Sam
Bray

Why NTU…

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

I chose to study at NTU after my open day and being impressed by the facilities that the course has access to. I had heard good things from alumni of NTU and decided that it was well suited to me. I had wanted to study architecture since about the age of 12 because I loved the idea of design freedom and providing enriching spaces for generation to come.

What did you think about the course staff? How did they support your learning and university experience?

I thought the course was very well organised by the staff at NTU. From first year through to third year, I felt we had a good amount of support and staff would often do all they can to help the students. I think as a whole, the staff were very friendly and I got on with them on a level which went beyond just education.

What was your favourite aspect of the course?

During my three years, I thoroughly enjoyed being encouraged to explore design iterations by putting pen to paper and using physical models. I found they helped to create a better scheme and I found a lot of enjoyment seeing how I had improved massively over the three years.

Tell us a little bit about your career since leaving NTU.

Since graduating from NTU, I have moved to Bristol for a new job as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant. I have found professional practice an eye opening experience and very enjoyable. I am also very pleased to have been exposed to areas of professional practice whilst at NTU which has helped the seamless transition from education to working in practice.

How would you promote NTU to potential students in 10 words or fewer?

Superb university with a strong syllabus and great staff.

What has been your career highlight so far? How did what you learnt at NTU help you get there?

There has not been so much a career highlight as of yet, however, I have really enjoyed learning about what really matters in practice and learning about things which will help me throughout my whole career. At NTU, we were encouraged to test design iterations over and over again which has definitely helped me become a better designer. This not only helped me in university, but had been a very transferable skill into practice. The professional practice module in third year was instrumental in ensuring that the students knew key information about practice prior to starting, and surprisingly really enjoyed it.

What is your biggest piece of advice to current students and those graduating this year?

The best piece of advice I could give to current students is to just get your head down early. From personal experience, I spent my first two years perhaps playing a bit too hard and not working hard enough but once I had come to the realisation that it was time to really work, I got my head down and it paid off.