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Architexture 1: March 2005
Welcome to Architexture, a monthly newsletter from the Architecture
Centre Network (ACN) - the independent body representing architecture
and built environment centres in the UK.
The ACN
Architecture centres are a relatively new phenomenon in the UK but their
impact is already being felt. In 2003/4 architectures centres collectively
attracted 743,000 people to exhibitions, 10,000 visitors to public
art projects and were engaged with 237 schools.
From design competitions with leading architects, children's workshops
with artists and educators, masterclasses on urban design, to public consultation
on local developments - the work of each centre is both diverse and unique.
Critically, each centre shares a common objective of engaging local
communities with their built environment.
As Peter Luxton, National Co-ordinator of the ACN reflects:
'Their independence is their strongest asset. They need to be able
to facilitate debate and dialogue, to critique and comment, to present
alternatives, through many different means - in particular exhibitions,
education work, advisory and consultancy roles, and related cultural practice."
Bristol: fieldtrip |
Belfast: seminar |
Wakefield: summer school |
In addition, the ACN benefits from the involvement of members with enormous
expertise in planning, design and community engagement including an Executive
Board which features Leonie Bell (the Lighthouse), Nicole Crockett (The
Building Exploratory), Ben Koralek (shape Cambridge), Robert Powell (Public
Arts) and Barry Shaw MBE (Kent Architecture Centre).
And over the past 12 months, our members have worked with some of the
leading figures in architecture, design and regeneration including Will
Alsop, Rob Cowan, Jim Eyre, Zaha Hadid, David Rudlin, Rowan Moore, Ian
Simpson...
Each month, Architexture keeps you up to date with culture and
design in the UK built environment and gives an outline of the strategic
work at national level from the ACN team.
Network News
ACN at Urban Summit 2005
The ACN joined forces with the Urban Design Alliance (UDAL) recently to
deliver a fringe event as part of the 2005 Sustainable Communities Summit
in Manchester. Examining the form of suburban Britain and where design
figures in the plans and policies for where most of us live - outside
of towns and cities.
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from left: David Rudlin (URBED), Rowan Moore (Architecture
Foundation), Barry Shaw (Kent Architecture Centre) and Rob Cowan
(Urban Design Group) speaking at the joint ACN/UDAL seminar at
CUBE, The Centre for Understanding of the Built Environment.
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Design Champions
At the invitation of English Heritage, the ACN organised a seminar at
the New Art Gallery, Walsall in January for Historic Environment and Local
Authority Design Champions. This was first of its kind in the UK and aimed
to provide a forum for this emerging design advocacy initiative, and provide
a snapshot of activity to date [more].
Local Authority delegates at the ACN's Design Champion seminar
A publication, commissioned by English Heritage to accompany this seminar,
which maps Historic Environment and Design Champion activity by region
is now available from the ACN email.
Drawing Power
Staff and associates from architecture centres - 'back to the drawing
board'
In January representatives from 14 architecture centres attended a one-day
drawing workshop in London, led by education expert Eileen Adams and funded
by Arts Council England, its objective: for centres to collaborate on
designing an approach for developing projects involving young people and
their communities during Architecture Week 2005 [more].
Extending a Welcome
In December, the ACN held an induction day for new staff and associates
from architecture centres from across the UK. The session benefited from
presentations made by senior representatives from Arts Council England,
CABE - the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, DCMS
- the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, ODPM -The Office of the
Deputy Prime Minister and UDAL.
Icebreaking exercise for new ACN members |
The event, held at our London HQ is just one of a number of
ways the ACN is reaching out to architecture centre members to
assist in a pragmatic way with the running of centres and their
associated programmes.
Please visit our website
to learn more about the work of the ACN and its members.
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Housing in the UK: The View from the Centres
In 2004 the Network commissioned a piece of research to capture the work
of its members in relation to housing. The response of centres to the
current political and market forces had led to a fascinating array of
activities - from exhibitions, to development projects to design competitions
- each in their own way relating to the local social and economic environment
the centres operate in.
This paper has now been published and copies of Housing: the View
from UK Centres of Architecture and Design can be downloaded free
of charge from the ACN
website.
ACN Online Success
2004/5 saw significant and continued investment in an online presence
for the Network and our members. The ACN website at www.architecturecentre.net
has seen visitor numbers treble in the last year and has become a major
resource on the internet with over 20 000 page impressions per month.
In the same period over a quarter of all centres have invested in new
websites, recognising the importance of an online presence in communicating
with a wide stakeholder audience.
Joint Advisory Committee on Built Environment
Education
In 2003 DCMS with the DfES set up a Joint Advisory Committee on Built
Environment Education (JACBEE) to examine the potential of the contemporary
and historic built environment as a learning resource for schools and
the wider community. The ACN welcomed this initiative and formally responded
both to the consultation exercise in September 2004 and more recently
to the recommendations of the Committee. The ACN has subsequently been
invited to join the JACBEE Steering Group and we look forward to the joint
report summarising the committee's findings in Spring 2005.
What's On?
Architecture and Fashion
An evening of conversation between avant-garde London fashion house Boudicca
and internationally-renowned architect David Adjaye, a collaboration between
The Architecture Foundation and the Fashion & Textile Museum
7 Apr [more]
100 Years - 100 Chairs
A UK premiere of major exhibition from the Vitra Design Museum, Germany
at CUBE, Manchester now showing [more]
Tin Tabernacles
An almost-forgotten part of our architectural and industrial heritage
is remembered in this photographic exhibition by Ian Smith of corrugated
iron mission halls, churches and chapels; at the Architecture Centre,
Bristol until 10 APR [more]
6000 Miles
Five architectural practices have been invited by the Lighthouse,
Glasgow to examine the changing nature of Scotland's' relationship with
its 6000 miles of coast until 7 June [more]
Hackney Open
An open day at the Hackney Building Exploratory, all ages welcome
to come and see what the Building Exploratory is all about and discover
for yourself fascinating facts about Hackney 16 APR [more]
Scottish Architecture
A stunning touring exhibition from The Lighthouse of seventeen innovative
projects completed in Scotland since devolution in 1999 showing at RIBA
Gallery London until 27 APR [more]
A New Centre for Hull
arc, the new centre promoting the role of good architecture and
design in regeneration, and the creation of sustainable communities throughout
the Humber Region is shortly to open in a flagship eco-building by renowned
Niall McLaughlin Architects [more]
UK Architecture News
Architecture Week 2005
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Architecture Week is the annual national public celebration of
contemporary architecture from 17-26 June 2005. Architecture Week
is run in association with the Architecture Centre Network.
Why not consider running an event in your area? [more]
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Next Edition: April 2005
Architexture is a free, subscription
only, email newsletter of the Architecture Centre Network - the independent
body representing architecture and built environment centres in the UK.
We are always happy to consider articles for submission, please email
Architexture editor: John
Elcock
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