Tag: RIBA

Rhiain Bower wins RIBA President’s Dissertation Medal 2017

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

Congratulations to Rhiain Bower, our MArch student who won the RIBA President’s Dissertation Medal 2017 for her thesis ‘Baricsio: The Slate Quarrymen’s Barracks in North West Wales’.

Tutored by Professor Harry Charrington, Rhiain used a combination of fieldwork, archival data, newspaper clippings, poetry and local accounts, to write a compelling study of the 19th-century barrack dwellings constructed for workers at a slate quarry in Wales. You can see parts of Rhiain’s dissertation here.

‘The remote architecture was not particularly well-documented at the time, so Bower combined her own visual documentation with accounts gleaned from the time to draw a portrait of the harsh conditions experienced by the quarrymen who lived in the stark barracks from week to week for the opportunity of a salary.’

This is the fourth year in a row that a student from the Department of Architecture of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has won an award in the RIBA President’s Medals. An outstanding achievement!

Technical Studies Lecture Series: Prof Sadie Morgan, dRMM, Thursday 23rd November, 6pm, M416

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

Professor Sadie Morgan – dRMM
Hastings Pier

Reinventing traditional pier design, Hastings Pier provides an open space, able to support a variety of events and uses from circuses to music events, fishing to markets.

Professor Sadie Morgan of dRMM will discuss the community-led regeneration project of Hastings Pier, which is this year’ winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize and the RIBA’s People’s vote. The judge’s citation explains; ‘Hastings Pier is a project that has evolved the idea of what architecture is and what architects should do … dRMM show what incredibly talented and dedicated architects can do: inspire, think big, interact and engage with communities and clients to help them to achieve the seemingly impossible; this is a great message for young architects following in their footsteps.’

Sadie is a founding director of dRMM with Alex de Rijke and Philip Marsh. Over her 20-year career Sadie has had an increasingly significant role in the advocacy of design and architecture through her professional practice and her advisory roles. Sadie is currently chairing the Independent Design Panel for High Speed Two (HS2), reporting directly to the Secretary of State. She is one of ten commissioners for the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) led by former Cabinet Minister Lord Adonis, and a commissioner for the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission. In 2017, she was appointed as a Mayor’s design advocate for the Greater London Authority and she is Professor of Interiors in the Department of Architecture at Westminster.

For lecture details please contact Will McLean w.f.mclean@westminster.ac.uk

When: Thursday 23rd November, 6pm, Room M416

Where: Department of Architecture, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS

DS23’s Crista Popescu Reflects on Angela Brady’s Lecture at the Alumni Lecture Series, WAS

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

On Tuesday 24th October, Angela Brady, the Co-Founder of Brady Mallalieu Architects, past president of RIBA (2011-2013) currently a Design Council CABE ‘Built Environment Expert’ as well as President of the Architects Benevolent Society,  launched the Alumni Lecture Series organised by Westminster Architecture Society, and gave a talk titled “What it Takes to Design Great Social Spaces.”

Crista Popescu, MArch DS23 student and the president of the Westminster Architecture Society, reflected on Angela Brady’s visit in her recent blog post.

Read an excerpt from her blog below or the full text here.

Her talk focused on how to build “sociable” buildings, as in making sure that today’s high density housing and office buildings offer suitable opportunity for users to meet and socialise. BradyMallalieu designed buildings seem to do just that, with social spaces usually being decided on by consultations with community groups. Their buildings have an elegant appearance, despite using robust materials and detailing.

Some of the things that dwelt in my mind were related to their approach to practice. In Mastmaker Rd project, the practice offered the client an alternative brief that included tenure homes, having an obvious impact on the community that can now afford to buy and live in the new development. At Ivy Hall the architects brought the community together to consider the feasibility of a community centre integrated in the already planned rented social housing development. For the St. Catherine’s Foyer, they put forward the idea to Dublin City Council  although it hasn’t been done yet in Ireland (see foyer.net to read more about the concept). In all these projects, the architects took initiative to improve on the brief as much as they could. It’s a skill to know how to approach the client and the community and understand the specific politics/circumstances of the situation and – most importantly – navigate around it so as to negotiate in your favor.

You can also watch the talk in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx1crxO1V9c&feature=youtu.be

Angela Brady “What It Takes To Design Great Social Spaces” – WAS Alumni Lecture Series, Tuesday 24th October, 18:00, M416

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

The pressures of proposing new models that not only fulfil an aesthetic brief, but also are environmentally friendly, keep up with technology, economy, and other restraints falls mainly on the architects. Buildings can strongly influence our welfare and general happiness, be it where we live, work, or play. Join us to hear from Angela Brady about the social life of buildings and how architects can design to encourage interaction in communities in the changing contemporary urban context.

Where: Robin Evans Room (M416), Marylebone Campus

When: Tuesday 24th October, 6pm

Speaker: Angela Brady, Co-Founder of Brady Mallalieu Architects OBE PPRIBA FRIAI

Angela is co-founder and director of the award winning private practice Brady Mallalieu Architects Ltd, with Robin Mallalieu. Their design studio specialises in contemporary sustainable architecture and their buildings prioritise occupiers’ wellbeing whilst still maintaining remarkable elegance and style.

Past President of RIBA (2011-2013), and currently a Design Council CABE ‘Built Environment Expert’ as well as President of the Architects Benevolent Society, Angela reaches a wide public audience as a professional TV broadcaster, promoting architecture on TV and radio. Angela also publishes articles in books, magazines, and Twitter as well and runs design workshops in schools and galleries as a STEMnet ambassador.

RSVP: https://your.westminster.ac.uk/form/design-great-social-spaces

Premier: “A Story of Dreams” film about Jaime Lerner – RIBA, 17th October, 19:00-21:00

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

On Tuesday 17th October, RIBA will host a European premiere of “A Story of Dreams”, film on Jaime Lerner’s groundbreaking work as a mayor of Brazilian city of Curitiba.

Jaime Lerner is a community architect and transformational city leader who believes ordinary people, with their positive energy can upgrade their environment. As Parana State Governor, Curitiba Mayor, and practicing architect within the America’s and Africa, he believes sustainability succeeds by releasing ordinary people’s latent energy to survive and prosper.

To find out more and book tickets: https://www.architecture.com/whats-on/premier-a-story-of-dreams-a-film-about-jaime-lerner# 

RIBA Event: After the Grenfell Tower Fire, 30th June, 6.00pm-8.30pm

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

Following the horror of the Grenfell Tower fire an urgent discussion about tall buildings, fire safety and social housing will take place on Friday 30th June from 6.pm to 8.30pm at the Royal Institute of British Architects.

The panel of 6 expert speakers chaired by Dr Stephen Games will discuss whether the high-rise still has a future and whether its past can be salvaged.

So far the following speakers have been confirmed:

  • Paul Bussey (Leader of a technical research team at AHMM Architects)
  • Christopher Miers (Forensic architect at Probyn Miers)
  • Matthew Needham-Laing (Partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman UK LLP)
  • Timothy Waitt (Partner and solicitor advocate at Anthony Gold Solicitors)

To book tickets and find out more about this event please go to: https://www.newpremises.xyz/

RIBA Wren Scholarships 2017 – Application deadline 5pm, Monday 22nd May

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

The RIBA Wren Insurance Association Scholarships were established in March 2013 following a generous donation by The Wren Insurance Association Limited, the architects’ professional indemnity mutual that currently comprises 60 of the UK’s leading architectural practices.

The scholarships aim to support outstanding Part 2 students who have the potential to make a significant contribution in the field of architecture.

Five scholarships worth £5,000 each are available for the 2016/17 application cycle. At the time of application, students must be enrolled in an RIBA-validated Part 2 professional qualification course in the UK, and will be starting the final year in September 2017.

Preference will be given to applicants who are RIBA members.

The deadline to apply is 5PM on Monday 22 May 2017.For more information and to download the application form, visit www.architecture.com/wrenscholarships. (Student membership of the RIBA is free.)

Submit completed applications to education.temp@riba.org. Please mark email subject as ‘Wren 2017 submission’.

Electronic files over 8MB, should be sent via an external FTP site such as www.wetransfer.com. Large files will not get through via email.

Students should contact Chiamaka at Chiamaka.Ezeani@riba.org, or call on 020 7307 3678 for help with their applications.

Good luck!!

*Featured image (c) Nathan Su, 2016 RIBA Wren Insurance Association Scholar

“Mies & Stirling: Contemporary Reflections” at the RIBA, 21st March, 19:00

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

Shumi Bose, writer and academic, who teaches the M.Arch History and Theory module and runs Dissertation Group I: Design of the Deal at the University of Westminster will chair a panel discussion Mies&Stirling: Contemporary Reflections on the 21st March, 19:00, at the Royal Institute of British Architects.

The key figures involved in two of the most significant schemes of the 20th century in London will have an opportunity to give their account of the history of Mansion House Square and recently listed Number One Poultry. Panel members are Lord Peter Palumbo, architectural patron and commissioner of the Mansion House Square and Number One Poultry; Laurence Bain, project architect of Number One Poultry; Adrian Gale, liaison architect for Mansion House Square scheme; Gavin Stamp, architectural historian; and MJ Long, employee of James Stirling.

This event is part of the exhibition ‘Mies van der Rohe & James Stirling: Circling the Square’.

More information: https://www.architecture.com/WhatsOn/March2017/MiesStirlingContemporaryReflections.aspx

 

 

WAS Open Lecture: “James Stirling: Inspiring Places and Spaces” by Alan Berman, 3rd April,13:00, M416

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

The Westminster Architecture Society is pleased to announce the last Open Lecture of the term. James Stirling: Inspiring Places and Spaces will complement the month-long events held by the RIBA to honour Stirling’s contribution to modern architecture in anticipation of the eponymous annual Stirling Prize.

The lecture will take place on 3rd April, 13:00 in Robin Evans Room (M416), Marylebone Campus, University of Westminster.

Alan Berman is founder of Berman Guedes Stretton Architects and also works at Studio Berman. Alan gives the architecture lecture series at Wolfson College, University of Oxford, and is a lecturer at University of Liverpool. He edited Jim Stirling and the Red Trilogy: Three Radical Buildings and Stirling+Wilford American Buildings.