Hasta La Ideas

Movie: the final tour we filmed at this year’s Royal College of Art graduate show features projects from the Architecture course including a high-rise hotel growing tropical fruit and an insect-powered office tower.

Above: Data Harvest by Christopher Green

Professor of Architecture Alex de Rijke introduces the course and presents student Louis Hall’s investigation into the way cities develop around motorway infrastructure and the effects major corporations might have on the built environment.

Above: HOT-el by Amanda Callaghan

De Rijke also talks about Haiwai Xie’s model for low-rise, high-density living in London modelled on a Chinese neighbourhood.

Above: Good Intentions by Louis Hall

Student Christopher Green describes his design for a high-rise office building that would cultivate insects both as a sustainable food source and a method for storing data within the structure.

Above: ‘BRIC’ house by Haiwai Xie

De Rijke, of UK firm dRMM, took over as dean of the School of Architecture in September 2011 following the retirement of Nigel Coates, as reported on Dezeen Wire.

The show continues until 1 July and you can see all our stories about the work exhibited here, plus tours of Design Products, Design Interactions and Innovation Design Engineering.