LFA 2022 + ArCCAT | Architecture Acts: A Climate Performance in Three Parts | University of Westminster, Marylebone Campus, June 24, 2022, 14:00-17:00

When: Friday, 24th of June 2022 from 2pm to 5pm

Where: University of Westminster, Marylebone Campus, 35 Marylebone Road, NW1 5LS

Architecture Acts asks participants to think beyond carbon calculations as architecture’s response to climate change. It is predicated on the understanding that architecture acts on and with the environment and that acts of protest can be affirmative and inclusive.

Act 1: The Conversation, initiated by Sarah Ichioka, co-author of Flourish: Design Paradigms for our Planetary Emergency (2021) and Elisa Iturbe, guest editor of Log 47, ‘Overcoming Carbon Form’ (2019), with Peg Rawes and Jeremy Till as respondents, discusses architecture’s implication in climate change and its potential for alternative action.

Act 2: Postcards to our Planet. In 1909 architecture student and suffragette Elspeth McClelland was posted to the Prime Minister, an action designed to allow women’s voices to be heard. We will make postcards as acts of solidarity, conversations with our planet.

Act 3: A Tea Party to honour McClelland’s action. Participants will be asked to perform readings of their postcards.

This event is free, but to attend please register here.

Featured Image [segment of the original]: Daisy Solomon and Elspeth McClelland with a post boy, police and an official outside 10 Downing Street, attempting to get themselves delivered as letters LSE Library – https://www.flickr.com/photos/lselibrary/22934656091/ On reverse of photo is printed ‘Copyright: World’s Graphic Press Limited, 36-38 Whitefriars Street, Fleet Street, London’.

Announcing the new ArCCAT reading group

The Architecture + Cities Climate Action Taskforce is starting a monthly online reading group. We will begin with Flourish: Design Paradigms for Our Planetary Emergency, by Sarah Ichioka and Michael Pawlyn. This will take place on 2nd March, 16.00 – 17.30. If you wish to join the reading group, please contact Ro Spankie at r.spankie@westminster.ac.uk and she will send you the Teams meeting link.  

The reading group is open to all staff, students and other university employees who are interested in engaging with debates around architecture’s response to the climate crisis.   

Readings will be short. For the first reading group meeting, all we ask you to read is the Introduction to Flourish (pp.1-19). The library holds an e-copy which you can access, or if you wish to purchase a copy, go here: https://www.triarchypress.net/flourish.html. In addition, Sarah and Michael have a wonderful podcast series in which they engage with a number of interesting people about the issues the book raises: https://www.flourish-book.com/flourishsystemschange-podcast 

We are aware that 02 March is a potential day of strike action, but we feel a reading group is not ‘work’ and are also hopeful the University and Union might reach an agreement.