Alan Barnes Travel Scholarship award winner announced

10/03/2021

The Alan Barnes Travel Scholarship has been awarded this year to Connor Curley from Queen’s University Belfast for a proposed trip to Japan, where he intends to consider contemporary architecture under the theme of “the surreal and the serene”. Connor intends his trip to take him on 10 day trip looking at the works of those like Sou Fujimoto, Tato Architects and Junya Ishigami, as welll as suspended museums, tree-top teahouses and historic temple architecture.

Judges Citation:

“The six candidates interviewed presented very interesting travel and learning opportunities and the choice was therefore difficult.  The Candidate selected to receive the scholarship was Connor Curley, a third year student at Queen’s University Belfast for a trip to Japan starting in Tokyo and extending to Osaka.  Connor was selected for the award as the adjudicators were impressed by his enthusiasm and his careful consideration of the research that he will undertake before and during his travels.  He displayed a genuine passion for exploring the theoretical rationale and drawings behind the buildings he intends to visit in Japan. Connor’s trip and research are exciting and will provide excellent material for sharing with the RSUA and his peers upon his return.  It is hoped that the current Covid-19 travel restrictions will not prevent his travel this year but if necessary the scholarship will extend to cover his travel when it is possible next year.”