Rebecca Galbraith

I am a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture. I joined the University of Portsmouth after being an architect involved in public projects for a large Local Authority.  I beleave that an architectural design education not only leads students to a vocation as an architect, but also gives a broader understanding of the situation around us.

As professionals within the built environment, we endeavour to understand the world surrounding us.  We use architecture as a way to create deeper experience before we attemt to solve problems by design.

Following my Part 1 architectural studies, I worked in private practice in London, them moved to study my Part 2 qualification and work in practice in Liverpool. After qualifying as an Architect, I gained 15 years’ experience working for Hampshire County Council, designing educational buildings, especially secondary schools, where the environment directly affects the students.

Working for a Local Authority which helped me see first-hand the benefit of the architectural collaboration between user, funder, design team and construction team, particularly drawing from experiences with my last project: the refurbishment of Queen Elizabeth Country Park.

I joined the University shortly after meeting the School of Architecture team as an architect attending their employer evenings, taking part in mock interviews and being an examiner on Final Examination in Professional Practice (Part 3) Architecture course.

I also use painting as a practice to deepen my understanding of the landscape.  Being an artist gives me great joy, as does belonging to the Yard Studios in Winchester.

I am Course leader for both the undergrad and postgrad Degree Apprenticeship courses.  I am also the Module Coordinator for the Technology and Professional Practice module for the first year of the Master of Architecture, as well being a tutor for the Part 3 case studies, BA and MArch dissertations. 

My role with the Degree Apprenticeship students and their employers brings me closer to practice and industry.

I am part of the Spatial & Performance Practices Research Group, which looks at how architecture can be embedded in the creative world.

I was involved in the ‘Portsmouth Phoenix’ project, a collaboration with notable residential architects, culminating in a three-day design charrette.

I am finalising a research paper looking at the teaching of ethics in schools of architecture student following my recent completion of a PGCert Degree Apprenticeship course.

In Easter 2023, I completed a 5 day artists residency at SpudWORKS in the New Forest.