Celebrating Scotland’s Next Generation of Architects: jmarchitects at the 2026 Degree Shows

This summer, jmarchitects has been delighted to attend architecture degree shows and student events across Scotland, celebrating the creativity, ambition, and talent emerging from the next generation of architects and designers.

jmarchitects continues to play an active role in supporting architectural education across Scotland, building on long-standing collaborations with the country’s leading schools of architecture. This engagement reflects a sustained commitment to sharing practice knowledge, mentoring emerging talent, and strengthening the link between academia and the profession.

On Thursday 21st, members of our team attended the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment at Robert Gordon University, where students presented a wide range of thoughtful and ambitious projects responding to themes of sustainability, placemaking, community, and future urban living.

The following day, Friday 22nd, we visited the University of Strathclyde Degree Show to engage with students and explore projects addressing adaptive reuse, housing, environmental resilience, civic architecture and live builds. Finaly and Victoria from our Glasgow studio also attended the Annual Lecture, contributing to wider conversations around architectural education and professional practice.

Later in the month, on Thursday 28th, members of the practice attended the opening of the Mackintosh School of Architecture Degree Show at The Glasgow School of Art. The exhibition showcased an impressive breadth of design thinking, technical exploration, and creative representation across all year groups, highlighting the strength of emerging architectural talent in Scotland.

In addition to attending the exhibitions, Paul Smith from jmarchitects was privileged to serve as a jury member for this year’s GIA Student Awards, recognising and celebrating excellence in architectural education and student achievement.

At the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Ian Alexander has been involved in teaching for more than 38 years, contributing to the development of generations of students, many of whom have gone on to join jmarchitects and the wider industry. Paul Smith also supports the school as a guest tutor in Professional Studies, in addition to his role as a Year 1 Design Tutor at the University of Strathclyde. At the University of Strathclyde, Phil Zoechbauer and Gavin Murray are actively involved in teaching final-year students across Years 4 and 5, supporting design development, critical thinking, and preparation for professional practice.

In parallel, our relationship with Robert Gordon University is maintained through Yunming Thomson and Hazel Birse, who contribute as ad hoc tutors, offering guidance and mentorship as students develop their design work and architectural thinking. Reflecting on this year’s degree show, Yunming commented: “It was fantastic to see the RGU students’ hard work displayed together in the end of year show. We were delighted that 4th year Maren Mowett received the Tommy Award in recognition of her dedication to the course. Maren completed her Part 1 placement with jmarchitects last year and was a valuable member of our education team.”

The degree shows continue to provide a valuable opportunity to connect with students, discuss ideas shaping the profession, and reflect on architecture’s role in responding to social and environmental challenges. We were encouraged by the confidence, creativity, and social awareness demonstrated throughout the exhibitions, particularly the strong focus on sustainability, wellbeing, heritage, and community-centred design.

As a practice, we remain committed to supporting emerging talent and fostering opportunities for students and graduates entering the profession. Thank you to the students, tutors, and organisers for welcoming us to the exhibitions, and congratulations to everyone involved on such thoughtful and inspiring work.

Credit: Paul Smith, jmarchitects