Architexture 16
Welcome to issue 16 of Architexture, the monthly newsletter from the Architecture Centre Network (ACN) - the independent body representing architecture and built environment centres in the UK.
ACN News
Annual Event
On the 20th July, staff and associates from architecture centres across the country gathered at the Barbican in London for the ACN's second annual Big Day Out.
The highlight of the ACN's calendar, the annual event is the major opportunity for anyone working in the movement in the UK to meet, share practice and network with leading figures from the built environment and cultural sectors [more].
ACN Annual Event at the Barbican, July 2006
Picture credit: Catherine Williamson
Over fifty delegates from 16 architecture centres, plus representatives from CABE, Arts Council England and DCMS attended, bearing witness to a remarkable period of growth for a Network that was established just five years ago.
Presenting his vision for the ACN, National Co-ordinator Peter Luxton outlined the opportunities for centres to increasingly engage at a strategic level in housing, education, healthcare, public realm and the arts - and for the Network to step up to this challenge with our ambitious plans for new routes to membership, corporate governance and the use of ICT.
Continuing the exciting day's programme of events for members, speakers included Frances Morrell (ArtsInform), Gerri Morris (Morris Hargreaves McIntyre), Dr Andrea Phillips (Goldsmiths College) and many others.
Dermot Finch (Centre for Cities) and Nicole Crockett (Building Exploratory)
Picture credit: Catherine Williamson
And in a keynote presentation Dermot Finch, Director of Centre for Cities at the IPPR, discussed the potential of City Regions to boost the economies of the major English cities by being empowered to take greater ownership of strategic issues such as transport and housing.
Delegates were also given the opportunity to view Future City: Experiment and Utopia in Architecture 1956 - 2006, the major exhibition currently on show at the Barbican Art Gallery tracing fifty years of radical ideas in architecture [more].
New Centre
After a number of years preparatory work by the Plymouth Architecture Trust and others, and following support by CABE's Regional Funding Programme, a new organisation - The Architecture Centre for Devon and Cornwall has been established, led by their recently appointed Director Tanya Griffiths [more].
Member News
Open House
The Annual Event is London’s biggest architectural festival, providing free access to over 600 buildings new and old across London - many of them normally closed to the public - and in 2006 takes place from the 16-17th September [more]. Building Guides will be available from mid-August.
Through this and many other projects Open House has now worked with tens of thousands of London children and their teachers in using architecture as a part of the learning curriculum.
It is now possible to Gift Aid your donations to Open House, in doing so you can help London's inner city children enjoy a positive and creative attitude, and to open doors to young minds.
Architecture Foundation
As part of their Renegade City season, Architecture Foundation's Yard Gallery is currently showing Units Moved, a new group exhibition featuring the work of eleven artists exploring various re-appropriations of urban space [more].
The 2006 Summer Nights programme of evening talks from inspirational young architects is now in its fourth year and for the first time features an international line up of speakers. On 9th August look out for former BD Young Architect of the Year - Querkraft (Vienna) [more].
And in July, revised plans for Architecture Foundation's stunning new HQ in Bankside by Zaha Hadid were submitted to Southwark Council [more].
Architecture Centre, Bristol
Their new exhibition Lake Shore reveals how developer Urban Splash with Acanthus Ferguson Mann architects propose to transform the derelict former HQ for Imperial Tobacco into a stunning example of urban living, as well as exploring the wider aspects of regeneration in that part of South Bristol [more].
New London Architecture
News that NLA has appointed a new member to its executive team, Debbie Whitfield is to join the architecture centre as Assistant Director this August.
The Building Exploratory
Picture Credit: The Building Exploratory
The community heritage project 'calico springs’ celebrated the recent centenary of Springfield Park in Hackney. Artist Kally Laurence and a team from the Building Exploratory spent a day in the park helping visitors use block printing techniques to create a large-scale printed calico timeline [more].
RIBA Trust
The winning and shortlisted schemes in this year's Housing Design Awards 2006, run by the Department for Communities and Local Government in partnership with NHBC, RIBA, RTPI and managed by Design for Homes, are currently being shown at the RIBA [more].
And also on the subject of housing, Gallery 2 at the RIBA is showcasing a selection of designs from housing projects that have been run by the RIBA Competitions Office over the past year [more].
The Lighthouse
Opening on the 5th August, The Lighthouse presents the only UK showing of two projects by Swiss Design practice Fulgaro.
Picture courtesy of Fulgaro
re-HOUSE and reHOUSE/BATH each investigate the house of the future, developing new ways of using water and nature in living spaces [more].
PLACE
The Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) recently launched the new Government policy on Architecture and the Built Environment for Northern Ireland. The document identifies PLACE (the Belfast-based architecture centre) as a key vehicle to promote publicly funded developments and construction initiatives and to share examples of good design through it and the wider Network [link].
And PLACE will also be contributing to Urban Alchemy: The Transforming Power of Art and Architecture a key conference for artists, architects, planners, developers, community leaders and policy makers at Belfast Waterfront Hall on the 26th September 2006 [more].
Other News
Enjoy England
Contemporary architecture has a growing and diversifying audience outside the designed environment sector, VisitBritain's official England tourist site has a dedicated section for RIBA Award-winning buildings across 12 English cities [link].
Action Children's Arts
A report on
Action Children's Arts Inspiration Day, Designing With and For Children held at the the Unicorn Theatre earlier this year has been published [link]. The event which featured workshops by The Building Exploratory and Open House explored approaches to the design of cultural spaces for children.
RIBA
Photo courtesy of RIBA
Sunand Prasad, CABE Commissioner and founding partner of Penoyre & Prasad LLP, has been elected by RIBA members as the next President of the RIBA [more].
Surround Sounds
Sonic Postcards the online education programme, run by Sonic Arts Network enabling pupils from across the UK to explore and compare their local sound environment through the composition and exchange of sound postcards with other schools - via the Internet, has won a New Statesman New Media Award 2006
[link].
Afoundation
Construction has started on a striking new rooftop structure by the Office for Subversive Architecture following a commission by Afoundation to mark the completion of their flagship new contemporary art space at Greenland Street for the 2006 Liverpool Biennial [link].
Architecture Centres International
CAF
The Chicago Architecture Foundation celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Last week, the ACN welcomed its CEO Lynn Osmond, in a follow-up discussion to an earlier visit last year.
It is now confirmed that the ACN will be presenting at the US Architecture+Design Education Network conference in Chicago, October 2006 [link].
CUC
The Centre for Creative Urban Culture in Porto, is to re-launch this year and is keen to nurture relations and collaborations between developing and developed countries across the world [link].
AIR
With the growing interest in the UK of pocket parks and green neighbourhoods, the publication The Public Garden from the Architecture Institute Rotterdam
(AIR) examining the significance of and potential for urban enclosed gardens, is a useful exploration of the Dutch experience [link].
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
You can unsubscribe at any time by following this link:
\\unsub\\ |
