Architecture Foundation, AF London, Headquarters, Britain, England

Architecture Foundation London : AF Headquarters

AF News : Office + Website + New Members + Funding, UK

11 May 2009

Architecture Foundation Headquarters

New Office and Project Space for the AF

The Architecture Foundation is pleased to announce several key changes to the organisation, including a new headquarters, a new website and seasonal bulletin, confirmation of two years continued funding by Arts Council England, and two new members to the board of trustees. New Office and Project Space The Architecture Foundation will be moving to a 167m2 street-level property in Tooley Street in the London Borough of Southwark. The headquarters include a 67m2 project space, and is being designed by Carmody Groake architects within an Edwardian warehouse conversion owned and on lease from Lake Estates.

Built in Douglas fir and birch plywood around the building’s existing cast iron structure, Carmody Groarke’s designs for the AF’s new project space and offices have been intentionally pared down to essentials, to ensure maximum adaptability of space, and its cumulative occupation over time.

The new project space will house an ambitious programme of exhibitions, installations and events, building on the legacy of previous curatorial ventures, including The Architecture Foundation’s original premises in Bury Street, The Yard gallery in Old Street and the Southwark & Southbank Hub of the London Festival of Architecture 2008. The programme will be announced over the coming months.

Sarah Ichioka, Director of The Architecture Foundation, said: “Whilst we’ve enjoyed the past year’s freedom to produce pop-up exhibitions around London, from Simon Fujiwara’s Closet Gallery to EXYZT’s Southwark Lido, we believe that this new base will enable The Architecture Foundation to better serve our core supporters in the creative industries and to continue to expand our audiences within London’s diverse local communities. We look forward to producing exciting, experimental and relevant programming in our new project space.”

Carmody Groake said: “Carmody Groarke is very proud to have worked with The Architecture Foundation to design their new offices and Project Space. The fit-out of the street-fronted, open-plan space is deliberately robust yet provisional in character, in order to place the emphasis on the AF’s ongoing programme of creative and cultural research, events and exhibitions”.

Website and Bulletin
The Architecture Foundation have engaged Sheffield-based designers Peter & Paul to redesign the AF’s graphic identity, including a new website and seasonal bulletin. The relaunch of the AF’s communications media is not all about looks however. Both website and bulletin are to include specially commissioned editorial content sitting alongside the usual AF programme highlights. The website will boost its multimedia content with video and audio documentation of the AF’s catalogue of events, both past and present, in an ambitious, and ongoing, archiving project.

Sarah Ichioka said: “The redesigned bulletin and website are intended to be creative projects themselves, as well as providing information about our live programme. By commissioning innovative writing, art and design in print and online we aim to stimulate new lines of discussion. In making available archival footage from twenty years of Architecture Foundation events- which have involved some of the most influential names in architecture and urbanism- the website will become a research and education resource as well.”

Gill Hicks and Farshid Moussavi join AF board
Architect Farshid Moussavi and activist Gill Hicks have joined the AF’s current board of trustees. Farshid Moussavi is co-founder of Foreign Office Architects (FOA), and Professor in Practice of Architecture at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Gill Hicks, former Head of Curation at the Design Council, was directly involved in the London 7/7 bombings, which left her severely and permanently injured. Now dedicated to deterring anyone from following a path of violent extremism, she founded a not for profit organization, M.A.D. (Making a Difference) for Peace, for which she was awarded the MBE. Brian Clarke, Chair of The Architecture Foundation said: “Gill Hicks and Farshid Moussavi bring to the board of The Architecture Foundation a heightened sense of public service and an intellectual gravitas that cannot fail to render us more robust to face the challenges of the new economic climate.”

Funding
Arts Council England has renewed its regular funding of The Architecture Foundation for a minimum of two years, guaranteeing one of the AF’s core financial funding streams for the financial years 2009/2010 and 2010/2011. The funding is made in recognition of the AF’s contributions to experimental, interdisciplinary, and internationally orientated practice, including its support for emerging practices, digital projects and education.

Moira Sinclair, Executive Director of Arts Council England, London said: “The Architecture Foundation has consistently brought the best of contemporary architecture to both traditional and new audiences – often bridging the gap between the two. We are pleased that our sustained investment has allowed the organisation to continue to develop and build on its work that inspires, provokes and cultivates new ideas about our built environment.”

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The Architecture Foundation
The Architecture Foundation is a non-profit agency for contemporary architecture, urbanism and culture. We cultivate new talent and new ideas. Through our diverse programmes we facilitate international and interdisciplinary exchange, stimulate critical engagement amongst professionals, policy makers and a broad public, and shape the quality of the built environment. We are independent, agile, inclusive and influential. Central to our activities is the belief that architecture enriches lives.

Carmody Groake
Carmody Groarke is an award-winning London based architectural studio with a diverse range of work in the UK and overseas. Current projects include: a permanent memorial to the victims of the 7th July 2005 London terrorist bombings, located in Hyde Park; an ornamental pavilion in Osnaburgh Street, London, which was won in a competition organised by The Architecture Foundation; and The Sheffield Festival Centre, a new mixed development containing arts cinemas, creative managed workspace and festival events spaces.

In 2007 Carmody Groarke were the recipients of the Building Design UK Young Architects of the Year. They have participated in the New Practices London 2007 programme in New York and the Work in Process symposium in Rome earlier this year, both organised by The Architecture Foundation. www.carmodygroarke.com

James Latham plc The FSC-certified timber for The Architecture Foundation’s new office, project and exhibition space was kindly provided by James Latham plc.

Location: 136-148 Tooley Street, south London, England, UK