Unit J students are encouraged to be imaginative, hard-working and inventive. Instead of asking “why” - we would rather ask “why not” ?.

This year, we will continue to question boundaries between the real and the represented, encouraging students to develop their own methods of representation which assist in the discovery and description of their own ideas and fascinations. Working methodologies will include, but not be limited to: architectural and choreographic drawings; physical models; digital models; material tests; films; stop-frame animation; photography, simulation and sound. Unit J asks students to be brave, experimental and rigorous. Follow us on Instagram to see past examples of student work: @UJOXB

Dafanie Lee

Being on the ground floor, privacy was a major issue. Through the use of camera obscura, my living space was transformed into the screen for the projection of the outside in. 

Investigating and recreating the study room, basement and courtyard, the spaces related to the murder of the owner of the bank. At different scenes, the same furniture were reused and moved around to frame the scenes.

A relatively regular looking kitchen and bedroom, accessible through tight spaces which are only reachable by individuals who received specialized training like Long Jiu. The amount and timing of natural daylight entering his bedroom is tailored to suit his occupation. 

Situated in Singapore, a country without natural resources, emphasis has been placed on the importance of water conservation. Students and visitors here would have hands-on experience with the water filtration and recycling systems, initiatives that were established by the government. 

Hoi Ying Ou

Exploring my movement and interactions with the objects within my living space, revealing what is most frequently/least used.

Designing a home hidden within Oxford’s woodland, representing Kim’s double life from the film Parasite, where he is able to disguise and change within the house becoming different identities.

Creating an identity for a UK styled bath house, influenced by cultures around the world, (particularly the Japanese public bath houses and Turkish hammams), connecting the rural to the urban, located in London.

Year 3

Isac Andersson

Reverse engineering the ‘impossible’ spaces in Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ through the use of sound in the movie. Particularly through Danny and his Tricycle, as only he is the one seen accessing these ‘impossible’ spaces.

A house designed for a younger Danny to move around in small spaces, appearing impossible to the older Danny living above. Danny would experience hauntings through impossible spaces as in his childhood, and learn to live with them as he does in the movie ‘Doctor Sleep’.

A response to the potential hardships from living on Longboats, both physical ailments and bringing a closer sense of community. The building is designed to be gentle on the body and help those with any kind of physical ailment.

Year 3

Juliette Domage

By surveying my working and living space this project led to the analysis of the relationship between sounds and distances. Telling the story behind the walls through the recording of moving objects and their sounds. It informed the following work on cinematic strategies to create spatial awareness

In order to draw Jeffries’s flat, from the film Rear Window, I am reconstructing each wall with the images from the film as well as interpreting objects positions from the soundtrack. This led to an estimated guess and interpretation of folding paper as a model for the final drawings of each wall.

Eavesdropping and eyedropping are the main activities of Jefferies from Rear Window. The house becomes a device to help him make the analysis of his own community. An invasion on their private daily walk disguised by new accesses to the Thames river.

Transforming the lost tradition of mountaineers in Saint-Martin-Vesubie into an active training site. The aim is to revive the history of the local villagers and help professional hikers to prepare for their upcoming mountaineering experience. This project pushes the limits of its users by enhancing its surrounding landscape.

Year 3

Katie Norman

While surveying the space I kept a log of all the sounds I heard from my room so that I could add these into my plan and section when I came to draw them. This plan shows only features of the house which create noise audible from my bedroom.

This project creates a hideout for characters Sam and Suzy (from Wes Anderson’s ‘Moonrise Kingdom’) to run away to that embeds itself within the natural environment using construction techniques and materials that Sam and Suzy would have access to.

This sectional axo reveals some of the Scout-style construction techniques that Sam and Suzy would have learned as children.

Year 3

Oli Rash

A hydrological dwelling capable of adapting to the environment. Having lived underground for the last 4-years, the character Geun needs to get accustomed to life above ground. His disconnection with society results in a gradual process of re-adjustment facilitated in the amphibious design. The morse code facade is his way of communicating with the world as he is not physically visible.

From a series of objects that Oli collected from the site, he constructed a concept model representing the kleptomaniac tendencies of his character, Geun.

The brief attempts to synthesise two programmatic ideas using site-specific research - brewing beer and fishing. It explores a more natural and man-powered approach to the brewing process rather than robotics currently used by many of today’s brewing industries. 

Year 3

Liam Bargerhuff

The aim of this project is to design a space that would house a “barbershop university” where men, no matter the reason they’ve fallen on hard times, can live in and learn to be a barber to get themselves back on their feet or back into a healthy headspace.

The plan reveals a series of spaces which offer different levels of privacy or exposure depending on the confidence and mental health status of the occupants.

The internal space is divided by a series of translucent Shoji-style screens, to provide privacy and organise the space.

Max Higgs

An examination of the inconsistencies in the inter-scene logic of Wes Anderson’s film, Grand Budapest Hotel 

A series of building-patterns which have been directly formed by the tailor’s methodology - the sectional result of a 2D pattern. Breaking down the architecture allows for the expansion of tailoring thought.

A thrift shop, laundrette, and Tailors’/Architects’ residency. The proposal focuses on a sustainable approach to architecture through mimicry of the tailors’ methodology, alternating annually.

Year 3

Nadia Delaimy

An exploration of the movement within a small space where day to day life revealed the parts of the room most used.

An analysis of the family home in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands led to a set of plans derived from scenes shown on screen.

A series of domestic spaces tailored for the fictitious character, Edward Scissorhands, along with his wacky and unique persona.

A violin-repair workshop with living quarters which transforms to track the sun and reflect the intricacies of an instrument being tuned to its surroundings.

Year 3