Pan Jamaica group hosts UTech architecture student presentations

Pan Jamaica Group (PJG) recently welcomed first-year Master of Architecture (M-Arch) students from the University of Technology (UTech) Caribbean School of Architecture to present their studio projects, which reimagined the Manor Park area through a forward-thinking, community-driven lens. The session brought together PJG executives, academic mentors and architecture students Sutandy Thompson and Alexander Thomas-Lee in a collaborative exchange that highlighted the powerful intersection of academic theory and real-world development.

The master’s degree student presentations marked the culmination of a year of rigorous academic study, showcasing bold and innovative proposals that addressed key urban planning challenges in the Constant Spring and Manor Park areas such as traffic congestion, pedestrian movement, population density, and public infrastructure needs.

Thompson and Thomas-Lee, also presenting on behalf of fellow students Donnalee Tracey and Jennine Knibb, walked the PJG team through their projects that included visionary interventions like a monorail system and transportation hub, as well as other civic anchors such as a public library, an environmental park, a health clinic and a public recreation centre.

A strong emphasis was placed on community engagement, the pedestrian experience, urban greening, and energy-efficient design – elements that resonate deeply with PJG’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive development.

REAL-WORLD PERSPECTIVE

A company release notes that Pan Jamaica Group, through its subsidiary Pan Jamaica Property Company, holds interest in a cluster of prime commercial real estate assets in the Manor Park Area, with the Property Division managing more than 100,000 sq ft of rentable commercial space throughout the vicinity. The students’ presentations also looked at increasing the available public green space around the PJG-owned assets by utilising underground parking and traffic reconfiguration. Stephen Facey, chairman of Pan Jamaica Group, welcomed their input, sharing, “As we continue to build out our vision for the Manor Park cluster, it’s critical to include the next generation of designers and thinkers in the ongoing dialogue. Their insights are both inspiring and instructive.”

The interaction offered the students a rare opportunity to gain valuable feedback and real-world perspective on their theoretical work. Thompson, one of the presenting students and a recent recipient of a PJG tertiary scholarship through the C.B. Facey Foundation shared,

“Seeing the genuine interest from the Pan Jamaica Group leadership team was incredibly validating. This was a unique platform for us to receive high level feedback from industry practitioners and their insights and questions pushed our thinking even further.”

Accompanying the students were UTech lecturers David Douglas and Cheryl Pouchet, who joined the discussions alongside Pan Jamaica Group Chairman Stephen Facey, Vice Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Hall, VP of Business Consulting David Martin, Pan Jamaica Property Company Corporate Services Manager Stephanie Abrahams and Executive Director of the C.B. Facey Foundation Gayon Douglas. Co-founders Dorraine Duncan and Jhordan Channer from urban think-tank Island City Lab were also present.