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Open Lecture Series: “Immersive Gastronomic Experiences” by Marcis Ziemins and Gundega Skudrina, Untamed Dinner (Skudras Metropole), Latvia, Monday, November 25, M416 Robin Evans Room, Marylebone Campus, 17:00

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Monday, 25th of November 2019, 17:00

Where: M416, Robin Evans Room, 35 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LS

To book your free tickets please click here.

Marcin Ziemins and Gundega Skudrina creative directors at award winning Untamed Dinner (formerly Skudras Metropole).

About this Event

One the most innovative and imaginative off-the-wall caterers in Europe. This small but perfectly formed catering company from Riga, Latvia once served cocktails in flower pot that included blooming flowers. On another occasion Gundega and Marcin created a live banquet using builder’s tools to prepare the dishes in front of diners.

They love to combine gastronomy, theatre, music, art and other fields, to create immersive experiences for selected guests as well as for corporate clients. They have made ice cream out of playing piano, made 400 kg of jelly that were poured into tables as content, burned plates in front of audience, made edible light bulbs.

Learning outcomes:

  • Understand how to immerse attendees into gastronomic experiences
  • Understand what elements are available for immersive gastronomy
  • Understand how attendee participation can be used to create positive memories

ArchiIMPACT Symposium: ONEPROJECT | Monday, December 2, 10:00-16:00, M416, Marylebone Campus

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

Architects, Students and Academics were invited to each present a single project from their practice, University design project or academic research that can be discussed in regard to (all/some of) the following principles of low energy architecture. 

This is deliberately a mixture of architectural practitioners at all stages of their careers  showing built and un-built projects, the successful and the unsuccessful (?!), side-by-side in an effort to collectively learn from one another, presenting a single project each with regard to the same set of criteria across all projects.

Each presentation will last around 30 minutes in sets of 3 presentations, with a conversation afterwards.

The chosen projects address the following issues:

  • Site Specific: Does the building employ existing features of the site as part of its environmental strategy? Utilising orientation, topography, existing structures, water and trees?
  • Climate Responsive: Does the project respond to local (micro) climatic conditions and environmental factors such as heat, light, sound, wind and air quality?
  • Efficient in Use: Is the building suited to its purpose, appropriate in its size and optimised in its use?
  • Climatic Envelope: Does the building have a highly energy-efficient building envelope suited to its location and use?
  • Energy Use: Has the design minimised operational energy, is the building a low carbon (CO2) emitter and a net producer of energy?
  • Material Construction: Has the use of (local) resources been optimised and embodied energy (CO2) reduced through appropriate material choices?
  • Waste and Water: Has the material waste, pollution and water use been minimised? Could the project collect and treat water?
  • Time Dependent: How does the building operate diurnally, annually and throughout its life? Is the building flexible, adaptable, easy to maintain and does it allow for reuse of all or some of its parts at the end of its life?

Technical Studies Lecture Series: “House in a Garden and Other Projects” Gianni Botsford, University of Westminster, Thursday, November 21, M416, Marylebone Campus, 18:30

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Thursday, 21st of November, 18:30

Where: M416, Robin Evans Room, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS

In our culture, daylight and sunlight are intrinsically linked to our happiness and comfort. 

Gianni Botsford

Gianni will present projects that explore daylight and sunlight as a starting point of a project not only for the form, but also in the organisation of a number of private houses.

Gianni Botsford, was born in Venice, Italy. He originally studied Interior Design at Kingston University and worked for a number of practices in London from. He completed his education at the Architectural Association, London (94-96), with Professor John Frazer, before setting up Gianni Botsford Architects in 1996 which he continues to direct. He was appointed AA Research Fellow in 1997 and has taught at the AA, London Metropolitan University, and Cardiff University as well as being a visiting critic at the AA, Bartlett, Cambridge and Bath Universities. He is a recent member of the RIBA Awards Group and sits on the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Architecture Appraisal Panel. The recipient of numerous awards, including the Lubetkin Prize for Casa Ki-Ké in Costa Rica, he has also lectured in the UK, India, the USA, and Mexico on the work of the practice. His research work at the AA and subsequently with Arup into the optimisation and the control of natural light has been used throughout the projects the studio has built and developed. Built projects include Light House, House in a Garden, and The Layered Gallery in London, Casa Ki-Ké, Costa Rica, Palazzo di Riflessione, Venice and Pink Sand Pavilion and Tower in the Bahamas.

House in a Garden won the AZ Awards Best Single Family House 2019, and currently is long-listed for the RIBA House of the Year and shortlisted in the annual Architectural Review House Awards 2019.

For lecture details contact Will McLean

w.f.mclean@westminster.ac.uk

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

Open Lecture Series: “Creating The Extraordinary” Mungo Denison, Monday, November 18, M416 Robin Evans Room, Marylebone Campus, 17:00

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Monday, 18th of November 2019, 17:00

Where: M416, Robin Evans Room, 35 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LS

To book your free tickets please click here.

Mungo Denison CEO of award winning Opening Ceremony and Show Design studio NEWSUBSTANCE.

About this Event

NEWSUBSTANCE is one of the most imaginative show design studios in the world, specialising in opening ceremonies, festivals installations and global band tours. The session looks at trends to amaze audiences and create memorable experiences through combination of creativity with technical expertise.

Learning outcomes:

  • Understand the unique technologies behind some of the most extraordinary opening ceremony and band tour experiences in the world
  • Understand how architecture and engineering can be used to create WOW factors
  • Understand how bespoke hardware and software can be used to create WOW factors

Technical Studies Lecture Series: “Tackling Climate Change with Affordable Green Housing” Ripin Kalra, University of Westminster, Thursday, November 14, M416, Marylebone Campus, 18:30

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Thursday, 14th of November, 18:30

Where: M416, Robin Evans Room, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS

Ripin Kalra has been working in Disaster Risk Reduction, Low Carbon Development and Climate Resilience since 1992. He has first-hand experience in over 30 countries across Caribbean and Latin America, South and South-East Asia, Middle-East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.

He has been a technical manager, project director and adviser on several climate resilience and resource efficiency projects and co-authored the EU-ACP/GFDRR-supported “National Climate Resilience Investment Plan – CRIP” for Belize with the World Bank. Between 2012 and 2013 he carried out an independent review of the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF). He was Low Carbon Infrastructure/ Risk reduction adviser on the “Physical Development Plan” for Montserrat, with DfID between 2011 and 2012. In 2010 he provided pro-bono housing and planning support in Port-au-Prince, Haiti following the earthquake. He led the World Bank/ IFC supported ‘Affordable Green Housing’ work in Kenya and India. In 2014 he worked with DfID on the “Nigeria Urban Infrastructure Facility”, and in 2012 was Team Leader for the World Bank’s “Assessment of Insurance Instruments for Climate Risk in sub-Saharan Africa”. He has also worked on safe, green and efficient education and health infrastructure in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. He was Project Director for the Remediation Co-ordination Cell work supported by ILO in 2017-18 on garment factory safety in Bangladesh and UK FCO supported ‘Climate proofing Indian smart Cities’ in 2017-18.    

Ripin has been working at University of Westminster since 2000 and currently leads post-graduate modules entitled “Urban Risk and Resilience” and ‘Environmental assessment, policy and climate change’.

Ripin is a pro-bono Trustee of Commonwealth Human Ecology Council, the Commonwealth Housing Trust (CHT).

For lecture details contact Will McLean

w.f.mclean@westminster.ac.uk

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

Open Lecture Series: “Celebratory Design” Sarah Haywood, Monday, November 11, M416 Robin Evans Room, Marylebone Campus, 17:00

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Monday, 11th of November 2019, 17:00

Where: M416, Robin Evans Room, 35 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5LS

To book your free tickets please click here.

Sarah Haywood award winning Wedding Planner

About this Event

Sarah Haywood was voted top of US Vogues list of Wedding Planners in 2018. Her wedding clients are international billionaires and celebrities. She works globally. In this session we learn how Sarah creates the WOW factors for celebratory events.

Learning outcomes:

  • Understand the expectations of high net worth individuals and celebrities’ celebratory events
  • Understand how do interpret the views of multiple stakeholders in the design process (especially weddings)
  • Understand how to provide a unique experience in a very competitive environment by creating new intellectual property

Prof Kester Rattenbury and Tumpa Fellows from School of Architecture + Cities shortlisted for the RIBA President’s Awards for Research

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

Congratulations to Prof Kester Rattenbury (DS15 tutor) and Tumpa Fellows (PhD researcher within the Experimental Practices research team and BSc Architectural Technology tutor) who have been shortlisted for this year’s RIBA President’s Award for Research, in History and Theory, and Annual Theme: Building in Quality categories, respectively.

The President’s Awards for Research celebrate the best research in the fields of architecture and the built environment and have again attracted interest from around the globe, with entries from China to Peru. The scope of entries continues to illustrate a strong focus on people and community over buildings, featuring parallel themes such as social injustice and climate change.

RIBA website

Professor Kester Rattenbury was shortlisted for her project “The Wessex Project: Thomas Hardy Architect.”

For more information on her project please visit here.

Wessex ‘through the camera’s eye’, Hermann Lea and Lea’s camera. ©Hermann Lea, Toucan Press

Tumpa Fellows was shortlisted for her project “Improvised architectural responses to the changing climate; making, sharing and communicating design processes.”

For more information on her project please visit here.

The Rajapur Community Building for Women’s Literacy and Healthcare – The Rajapur Centre completed and being used by the community. ©Tumpa Fellows

The winning papers and medallist will be announced at this year’s President’s Medals ceremony at the RIBA, in London, on the 3 December 2019.

Technical Studies Lecture Series: “Risk Management in London Underground” James Macrae, Transport for London / Senior Risk Manager, Thursday, November 7, M416, Marylebone Campus, 18:30

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Thursday, 7th of November, 18:30

Where: M416, Robin Evans Room, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS

James Macrae graduated from St John’s College, Cambridge in 1976 with a degree in Engineering, and joined Taylor Woodrow International as a Graduate Civil Engineer. He became a Chartered Engineer (MICE) in 1980, and worked in West Africa, Dubai and the Caribbean. James left to do an MBA at City University in 1987, and then joined Euro Log, a small project risk management consultancy, where he worked in many different industry sectors, including Oil & Gas, Defence, Construction and Transportation. He spent 4 years as Director of Risk and Planning at the New British Library project at St Pancras. In 2005, he joined London Underground as a risk manager, where he has worked on many large projects, including the £15Bn Crossrail project. He now manages risk for the TfL Stations, Capacity and Infrastructure portfolio, which includes the Bank and Elephant and Castle Station Capacity Upgrades, and all TfL involvement in the HS2 Project. James is a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and of the Institute of Risk Management.

For lecture details contact Will McLean

w.f.mclean@westminster.ac.uk

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

Exhibition | Invisible Men: An Anthology from the Westminster Menswear Archive

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: 25 October 2019 to 24 November 2019

Where: Ambika P3, University of Westminster, Marylebone, London, NW1 5LS

Opening Hours: Wed-Sun 11am-7pm

Admission: FREE

The largest-ever exhibition devoted to menswear Invisible Men: An Anthology from the Westminster Menswear Archive is now open to the public and features a collection of previously unseen examples of Alexander McQueen’s early menswear.

Situated in a vast 14,000sq ft subterranean space opposite Madame Tussauds Invisible Men will showcase 167 garments from over 50 different designers, the vast majority of which have never been on public display before, including a section devoted to Alexander McQueen. 

If tutors or course leaders would like to book for their class to visit the exhibition, please email mensweararchive@westminster.ac.uk

Professor Andrew Groves, the co-curator of Invisible Men, said:

We are thrilled to be able to display a selection of McQueen’s early menswear covering the years from 1997 to 1999 within the exhibition. There were no examples of McQueen’s menswear included in the V&A’s Savage Beauty exhibition, so this is the first chance for the public to see his early menswear designs. They will be able to study the exceptional tailoring skills that he learnt on Savile Row – these were the skills that informed the radical womenswear he was creating during the same period.

As well McQueen, the show also features the work of over 50 other designers covering sportswear, tailoring, uniforms and workwear and aims to redress the balance in fashion exhibitions that usually solely focus on displaying womenswear.

Drawn exclusively from the Westminster Menswear Archive the show explores the story of British menswear over the last 120 years, presenting designer garments alongside military, functional, and utilitarian outfits. It explores the design language of menswear, which predominately focuses on the replication of archetypal functional garments intended for specific industrial, technical or military use.

Contemporary designers featured include Craig Green, the current menswear Designer of the Year, and Samuel Ross, whose label A-COLD-WALL* won the BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund award in June.

Examples of menswear from British brand Burberry include a tailored evening tailcoat dating from 1925, and a Hi-Viz jacket from Christopher Bailey’s last Burberry collection in 2018, almost a century later. 

A section devoted to wearable technology includes an example of the world’s first Graphene coated jacket and a solar-powered trenchcoat designed by Junya Watanabe.  A section devoted to C.P. Company’s Urban Protection from the late 1990s includes garments that inflate, light up, detect toxic gas, or turn into chairs.

Also on display is a section devoted to Britain’s obsession to sportswear that includes garments from Gieves, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Palace, Mr Fish, Stone Island, Umbro, Aitor Throup and BodyMap. The exhibition includes several items from Stone Island’s very first collection from 1982, an Italian brand that went on to become firmly established as a favourite of British football casuals in the 1980s. 

Alongside the designer garments, there are examples of British workwear covering the last 100 years including prison uniforms, postman’s uniforms, a police taser suit, and military camouflage. These pieces highlight how influential utilitarian workwear and uniform have been in inspiring fashion designers to create new fashion.   

Invisible Men is curated by Professor Andrew Groves and Dr Danielle Sprecher.

DESIGNERS IN THE EXHIBITION INCLUDE:

A Cold Wall*, Adidas, Aitor Throup, Alexander McQueen, Austin Reed , Belstaff, Bernhard Willhelm , Blades, BodyMap, Burberry, Burton, C.P. Company, Calvin Klein, Carol Christian Poell, Christian Dior, Comme Des Garcons, Craig Green, Dege & Skinner, Gieves, H&M, Harrods, Helmut Lang, Irvine Sellars, Issey Miyake, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jeremy Scott, John Stephen, Junior Gaultier, Junya Watanabe, Left Hand, Levi’s, Lewis Leathers, Liam Hodges, Mackintosh, Martin Margiela, Massimo Osti, Meadham Kirchhoff, Michiko Koshino, Mr Fish, Nigel Cabourn, Palace, Paul Smith, Peter Saville, Prada, Sibling, Stella McCartney, Stone Island, Umbro, Undercover, Vexed Generation, Vivienne Westwood, Vollebak, Zegna Sport.

Borderline City | Invitation to Summer School in Berlin | Deadline: November 20, 2019

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

An opportunity for 4-6 suitable graduate students (and strong undergraduate candidates) from the fields of Architecture, Urban Planning, Urban Design etc. for a Summer School on the topic of  the ‘BORDERLINE City‘ that will take place in Berlin from 8-15 May 2020. Participation is free, and accommodation as well as a stipend to cover travel expenses will be provided. 

The summer school is part of a broader initiative of colleagues at the Technical University Berlin, which aims to generate impulses for the planned update of the so-called Leipzig Charter of 2007 on the occasion of Germany’s upcoming EU Council Presidency in 2020.

The summer school’s theme is deliberately broad in scope. Amongst other things, the event will deal with:

  • the disappearance of existing, and emergence of new, borders and ‘borderscapes’, both material and immaterial;  
  • the way both intentional and immanent spatial development contribute to the emergence, dissolving and change of borders and ‘borderscapes’; 
  • the role cross-border territories (can) play in European integration processes;
  • the qualities and potentials of borders, ‘borderscapes’ etc. (spatial, cultural and otherwise) as well as
  • the question how built environment professionals should deal with the same. 

In short: it promises to be an exciting event! Prerequisite to participate is the willingness to:

  • deal with the topic (or, rather, one of the topics) the summer school revolves around in the context of a dissertation, a ‘final year project’, or a piece of research in relation to a specific module;  
  • present the (preliminary) findings of the (research) project in the form of a paper, poster or other creative medium; an
  • beyond that actively contribute to the discussions in Berlin.

There is a lot of scope in terms of both the content and the methodological approach and the format of the work to be produced/presented and our German colleagues appreciate that MA theses/final year projects will not be completed by the time the summer school takes place. What they are after are original and thought-provoking ideas, interventions and reflections that provide ‘novel and unconventional input on urban development and urban planning.’ 

Should you be interested in participating, please look at the attached document for further information about the project and send an expression of interest of no more than 750 words with an indication of your motivation to apply as well as a description of your project idea to NovyJ@westminster.ac.uk by 20 November. You should also be able to name a member of staff who supports your application and is willing to help you with the project work. Applicants will be informed of the pre-selection results by 25 November and interviews for the final selection will take place shortly after that.

For more information, please feel free to send an email to Johannes Novy. He will also hold two information drop-in sessions on 30 October and 12 November from 13.00 to 14.00 in M222 to provide the students with an opportunity to meet him in person and ask questions.

Last but not least: Especially if you are considering to apply with your thesis/final year project, it is strongly recommend that you discuss your plan with your tutor and/or course director to make sure that they approve of (and are willing to support) it. 

To download additional material please click here.