spots will be reserved on a first come first served basis.
In addition to the weekly sessions, we are very happy to support students who wish to apply to read architecture at University by assisting with compiling a portfolio, personal statements and course selection advice.
Along as our tutors Kate and Elena, we will have volunteer undergraduate and masters architecture students from UWE assisting in the sessions, alongside drop-ins from local architects. It is a great opportunity for skill sharing, confidence building and for budding architects to ask those studying the subject about university life.
However, you don't need to be a budding architect to join our group. Architectural education provides students the opportunity to practise a multitude of transferable skills such as critical & creative thinking and visual & verbal communication. Our studio classes and design briefs are created to mirror topics discussed at degree level, covering topics such as sustainability, inclusivity and innovation and engaging our students with environmental, societal, and cultural challenges.
The awareness of the importance of an architectural education for young people has been steadily growing as the value of their spatial and cultural knowledge becomes apparent. Education is one of the most important ways of protecting the cultural landscape and maintaining sustainable architectural development - including its including aesthetic, cultural and creative quality.
Architectural education can allow our future adult citizens to have higher expectations of the quality of their built environments. Studies indicate students are less likely to perceive architecture as primarily a matter of decoration and are more likely to take an active role in its development - whether that is as designers or as the conscious recipients and advocates of their own built environment.
Our students are also offered the regular opportunity to present their projects to external architects for friendly feedback. We recently hosted a few guests from HTA's Bristol studio for mid-project reflections. Our students had a brilliant experience and we are all very grateful to Frankie, George and Esme for their time, generosity and encouragement!
All reviews are supervised by our teachers.
Session Content
- There are 2 projects per year:
‘Primer’ project from September - December
‘Main’ project from January - May.
- Students register for the sessions termly
- Students can join/leave/rejoin at any time (space dependent)
Brief example:
To design a piece of ‘nano-tecture’ that could be placed at multiple small sites within the City of Bristol (parks, street corners etc) to promote connection, friendship and togetherness within the city. The space should be a catalyst for meaningful experiences, should be free for the community to use, and should be designed in a way that draws in and intrigues the passer by. Models should be built at a 1:50 scale.
Arrival information
We will be meeting students promptly at 6pm by the visitor car park.
Parents/guardians are able to stay on site during the sessions if they wish.
Address
Frenchay Campus Visitor Parking, Coldharbour Ln, Stoke Gifford, Bristol
BS16 1QY.
Transport links
Frenchay campus is easily accessible via bus, train, car & bike. For details click here.
Meeting point - Visitors' car park
Describe some quality or feature of the company. Write a short paragraph about it and choose an appropriate icon.
Our classes take place in R (Architecture) Block
Describe some quality or feature of the company. Write a short paragraph about it and choose an appropriate icon.
Timetable:
26/27 Academic Year
Term 1: 5 weeks
21 September 2026 - 19 October 2026
Term 2: 7 weeks
2 November 2026 - 14 December 2026
Term 3: 6 weeks
4 January 2027 - 8 February 2027
Term 4: 5 weeks
22 February 2027 - 22 March 2027
Term 5: 6 weeks
12 April 2027 - 24 May 2027 (excludes bank holiday on 3 May)