Welsh Journals

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Architectural Education in Wales. By T. Alwyn Lloyd, F.R.I.B.A. F HOSE OF your readers who, like myself, are concerned about the future of art and JL architecture in our country, will have read with interest the stimulating article by Mr. Edmund D. Jones, M.A., on "The University and Art" in the July issue of the Welsh Outlook." While I am in general agreement with nearly everything that Mr Jones has to say, there was one important reference in his article which should not be allowed to pass without comment, and I therefore venture to interpose some further remarks on this subject. Mr Jones stated that at the present time it is necessary for the Welsh student of the "mistress art" of architecture to go outside Wales to obtain his training. As a matter of fact, this is not the case; at the Department of Architecture and Civic Design of the Technical College, Cardiff, there is provided a complete course of architectural education, extending over a period of five years. This department does not at present award degrees, but the work done is in every way comparable with that of the leading schools of architecture in England and Scotland, some of which are attached to the Universities. I do not wish to enter here into the question of the method which should be adopted in linking up the School of Architecture at Cardiff with the University, in order that its course may lead to degrees, nor is this the occasion for discussing the teaching of the other arts in Wales; I should like, however, to take the opportunity of putting before your readers some definite information about this institution. Although it was only started five years ago, the School has already established a well-merited reputation as one of the 16 Schools in the British Empire which are officially "recognised" by the Royal Institute of British Architects. The fact that the present 4th and 5th year students who complete their course satisfactorily are recom- mended for exemption from the major part of the R.I.B.A. final examination gives such a position to the School as has been reached only by a small number of leading Schools. It has, indeed, created a record in the annals of achitectural education, by obtaining these praiseworthy results in a comparatively short time. The standard of the R.I.B.A. in granting such recognition is a very high one, set largely by the development of the larger, old-established Schools in England, with which this School is com- pared by the R.I.B.A. Visiting Board. The work of the Welsh School has also been subject to the supervision of an external examiner. Until his death in 1924, Mr Paul Waterhouse, past president of the R.I.B.A. and chairman of the Board of Architectural Education, was the external examiner, and the school gained much from his wise counsel. The present examiner is Professor A. C. Dickie, M.A., A.R.I.B.A., of the School of Architecture at the University of Manchester. The number of students at Cardiff is steadily increasing and now amounts to about 50, includ- ing 22 (some of them women) who are taking the 5 years' course. They are drawn from such centres as Newport, Abergavenny, Rhondda Valley, Merthyr, Tenby, Welshpool, and Aber- ystwyth, in addition to Cardiff and its immediate vicinity. The School has the fullest possible support of the Royal Institute of British Architects and of its allied Society, the South Wales Institute of Architects. Representatives of the latter body are members of the advisory committee and its members take an active part in the work of the School. While the School is a practical one, dealing with architecture as a living art, and equipping its students so that they may take their place adequately in the profession, it is clearly aiming at high educational ideals. As one of the youngest Schools, it has the advantage of knowledge gained elsewhere, but it is by no means lavishly copying the older methods. On the contrary, it has already undertaken certain successful experiments in educational methods which are being adopted elsewhere. Two of its students have been awarded the "Henry Jarvis Ex-Service Travelling Scholar- ship," and have done valuable work in Italy, France and Britain, while other students have not only made useful studies of Welsh architecture, but have gone further afield and gained much by the study of buildings in Bath, Oxford, Cambridge, London, etc. The original theses submitted by the advanced students are particularly encouraging, and all who have passed through the full-time day course have obtained suitable appointments. The Head of the School, Mr. W. S. Purchon, M.A., A. R.I.B.A., was previously in charge of the Department of Architecture at the University of Sheffield, and for many years has been an active member of the R.I.B.A. Board of Architectural Education. He has lectured to most of the Architectural Societies allied to the R.I.B.A. and is a frequent contributor to the professional journals. Mr. R. H. Winder, M.A., A.R.I.B.A., the Lecturer in Architecture, and Mr. Lewis John, M.A., A. R.I.B.A., Assistant Lecturer, both ob- tained First Class Honours after passing through the well-known Schools of Architecture in the University of Manchester and Liverpool respec- ively. In addition to the above members of the staff there is a panel of honorary lecturers, drawn from the leading members of the profession in South Wales, who lecture in certain of the subjects.