RIAS Convention 2007: Inverness
No PR was received under Mary Wrenn's time at the RIAS so no info re speakers, events or anything!

PERTH: RIAS Convention
5 May
Perth Concert Hall
speakers include Massimiliano Fuksas + Mario Botta

RIAS Convention - PR 220306:

Cultureworks
arts and leisure buildings in the new urban economy

Programme

10.15 Welcome: Douglas Read, RIAS President; Steve Pellatt, Sikkens, Convention sponsor
10.20 Introduction: Emma Vergette, Head of Design and Architecture, British Council; Conference Chair
10.30 Louisa Hutton, sauerbruch hutton arkitekten, Berlin
11.15 Coffee in exhibition area
11.45 Morning Inspiration Hour: Mario Botta, Studio Architetto Mario Botta, Lugano
12.45 Lunch
14.00 Workshops: Cultural buildings in Scotland (delegates choose one session)
A Perth concert hall: behind-the-scenes tour and talk with BDP
B Pier Arts Centre, Stromness: Neil Gillespie, Reiach and Hall
C An Lanntair, Stornaway: Ric Russell, Nicol Russell Studio
D Dance and Literature: Clive Albert, Malcolm Fraser Architects
E Dundee Centre for the arts: an evaluation seven years on: Richard Murphy, Richard Murphy Architects and Mike Galloway, Dundee City Council.
15.00 Tea in exhibition area
15.40 People and place: the role of architecture in Scotland’s regeneration agenda
(Presentation details to be confirmed, subject to Parliamentary and Executive schedules)
15.50 Afternoon Inspiration Hour: Massimiliano Fuksas, Massimiliano Fuksas architetto, Rome
16.50 Summary
17.00 Close of day session
19.00 Champagne Reception, Foyer, Perth Concert Hall; viewing of Dundee Institute of Architects Awards 2005
20.00 Convention dinner, main auditorium, Perth Concert Hall
22.00 After-dinner conversation: Desert Island Buildings. Mystery guest interviewed by Professor Simon Unwin, Chair of Architecture, University of Dundee School of Architecture
22.30 Entertainment ends; bar open until 1 am.

Investment in cultural infrastructure – new arts, leisure and sports buildings – is one of the driving forces of economic regeneration of cities across the UK and Europe. New museums, centres for the performing arts and flagship sporting venues have been at the heart of the revival of many broken and neglected urban areas. Equally a more modest cultural investment in the form of a community theatre or sports facilities shared with schools can make a decisive contribution to regeneration at the local level.
This year’s RIAS convention explores the role that architectural creativity can play in kick-starting the regeneration process. The event is an opportunity to both celebrate architectural achievement and explore how experience of cities around Europe might inform responses to the multiple challenges of urban renewal and cultural development in Scotland.
We are delighted that Mario Botta, Massimiliano Fuksas and Louisa Hutton are joining us to share their experience of creating cultural buildings throughout Europe.
Based in Perth concert hall, designed by BDP and opened last year, the 2006 Convention presents a full day of discussion and debate. A choice of afternoon workshops offers the chance to explore individual buildings in Scotland in more detail and to assess their contribution to Scotland’s regeneration agenda.
To follow an intensive day, the evening programme features a champagne reception and dinner, followed by a ‘Desert Island Buildings’ interview – with our castaway to be revealed nearer the date.

RIAS Convention speaker - Massimiliano Fuksas

Day Delegates (10.15am to 5 pm) Prices include two-course buffet lunch and all refreshments to 5 pm. Reduced
member rate applies to students and concessions (retired/unwaged)
RIAS members £125 + £21.88 VAT (£146.88)
Reduced rate £50 + £8.75 VAT (£58.75)
Non-member rate £150 + £26.25 VAT (£176.25)
Deduct 10% if booked with payment by Monday 10 April.
NB offer does not apply to reduced rate New total (inc VAT)
Convention Reception and Dinner
Price includes champagne reception, 3-course dinner, 2 glasses wine per guest and after-dinner entertainment.
Dress code for the dinner is NOT black tie, but a formal seating plan and guest list will be prepared.
Single dinner tickets £50 + £8.75 VAT (£58.75)
Table of 10 £450 + £78.75 VAT (£528.75)



'RIAS Convention goes to Glasgow'

The next RIAS Annual convention, hosted by the Glasgow Institute of
Architects, takes place on 5 & 6 May 2005 at Govan Old Parish Church and
the neighbouring Pearce Institute.
The first day of the conference will examine major new developments
along the River Clyde and present the City's vision for the regeneration of
the waterfront. Friday, the main day, features a stunning line-up of
international and UK architects including: Glenn Murcutt, Fumihiko Maki,
Ken Shuttleworth and Gordon Murray and Alan Dunlop.

RIAS Convention 2004

MAKING CONNECTIONS
Stirling 8 - 9 May

Keir Bloomer (Chair) - Chief Executive, Clackmannanshire Council

RIAS Convention - ARTISTS + ARTISANS

Dominic Williams

image from RIAS

Ellis Williams Architects
Beautifully-presented talk on the Baltic Flour Mills project, somehow the trade press reviews had not convinced me that the energy of say Anish Kapoor’s inastallation had been carried through into the resultant building: I changed my mind. There were some fascinating art-architecture possibilities such as viewing but not entering spaces (amongst others, a Tadao Ando trick) under preparation by artists. Dominic’s film & stills presentation of the ‘Department store for art’ was the strongest on the day.


Adam Caruso


image from RIAS by Helen Binet

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.


Angus Farquhar

image from RIAS

Creative Director, nva organisation
Next up was Angus Farquhar talking about nva organisation projects in Scotland. The first two projects etched themselves in my mind, especially the streams of lights 'pouring' down Highland valleys like molten lava in 'The Path', Glen Lyon.

The two Glasgow projects were essentially atmospheric rather than theoretical. The final project, the 'Hidden Gardens', in a multi-cultural area of Glasgow, a peace garden with an ‘aspiration to…celebrate richness of human culture around us’. Angus seemed politically passionate, very rooted in history and influenced by especially by Asian theology and practice.


Gunnar Birkerts

image from RIAS by M Karklins

Latvian/Canadian architect
Next up was Gunnar Birkerts, who many of us had heard of but couldn’t recall any one building. Gunnar made sure this didn’t last. He started with a long-winded explanation of ‘organic systems’, his modernist dogmatic approach, but lost me in a conflated comparison between library statistics.

It soon became clear, but after an amusing reminder that ‘we are here’ in Scotland (with ref. to his map) and the following ‘You Scots have it made because you have images that are so known that you don’t have to look for them’. He proceeded to gesticulate a kilt, an unusual bagpipe style and golf! More bizarrely came an unusual termite mound of a section for his Riga Library.

Powww!! it becomes an astonishing sculptural dry ski slope plopped into a leafy city plot. The influence of working for Eero Saarinen is apparent. In a postnote, the Latvian ambassador said ‘we’re still twenty years ahead of the British Library in London!’ I somehow doubt it’s exterior is ahead of even the awful - and dated - elevations of this building, to be awaited with concern by Latvians!


ARRIVALS + DEPARTURES
Gudmund Stokke

image from RIAS

Narud Stokke Wiig Architects, Norway
Gudmund had a very dry humour which helped push the rather dry projects along. Oslo International Airport was a good solid unshowy building, didn’t set my heart on fire but it looked a wonderfully peaceful place in which to fly from and to. More spicy would have been to have Olle Wiig talk and insert a Scottish dimension.


Arne Henriksen

image from RIAS

Arne Henriksen Arkitekter AS, Norway
I found this presentation rather dull. The project were woody, interesting geometries, playful, but somehow didn’t quite hit the spot in terms of focus, purity of concept and design rigour. I thought the stations looked enjoyable structures but the compositions looked disjointed.


Ketil Kiran

image from RIAS by Ketil Kiran

ARCHUS Architects, Norway
Ketil started with a long section on Norway’s reduction in tourist numbers, enough to lift us Scots from our own gloomy situation. He maintained that Norway’s identity related to nature and suggested architecture could save the ‘brand’. Ketil talked about new fast roads that ‘disconnect the traveller from the stories of communities on the way’. He suggested that nothing happened on the roads without the agreement of the architectural committee, and that they didn’t upgrade, but instead retained character: ‘we want something new we want something fresh….accentuation of what is already present’; experience can lead to ‘soporific mediocrity’


Farshid Moussavi

image from RIAS

Foreign Office Architects, London
Farshid studied in Dundee for her first three years at University and proposed to show us four infrastructure projects. She claimed to be ‘more interested in the plastic aspect of architecture’; ‘we try to compose new aggregates, a synthetic material…geometry in our projects has been a very important tool…constantly layering decisions..at a certain moment the project freezes…precise crystallisations of decisions’. First we were shown a simple flowing train station in Korea, then a competition in Venice that was not judged as the ‘courier didn’t deliver that day, lost to Norman Foster with a shed’. Next came Barcelona and FOA’s Forum 2004 proposals on the seafront. The architecture is generated by a complex tiling geometry that is ‘not matched by nature but generative of it’: lots of diagrams interspersed with photos and sketch images show a very logical and technologically-rooted practice. I’m reminded of Future Systems and, to a certain extent, my old boss Eva Jiricna. The earth ‘dunes’ are ‘grown out of very rational decisions, a geometrical exploration’, organic and rationalist in the same breath.


image from RIAS by Saturo Mashima

Finally, the finale. Yokohama. This is the kind of project many of us dream of. After the description of the initial 32 sections becoming 124, and the ability to keep control of such a large irregular geometry building, I felt drained and guess that many of the audience were between bafflement and amazement. Farshid wanted users to get close to the heavy structure: ‘at times it is more baroque like’ and in the terminal, more classical. She asked ‘how far you can take a package to make a system’. I enjoyed her simple pursuit of simplicity, the rough wood outside, the smooth inside, also the inventiveness of it all, ‘the floor became a kind of bench…bodily contact with the buildings is… very effective’. Some of the ideas and geometries seemed a little contrived, and expensive, but the radical newness forces us to evaluate the potential of building anew.


image from RIAS

RIAS Conference - PR

RIAS Sketch Design Competitions 2003
VISIONS FOR CHANGE FOR FALKIRK EAST ENDERS

Falkirk’s Eastern Town Centre is set to be transformed, if architects, architecture students and local school pupils have their way. An exhibition is opening in the Octagon, Callendar Square Shopping Centre on 5 May, resulting from three sketch design competitions sponsored by the Falkirk Action Plan and run by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.
Primary school pupils, architecture students and architects have responded enthusiastically to competitions seeking ideas for changing and improving sites around the east end of Falkirk Town Centre: Callendar Park; a gap site by the Parish Kirk, and the area between Callendar Riggs (the original route for the 1960s Inner Ring Road!) and Bellevue Street.
The aim of the architects competition, which offers £5000 in prize money, is to promote ideas and discussion for invigorating Falkirk’s East End.
The exhibition is at Callendar Square Shopping Centre, Falkirk until 30 May. Announcements of the winners will be made at the RIAS Convention on 8 & 9 May.

Contact RIAS on 0131 229 7545 for more info
RIAS Convention 05.05.03

Scottish Architects of the past
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