TRADA is officially calling for entrants to its TRADA University Challenge 2019 in which students will be challenged to design exemplary student accommodation predominantly from timber.
Sixty students from 30 universities will descend on the University of Sheffield’s Diamond Building for an intense charrette-styled challenge on February 8 and 9. Upon arriving, students from the disciplines of engineering, architecture, architectural technology, quantity surveying and landscape architecture will be split up into multi-disciplinary teams to compete for cash prizes and the prestige of winning the TRADA University Challenge.
Building on the success of Urban Buzz 2018, this year’s competition will follow the same format – but with a new design brief of “student accommodation”. To provide authenticity and additional context, a live site has been chosen for this challenge; not only will students design to a tight brief, using relevant timber and timber products, they will have to work around real life constraints, delivering a useful and stimulating real life experience.
Pioneering design professionals and industry members will be on-hand throughout the competition supplying helpful information, support and guidance. Matching the diverse body of contestants, a mixed but experienced panel of judges is being assembled. The TRADA University Challenge 2019 is an incredible opportunity for students to engage with forerunners of the timber industry and gain fantastic practical insight into working with timber, and for the design and industry professionals to engage with “tomorrow’s timber talent”.
“Our aim with these challenges has always been to engage with interested students and to nurture the future talent of our industry, and this year we aim to do the same,” said Rupert Scott, TRADA’s membership and marketing manager.
“We are thrilled to host another TRADA University Challenge on the back of last year’s outstanding success and can’t wait to see the dazzling designs that everyone comes up with. Many thanks to those sponsors and supporters who have already signed up, including the TTF, Steico, Stora Enso, PEFC, and Wood for Good.”
Third year students (or fourth year if applying from Scotland) of engineering, architecture, architectural technology, quantity surveying and landscape architecture from UK universities are eligible to enter.
For details on how to take part, please visit the TRADA website.
WTTA helps educate future customers
The Western Timber Trade Association (WTTA) recently gave a grant of £700 to aid student learning at Bridgwater and Taunton College. The money is being used to fund the manufacture of small roof mock-ups using trusses.
“We are delighted to assist the college in educating young people, demonstrating the many benefits of using timber in construction,” said Tony Shelton, WTTA chairman.
“This money will enable the students to appreciate the benefits of working with timber trusses,” said Mike Tozer, construction trainer and assessor.
“The project will give them the opportunity to learn the skills required to erect the roof following the correct procedures and appreciate the strength that timber can provide to structural roof situations. A full size project of this type improves the learner experience and is essential for learners that are not exposed to this type of work on site”
