The Harvard Graduate School of Design announces the 2019 cycle of the Richard Rogers Fellowship, a research-focused residency program based in London at the Wimbledon House, designed by Lord Richard Rogers in the late 1960s. Each of the six selected fellows receives a three-and-a-half-month residency at the Wimbledon House, as well as round-trip travel expenses, a $10,000 USD cash stipend, and unique access to London’s extraordinary institutions, libraries, practices, professionals, and other resources. The deadline for applications for the 2019 cycle is October 28, 2018.
Now entering its third cycle, the Richard Rogers Fellowship thus far has welcomed 12 fellows from around the world to London and the Wimbledon House. Fellows have researched a diverse series of topics, including examinations of public and affordable housing; how food and cooking transform cities; and citizen-driven urban regeneration initiatives, among others.
Established in 2016, the Fellowship is intended for individuals whose research will benefit from access to London’s extraordinary institutions, libraries, practices, professionals, and other unique resources. In providing proximity and access to these resources, as well as the distinctive living quarters at the Wimbledon House, the Richard Rogers Fellowship encourages in-depth investigation of a wide array of issues pertinent to the sustainable and equitable development and transformation of the city. The fellowship is inspired by Rogers’ commitment to cross-disciplinary investigation and social engagement, evident across his prolific output as an architect, urbanist, author, and activist.
In 2015, Lord Richard and Lady Ruth Rogers generously gifted the Wimbledon House—designed by Rogers for his parents in the late 1960s—to Harvard GSD to ensure the Heritage-listed property’s continued use as a residence and to provide a unique research opportunity for future generations of professionals and scholars.
The Fellowship is open to applicants residing anywhere in the world; current Harvard GSD employees are not eligible to apply. Applicants must demonstrate professional or research experience in a field related to the built environment, and must propose new or ongoing research that would benefit from a residency in London. Applicants must have completed a graduate or professionally accredited degree. Preference is given to practitioners and researchers with significant academic credentials or experience in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning or urban design, as well as applicants who propose ambitious research projects with the potential to make a significant impact on relevant fields of research or practice. Candidates will be asked to submit a CV, portfolio of design work and/or research work, and research proposal. Full details and FAQs are available at RichardRogersFellowship.org.
Key dates and deadlines:
- Application deadline: October 28, 2018
- Spring 2019 fellowships: January 28 to May 3, 2019
- Summer: 2019 fellowships May 20 to August 23, 2019
- Fall 2019 fellowships: September 9 to December 13, 2019
For more information, please contact [email protected].
With media requests or inquiries about past fellows and their work, please contact Travis Dagenais at [email protected].
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Basic FAQs:
I AM CURRENTLY A STUDENT; AM I ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
The minimum requirement for application is a professional degree in a related design field or a graduate degree in an affiliated area, with the expectation that applicants have some level of demonstrated experience beyond their academic coursework.
CAN I SELECT MY PREFERRED RESIDENCY TERM?
Fellows will be asked to rank their preference: Spring (January 28 to May 3, 2019), Summer (May 20 to August 23, 2019) or Fall (September 9 to December 13, 2019). The Selection Committee will try its best to assign recipients to their preferred term.
HOW MANY FELLOWS WILL SHARE THE RESIDENCE AT ANY GIVEN TIME?
Two.
WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM THE LIVING ARRANGEMENT?
The Wimbledon property consists of two buildings—the primary residence and a smaller similar structure that was originally a pottery studio. The studio has been renovated to have two small private bedrooms, each equipped with a desk and private bathroom. Fellows will reside in the renovated studio and share the use of the main house’s kitchen and common spaces. The primary residence will host occasional events, such as lectures and symposia; fellows are notified with ample advance of any such events.
WILL YOU CONSIDER JOINT APPLICATIONS BY PARTNERS/COUPLES?
Partners/couples wishing to submit a joint proposal must apply individually. If the Selection Committee deems each individual deserving of a fellowship, the partners/couple will have the chance to share a residency term. The Wimbledon House cannot accommodate more than two residents at any given time.
DO I NEED TO GET LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FROM MY REFERENCES?
You do not need to submit letters at this time. If you are selected as a finalist, we will contact your references. We strongly advise that you notify your references about your application, should they be contacted.
WHAT ARE THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE FELLOWSHIP WINNERS?
Winners of the Richard Rogers Fellowship are expected to cooperate with Harvard GSD with regards to media outreach, publications, documentation of work, participation in events, and so on. Fellows are expected to take full advantage of the resources and institutions being made available to them; occasional travel outside of London is permitted, but fellows are expected to make use of the house as their primary residence for the duration of the residency. If research undertaken during a residency results in publications or exhibitions, winners must credit the Richard Rogers Fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Fellows will be asked to submit a brief summary of their London work (2 to 3 pages) within six months of completing their residencies.
ARE HARVARD UNIVERSITY FACULTY MEMBERS, LECTURERS, AND STUDENTS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
Yes. However, current Harvard GSD employees are not eligible to apply.