(Pictured: Davina Wang and the College Master with Davina’s work ‘Moment’)
Churchill Architecture graduate Davina Wang’s artistic talents have been recognised with two pastel artworks selected for The Royal Society of British Artists Annual Exhibition 2025, with her piece ‘Fruitilicious’ receiving the de Laszlo Foundation Highly Commended Award. This recognition is highly prized and reflects the talent and skills Davina has developed, including during her time at Churchill.
We spoke to Davina about how she balanced her academic focus with her artistic practice, and the benefits she has found from her time at Churchill in helping her art – and architecture studies – thrive.
‘I first began my journey in art/pastel about 5-6 years ago in order to gain the artistic ability to study architecture. Where architecture demands discipline, structure, and constant critical thinking, my passion for art – particularly pastel work – thrives on intuition, emotion, and moments of quiet reflection. Balancing these two worlds hasn’t always been easy, but it has been deeply rewarding. In moments of pressure – whether it was an all-night studio deadline or a challenging design critique – I often turned to art as a way of grounding myself. Sketching, painting, or simply observing the world through an artist’s eye helped me reconnect with why I chose this path in the first place. Equally, my creative practice has influenced how I approach architecture. It’s taught me to value materiality, to see beyond technical constraints, and to bring a sense of narrative and humanity into my design work.
‘Receiving the Highly Commended Award felt like a recognition of this balancing act – not just of academic achievement, but of the quieter persistence behind the scenes. Over the years, I have slowly gained recognition nationally in New Zealand and furthered on to international competition platforms. It was a slow process of quiet and steady development, and fortunately my achievements flourished in my graduation year.
Pictured below: Davina’s work featuring the Moller Institute
‘Looking back on my undergraduate years at Cambridge, I realise how much of my journey has been shaped by learning to balance rigorous architectural studies with my ongoing creative exploration. Churchill provided many kinds of support through a range of ways; the facilities provided in order for my artistic abilities to develop, such as the Bill Brown Creative Workshops; the large collection of artworks within college provided, and the travel grant supported me to travel to France for to give a demonstration at the Exposition Berric International Pastel Fair.
‘During my time here in Churchill I have enjoyed every moment of my three years here. At first, I admired the brutalist architecture from afar and eventually walked into the friendly college community. Churchill is such a supportive community that provides many opportunities and platforms for students to thrive. Here I had the opportunity to develop beyond my academic achievements but also my artistic pursuits. I’m truly grateful for the support from Churchill College, my tutors, and fellow students, who have encouraged both my architectural ambitions and my creative journey.
‘As I look ahead, I hope to continue weaving these two threads together – carrying forward the discipline of architecture, and the heart of art. I would also like to thank Amy and the College Communications Team for giving me this opportunity to share my story – and for always championing students’ voices and creative work.’
Davina’s work can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/davinawang2021