City St George’s students design structural stand for Royal Academy of Arts Christmas tree

On Monday 1 December, the Royal Academy of Arts Christmas tree was installed outside the institution where art is famously made, exhibited and debated, and also located on Picadilly, in central London.

The installation was the culmination of a unique festive collaboration which highlights the strength of practical, industry-facing education at the Department of Engineering, School of Science & Technology, at City St George’s, University of London.

The six-metre-tall, four-metre-wide Christmas tree was generously donated by Bernard’s Christmas Trees, who had approached the University’s Head of the Department of Engineering,  Professor Asa Barber, with a proposal to design a structural stand for the tree to be installed.

Professor Barber introduced this as an extra-curricular activity for students at the Department and appointed Student Teaching Assistant, Dr Soheil Ahmadi, to lead the initiative. Under Dr Ahmadi’s supervision, four engineering students undertook the full design and planning process from concept to installation, receiving direct financial remuneration for their time from Bernard’s Christmas Trees.

I would like to thank the Engineering department at City St George’s University for their partnership which granted their students valuable work experience, while contributing to the structural integrity of the installation. It's been a pleasure to witness the evolution of the project, underpinned by a strong sense of collaboration.

Josephine Jackson, Bernard's  Christmas Trees, said:

I was so pleased when the engineering students decided to take on this project. They did an outstanding job from start to finish, and the installation was a real success. Their professionalism, creativity, and attention to detail were hugely impressive. I’m incredibly proud by what they achieved, and their involvement made the installation even more special.

Professor Barber said:

The Christmas Tree project is a great example of the extensive extra-curricular activities our engineering students get involved with. The students employed a range of technical skills such as finite element modelling to design the tree stand while also working with external partners. I'm also really happy that we had students from different academic disciplines working together. Many people will visit this popular part of London and see a tangible outcome from the work of the department, which we are really proud of.

Dr Ahmadi shared:

This collaboration stands as a powerful example of the Department’s commitment to embedding real-world experience into the engineering curriculum. Our students benefit not only from rigorous academic training, but also from hands-on opportunities that develop their professional competence, confidence, and creativity. By engaging with external partners and undertaking projects with tangible outcomes, our students learn to apply theoretical knowledge to complex, practical challenges, preparing them to contribute meaningfully to the engineering sector from the moment they graduate.

With thanks to staff support

The student project team extends its particular thanks to the Civil Engineering group for its enthusiastic support.

Acknowledged with gratitude are the contributions of Dr Binh Le, Lecturing in Engineering, Sarah Stallebrass Professor of Soil Mechanics, Dr Andrew McNamara, Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering; Dr Tatyana Micic, Associate Dean - PG (Education and Student Satisfaction), and Dr Sam Divall, Senior Lecturer in Geotechnical Engineering; whose advice proved invaluable to the team.

Special thanks is also due to Richard Leach, Technical Services Manager for Engineering, whose logistical assistance enabled the project to be delivered smoothly.