Architecture Graduate wins prestigious national award

The University of Wolverhampton is celebrating a major win after Architectural Design Technology (ADT) graduate Joel Woodward was named winner of the Dissertation/Report of the Year category at the CIAT National AT Awards, held on the evening of Friday 26 September.

Joel’s final-year report investigated the optimisation of massive 3D point cloud surveys of buildings with games engine technology, allowing users to interactively walk around a 3D environment in Virtual Reality and was praised by judges for its relevance and originality. They commended the work for “tackling a highly relevant and contemporary topic,” and described it as “an engaging, forward-thinking piece of research that demonstrated both rigor and creativity.”

Joel said: “It’s a real privilege to be recognised by CIAT, and I’m truly honoured to have received the Student Report of the Year Award. I’m incredibly grateful to my lecturers for their continued guidance and encouragement throughout my studies, as their support has been invaluable in helping me reach this stage. This achievement represents the end of a challenging but rewarding journey, and I’m proud to have my report acknowledged at a national level. It’s a fantastic feeling to represent the University through this award.”

Professor David Heesom, Interim Head of WLVArchitecture added: “We are all incredibly proud of Joel for winning this award, and it shows how our students are actively supported by the staff to engage in projects that at the cutting edge of the profession. Joel’s research made use of data and technology from our collaborative work with the National Brownfield Institute (NBI), and it is fantastic to have these opportunities available for our students.”

This national recognition marks a proud moment for Joel and the academic team behind him, and adds to a remarkable awards season for WLVArchitecture, which has seen multiple accolades across the board:

• Joel Woodward (ADT) – CIAT National Prize
• Samantha Elliot (Architecture) – Regional Winner and National Finalist, Women in Property Awards
• Danielle Edwards (ADT) – Chancellor’s Prize

These achievements come on the heels of strong National Student Survey (NSS) results and a rise in the Times university rankings for the Architecture department, reinforcing the school’s growing reputation for excellence in teaching, research, and student experience.

As the University looks ahead to the 2025/26 academic year, the School of Architecture and Built Environment continues to build on its success, inspiring the next generation of creative and innovative professionals.