Express & Star

University’s architectural award partnership enters sixth year

A Wolverhampton architects practice will once again sponsor a prestigious accolade for architectural excellence at they city's university.

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Last year's winner Emma Thomson with former Tweedale director Jonathan Astley

The Tweedale Prize for Architectural Design is presented annually to the most outstanding student on the BSc Hons interior architecture and property development course for demonstrating high quality architectural design work.

Tweedale, located on Tettenhall Road, has been the award’s sponsor for the past five years and a number of previous award winners have gone on to work at the practice.

Colin Orr, who is head of department for architecture at the University of Wolverhampton, said: “It’s wonderful to have had the support from Tweedale over the last five years and I hope it will continue for many years to come. It’s a very prominent practice and students are always pleased to win an award from such a highly regarded firm.

“This is a very competitive award and I’m pleased to say that a number of recent winners have been female. This is a positive thing as the industry is typically male dominated, so it is great to see women coming to the forefront in this way.”

Tweedale’s managing director, Terry Reynolds, added: “We are keen to encourage new talent and support those students that show a flare for architectural design work. In the past we have employed students that have won our award because we have been so impressed by their work.”

The award will be presented on September 19. Last year’s winner Emma Thomson said the award helped her land her dream job with London interior design company, Lambart & Browne, following her graduation, where she now works as an interior architectural technologist.

Following graduation she also became chairman of Greater London Aspirations, a networking group set up by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technology to support university students and new professionals in the industry.

She said: “Tweedale’s advice and guidance throughout my final year at the University of Wolverhampton was incredibly helpful. They gave us an honest insight into the realities of architectural design and, alongside our tutors, helped us explore our own areas of interest.

“Having grown up with property developers as parents, I’d always had an interest in interior design and my ultimate goal was to end up working for Lambart & Browne. Having this award win on my CV definitely helped impress them and I feel so lucky to be in a job I love straight after study.”