Why Richard from Indonesia chose to study Architecture at Huddersfield

Located within the new, modern, innovative and visually stunning Barbara Hepworth Building, Architecture courses are very popular at the University of Huddersfield.

We’ve caught up with Richard, from Indonesia who is a recent architecture graduate from the University of Huddersfield to see what he thought of the course and life as an Indonesian student in Huddersfield. Check out the interview below.

Indonesian Architecture Graduate - Richard

Richard Junius Linarda was born in Denpasar, the largest city in the island of Bali in Indonesia. He moved to Surabaya, Indonesia’s second biggest city when he was young and this is where he grew up. Surabaya is home to many impressive skyscrapers and great architecture, so it’s easy to see where his inspiration came from.

He studied Art in Indonesia before undertaking his Bachelor Degree at the University of Huddersfield.

Indonesian students, University of Huddersfield

Indonesian students Richard (left), Marcella, Fidelia and Ronald.

Why did you chose to study in England?

With lots of big attractive buildings, from modern to very old, England has a lot to offer for an architecture student. England is quite unique with such a variety of architecture. Also, I’ve always been intrigued by the history of England.

What attracted you to study Architecture at the University of Huddersfield?

What attracted me to do Architecture is obviously because of the art perspective, I especially love designing it. Once you start designing you just can’t stop (Architecture students will know).

Huddersfield is a very peaceful place and perfect for an international student such as me. It is very liveable, everything is easy to access and the University of Huddersfield has a good reputation. The Architecture course is excellent, it is validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and has world-class facilities.

Picture of the Barbara Hepworth Building from below the main entrance.

The Barbara Hepworth Building where architecture students study.

What was your application process like?

The application process was pretty simple, I emailed the University Regional Officer, Suet who was very helpful, I also spoke with my school who requested my academic transcript, IELTS UKVI and my portfolio (not needed for all courses), then I just had to send my passport/ identification. It was so simple and the reply was fast and very helpful, I did not know many things back then but the University taught me and guided me through the whole process.

Did the course meet your expectations?

The course definitely met my expectation. The facilities are top notch, I learnt a lot and it has set me up for a great career in architecture. The people (staff and students) were so nice, that helped me throughout my uni life.

What was a regular week like for you?

I did spend a lot of time in the studio doing my projects, a lot of people actually do that as well. Huddersfield has such great facilities it is best to make the most of them, I definitely found the facilities helpful, that is the reason why I spent a lot of time at the studio. I can barely count how many hours I spent there to be honest, I was in my own world designing and working on my projects that I always forgot the time.

In my free time, I enjoyed hanging out with lots of friends I made at University. We would explore Huddersfield, it is a beautiful town, I enjoyed going for walks with my friends. I also explored lots of other towns and cities in England. Huddersfield is well connected with good transport links making it easy to explore the rest of the UK.

Richard and Indonesian students at Castle Hill

A day out at Castle Hill - located about half an hour walk from campus.

I went to Blackpool Pleasure Beach with some fellow students.

As for relaxing, I love gaming (PC Master Race), I also love origami, a Japanese art of paper folding without cutting or gluing. I spent a lot of time reading Manga and watching Netflix while at uni, I found these helped me relax.

Did you work while at University?

I did not do any part time jobs at University, however many international students do and there are lots of options. However, right now I’ve got an internship in one of the biggest Architecture organisations in Indonesia and that is thanks to my portfolio and the University of Huddersfield.

Anyone lookng to study at Huddersfield should also check out the scholarships, they offer great financial discounts for international students.

Did you join any societies?

I joined the Indonesia Society, there are over 60 Global Societies at the University of Huddersfield and it’s a great way to meet people from your country. There are also lots of other societies such as sport and academic ones. I joined the Badminton Society; they were so nice and very friendly. You can compete against other universities or just play for fun, they also have regular social events which were great fun.

Malindo event - students from Malaysia and Indonesia

The Malindo event organised by Malaysian and Indonesian students at the University of Huddersfield.

I met some great friends through the Indonesian society. Here we are celebrating Christmas.

Top tips for Indonesian Architecture students

Speak to the Regional Officer.
Bring Indomie, prepare to use your English speaking and hearing skills more than you should.
Don’t be afraid to ask for anything I can guarantee that the people from the uni are the nicest you’ll ever met.
Join some societies.
Enjoy every moment, you will realise how good your university days were when they are gone.