Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Sheffield vs Westminster for MArch Architecture Part 2 September 2014

Hi, I am an Architecture Part 1 student on my years experience. I have 2 offers at the moment and would like a bit of advice on which one to choose. The offers are from the University of Westminster and University of Sheffield, I liked both in terms of facilities and studios, although Sheffield's were a bit better. I am really struggling to decide between the two so any advice would be great! Thanks!

Reply 1

clareyyyyyyy

Original post by bmcr

I'm at sheffield, feel free to pm me any questions you might have that might help you make your decision! obviously I'd advise you to go to sheffield but I'm biased :P

Reply 2

101010nc

Hello, I've applied too to both Westminster and Sheffield for my part 2 and I'm also struggling to decide between the two. I saw your post and was wondering if you could please advise me as to which one I should choose. Could you also please let me know what factors lead you towards your decision? Any comment would be fantastic! Thank you :smile:

Reply 3

Farchitect

You're probably working in London now, or if you are not you most probably will at some point, so may as well try Sheffield. Also studying in London will be expensive and as it's debatable which course is better anyway, may as well choose the cheaper option.

In terms of differences in the courses, Westminster's is pretty "out there" and less "realistic", Sheffield's is more practical and focused on real-world solutions. In terms of facilities they are probably similar, however Sheffield has better studios in my opinion, and Westminster is arguably better located for architecture being in London, which will tend to mean you have better known speakers and tutors come in, for example Peter Barber is a tutor at Westminster.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 4

bmcr

Hi, In the end I chose Sheffield, A lot of people at Sheffield got into both, and they are both top universities. I think at sheffield they are a lot more grounded in technology, the environment and the social aspects of architecture, they pride themselves as the best "social architecture" school, meaning that interaction with the client or people effected by your architecture is a big thing... Also we do a live project with real clients for 6 weeks at the beginning of each year. Westminster sounded good as well but I think it is a lot more conceptual, depends what your interests are really... I know the big draw to westminster for me was that it was in London, not necessarily because it was the best school. Maybe look at the sets of studios that they offer, and see which ones you think you would like to do, I know that's what I did when I was choosing. Away from architecture, There was obviously the cost associated with it as well, I know accommodation in London is more than double the cost in sheffield, and then there is the cost of travel, free in sheffield as you can pretty much walk everywhere. I'm not sure what the social life is like at westminster, whether they have a society or anything, but a sheffield it's quite big, and there's lots to do outside of university. I know for me that I made the right choice, I've never wished I had picked westminster. With regards to lectures, it isnt as easy get architects to come to Sheffield to give lectures, however there is a strong alumni from Sheffield and we have architects come in every week to give lectures on Thursday evenings, this week its Roger Hawkins of Hawkins Brown and Andy Groarke of Carmody Groarke.Hope that helps.