The 60 Second Interview.

This is the first of a new series of 60 Second Interviews, a regular opportunity to find out a little more about the projects and activities of one of the UK Architecture Centres.

Architecture Centre Network spoke to Paul Grover, Chief Executive of the Solent Centre for Architecture and Design.

Where is your Architecture Centre based Paul?

Our offices are in Lyndhurst in the New Forest but our organisation works throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and we increasingly work in West Sussex, Surrey and Dorset.

Tell us about one of the projects you are working on at the moment.

Ok, it’s called The City Vision Centre.

Which is what exactly?

The best way to describe it is giving a window on a city and its development through a 1.1000 scale model. We are currently talking to both Southampton and to Portsmouth about a centre for each of their cities.

This idea of a large model of a city sounds interesting but how will it be used?

Usually people who live in a place only get fed scraps of information about, say,  a proposed development but with a scale model of the whole city you can get a real overview –you can see the areas of regeneration, new buildings, new public spaces, everything. It’s not just a small plan with a red line round a proposed building. It can cut out all the misinformation and let people understand and, this is really important, debate proposed changes.

So it’s for the residents of the city?

Getting them involved is really important and we already do work around community consultation but it’s also for Local Authority Members and Officers too……….to see, say, how a city strategic plan will work, Architects, Planners, everyone who has an interest in a particular city.  And we are looking at how The City Vision Centre could really add an extra dimension to our current education work with Schools and Colleges.  I’m also interested in exploring how The City Vision Centre could be the site for exhibitions – so it will be a hub of activity and debate around architecture and public space in the host city.

Who is working with you on this?

Our partners are the University of Portsmouth, Faculty of Creative Industries, Format Milton – the Architects, SEEDA – the regional development agency for the South East and the Local Authority of the host city.

And when will we see the first City Vision Centre in your region?

I imagine we will see the first centre up and running within two years.

To find out more about the work of The Solent Centre for Architecture and Design log on to: www.solentcentre.org.uk