Futuristic Polish embassy design with angular structures and greenery.

Chicago’s Polish Embassy Vision and Rwandan Fishing Hub: Bartlett Students Push Architectural Boundaries

2026-06-30

Exploring bold architectural responses at The Bartlett School of Architecture

The Bartlett School of Architecture, part of University College London, showcases its students’ innovative projects, pushing the boundaries of architectural norms. Among these is a conceptual Polish embassy adjacent to Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway, epitomizing how architecture interacts with its urban environment. These works reflect the forward-thinking ethos of The Bartlett, offering fresh perspectives on civic engagement, historical narrative, and community integration.

Sergio Lopez’s reflection on migrant stories

Sergio Lopez presents “Ni De Aqui, Ne De Alla,” a project that delves into the narratives of migrant communities in London. Through the Latin American media agency Chucha.UK, this initiative reshapes how public storytelling becomes an architectural tool. It emphasizes participatory community involvement, foregrounding the stories that often remain untold in bureaucratic systems.

Student: Sergio Lopez
Course: Architectural and Interdisciplinary Studies BSc
Tutors: Freddy Tuppen, Kevin Green, Pedro Gil

Child standing amongst a group of people in a gathering. — Photo of a child surrounded by other people

Parin Nawachartkosit’s urban mediation in Kentish Town

In “Ordinary Grounds,” Parin Nawachartkosit examines architecture’s potential to navigate urban constraints. Set in Kentish Town, this project bridges social and economic pressures by embracing existing material and social traces. The resulting framework encourages community adaptation and reuse, rejecting static architectural forms.

For more insights into transforming urban spaces, explore how an urban project won the Imagine Angers Design Competition, showcasing a unique approach to biodiversity in architecture.

Student: Parin Nawachartkosit
Course: Architecture MArch, PG11
Tutors: Laura Allen, Mark Smout

Person holding and examining a detailed architecture model. — Photo of person holding up an architecture model

Ioana Enache’s living archive in Bucharest

“The People’s Palace” by Ioana Enache proposes a theatre on Bucharest’s Victory of Socialism Boulevard. Functioning as a living archive, the structure absorbs public testimonies and remakes them as performances. This approach transforms ephemeral memory into tangible architecture, collectively authored by its contributors.

Student: Ioana Enache
Course: Architecture MArch, PG12
Tutors: Elizabeth Dow, Izabela Wieczorek

Intricate architecture model render displayed on a plain background. — Render of an architecture model

Archie Koe’s hybrid approach in Bath Spa

“Bath Spa” by Archie Koe reinvents the city’s station to reconnect Bath’s limestone terraces with its riverbank. The design, informed by Gothic and Georgian influences, uses a composite structure that maximizes light and establishes a civic connection through a permeable threshold.

Discover how innovative design embraces history and geographical specificity with Casa Etérea’s mirrored off-grid home in Mexico, reflecting a harmonious blend with the natural landscape.

Student: Archie Koe
Course: Architecture MArch, PG14
Tutors: Dirk Krolikowski, Jakub Klaska

Futuristic render of Bath Spa Station with extensive green spaces. — Render of the Bath Spa Station civic mobility hub

Discovering hidden waters with Chanunchida Phonoi

Chanunchida (Pung Pung) Phonoi’s project, “Anatomy of Hidden Rivers,” reveals the often unseen infrastructures of water management. Located by the Abbey Mills Pumping Station, it integrates public interaction within the landscape, promoting a civic understanding of water systems.

Student: Chanunchida (Pung Pung) Phonoi
Course: Architecture MSci, Studio 4C
Tutors: Rory James Sherlock, Francesca Romana Dell’Aglio

Public baths designed to float on a water body. — Illustration of public baths located on water

Lia Penela Failde’s exploration of memory in Bishopsgate

In “Bishopsgate Low Level,” Lia Penela Failde investigates the interplay between visibility and memory. The project uses drawn and modeled narratives to reconnect a historically isolated site to its urban surroundings, revealing hidden potentials for civic spaces.

Student: Lia Penela Failde
Course: Architecture MSci, Studio 4A
Tutors: Johan Hybschmann, Kevin Gray

Detailed architectural model showcased on a dark table. — Architecture model

Cultural threads in Hannah Bryce’s Limehouse proposal

Hannah Bryce‘s “Stitching The Threshold” reconnects with London’s Chinese cultural history. Utilizing Chinese protective design elements, the project envisions a community hub that integrates health, communal activities, and cultural memory within the urban fabric of Limehouse.

Student: Hannah Bryce
Course: Architecture MSci, Studio 3A
Tutors: Murray Fraser, Michiko Sumi

Colorful artistic drawing of a conceptual architectural design. — Artistic architectural drawing

Lisa Liink’s pursuit of perception in Venice

“Processing Villa” by Lisa Liink examines how human and machine perceptions shape our worldviews. Situated in Venice, the project generates a dialogue between digital and physical spaces, crafting a collective consciousness through architecture.

Student: Lisa Liink
Course: Engineering and Architectural Design MEng, Unit 3
Tutors: Graeme Williamson, Kirsty Sutherland, Martin Lema Trillo, Alun Hurman

Black and white model of a modern architectural project. — Photo of an architecture model

Emily Sturgess’s sustainable approach in Machynlleth

Emily Sturgess presents the “Cob Canopy,” a sustainable structure for equine and forestry management in North Wales. The design features a glulam dome and timber strategy to minimize carbon footprint while enhancing functionality.

Student: Emily Sturgess
Course: Engineering and Architectural Design MEng, Unit 8
Tutors: Annarita Papeschi, David Hewlett, Michael Howarth