NDSA Committee Update

The NDSA Committee continues to evolve as Branch activity moves forward.

The NDSA continues to build strongly on it’s road towards broadening and improving membership participation.

From August 2020 to February 2022 the Committee further delivered on it’s programme of events, hosting LECTURES / SEMINARS / TOURS. This INCLUDED

Through the promotion of topical debate and with the inclusion of other built environment expertise, we have found ways to further our understanding of some of the Professions most important issues. In March 2021 we held The Planning White Paper Round Table, inviting in key stakeholders to debate the content and implications of the Government’s proposed changes to the Planning System. The debate helped to breakdown into detail how such proposals would likely plan out and what this would specifically mean for Architects and the broader profession.

The NDAS has highlighted this to RIBA’s East Midlands Regional Council.

Officers who chose not to re-stand to elected office include Eleni Tracada, Cinzia Ruso, Ben Price and Hannah Scrimshaw. The NDSA would like to thank all of those who sat on the committee during the August 2020 to February 2022 term. During this time the NDSA continued to build strongly on it’s programme of events, promoting topical debate, hosting building tours, engaging in community iniatives, and furthering member engagement across many sectors.

Dora Farrelly

Adara Cheles

Adara Cheles joined us as the Branch’s new Social Media Secretary. Adara will provide the day to day maintenance and management of the NDSAs social media platforms and general online presence. Much work has been done in recent years to rebuild and organically grow the NDSA’s digital capabilities.

Olamide Eso

Olamide joins as new Education Secretary, who’s role it is to build further upon and continue the great work of Ayesha Batool and Michael Hodgson.

“Over the last term of office my role has been to predominantly support the current Chair / President in his duties, including attending Regional / National meetings, Chairing meetings or running the Q+A for our own events.

Other duties included filling the NDSA calendar with events, personally I’ve been responsible for 10 out of the 28 this term. These ranged from CPD, local project and building talks, physical building tours & heritage and conservation talks.”

Michael Hodgson

With support from other members of the Committee, events organised and delivered by Michael included

• Museum of making physical tour, Derby

• Heritage Action Zone virtual talk with Alice Ulathorne

• Moorways Aquatic centre physical tour, Derby

• Economic, social and environmental benefits of heritage restoration virtual talk with Planning Design Ltd

• JHAI CPD: Fire safety in new & existing homes virtual seminar 

• The Dryden Enterprise & Innovation Centre at NTU by Evans Vettori virtual talk

• Contour House by Sanei + Hopkins Architects virtual talk

• Glancy Nicholls Ada Belfield Centre & Library virtual talk

• Jestico+Whiles Nottingham Canal Pavilion virtual talk

• Pride road franchise with Lisa Raynes virtual talk

“Last year with the Chair and support of the team we submitted an objection letter the local government against the demolition of the Derby Assembly Rooms arguing the ‘greenest building is already built’.

Though the brutalist vernacular can be a topic of subjective opinion, we felt on behalf of the Local RIBA membership a response was required, particularly one that echoed the government’s own words in committing to carbon neutral cities.

- insert dezeen article - ”

— Michael Hodgson

“In my past and first term I was the project lead on the Student Award Symposium which with the support of the committee was a revamp of the NDSAs role in selecting students nominees for university and regional RIBA awards .”

Michael Hodgson

Joshua von Fragstein steps down as Chair

Joshua steps down following the successful and productive completion of two consecutive terms, during which time the NDSA has gone from strength to strength.

“Over three years, I have delivered 14 events and one two day exhibition. 

Along with supporting the symposiums’ student selection process, I have also conducted research into comparative buildings between Derby and Osnabrück, and organised digitising the archive.”

Joshua von Fragstein

Ayesha Batool Steps down as Education Officer

At NDSA, I was invited to bring my international experience to the table, where I voiced my opinions and initiated projects that I felt most passionate about.

In this role I have enjoyed the excitement and intellectual stimulation of working at the crossroads of academia and practice.

“During the pandemic, I found myself in an enabling position to provide linkages for collaboration between schools of architecture and professional practices in Nottingham, Derby and across the East Midlands via the RIBA East Midlands Education Group. At NDSA, I was invited to bring my international experience to the table, where I voiced my opinions and initiated projects that I felt most passionate about.”

Ayesha Batool

In addition to a productive tenure as Education Secretary, Ayesha successfully defended her PhD thesis, was appointed to lead the RIBA East Midlands Research & Innovation Group and has moved into a BREEAM consultancy role with her new employer