A group of 26 students from the Faculty of the Built Environment attended the second edition of Archivisit between 01-07 July - a week long hands-on experience programme in London which exposes students to best practices in the international construction industry. This year’s edition was sponsored by the Planning Authority and local Design and Project Management firm - Innovative Architectural Structures (iAS)
The brainchild of visiting university lecturer and iAS Project Manager, Perit Mark Borg, Archivisit provides students reading a Bachelor and Masters degree in Architecture and Civil Engineering, with an intensive programme which combines experience-based knowledge with relevant, expert advice on architectural design, structural engineering, green infrastructure, facade engineering and project management.
Perit Vincent Cassar Planning Board Chairperson at the Planning Authority commended this initiative and said “the Planning Authority full endorses and supports educational programmes which can propel the next generation of architects into working towards a culture of excellence in the Built Environment Industry. Such a knowledge-sharing programme can at times impact and achieve much more than the ‘traditional’ educational system that our students are exposed to.”
This year, students were hosted by a number of reputable international firms namely Foster & Partners, Arup, Wintech, MAKE, Malta Business Network, SOM, Robert Bird Group, Buro Happold, RISE Management and the Bartlett School of Architecture. Most of the visits led by Maltese architects or structural engineers who are currently working in London.
Mark Borg founder of Archivist said "This international student experience programme exposes our students to the best practices in design and project management, new technologies, site processes/procedures and green infrastructure techniques. It offers a hands-on experience, with design workshops, technical presentations and construction site visits through the involvement of reputable international firms."
Bernard Bugeja, masters student at UM stated, “The ArchiVisit 2019 was a fruitful learning experience for me. It was definitely interesting to learn about how leading design companies such as Foster+Partners, MAKE and SOM functioned in the design and concept stages and how the ideas were implemented through innovative techniques. The visit to The Bartlett School of Architecture also provided me with further ideas on how to present a project and what tools to use to showcase my work. What struck me the most was the organisation of the different entities and the co-operation, trust and respect which each had for one another.”
The Planning Authority and iAS will be working closely with Archivist to strengthen the collaboration and benefits of such a programme for the future.
