Will is a Part 2 Architecture Assistant that has a keen interest in Heritage, Story Telling, and a passion for landscape led archtectural solutions.
I’m a hands-on creative who thrives by diving headfirst into new challenges, fully immersing myself in every project I take on. With a background in photography, 3D modelling, and scene setting, my work focuses on storytelling through atmosphere and environment. My thesis explored Cornish folklore, investigating how the landscape itself becomes a narrator – its misty mornings, dramatic coastlines, and quiet fringes echoing tales to those who wander it. This narrative thread continued into my design project, where I reimagined folklore through the shifting seasons, drawing out the hidden magic of the land’s edges. It was a call to notice, nurture, and re-enchant the wild spaces that surround us.
Where the Land Speaks explores the deep connection between Cornish folklore and the landscape, arguing that the land itself communicates through its stories and traditions. Focusing on the woods, coast, and moors, the thesis examines how these places both shape and are shaped by local legends and the voices of droll tellers. It highlights the importance of preserving Cornwall’s Celtic identity, which is increasingly threatened by globalisation and cultural homogenisation, by rekindling the meaning and presence of its folktales.
Drawing on theories such as Marc Augé’s concept of the “non-place,” the research investigates how Cornwall’s oral traditions and peripheral identity are evolving, particularly in sites like Draynes Woodland and Rough Tor. These landscapes, filled with tales of giants, saints, King Arthur, and spectral forces, become storytellers themselves, rich with emotional and cultural meaning.
To complement the written work, a series of short films captures the sensory experience of hearing folklore in the very places that inspired it. Through spoken word and evocative imagery, these films immerse the viewer in Cornwall’s storytelling tradition, where land and legend intertwine.
Ultimately, the thesis proposes folklore as a way of seeing and preserving place, allowing the Cornish landscape to continue speaking to those who listen.
The MArch Architecture is a two-year full-time or three-year part-time programme offering exemption from ARB/RIBA Part 2. It combines rigorous professional training with creative and speculative design exploration. In the first year, students join a themed design unit to undertake a creative building design project combined with a technical and professional report. In the second year, students pursue a comprehensive speculative architectural design project, and an in-depth theoretical thesis tailored to their personal interest. The programme fosters independent thinking, innovation, theoretical and technical excellence, preparing graduates for advanced architectural practice and ongoing professional development in a dynamic global context.
See further details on our prospectus page.
