Architecture Graduate wins Award

Shaun Young was presented with the Sergeant Award for Excellence in Drawing as well as being shortlisted for the student medal for best overall student project, at an international awards ceremony in London.

The medals are the most prestigious international student awards, chosen by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) from the 111 architecture schools that they validate across the world.

The 21-year-old, from Ashington, was nominated by the Architecture department, in the University’s School of the Built Environment for his stunning final project designs of a modern-day museum built around one of the oldest houses in Europe - a Mesolithic hut in Howick, Northumberland.

Describing his winning project, entitled ‘A thin place’, Shaun said: “I wanted the museum to heighten the users’ connection to the site that the Mesolithic people used and settled within, and for the building to respond to the times of the day and the seasons.”

Shaun, who graduated with first class honours from his BA Honours Architecture degree in July 2008, now works for Fielden Clegg and Bradley in Bath, a prestigious architectural practice which won this year’s RIBA Stirling Prize.

Paul Jones, Director of Architecture Programmes at Northumbria said: “We are absolutely delighted at Shaun’s achievements. Having attended the awards ceremony in London, I was overwhelmed at the standard of the students’ work. For Shaun to achieve top honours is testimony to his outstanding ability and commitment to the subject.”

RIBA’s ‘President’s Medals Student Awards’ were established in 1984 and aim to promote excellence in the study of architecture, to reward talent and encourage international architectural debate.

The award highlights a successful year for students studying at Northumbria University, with two of Shaun’s colleagues – Holly Galbraith and Peter Virtue – being awarded first and joint-second place respectively in RIBA Hadrian Medals, open to all architecture degree students in the region.

To view the award winning submissions, visit the President’s Medals website at www.presidentsmedals.com