easa010: TheBid Information document 002 easa010 MANCHESTER
IMAGE OVERVIEW Following a year of preparation and organisation, a UK team comprised of students from Manchester and Brighton Schools of Architecture presented a bid to host the 30th EASA summer assembly in Manchester in 2010. Backed by institutions both academic and professional as well as colleagues unable to attend the team had travelled to the annual INCM, a meeting of all the representatives from each of the active nations in EASA, being held in Nicosia Cyprus. The UKs bid centred around four main tenants: urbanity, density, integration and legacy. The easa network commented on the creditable ambition of the UKs bid, along with the professionalism and quality of the bid presentation. The UK bid held off strong competition from Turkey, who were bidding to host their 3rd event, to secure the return of the assembly to England for the first time since its creation in Liverpool in 1981. This document is a brief, introductory, overview the bid and the objectives of easaUK2010.
MANCHESTER
The decision of location was the single most critical decision for the success of the assembly. With the whole of the United Kingdom available as a potential location a number of key factors were focused on. The organisation team decided very early that the event should be held in one of the UKs many vibrant cities to showcase most fully what contemporary UK has to offer. It was also felt that an urban environment would be more stimulating for the production of what we are determined will be a successful and inspiring assembly. Immediately Manchester was singled out as the ideal location to host an event of this type for numerous reasons. The city enjoys inspiring past, among many other things Manchester was the birthplace of the industrial revolution and later played an integral role in the information revolution, where better to bring architecture students to inspire them towards the future of architecture? Manchester also enjoys a healthy status on the world stage, with the recent hosting of the commonwealth games and both major UEFA club football finals. Finally and possibly most importantly Manchester was seen as a positively minded city, with a track record of supporting events, that would embrace the EASA community and show the ambition required to live up to the expectations and efforts the organisers are investing in bringing this internationally respected event to England.
THEME
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Each assembly runs under the umbrella of a theme, it is from this theme that potential tutors draw up proposals for workshops to run. The theme will draw on contemporary issues facing the profession of architecture. The choice of theme goes hand in hand with the choice of location for the assembly. The location will have a strong and specific connection with the theme, thus allowing for relevant output from workshops. The theme for easaUK2010 is Identity. This theme draws on the issues facing architecture in the modern world, where information technology and transportation systems have reduced the time distances between global locations, forcing locations to compete on a deeper level then geographical birthright. Manchester is a city with a broad history for innovation in many fields; since its explosion in growth during the industrial revolution it has been the home of, and renowned for, many subsequent advancements in science, culture and technology. None of which, however, have singularly defined the city in the consciousness. It is a city that so far has refused the allure of branding.
INTERGRATION AND LEGACY
The organising team consider easa010 as having the dual potential to inspire a generation of European architecture students to greater things whilst also providing a platform for the city of Manchester and its inhabitants to present its talent, passion and culture. Central to the bid was the firm desire to create integration between the event and the local population. To achieve this easaUK2010 is keen to work with parties, from the established commercial building industry through to grass roots artists. To further engage the public at large there will be a series of events running up to and continuing in the two week assembly itself. These events will bring architecture, easaUK2010 and the city to the people.
IMAGE TEAM AND PARTNERS The UK bid was:
Sponsored by: Manchester School of Architecture and The University of Salford School of the Built Environment.
Partnered by: Ask Developers, Marbella Creative Industries and Visit Manchester
Backed by: Manchester City Council, and Marketing Manchester easaUK2010 team is made up of students from all levels of architecture education from around the country.
CONTACTS easaHQ easaUK2010 Ltd 43 Hulme Street Manchester M15 6AW e-mail
info@easauk.net Phone
0161 2350808 web
www.easauk.net