Technical Studies Lecture Series: Steven Johnson, The Architecture Ensemble “Flimwell Park” | Thursday, October 13 at 18:00 (BST), M416 + Live Stream

Events

When: Thursday, 13th of October, 6pm (BST)

Where: M416, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, NW1 5LS + Online

Steven Johnson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended Kansas State University to study architecture and followed this with a short period of working in Kansas City. In 1986 he moved to London to take a Masters in Architecture at the Architectural Association, and he has lived and worked in London ever since.  

Having worked for several London firms, Steven practiced as a consultant with Edward Cullinan Architects, serving as the project architect on the award-winning Downland Gridshell at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum in West Sussex. The mix of new technology and timber processes in the Downland Gridshell required pushing timber construction and architecture in new and innovative directions.  

Upon completion of the Downland Gridshell, Steven established The Architecture Ensemble in 2002. Its main emphasis is to explore possibilities in timber architecture using both traditional methods and cutting-edge technological advances while remaining acutely sensitive to ecological issues. Steven was a co-founder of the Timberbuild Network based at Flimwell, East Sussex. The Network was established to help rebuild links between timber growers, saw millers, carpenters, builders, and designers in order to re-ignite the interest in and the use of local timber within the South East of England.  

The Flimwell Park development is a pioneering new sustainable woodland development designed by Steven Johnson to connect people with its woodland surroundings. Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the Village of Flimwell on the East Sussex border with Kent, the aim is to enhance the wellbeing of the community that will live, work and visit. Environmental, social, and economic sustainability has been at the heart of Flimwell Park, with all timber sustainably sourced and weathering steel used for the window bay cladding. Onsite solar power is generated from 300 photo-voltaic cells located on building roofs, cladding, and canopies, with a grid of solar thermal units heating water directly from the sun. Flimwell Park is one of the first mixed-use, sustainable woodland developments in the UK. 

https://technicalstudies.tumblr.com/

For details contact: Will McLean  

w.f.mclean@wmin.ac.uk