May 23

WE ARE SEEKING A NEW FINANCE MANAGER

Mar 23

Nigel Coates: Liberating the Plan

Mar 23

AN INTERVIEW WITH ELLIOTT WANG, SECOND YEAR REP

Feb 23

PART 4 LAUNCH

Feb 23

IN MEMORIAM – CLIVE SALL

Feb 23

Our Design Charrettes – an insight into life at the LSA

Feb 23

BOOK NOW – OPEN EVENING WEDNESDAY 8 MARCH

Feb 23

An Interview with Emily Dew-Fribbance: LSA Alumna and First Year Design Tutor

Feb 23

Pathways: Optic Translations

Jan 23

Thursday Talks: Questioning How we Embed Sustainable Design in Practice

Jan 23

An Interview with LSA alumna Betty Owoo

Jan 23

Interview with Marianne Krogh – Rethinking water as a planetary and design element in the making of the Danish Pavilion at Venice Biennale

Dec 22

What do our students think of studying at the LSA? We spoke to Second Year student Semi Han

Dec 22

Hear from our Alumni – An Interview with Calven Lee

Dec 22

National Saturday Club Programme

Nov 22

LSA Alumnus Jack Banting published in FRAME

Nov 22

2022/23 Design Think Tank Module Launches

Nov 22

Mentoring can transform the architecture profession – for good

Nov 22

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN FOR 2023/24

Nov 22

Alternative Routes To Registration: An Evening with ARB (17/11/2022)

Nov 22

Circular architecture needs material passports

Nov 22

Apply To The LSA: Online Intro (23/11/2022)

Oct 22

LSA Registrar

Oct 22

London School of Architecture announces strategic collaboration with Black in Architecture

Aug 22

LSA Summer Design Charrette

Jul 22

How fire has shaped London – from 1666 to Grenfell

Jul 22

Voices on: Architecture and Fire Safety

Jun 22

JOB OPPORTUNITY:  DESIGN TECTONICS TUTOR

Jun 22

JOB OPPORTUNITY:  DESIGN DIRECTION MODULE LEADER

Jun 22

JOB OPPORTUNITY:  DESIGN HISTORY TUTORS

Jun 22

JOB OPPORTUNITY: DESIGN STUDIO TUTORS

Jun 22

JOB OPPORTUNITY:  DESIGN CITIES MODULE LEADER

Jun 22

Voices on: Architecture and Displacement

May 22

Job Opening: Design Think Tank (DTT) Module Co-Leader — Apply by 20.06.2022

May 22

You’re invited to the LSA Summer Show 2022

Mar 22

LSA students shortlisted for London Festival of Architecture design competition

Feb 22

ELEVEN DESIGN THINK TANKS AIMING TO TRANSFORM THE CITY

Feb 22

LSA launches new bursary scheme for students from low-income backgrounds Copy

Feb 22

LSA announces Thomas Aquilina as inaugural Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation Fellow

Feb 22

LSA Tuesday Talks

Feb 22

Meet students, faculty and alumni at our Open Evening — 24.02.2022

Jan 22

Why Apply to the LSA? Thoughts from our Academic Director

Jan 22

Job Opening: Professional Events Co-ordinator — Apply by 18.03.2022

Dec 21

Will Tooze & Daniel Wood — Plan for Chalk Bridge

Dec 21

Siân Wells — Feminist City

Dec 21

Peter Salman — The Deconstruction Institute

Dec 21

Jayden Luk — Grow The City

Dec 21

Jack Morgan — Freedom of Movement

Dec 21

Harriet Stride — The School with Roots

Dec 21

Freddie Hutchinson — Channelsea Tidal Gardens

Load more

What do our students think of studying at the LSA? We spoke to Second Year student Semi Han

As part of our series speaking to students, alumni, faculty and members of the Practice Network who are sharing their experience of studying and working at the LSA, we caught up with second year student Semi Han.

Semi gave a fantastic overview of the experience of studying at the LSA, discussing daily life at the school, the programme and what she thinks is important for prospective students to know.

If Semi’s experience sounds interesting, you can apply to join the LSA in 2023 here.

6 Orsman Road. Semi is pictured on the roof terrace of the The London School of Architecture’s building. Photography by Bo Morgan.

Semi, can you tell us about the experience of studying at the LSA?
First year and second year feel very different so far. In first year modules you experiment and question the current systems of the profession through design and critical writing, and then progressing into second year, you form your own brief from your own topical interests using the skills of questioning and challenging from first year.

Our design work always feels really grounded in reality which, to me, makes it more exciting as it means our studies are more applicable to our future career.

Why did you choose to study at the LSA?
Initially, I found the LSA’s Critical Practice module really intriguing as it linked our studies with our time in practice, meaning our working days had direct input into our module coursework, rather than being an additional, completely detached part of our week. Learning about the business of architecture and dissecting these issues in practice was really interesting and I think is a side of architectural education which is often reserved for much later in your career.

Semi’s final project investigates conservation, with a focus on the intangible cultural heritage of our architecture and spaces.

Did you enjoy working in practice alongside studying?
The dual-aspect of working and studying was one of the key unique factors of the LSA that made me want to apply, and I have enjoyed working throughout my degree. I’m still working at my placement practice Denizen Works one day per week this year and it’s great to have a foot within the realities of architecture in practice, as well as having the chance to be more theoretical and conceptual during my studies.

What’s it like studying at 6 Orsman Road?
It’s unusual and very different to a conventional studio space. There are nice pockets of space to go work in if you want a change of scene, and all the LSA staff are only a few meters away so it’s all quite compact.

6 Orsman Road. Semi is pictured studying on the 5th floor of the LSA’s building in Haggerston. Photography by Bo Morgan.

The programme at the LSA focuses on encouraging students to be pioneers of change in the architectural sector. What change do you want to see in architecture, and how does the way you design contribute to that change?
Architecture should be part of a wider network; other fields of interest can feed into your architectural work to enrich your design and process. I find it interesting looking to other fields (creative or not) and how their theories, research and knowledge can support architecture. It’s always a great moment when you make links between these new readings and  how they can apply to an architectural project.

For my Critical Practice Manual, I looked at architects undertaking free work for the sake of building professional relationships or doing favours. I still believe this would be a great change for the profession – know the worth of your work!

Has studying at the LSA changed how you design?
The LSA encourages you to push boundaries and challenge convention in current social, political and architectural issues. The past year has helped me create a robust case for my project using existing policies and models which support the ways you’re aiming to push those boundaries, which is a skill you get to develop further this year in Design Speculation.

Semi’s final project explores the act of conservation as a process through the continuity of intangible cultural heritage.

And finally, what do you think is the most important thing for prospective students to know?
A lot of the briefs for your design projects will stem from your own design interests and how you progress them. It’s a different model to any unit system in other universities, the LSA allows you to  pursue different areas of architecture that interest you and develop them into a project you feel passionate about. For the written modules, you identify the topics and issues you want to discuss and focus on in your project moving forward, adding to an overall body of work that’s very personal.

Thanks so much for your time Semi!

This is the second in our series of interviews with students, alumni, faculty and members of the Practice Network, who will share their experience of studying and working at the LSA to help you understand more about the school as you prepare to apply for 2023/24. You can read our first interview, with 2020 graduate Calven Lee here.