We are pleased to announce the appointment of two new acting Programme Directors for the coming academic year: Rebecca Ross for Graphic Communication Design and Alex Warnock-Smith for Spatial Practices.
Rebecca Ross is currently Course Leader on MA Graphic Communication Design. Originally from New York, she completed an MFA in Graphic Design at the Yale School of Art and a PhD in Architectural and Urban History at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. She is best known for projects including London is Changing, a discussion about the future of London staged on large-scale digital billboards around Central London during 2015, and is also co-founder and co-editor of Urban Pamphleteer, a series of publications confronting key contemporary urban questions.
Speaking on her appointment Rebecca said:
"The high stakes of contemporary graphic and communication design are increasingly evident—they can be seen every day all around us. I am honoured to be leading a group of students and staff with so much capacity to activate the wider potential of our subject to interrogate and intervene in such a complex visual and discursive landscape."
Alex Warnock-Smith is currently Course Leader on BA Architecture. He is an architect and urbanist, trained at the University of Cambridge and the Architectural Association. Previously he was Course Master at the Architectural Association Graduate School, a Design Fellow at the University of Cambridge, and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Brighton. He is also the founding Director of Urban Projects Bureau, a multi-disciplinary design and research practice specialising in architecture, urbanism, spatial strategy and design. He has written for magazines and journals including the Architectural Review, Guardian Cities, the Times, and Blueprint magazine.
Speaking on his appointment Alex said:
"Our Spatial Practices programme aims to address pressing concerns of climate emergency, political turbulence, cultural diversity and social inclusion – challenging the issues facing our students, the discipline and society at large. Ours is a distinctive and vital programme with an established reputation for challenging the norms of architectural and spatial pedagogy as well as rethinking the role of architects and spatial practitioners. Our manifesto reflects our ethos and we will continue to build upon it with greater urgency with a growing focus on cities and the politics and processes of urban regeneration."
Jeremy Till, Head of Central Saint Martins said:
"Following the appointments of Rebecca Wright as Dean and Mel Dodd as Associate Dean, I am delighted to announce the appointments of two new acting Programme Directors. Rebecca Ross will be overseeing the Graphic Communication Design programme, and Alex Warnock-Smith the Spatial Practices programme. Both will assume their new roles with immediate effect to ensure continuity, and will continue for this academic year, at the end of which we will go through an external recruitment process for the permanent posts.
It is great to have Rebecca and Alex joining our very strong cohort of Programme Directors. I have huge respect for what they have already achieved as course leaders. The Deans and I look forward to working with them on the strategic direction for their programmes."
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