23/08/10
Chair of Open-City

Following its transition from Open House to Open-City, the Open-City Board of Trustees is now seeking to appoint a successor to their current Chair after the successful stewardship under Jane Priestman for the past 18 years.

Jane has been instrumental in promoting Open-City’s reputation as a pioneer in built environment education and under her guidance Open-City has developed from showcasing London’s architecture through the annual Open House weekend to research, training, advisory work and campaigns that impact on the whole city.
 
As its role and influence in education and policy-making has grown, so too has the organisation itself, with a recent name change from Open House to Open-City and a new focus on issues that affect the city as a whole.  Alongside successful campaigns that include My City Too, a programme that puts young people at the heart of built environment policy, Open-City also offers design awareness masterclasses to planning councillors and acts as London’s advisor on art in the public realm, an initiative funded by Arts Council England.
 
Victoria Thornton, Founding Director of Open-City commented: “Jane has contributed a tremendous amount in her 18 years as Chair and successfully taken us through our recent transition as we enter one of the most exciting periods in our history. I am enormously grateful for the time and energy she has put into this role and the work she has done to promote and develop our work.”
 
Jane Priestman commented: “18 years is a long time in anyone’s life but as Chairman of the Trustees, these have been particularly enjoyable for me working alongside Victoria from the start of Open House, now Open-City.

This change of name in itself now reflects the growth, development and ambitions held from the beginning and also the long-term goals for the future. I know that Open-City will continue to flourish under the new Chairmanship.”
 
As a qualified designer, Jane’s background is in major transport developments for airports and railways. She was Design Manager, then General Manager for Architecture and Design with BAA and then Director of Architecture, Design and Environment with British Rail.
Since then, as a Design Management Consultant, she has worked with a wide range of clients, both in the UK and abroad and with four government departments as an Enabler for PFI hospitals, with CABE.
 
These achievements alongside Jane’s passion for architecture have been essential to the success of Open-City and the Board of Trustees are seeking a successor with the ability to take this forward through a challenging economic climate in the lead up to Open-City’s 20th anniversary in 2012.
 
Jane will remain on the board of Trustee’s alongside The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP, Eva Jiricna, Helen Newman, Fred Manson and Edwin Heathcote.
 
For more information or to apply, please visit:
www. open-city.org.uk/vision/organisation.html

10/08/10
Northern Architecture: Architecture for Everyone volunteers

Can you help inspire young people into Architecture?

Over two weeks, beginning October 25th 2010, Northern Architecture will be delivering an Architecture for Everyone project in the North East. This is part of a national initiative set up by the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and RMJM.

This exciting 5-day workshop programme for young people from diverse backgrounds aims to encourage and inspire them to pursue careers in architecture and the built environment.

Northern Architecture are looking for volunteer help from architects, urban designers, planners, landscape architects and other related professionals who can help us facilitate a design challenge around creating a sustainable neighbourhood for a site in Newcastle. This will be a really exciting opportunity and we hope you can give some of your time, ideas and passion for the subject!

For more information please contact Lowri at Northern Architecture: lowri@northernarchitecture.com

Application deadline: 15 September 2010

09/08/10
Northern Architecture: Graduate Retention and Development programme

G.R.A.D (Graduate Retention and Development) is a project Northern Architecture are supporting alongside Plus 3 Architecture, Newcastle University and Northumbria University.

The programme is for part 1 or part 2 architecture students that haven't been able to get work in practice in their year out or on graduation because of the economic climate.

If you'd be interested in getting involved in the project, please contact Northern Architecture: http://www.northernarchitecture.com

09/08/10
Volunteer with Open-City

The role of volunteers is pivotal to Open-City and for over a decade they have been running a highly successful volunteer programme involving hundreds of people from a wide range of professions and backgrounds.

Through supporting volunteers, Open-City aims to develop skills and expertise, provide opportunities for interaction with our broad audiences, and encourage a wider interest in London's rich architectural landscape.

By joining Open-City's Volunteer Programme you can make a difference by injecting new skills and experience into our organisation, and by helping make Open-City's initiatives and events happen.

There is a team of volunteers and interns who help out throughout the year in the office and are core to Open-City's work. There are also hundreds of volunteers that assist during the Open House London Annual Event by offering a half day to act as guides or stewards, and volunteers such as architects who provide support for our education programmes.

Opportunities for volunteering at Open-City:

• Office volunteers and interns assisting with various projects and tasks, for more information contact Hiromi Sasaki.
• Open House London Annual Event - September each year. Event requires stewards and guides to help at participating buildings, and in return volunteers receive a badge that lets them jump queues at buildings.
  
• Architects needed! Open-City's education programmes such as My City Too and Architecture in Schools require architects to help facilitate workshops and building visits with young people.
  

For more about Open-City, see http://www.open-city.org.uk

09/08/10
Shape East: speakers, workshop and arts practitioners

Are you a professional in the built environment or sustainability issues?

Join the database of speakers, workshop and arts practitioners for Shape East to call upon.

See http://www.shape-east.org.uk/support/index.html

09/08/10
Volunteer with RIBA Trust: Building Futures Volunteer Programme

Futurologist wanted!

Building Futures is the RIBA think-tank and exists to stimulate debate and thinking on issues that face the built environment and society over a 20 year horizon and beyond.

RIBA is currently seeking a research volunteer to work on their 'City Rebooted' research project, which aims to examine the impact that emerging technologies may have on the built environment over the next 20 years. Technology is undoubtedly one of the key drivers for change in the 21st century and advances in the last decade have shown the immense potential technology has to change our behaviour, our environment and our way of life. This project aims to imagine the potential that technologies such as social media and reality mining may have on the way we interact with the city, as well as the more directly spatial potential of technologies such as wireless power and augmented reality.

The role involves core research activities supporting the Building Futures team - carrying out a range of different research techniques from desk based, field based, web based, written, oral and spoken. You would maintain the projects web outputs including Twitter and blog and would liaise with the expert steering group regularly, composing articulate written reports. The role requires a headstrong and confident person who can take initiative when required and knows the subject area well.

The role is unpaid for a period of 3 months, although RIBA will cover expenses up to £10 per day, and would require you to work for between 1-2 days per week and are flexible about days. RIBA is seeking somebody to start at the beginning of October.

Key skills required: articulate and ability to take initiative; writing and editing; knowledge of digital technology, social media, emerging technology and the built environment; experience of blogging desirable.

Email buildingfutures@inst.riba.org for details.