Category: Events

Sustainable Cities and the Urban Environment Research Community + ArCCAT: Panel Discussion “Good COP / Bad COP” | Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at 16:00 (GMT)

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Wednesday, 19th of January, 4pm-6pm (GMT)

Where: Online event

Book tickets via Eventbrite here.

The Sustainable Cities and the Urban Environment Research Community and the Architecture and Cities Climate Action Taskforce invite you to a panel discussion to reflect on the successes and failures of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow in November and its implications for the future of the planet. Participants will reflect on their experiences in Glasgow, give their assessment of the outcomes of the meeting and discuss potential avenues of urban and environmental research and action they call for.

Discussants

Melanie McGlone (Westminster Law School)

Radha D’Souza (Westminster Law School)

Martin Matthews (Westminster Business School)

Tom Cohen (Active Travel Academy)

Jamie Williams (former MArch student, School of Architecture and Cities)

Moderators

Andrew Smith (SCUE)

Lindsay Bremner (ArCCAT)

Technical Studies Lecture Series: “Carbon Negative Materials” by Allison Dring, Elegant Embellishments | Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 18:00 (GMT), Room M416, Marylebone Campus + Online

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Thursday, 9th of December at 6pm (GMT)

Where: M416, Marylebone Campus, School of Architecture and Cities, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS 

Link to join livestream

[…] it turned out that TiO2 (titanium dioxide) is excellent for photocatalytically breaking down organic compounds.

Allison Dring 

Frustrated by a sustainable architectural palette of parsimony and the orthogonal construction grid, Elegant Embellishments (EE) designed a deliberately decorative pollution-cleaning screen, based on an aperiodic grid to ‘elicit an emotional response’. This new product was named prosolve370e in reference to the naming of cars after their engine size and how much pollution they produce. The ‘370e’ refers to how much surface enhancement the designers could achieve in order to counter that volume of pollution. Made from thermo-formed plastic to reduce weight, the modules are coated in photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO2). The designer and partner in EE Allison Dring explains that prosolve370e does three things: first it maximises surface area to increase the ‘efficacy of the technology’; second it creates turbulence to slow the air pollution and make it easier to catch on the surface; and third the forms of the modular screen are designed to enhance reception of light, including the reflected light of neighbouring modules. In 2012, the technology was installed at the Hospital Manuel Gea Gonzalez in Mexico City, described as ‘the incredible smog-eating building’ by CNN. 

The screen covers an area of 25,000 m2 and is thought to be the world’s largest engineered urban air-purifier. Based on the size of the screen, and its maximised surface area, EE claims to achieve around 5000 m2 of photocatalytic activity, which equates to mitigating the air pollution produced by 1,000 cars per day. Air pollution is composed of two key ingredients: oxides of nitrogen (known as NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are both produced by combustion engines. 

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

For details contact: Will McLean  w.f.mclean@wmin.ac.uk

“What difference does difference make?” – School of Architecture + Cities Equity Forum Launch | Monday, November 29, 18:00 (GMT)

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Monday, 29th of November at 6pm (GMT)

Where: In-person in M416 (Robin Evans Room), University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS + Online

Tickets can be booked via Eventbrite.

The launch of the School of Architecture + Cities Equity Forum will introduce its members, explain its values, and its place within the School’s wider EDI-related strategic planning.

Although the intention is to stream the session online as well as hold the face-to-face event, we would encourage participants to attend in person to engage more directly in discussion, as well as join us for refreshments and networking after. In addition to celebrating the launch of the Forum and providing updates, the event aims to provide Tutors, Course and Module Leaders with more context to help inform their own EDI-related thinking and planning at course and module level. Our response to the challenge of making our school more equitable will require ongoing discussion, reflection, and – crucially – action. External friends, stakeholders, and supporters will also be in attendance.

Tickets are broken down into in-person attendance (Student, Staff or External), or virtual (via Zoom as a webcast). Please ensure you register prior to attending, so we can ensure we have an accurate record of attendees.

Programme:

18.00 Introduction: EDI in Architecture and Cities (Harry Charrington, Head of School)

18.15 The Equity Forum: Context and Aspiration (Samir Pandya, School EDI Lead)

18.45 Introduction to newly appointed Student EDI Champion (Andy Pitchford, Director of CETI, introduces Lucy Banbury)

18.55 Panel Discussion – What difference does Difference make? (Chaired by Linda Tighlit, Westminster Architecture Society), followed by Q&A.

19.30 Drinks and networking

Panel Members:

• Alison Carrillo Culqui (BA Interior Architecture)

• Amjad Butt (BSc Architectural Technology)

• Derin Fadina (School Alumnus)

• Lucy Banbury (School Student EDI Champion)

• Marie Kaune (BA Designing Cities)

• Shaun Ihejetoh (School EDI Practice Advocate, West Port Architects)

• Sude Yilmaz (BA Architecture)

Technical Studies Lecture Series: “Dynamic Building Skins” by Doris Sung from DOSU Studio / University of Southern California | Thursday, December 2, 2021 at 18:00 (GMT), Room M416, Marylebone Campus + Online

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Thursday, 2nd of December at 6pm (GMT)

Where: M416, Marylebone Campus, School of Architecture and Cities, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS 

Link to join livestream 

‘… if we are to develop truly sustainable architecture, we don’t necessarily need more materials. We need smarter ones.’ 

Doris Sung 

In her ‘Bloom’ project, architect and inventor Doris Sung created a large lightweight monocoque structure comprised of 414 hyperbolic paraboloid (hypar) shaped panels made from a bimetal lamination of two alloys of nickel, manganese and iron with different thermal expansion coefficients. Bloom is a wonderful exposition of the properties and potential of bimetals in the creation of new responsive building skins that can passively open and close to ventilate and shade the building. An animated film of the Bloom project shows how the surface is activated by sun and shade.  

Doris Sung has subsequently developed a whole series of innovative architectural applications using thermobimetal. Her initial research on self-shading, self-ventilating and self-assembling alongside contemporary fabrication technologies has expanded the physical potential of the material, for example in the twisting and folding of her Oculus prototype, and she has now patented systems that are being commercialised for wider application. Her InVert™ window-shading system incorporates small bimetal ‘petals’ within a double-glazed glass module, and as the temperature from the sun increases, the bimetal elements deform and block the sunlight and shade the building’s interior. As the sunlight moves and the temperature cools, the bimetal elements revert to their original shape and position. The resultant solar shading reduces heat gain, which in turn can reduce artificial cooling needs by 28–42%,36 depending on the geographical location. 

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

For details contact: Will McLean 

w.f.mclean@wmin.ac.uk 

Tszwai So takes part in Architecture on Stage : New Architects | Thursday, December 9, 19:00-21:00 (GMT) at the Barbican

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

In the second of two special evenings, Architecture on Stage presents four of Britain’s best emerging practices.

One of these is Spheron, founded by Tszwai So (Lecturer at the School of Architecture and Cities ) and Samuel Bentil-Mensah. Spheron has a particularly rich portfolio of community projects including the Belarusian Memorial Chapel (featured image), which it completed in 2017.  This new build wooden chapel was commissioned by the Holy See of Rome for the Belarusian Diaspora Community in London to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

For more information and to book tickets please go here.

Architecture on Stage series is organised by Architecture Foundation.

Featured image: Belarusian Memorial Chapel by Spheron, via Architecture Foundation

Technical Studies Lecture Series: “Cities of the future and the circular economy: Het Platform” by Ton Venhoeven, VenhoevenCS architecture + urbanism | Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 18:00 (GMT), Room M416, Marylebone Campus + Online

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Thursday, 18th of November at 6pm (GMT)

Where: M416, Marylebone Campus, School of Architecture and Cities, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS 

Ton will be giving the talk in person and the talk will also be live-streamed via this link. 

As the construction industry works towards a more sustainable post-pandemic future, Ton presents a timely, expert viewpoint having worked with government on a 2050 City of the Future design study. This study explored how cities should react to major challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, natural resource depletion and pollution. As the leading architectural firm on the team, VenhoevenCS have conducted substantial research around this topic.   

The practice’s key projects centre around building healthier and more liveable cities with nature-inclusive design. The MicroCity is an innovative concept for buildings and neighbourhoods which reduces travel needs and is a major contribution to cities becoming truly self-sufficient and sustainable. An example of this is Het Platform, VenhoevenCS’ recently completed a mixed-use community building for living, working and playing right next to Utrecht Central station.  

Ton is a former Chief Government Advisor on Infrastructure to the Dutch government from 2008-2012. During his time in government he advised on sustainability of infrastructural, urban and regional planning. Prior to this he was a Professor of Architectural History and Theory at Eindhoven University of Technology (2005-2009), where his design research focused on the pedestrian city of tomorrow. Alongside his work as an architect and urban designer, Ton is an international consultant for Smart MicroCity and Healthy City, integrated planning, multimodal mobility networks and transit-oriented development. Among his clients are national and international governmental organisations, NGO’s and foundations. Sustainability is in Ton’s DNA: ever since the publication of Limits to Growth in 1972, he has made it a point in both his professional and private life to contribute to a sustainable, equitable world in which all life can thrive. His latest focus is on biodiversity and nature inclusive design. 

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

For details contact: Will McLean – w.f.mclean@wmin.ac.uk 

Technical Studies Lecture Series: “Recent Projects” by Andy Watts, Grimshaw Architects | Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 18:00 (GMT), Room M416, Marylebone Campus + Online

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Thursday, 11th of November at 6pm (GMT)

Where: M416, Marylebone Campus, School of Architecture and Cities, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS 

Andy Watts is Grimshaw’s Director of Design Technology and oversees the application and exploration of innovative technological approaches across all Grimshaw studios, covering areas such as computational design, BIM, virtual and augmented reality technology, data-driven intelligence and DfMA.  

Andy strives to bring the benefits of design technology to as many Grimshaw projects as possible. He has worked to introduce these approaches to a range of their projects at various scales, with a range of different agendas.  

Beyond Grimshaw, Andy actively engages with the digital technology industry as well as representing the work of Grimshaw at various industry and academic events. He teaches at the Architectural Association in London and has taught at the Universities of Westminster, Lincoln, and Dundee and has organised educational workshops in Dubai and with the Pratt Institute in New York. Andy is also on the organising committee for the London VR/AR User Group which offers a platform to share Grimshaw’s leading knowledge in the field of VR with other architectural firms.  

Grimshaw was founded by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw in 1980. The practice became a Partnership in 2007 and operates worldwide with offices in four continents employing over 650 staff. Nicholas Grimshaw received the RIBA Gold medal in 2019. Notable practice projects include The Eden Project, the International Terminal at Waterloo and the Fulton Project, New York. 

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

Technical Studies Lecture Series: “De-carbonising the Structure” by Thomas Hesslenberg, Elliott Wood | Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 18:00, Room M416, Marylebone Campus + Online

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

When: Thursday, 4th of November at 6pm

Where: M416, Marylebone Campus, School of Architecture and Cities, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS 

Online: Live stream link 

Thomas Hesslenberg is a Senior Structural Engineer at Elliott Wood, a Structural & Civil Engineering practice based in London. Elliott Wood are committed to making “[…]engineering work harder for our clients, society and our planet” and they have created a phrase to capture their approach – Engineer a Better Society. Over the last couple of years, Thomas has been working around the issue of Embodied Carbon and how to reduce it in his companies’ projects, whilst also share his knowledge with the wider industry.  

Through the Institute of Structural Engineers (IStructE), Elliott Wood launched the Structural Carbon Tool last year, an open-source Excel-based software, which allows construction professionals to calculate their own projects Embodied Carbon. Thomas will be talking about the tool, what his company has learnt after using it on their projects, and what changes need to be made in order to help the construction industry get to Net Zero. 

Thomas is one of our visiting technical tutors/consultants for final year undergraduate and MArch Architecture. 

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

For details contact: Will McLean w.f.mclean@wmin.ac.uk 

BA Architecture: Process Week – Events, Workshops and Reviews across Year 1/2/3 | From Monday, November 1 to Friday, November 5, 2021

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

PROCESS WEEK

Please join us for a week of Events, Workshops and Reviews across 

Year 1/2/3  – BA Architecture 

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Monday 01 November 2021, 1PM 

Year 1 Display: Very Very Vernacular  

BA Architecture Studios, 4th Floor  

Exhibition of 1:20 and 1:50 models of a range of vernacular typologies.  

Could turning to the past and looking at the vernacular be one way we could face the building challenges of the future?  

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Tuesday 02 November 2021, 2PM 

Shaping Spaces Talk – Simone Valeriani, RCA/V&A 

Building Centre: The essential yet under-explored role that models play in shaping the spaces we live in & a visit to the exhibition ‘Shaping Spaces’ 

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Wed+Thu  03+04 November 2021 

Model Making Marathon – Green Mat Workshop 

BA Architecture Studios, 4th Floor Double-day of experimental modelmaking, casting and photographing process models. 

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Thursday 04 November 2021, 10AM 

Year 3 Reviews:  Excerpts and Experiments 

BA Architecture Studios, 5th Floor  

DS3.1 Utopia Jane & Tom G 

DS3.2 UniverCity Maria & Bruce (review on Mon 01 Nov) 

DS3.3 Science Fiction & Supertrees Constance & Stephen 

DS3.4 Peripheral Landscapes Paolo & Tom B 

DS3.6 Radical Re-use Camilla & Kester 

DS3.7 Transient Lives John & David 

Open reviews across the Year 3 Design Studios challenging the idea of ‘Build Back Better…?’ Open to all.  

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Friday 05 November 2021, 10AM 

Year 1 Reviews 

BA Architecture Studios, 4th Floor Open reviews across Year 1 BA Arch + BSc AED 

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and coming soon… 

a double talks series 

Climate Conversations 

online, Term 2 (dates tba) 

A Talks Series about Climate Change, Environmental Sustainablity and Design Projects by tutors in the School of Architecture + Cities 

Out In Practice 

online, Term 2 (dates tba) 

Young architecture graduates reflecting on their time as students and their exciting next steps. Speakers will explore personal ideas and agendas as well as the unexpected trajectories of their early careers 

BAIA Open Lecture Series: “Community Self-Build” Anurag Verma, The RUSS | Thursday, October 28 at 13:00

Posted on by Mirna Pedalo

Interior Matters//Practices

When: Thursday, 28th of October 2021 at 1pm

Where: Room M416, Marylebone Campus, School of Architecture + Cities, University of Westminster

The Rural Urban Synthesis Society is a volunteer-led Community Land Trust based in Lewisham, constructing 36 permanently affordable new homes, the largest self-build community housing project of its kind ever undertaken in London. Hear Architect and RUSS Chair Anurag Verma discuss the project.