Architectural Digital Design (ADD) team plays a vital role in embedding digital literacy across the BA and MLA programmes at MSA. Through our core and extended offer, we provide all students, regardless of atelier, course, or prior experience, with access to a wide spectrum of digital skills. These range from technical drawing, 3D modelling, and visualisation, through to design computation, coding, digital fabrication, and artificial intelligence. One-to-one tutorials are available to all students, ensuring tailored guidance and support throughout their studies.
This year, we are pleased to celebrate MSA’s recognition as an Adobe Creative Campus. This exciting development provides every staff member and student with full access to the Adobe Creative Cloud, both on campus and on personal devices, for free.
We are also delighted to have welcomed Jo Cook to the ADD team. Jo brings extensive expertise in algorithmic design, advanced 3D modelling, and BIM, with professional and academic experience spanning Coop Himmelblau (Vienna), the Architectural Association, and Design Morphine. He is also founder of NEO Studio, a design-led practice working at the intersection of architecture and emerging technology. Jo also holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Applied Arts Vienna, where he studied in the masterclass of Hani Rashid.
Our annual visit to the BIM in Leicester conference was once again a great success, with our ADD lead Jason Taylor delivering a keynote presentation titled ‘Age of AI: A new paradigm for Architectural Digital Literacy’, alongside speakers from Foster and Partners, Zaha Hadid Architects and Heatherwick Studio.
MSA students continue to benefit from access to two state-of-the-art CAD Labs, remote computing, VR headsets, robotics kits, environmental sensors, iPads, drones, laptop loans, and over 180 industry-standard software tools. The ADD team is here to support students in utilizing these resources to their fullest potential.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Chen Qi and Hannah Thatcher, as well as our fantastic Graduate Teaching Assistants - Alexandra Iordache, Aparna Jayanti, Brian Chang, and Jake Vizard, whose contributions have enriched the student experience across the School this year.
