CplusC Architectural Workshop is funding new scholarships and awards at UNSW

We’ve got an exciting announcement to share with you today; one that has inspired a new series of blog articles that will continue in 2023, with the working title: Architects Doing Good.

CplusC founder Clinton Cole is funding new scholarships and awards at USNW for architecture students.

Sydney-based firm CplusC Architectural Workshop has partnered with the University of New South Wales to provide financial support and paid on-the-job experience to architecture students from socio-economically diverse backgrounds.

In 2021, CplusC became the first Australian architect-builder to be recognised as a Certified B Corporation, consolidating the firm’s ongoing belief that sustainability extends beyond the environment to encompass people, materials, economics, and social responsibility. 

One of CplusC’s most recognisable projects is the Welcome to the Jungle House, which we featured on the blog here, after Kevin McLeod singled it out for special mention during his world tour in early 2020.

Now, CplusC will invest $100,000 into directly supporting students, to help make the profession more inclusive and responsive.

This generous initiative will provide support to six to seven students over the next five years, helping to diversity the profession and in doing so broaden its reach and appeal to clients. And those are all aspirations that Sounds Like Design endorses and supports.

Clinton Cole, architect, builder, and director of CplusC, says: “I’m a big believer in diversifying the profession. It leads to better design outcomes and a more resilient and diverse industry – it’s that simple. And I know first-hand the difference financial assistance can make.”

Clinton attended university on a sports scholarship and found his passion in architecture; he says that without that funding support and part-time employment, he wouldn’t have been able to earn his degree.

“With this program we’re levelling the playing field for less privileged students with a stipend as they study. We’re also helping them get a realistic idea of the profession with mentored, fully paid employment,” he explains.

ZZ Top House by CplusC Architectural Workshop. Photography by Murray Fredericks.

“Because we’re architects and builders in one firm, we can immerse them in what happens in the office and onsite. So, when they get through that five years at uni, they won’t just have a degree – they’ll have hands-on understanding of managing quality from design conception to final build.”

UNSW will select winners in consultation with the CplusC team.

“This generous support of our students addresses a real need,” says Philip Oldfield, Head of School, Built Environment. “It will help socioeconomically diverse students to become architects. It’s a great contribution.”

The five-year program comprises two initiatives. First, the CplusC Architectural Workshop Scholarship, which provides $50,000 to help disadvantaged students earn their architecture degrees.

This scholarship will be awarded annually to one full-time UNSW undergraduate architecture student, who will receive an annual stipend of $10,000 during their five-year degree. If the student completes a three-year Bachelor of Architectural Studies but elects not to complete the two-year Master of Architecture, another full-time UNSW postgraduate architecture student will be awarded a two-year stipend to assist them in their studies.

The second initiative is the CplusC Architectural Workshop Sponsored Award. It provides another $50,000 over five years to help five architecture students gain real-world experience in creative practice and construction.

Balmy Palmy House by CplusC Architectural Workshop. Photography by Michael Lassman.

Each year, a different student will be offered mentored, fully paid employment at CplusC plus a one-off stipend of $10,000. For two days a week (140 hours over a ten-week semester), the winning students will join CplusC’s team of architects and builders to work on projects from design to build. As they learn, they will earn wages and overtime.

The winners of both the scholarship and first award will be announced by UNSW in early 2023.

To be eligible for these new programs, students must be enrolled full time or part time in the UNSW Architectural Studies program and be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen.

This represents a significant investment in the future of the profession by CplusC, and we look forward to brining you more news about the students who will benefit from the scholarship and awards.

For more information about CplusC, visit their website here.

And for more information and to apply for the scholarship, visit the UNSW website here.

And we’ll also be highlighting different ways that other architects are doing good across the profession in 2023, so if you have a story you’d like us to share, feel free to submit your idea by email to Rachael Bernstone.