CSMTime 10 - Time to Arrive by Central Saint Martins

Granary Building 1 Granary SQUARE csm time

To ARRIVE

KX @

Hello Welcome to a landmark issue of CSM Time. Yes, we’re about to collect the keys! From mid-August CSM ’s new address will be: Granary Building, 1 Granary Square, London N1C 4AA.

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In this issue, Drusilla Beyfus, our features editor-at-large, revisits our King’s Cross campus one year on to see exactly how we’re shaping up (p4). Elsewhere, we continue our indispensable ‘rough guide’ to the neighbourhood we’ll soon be calling home turf (p22). Phil Baines tells the story of our King’s Cross wayfinding (p10), while Seamus Mirodan raises the curtain on our exciting new Centre for Performance, a mini-Barbican in the making (p16).

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Plus, we present a special supplement showcasing our degree shows in 2011 – including the last we’ll host at Charing Cross Road, Southampton Row and Back Hill.

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See you at King’s Cross!

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CSM Time is produced by Marketing and Communications editor@csm.arts.ac.uk in association with Rhombus Writers, and designed by Paulus M Dreibholz (alumnus and associate lecturer) and Sunny Park (alumna). With thanks to Drusilla Beyfus, Seamus Mirodan and Ged Matthews. © 2010 Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design unless otherwise indicated. We have made all efforts to credit images correctly. Please contact us if we have omitted to credit or miscredited an image – amendments will be made in subsequent issues.

ARRIVING SOON AT KING’S CROSS—4 King’s Cross Gallery—8 QUIRKY AND SPIRITED – wayfinding at our new home—10 Who’s going where—12 The Centre for Performance – CSM’s new Mini-Barbican—16 THE creative scene—19 Neighbourhood Watch—20 THE ROUGH GUIDE TO King’s crosS AND ARCHWAY—22 HelloGoodbye—26

csm time to arrive @KX issue 10 summer 2011

csm time to arrive @ KX — issue 10 / summer 2011

ARRIVING SOON AT KING’S CROSS

Granary Square © Kings Cross Central

Phil Crew, Project Director at CSM ’s new campus site at King’s Cross, has an exceptional overview of the massive, multifaceted undertaking. A New Zealander from Christchurch, Phil is employed by UAL and has been on side with the King’s Cross campus from its earliest days. His formal title is Head of Projects, Estates Department, but he can equally well be tagged an ace facilitator, enabling an army of planners, architects, engineers, environmentalists, designers and specialist consultants to get on with the job. Phil was my ‘tour guide’ on a visit to the site in mid-May. Facts and figures produced by him fleshed out the picture. ‘There are about 450 people working on the site today yet it barely seems occupied,’ he told me, which he interpreted as reassuring for anyone at CSM speculating on how everyone was going to fit into the space. ‘The quality of the spaces, design and build are such that I feel the building will absorb the demands that are placed on it.’

What Phil showed me was a campus already discernible as the place it is destined to be, with the areas allocated to work studios, the bars and cafés, the ‘deanery’, the performance theatre, the library, the gallery, the circulation system clearly defined. However to my mind it is the architecture itself that sets the standard, a knock-out combination of history and innovation. ‘There are so many unique spaces,’ he said, ‘you can’t walk more than 20 steps without entering a completely different environment. It’s not just a formulaic collection of identical studios, it is a collection of spaces that have been adapted to CSM ’s needs within a framework that allows subsequent modification quite easily.’ What they were focused on at present was the progression of areas with particularly complex technical requirements and which might involve complex relocation activities. He drew attention to the 3D large workshops on the ground floor of the Eastern Transit Shed.

The Granary Building © John Sturrock

Drusilla Beyfus revisits our site one year on

csm time to arrive @ KX — issue 10 / summer 2011

‘a knock-out combination of history and innovation’ Notwithstanding his high-tech approach, it’s significant that Phil’s hero is WR Lethaby, the arts and crafts architect of Southampton Row who was also influential in the fields of conservation and arts education. He quoted him to me. ‘The history that can be seen and touched is a strong and stimulating soul food entirely different from vague and wearying written history.’ We were looking at exactly what Lethaby meant at the Grade II Granary Building and associated sheds. Perhaps the most visually compelling examples are the ranks of old columns and capitals supporting the floors of the Granary Building, changed only by a coat of fire-protection paint and still lending support to the massive structure.

The Cross Link at the rear of the Granary Building © John Sturrock

‘We have fought, to protect this history,’ Phil told me. Wall spaces had proved a debatable topic. ‘The phrase the College has used is, ‘we work from walls’. But when you have beautiful historic remains, putting a wall in front of it can be a problem. However, in terms of our overall approach, my policy is when in doubt don’t. We can always go back and put up a wall against a wall. It’s not always so easy to take away a wall if you’ve put services behind it,’ he said. So those old walls can breathe another day.

As he had stressed the over-arching importance of teamwork I thought it fair to question Phil on some of the details. I asked about the relationship between UAL and CSM . He said that the University felt really strongly about the value of the brand that is Central Saint Martins and wanted to ensure that it is maximised. They were supportive of the College’s forward-looking policy of being a global brand in its field of the arts, design and creativity. Did he believe that members of the College understood the effort involved by the University in building the campus? He was aware of some criticism that the University had gone off and built this building without engaging sufficiently. ‘But we have endeavoured to engage wherever possible,’ he said. He explained how dependent he was on the judgment of the College, in putting forward the right people for the design process to be a bridge between the staff at CSM and the construction group. As to the scale of the undertaking, he referred me to some statistics that are in fact difficult to comprehend unless you are on site. The project occupies 10 acres of gross floor area, sufficient concrete to fill eight Olympic swimming pools, 1.3 million timber blocks laid and ‘we had 14-hour days for day after day just to make sure that the fit-out contractors could make the best possible start for us,’ Phil recalled.

I asked about the state of procurement for CSM . Phil said that the level of UAL funding for what he termed the FF&E (furniture, fittings and equipment) budget was in excess of £5 m. ‘A not inconsiderable sum.’ Phil admitted that some of the procurement processes are not as advanced as they might be and predicted: ‘There is likely to be a lot of procurement pressure over the summer.’ Phil understood that CSM was communicating with stakeholders on what existing furniture they can take and what new equipment they were going to purchase. ‘Wearing my University hat, I’m responsible for the FF&E budget and I want to make sure that the building is operable on opening.’

Drusilla Beyfus was a Senior Lecturer on our Fashion Communication with Promotion pathway for 19 years. A former features editor at Vogue, she contributes regularly to the Telegraph Magazine and continues to work closely with CSM on special projects.

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King’s Cross Gallery

John Sturrock, official photographer at King’s Cross, has been documenting our site as it develops. Here’s John’s latest snapshot of life on planet KX. To view more of his images visit: www.kingscrosscentral.com/gallery

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LIBRARY

CANTEEN

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Workplace D101

Wayfinding at our new King’s Cross home builds on CSM student proposals to create a strongly independent look

‘I would define it as quirky and spirited. It has a tough, no-nonsense quality that pays homage to the original building and suits the renewal work by Stanton Williams.’ That was how Professor of Typography Phil Baines put it when CSM Time asked him to describe our new wayfinding at King’s Cross. Phil headed the CSM steering group (with Tricia Austin, Lee Widdows and Geoff Makstutis) that has guided and managed the signage since it began life as a student proposal 18 months ago. For Phil Baines, the wayfinding journey started with a site visit made with Catherine Dixon, CSM Senior Lecturer in Typography, in 2007. ‘As we explored the building we photographed the lettering on site. Later we went back and documented it more fully.’ When the College launched its wayfinding competition for cross-disciplinary student teams, Phil and Catherine’s photos came into their own. The outstanding competition entry, which featured type by BA Graphic Design student Ed Cornish, used the site images to inform the winning team’s approach. Says Phil: ‘That winning entry was the basis of our fit-out brief. Unfortunately, some of the ideas couldn’t be made to work within

budget. Part of the steering group’s role has been to interpret the spirit of the student proposals more cost effectively.’ The result, says Phil, merges typographic sensibilities with architectural interventions in a way that reflects the make-up of the winning student team. ‘As well as the look of the lettering based on our original photos we have landmark objects sited around the building. These objects act as markers, helping you fix a room in your imagination.’ The type itself draws on 19th century letterforms retained by the Granary Building in its exterior details and loading bays. These sans serif forms of the grotesque pattern, once widespread in London, are particularly associated with industrial contexts. The new wayfinding system has two tiers. Directional signs use the Font Bureau Grotesque family in upper and lower case. Key destinations are described in capital letters using Leviathan, a much heavier or ‘cuddlier’ typeface. ‘My focus,’ says Phil, ‘has been on meeting the needs of the building. I’m not sure it’s the role of signing to give an identity to a building, although in practice it often does. I want our wayfinding to be strong and independent, regardless of branding issues.’

You will be able to find your way on our new app from September www.csm.arts.ac.uk/mobileapp

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Who’s going where

csm time to arrive @ KX — issue 10 / summer 2011

Ground Floor

First Floor

2 4

A floor-by-floor guide to our new home at King’s Cross

The Bridge and Boulevard From September 2011 the Boulevard will run right from our front door to King’s Cross station.

Granary Square Larger than Trafalgar Square, Granary Square has a fountain of 1,120 water jets (that may just synchronise when you plug your iPod in) plus a giant ice rink in the winter.

The Centre for Performance 4 The Centre for Performance and theatre spaces are located on Stable Street, named after the Victorian livery yard that once stood here.

Project Space 1 Positioned next to the wood and metal fabrication workshops, this area is divided into 20 cross-departmental bookable spaces, with reclaimed heritage brickwork recreating the original archways.

Reception 2 The theatre The shops Running alongside the main building is the Western Transit Shed, home to a variety of retail outlets.

As you walk down Stable Street and pass the Centre for Performance, you might catch a ghostly glimpse of actors rehearsing behind state-of-the-art Reglit glass.

This is the view from the Lethaby Gallery facing the Reception office.

The Lecture Theatre 3 The Lecture Theatre is located on the ground floor, above it are three floors of Film & Video; Textile Print and Dye; with Digital Imaging at the very top.

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Second Floor

Third Floor 6 9

8 10 11

Art’s new heights 5

The Terrace 8

The 2nd-floor MA Textile Futures and 3rdfloor Art studios face the Granary building’s rear wall, which has been stabilised and meticulously preserved, with the scars of its 159 years in tact, as a reminder to future London of its past.

The windowed space in the middle of the Terrace houses the Art studios, ideally positioned to catch the northeasterly light.

Knit, Weave & Fashion 6

MA Fashion 10

The Knit, Weave and Fashion studios sit between two heritage walls (including original Lewis Cubitt girders) where the old Eastern Transit Shed once received steam trains loaded with grain. Sustainable Glulam beams support the new roof.

Take a stroll along the terrace of the Granary Building – the MA Fashion studio is located to the right.

Commission space 9

The Library 11

Textile Futures 7

Framed by some 3,000 bookshelves, this view of an evolving King’s Cross will catch the eye from the Library on the 2nd floor of the Granary Building.

Shared by MA Textile Futures and bookable spaces, this area has wood-lined walls that are used throughout the building.

where is 2nd floor art studios and textile futures?

The far window will showcase UAL commissioned artwork honouring the history of the building in partnership with English Heritage.

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‘It offers a fantastic opportunity to raise the College’s profile amongst the King’s Cross community and place us on the London map’

On the north side of the new King’s Cross development, a purpose-built bus stop and ramp leads from York Way right up to the front door of the specially constructed Centre for Performance. For the first time, all Drama Centre courses, the BA and MA in Performance Design and Practice and the MA in Character Animation will be housed under one roof. Bound to offer new and exciting opportunities for collaboration, the Centre will also showcase students’ work, at the heart of the new College complex.

The Centre for Performance – CSM’s new Mini-Barbican Seamus Mirodan reports

The new Centre will feature four performance spaces. First and foremost is the Main Theatre, equipped with a flying tower and balcony and seating for audiences of over 300. The seating is designed to be totally flexible, so designers and directors can choose how to configure the playing area to suit each production. Backstage, the theatre will feature a green room, three dressing rooms, laundry facilities, a workshop for setbuilding and production offices. Alongside the main venue will sit a Studio Theatre holding one hundred, as well as two experimental performance spaces: The Black Lab and The White Lab. These are primarily for experiments in visual design for performance, but will also be open to the public. Additionally, the first floor of the Centre for Performance will play host to a Rehearsal Studio equipped with a basic lighting and sound rig, which can be used for internal as well as some small scale public performances.

Instead of the current arrangement with the Cochrane Theatre, productions will now take place in theatres owned by the University and College and located at its heart. ‘That means that we can develop them as performance spaces that are more applicable and of interest to the community of students across Central Saint Martins,’ he said. Jonathan explained this also meant that the College will be able to invite professional companies to hold residencies there: ‘Our vision is to produce a kind of student mini-Barbican.’ As the King’s Cross building offers an extensive covered space, Jonathan also imagines that the complex will offer a number of ‘ad hoc performance spaces,’ in particular in and around what is being called the Street: literally a covered street which runs right the way through the centre of the new building. ‘This offers a real opportunity to place student work at the heart of the College rather than stuffed away in some hidden or hardly-frequented corner,’ he said. Performance Design and Practice Course Director Michael Spencer believes that the biggest plus for his students will be ‘interaction with other students’ and the ‘interdisciplinary collaboration which will provide opportunities to learn from more than just their own curriculum.’

The Centre’s location just off Granary Square, a public thoroughfare, also offers an unprecedented opportunity for students A large foyer links up all four performance to show their work to an audience from spaces, providing a buzzing central meeting point on evenings where several productions all walks of life. ‘The ability to exhibit work where it can be seen by members of the are going on in parallel. public who might not normally go to the theatre or to a gallery will also be hugely Drama Centre’s Acting Principal, Jonathan beneficial to students,’ Michael said. ‘It offers Martin, told CSM Time: ‘One of the big differences is that the Centre for Performance a fantastic opportunity to raise the College’s profile amongst the King’s Cross community puts us in charge of the performance spaces, it gives the staff and students artistic control.’ and place us on the London map.’

csm time to arrive @ KX — issue 10 / summer 2011

Peter Doig

MINNIE WEISZ

The CSM alumnus and 1994 Turner Prize nominee lived and worked in and around the former Culross Building close to our new home. In 2000 he was one of ten major British artists commissioned by Byam Shaw Principal Alister Warman to create works in support of the school’s bursary programme. The striking collection, which included Peter Doig’s ‘Mosquito’, was themed around ‘bugs’ – follow-up to a 1994 Byam Shaw commissioned portfolio, Nine London Birds.

From her studio above St Pancras Road the artist and photographer looks down on the vast regeneration site that has been her muse for five years. For ‘A Message to King’s Cross’ she commissioned artists including CSM alumnus Jonathan Barnbrook to create works on a disused ad hoarding on Goods Way. Other site-specific projects include her elegiac portrait of the condemned Culross Building in Battle Bridge Road, collaborations with poet Aidan Dun, and short films about King’s Cross made with Aidan Dun and Peter Doig. Find out more www.minnieweiszstudio. co.uk

RICHARD WENTWORTH The ‘New British Sculpture’ leading light has lived and worked in King’s Cross for 25 years. His 2002 project ‘An Area of Outstanding Unnatural Beauty’ documented the local area including the Ping Pong tournament in the old General Plumbing Supplies warehouse in York Way, using ping-pong tables screenprinted with street maps of London. As play ebbed and flowed, it mimicked in random fashion the ‘games’ of our urban planners. Find out more www.artangel.org.uk

Peter Doig, King’s Cross Mosquito, image © Tate, London, 2011.

Pinhole, image © Minnie Weisz.

An Area of Outstanding Unnatural Beauty, Richard Wentworth, 2002 Commissioned and produced by Artangel, image © Artangel.

A big welcome to King’s Cross from all the staff at Argent who, in partnership with Hermes, LCR and DHL are helping to deliver your new home in one of London’s most vibrant areas. We hope you’ll enjoy discovering our diverse and dynamic neighbourhood and all it has to offer. There is something for everyone at King’s Cross. Dozens of lively bars and cafés, interesting restaurants and independent shops. It is also a bit of a creative hotspot with galleries, concert halls, and temporary and permanent art installations and spaces. If you want to explore further afield you’ll find you can get almost anywhere, direct, with the best public transport connections in London - including the Eurostar which can whisk you off to Paris in just over 2 hours. As well as King’s Cross being a hive of activity you can also find peace and quiet along the Regent’s Canal or in Camley Street Natural Park, both on your doorstep. We’re making the final touches to your new home and look forward to seeing you next term. www.kingscrosscentral.com

THE crea tive scene

Mike Figgis, image © Kings Place.

MIKE FIGGIS

At King’s Cross, CSM staff and students will ‘rub shoulders’ with a host of luminaries who’ve made the area a part of their life or work. Here are just a few of them

The film director, writer and composer, who lives in New Wharf Road in King’s Cross, studied music in London and played keyboards in Bryan Ferry’s early R&B band Gas Board. In September 2010 a special residency at Kings Place gave the Leaving Las Vegas director a chance to combine music, movies and performance in a series of events that included a live mix of the self-penned score for his film Timecode (2000).

ANTONY GORMLEY obe The CSM alumnus, best known for his major sculptural works including ‘Angel of the North’, spotted an area ripe for urban renewal long before Eurostar brought a whiff of continental glamour to the area. His 10,000 sq ft studio, sited right on CSM ’s doorstep in the heart of King’s Cross, is home to a creative army of assistants and can accommodate a 40-ton low-loader whenever raw materials are required.

MIKE LEIGH obe Writer and director for film, theatre and TV, the CSM alumnus famously develops his stories using improvisation and routinely transforms London into his own movie set. Cally Road is location for a nightmarish scene involving David Thewlis as Johnny in 1993’s apocalyptic Naked. Opposite St Pancras station are the vestiges of Stanley Building, a block of rail worker flats that played a starring role in High Hopes (1988).

High Hopes by Mike Leigh, image provided by British Film Institute

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Neighbourhood Watch

King’s Cross is already inspiring a wide range of talented individuals ready to create a buzz TANYA CRACKNELL

COREY McDONALD

OWEN THOMAS

STÉPHANIE DELCROIX

BILLY RILEY

Violinist with Vaults Quartet; programme co-ordinator for Kings Place

Head of operations, All Visual Arts

Bar manager, Smithy’s wine bar & restaurant

Curator, King’s Cross Central

Owner, The Driver bar and gastro kitchen

For me, what makes King’s Cross distinctive or special is its sprawling recent growth set against the backdrop of its history. I also think its geographic location within the capital is just about perfect for what we do in the art world. We’re ideally situated here between the West End galleries and the East London scene. We’re close to Regent’s Park for Frieze, and Paris is on our doorstep thanks to Eurostar.

What I like most about King’s Cross is its mix of people and how quickly that mix can change. On my way to work every morning I see business types, builders, tourists, charity workers, buskers, Big Issue sellers – a wide range of people all doing their own thing or going their own way. But for one moment they’re all connected by their location. To me that’s what London is all about.

King’s Cross is the first bit of London I got to see when I moved here. My image was of elegant Georgian houses and squares – probably from period dramas on French TV. Instead I discovered a cityscape of railway lines and warehouses dominated by Victorian gas works. King’s Cross doesn’t reveal its charms right away. In marketing speak it boasts ‘hidden gems’, but I don’t think that’s overstating it. If you take the time, you’ll find aspects of King’s Cross that surprise and delight you.

I’ve always loved the open railway spaces. You could stand in the goods yard and view sky for 360 degrees all around. Now that’s changing. I’ll miss the rawness of one of the last undeveloped parts of London and some of the old Cockney characters I got to know. Regeneration is a good thing for the area, but I hope the grit doesn’t go out of the place completely. Central Saint Martins is a massive plus for King’s Cross. Hopefully it will mean young, cool, edgy …

King’s Cross has to be the most exciting part of London at the moment thanks to all the changes taking place. Kings Place spearheaded the regeneration here, quickly becoming an arts hub that will expand further when CSM moves in across the road. Things I like about King’s Cross include the many independent shops and cafés in and around the area. King’s Cross feeds into my work because I rehearse and perform here. In fact I’m looking to move here to live because the area has become so central to my life. I’m very excited that CSM is relocating so close to Kings Place, and I’m sure that together we’ll encourage further creativity in this part of the capital. It will be great for Vaults Quartet to be surrounded by other artists for possible collaborations. I can’t wait to see what else lies around the corner.

New energy and new talent – that’s what the area means to me. I wouldn’t change much except perhaps to provide and protect more green space along the lines of the canal preservation. It’s always sad when local people and local issues are somehow ‘swept aside’ as the face of a district changes. Fortunately, King’s Cross seems to be developing with an eye on many of these sensitivities. As for the future, I see new talent developing further creative collaborations here, and I envisage a financial upside to the ongoing cultural restoration of the area.

‘Central Saint Martins is a massive plus for King’s Cross. Hopefully it will mean young, cool, edgy …’

Quite simply, we aim to feed King’s Cross. The transport links to the area and its proximity to London’s business districts mean there are always hungry and thirsty commuters wandering our streets. And as long as people are hungry and thirsty, we at Smithy’s will be here to tend to their needs. Looking ahead, King’s Cross will continue to develop because that’s what London does. With CSM ’s move, and the accommodation needs that come with it, a student community will start to take root. The Olympics are only a year away – that will bring a new wave of interest to the area. There’s plenty to be excited about.

I like the area for its apparent transience and its energy. What would I change? The heavy traffic – I’d revamp all the streets, starting with the furniture. I do think there’s a lack of aspiration when it comes to public space in contemporary Britain. The streets need to reflect the sheer talent that Brits have for art and design. This whole area is inspiration for the programme I’m co-curating with Michael Pinsky for King’s Cross Central. All the artists we’ve approached about a commission are excited at the idea of working in this part of town. CSM ’s arrival is sure to act as a creative catalyst. I also hope that, with the advent of better rail links to the continent in 2013, the area will become a ‘Little Europe’ so I can feel even more at home!

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Regent’s Park 30 min

Gasholder No. 8 Some things are just too iconic to scrap. The Grade II listed structure, which dates from the 1850s, will relocate from the south to the north side of Regent’s Canal as part of a new public events landscape and park following reconditioning work by design competition winners Bell Phillips and Kimble.

New Site islington 15 min Dalston 30 min

Kings Place York way

Renaissance Hotel St Pancras Station Euston Road You’ll feel like you’re wasting millions of pounds just standing there gawping at the painfully gorgeous décor. Once described as ‘too beautiful and too romantic to survive’, now, thanks to Marriott, it has. Go take a look – it speaks for itself.

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Camley Street Nature Park You’ll find this little oasis of green on the banks of Regent’s Canal.

s cra Pan St.

We continue our guide to the King’s Cross area and beyond to Archway where our Byam Shaw campus resides

Camden Town 10 min

St Pancras Station For our shopaholics you’ll find ample choices from quirky, eclectic Oliver Bonas, guilt-free indulgent toiletries at Neal’s Yard, anything and everything at Wilton and Noble, cream buns at Peyton and Byrne, calming eastern treats at Ritual, and most importantly joining us is Foyles of Charing Cross Road.

The Hub 34b York Way Looking for a nice place to hook up with colleagues or mates? Ready to get some creative networking done? This meeting and work environment, part of an international chain of venues, also offers events spaces and a café-bar, plus an evening programme of talks, screenings and music.

l na Ca nts Rege

THE ROUGH GUIDE TO King’s crosS AND ARCH WAY

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Caledonia St

EGG 200 York Way Weird, wonderful, deafening – EGG is very much a ‘full on’ clubbing experience. Not for everyone, but for those willing to immerse themselves in a dizzying world of old school rave and hallucinatory lighting, a memorable (or de-memorable) night awaits. With 24-hour licence and respectable breakfasts.

Pentonville Rd

rd n o st u E

Gilbert Scott Restaurant Created by northern megachef Marcus Wareing, this magnificent restaurant celebrates traditional British dishes … so traditional you’ve probably never heard of them. Dorset Jugged Steak, Tweed Kettle and Water Pudding (this tastes infinitely nicer than it sounds). It’s just so damn exquisite you’ll hope you choke on a salmon bone just to preserve the moment.

Booking Office Bar Don’t be misled by the flabbergastingly boring name – the cocktail experts here will whip you up a classic 19th century tipple such as soyer au champagne (cider brandy, orange and cherry liqueur, vanilla ice-cream, champagne) faster than you can say: ‘Wasn’t Oscar Wilde meant to meet us here tonight?’

The Fellow 24 York Way Part of the first batch of gastro-pubs in the neighbourhood. Decent bar and good European meals. They have a very glitzy and atmospheric private dining and function room if you fancy spicing up a late afternoon seminar or accounts meeting.

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Harman 673–675 Holloway Road One of the many hidden gems of Mediterranean cuisine in the area, Harman has excellent meze, and inexpensive and generous portions – perfect for the ‘quick but nice’ hour-long lunch break. They claim they only hire third generation chefs – we’re inclined to believe them.

St John’s Tavern 91 Junction Road Want to feel a little superior to the Mother Redcap crowd? St John’s is the Archway posh pub of choice, with an impressive, everevolving menu and a ‘hip now’ vibe that makes you feel cool (even if you’re not). You pay the price, though – average meal £14.

archway tube stn

wa y

Ins ed titu uc e at of ion

500 Restaurant 782 Holloway Road Droves of eagerly returning customers testify to the quality of this friendly neighbourhood Italian eatery. Don’t despair, though – its breezy atmosphere isn’t compromised and getting a table is fairly effortless. The manager, Mario, could only be more charming if he was animated by Nick Park.

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n to g tin t i wh al the spit ho

rd way arch

Gilak 663 Holloway Road Staff at this Iranian restaurant, which specialises in delicious cuisine from the Gilan region, appear actually to enjoy serving their customers and will offer a spirited and informative lecture on the culture and history of Gilan to anyone who displays a passing interest. You wouldn’t believe their rice could taste so good. Seriously.

Ho llo wa yr d

Byam Shaw campus

Jun ctio n rd

The Mother Redcap 665 Holloway Road This authentic Irish drinking den (unlike O’Neill’s etc, which feel like Disneyland Dublin) has been the haunt of Byam Shaw students for decades. It’s not much to look at but it more than compensates with a great cast of characters, reasonably priced pints, and good craic.

Nambucca 596 Holloway Road Another ol’ Byam boozer. It should have been called The Phoenix – it tragically burned down a few years ago only to rise from the ashes as a premier venue for unsigned rock acts. For all you newly formed bands, they provide professional 24-track live recording (just don’t ask for brown M&Ms in a brandy glass).

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HelloGoodbye The private view of Hello Goodbye was well attended by staff, friends and alumni

Brian Harris and Lyndsay Taylor

Tricia Austin and guest

Book online at www.kingsplace.co.uk Kings Place Box Office 020 7250 1490 We are delighted to announce the programme for our fourth festival – a dazzling array of 100 performances over 4 days. It will give you taste of the fantastic variety of events our unique venue offers with the very best in classical, contemporary and experimental music, jazz and blues, folk, spoken word and comedy. Jazz musician Dan Teper Photo © Prema Ronningen www.visionandphotography.com

Jazz stars include Robert Mitchell, Burton Bradstock, John Etheridge and MooV, while cutting-edge electronic dance music, multi-media mash-ups and psychedelic techno comes from Sabrepulse, Shirobon and Henry Homesweet. Highlights of the folk programme will be Kris Drever, Jim Moray and the Monster Ceilidh Band to name a few. Enjoy the comedy gigs by inimitable John Hegley and Ardal O’Hanlon, and go behind the scenes at The Guardian for Meet the Journalist with some of the paper’s best writers, while for younger readers we’ve got two star authors appearing at our dynamic Puffin events.

Ricky Lee Brawn and Parminder Kaboh

World-class soloists from the classical world bring masterworks of the Baroque, Classical Russian Romantic and modern French repertoires, while the fabulous Sacconi and Brodsky Quartets explore the great piano quintets and Britten’s influences in six imaginative events. Exciting pianists David Greilsammer, Ivana Gavri´c,, William Howard and Martino Tirimo present a delectable menu of music from Bach to Debussy, Janá˘cek to Feldman. The carnival atmosphere carries through to the Festival food and drink – and you can pay a visit to our two art and sculpture galleries while you’re here. Can’t wait to see you there! Alister Warman and Janet McDonnell

Andrew Watson and guest

London N1C 4AA united kingdom