Proposed Buildings (alphabetical):
Ascona Centre for Tourism & Culture, Switzerland
2006
Architecture Competition win
Barbican Hall: Acoustic Canopy + Ceiling, Barbican centre, City of London, UK
2001
Centre for Contemporary Arts Nottingham - Lace Market, Nottingham, England
2007-
image from CFA Marketing
Caruso St John Architects : English building
Chiswick House Garden Café, west London
2007-
Escher-Wyss Platz - proposal, Zurich, Switzerland
2007-
Museum of Childhood: Refurbishment - V&A, Bethnal Green, east London
2007
Spike Island Studio + Exhibition space, Bristol, Avon, southwest England
2007
Caruso St John Architects - RIBA Awards 2006:
North London: Gagosian Gallery, Britannia Street, WC1
West London: New classrooms at Hallfield School, London, W2
West London: Brick House, London W2
Wallsall building image: Helen Binet, from RIAS re Convention
Caruso St John Buildings:
Walsall Gallery, England, UK
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Kalmar town square, Sweden
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Brick House, London
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Deepo - gallery proposal, Bus Shed, Cardiff, Wales
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Brick House
Caruso St John Architects : Stirling Prize - Shortlist 2006
Practice: office based in London, UK
Lecture Review: Caruso St John Architects
Adam presented a delicate figure on the stage as he warmed up and tried to ignore technical hitches. He showed three projects and declared himself to be ‘more interested in ideas….once finished you get a bit bored of showing’. As we tuck into the first project it seems that art rather than transport is the aspect of ‘Connections’ in the Convention title.
Adam gave us plenty of theoretical introspection: ‘our work is really interested in construction…I’m not very interested in how a plan works…if it’s good nobody really notices…architects use construction to make form’. His introductions to the context of Walsall was blunt but charming - ‘in Walsall you come to expect less’. Despite the practice being ‘known for doing quiet architecture, dull if you like’ the tower plays a rhetorical role in the town.
On construction, Adam stated ‘I’m not a fan of suspended ceilings’ and referred to a Kahn quote denying buildings with suspended ceilings the title of ‘architecture’. More powerful references with the previously-aired opinion that the varied section of Walsall was a ‘bit like the Adolf Loos house (Praha) blown up in scale’. He went on to say that the gallery ‘concrete is good, you can do it even in England, you just need a good specification and be tough, yeh’. Their precast beam structure to the soffit ingeniously hides the various kit. Adam ended the Walsall section with ‘I’m not into touchy feely architecture, I’m into tough architecture’.
Over to Kalmar in Sweden, what we at the Bartlett would call a ‘bottom-up’ approach, subtle remoulding of a historic town square. ‘Stones come together in an unmediated way’ - no edgings; both ideas and craftsmen pushed and commercial builders eschewed.
Finally to the ‘deepo’ or Depot, a gallery proposal for a Cardiff bus shed. First the architects have created a photographic record and a book. An analysis ‘like an atlas’ was created for interested artists/curators. Adam used to teach my wife, the last time I saw him I was playing guitar in his Islington house at a student party, so I particularly see him as a teacher more than an architect. Of course you can be both, he is, but Caruso St John exude a thinking that is rooted in theory and discourse, considered buildings on all levels. More Scottish architects should teach at Schools and we may see some further rekindling of spirit.
RIAS Convention - Review by adrian welch, architect: 05.05.03
Caruso St John house : Brick House London
World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe
Involved in Venice Biennale 2004
Architects
Buildings / photos for the Caruso St John page welcome: info@e-architect.co.uk
Caruso St John - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt