When we spoke with UTS College Outstanding Graduate prize winner, Gus Dixon, he’d just come home from his first day studying Architecture at UTS. He says, “Our first lecture was in Building 8, the iconic Gehry building. That was a great surprise.”
Before finding his way to architecture, Gus had been on track to become a pilot. “I was introduced to aviation as a younger high school student,” he says. “My dad gave me the opportunity to get some lessons when I was in Year-9, and I held onto that all through high school. But when I finally gave it a real shot, I found it wasn’t what I wanted to spend my life doing.” That’s when Gus’ thoughts turned to architecture. “I grew up surrounded by design because my mum’s a fashion designer. She’s always encouraged us to be creative. And I’ve always been fascinated by the way spaces can affect your senses.”
Finding a pathway to UTS
The hitch was that Gus had focused on pilot training all through high school. That meant his HSC result hadn’t meant as much to him as his flying hours. He says, “When I decided on architecture, I knew I wanted to study at UTS, but I didn’t meet the required ATAR.” Fortunately, there was another way: a Diploma of Design and Architecture at UTS College, the pathway to UTS. Gus entered the Architecture stream for his diploma, which gives students the skills and knowledge to enter Bachelor of Design in Architecture at UTS. Students also earn 36 credit points towards their degree.
Looking back, Gus sees some advantages in starting his studies at UTS College. “It broadened my perspective in ways I might have missed if I’d been ‘dropped in the deep end’ at uni. Going through the College, I could slowly get my head around certain things. I found myself loving things I might have dismissed beforehand. It turned out to be an enjoyable, low-stress experience where I discovered what I’d love to do in the future,” he says, “and I think the tutors were easily the best part. They always had so much insight and it was great to get to know them.”
Valuable skills and a new way of learning
Gus also found Learning.Connected, the model of learning at UTS College helped him succeed. He says, “Having all that content available outside class, and then reviewing it with your tutor and cohort gave you time to get into the details. You could get as deep as you wanted to. You could choose what you were interested in and take projects in your own direction. The structure really made that possible. It helped me develop my own tastes and approach to architecture in general.”
When asked to name the most valuable skill he acquired during his diploma, Gus doesn’t hesitate. “The ability to take criticism,” he says. “I remember seeing people, especially in studio subjects, getting critiqued and taking it personally. But as the semesters went on, I found myself going to tutors outside of class and being like, ‘Just tear me to shreds.’ I feel that if you take criticism well, you can act on it without your ego getting in the way. Don’t ever think you’re the smartest person in the room.”
Some outstanding news
While he does an admirable job of keeping his ego in check, Gus was smart enough to win the Outstanding Graduate Award for achieving the highest grade-point average (GPA) in his diploma group. He says the win was a huge surprise. “I had no idea the prize even existed. Then one day I checked my emails and there was this amazing news. Obviously, my mum and dad were very happy. And I knew exactly where my prize money was going because I already had my eye on a new computer.”
Finding inspiration
He wants to encourage others to make the most of their time at UTS College. “Get to know your tutors,” he says. “They’re your best friends. Their inspiration both in and out of the classroom helped me keep going.” For design students, he adds, “Start early to develop your style, your taste. Look at your influences. It widens your perspective so much. You must be open-minded, but it’s important to know what direction you want to take. And that can only come from finding those influences, so seek them out. Try to move in a direction that inspires you.”
Starting at UTS has been an important milestone for Gus. He says, “There’s a much wider group to work with, and I’m honestly so keen to learn more – to get more insights and meet new people who know more than me.” He’s also excited about life beyond university. “In architecture, you can go in so many directions,” he says. “In the end I hope to be in a position where I can design my own spaces and have a bit of freedom. But I’d love to travel and learn from other cultures first. I want to go to places you couldn’t necessarily learn about in a classroom.”
Find out more about the Diploma of Design and Architecture>