programme
OCT — DEC 2010
exhibitions | 1
Welcome We’ve had a fantastically chaotic summer, and now that PLACE is 6 years old (happy birthday to us!), we’re upping the ante even more! This season, we’re looking forward to making new friends, whilst celebrating the partnerships that already exist, with Ormeau Baths Gallery, Verbal Arts Centre, University of Ulster and Queen’s University Belfast. We’ll be seeking your input on everything from Building Conservation to Public Art, and our new conference series, will look in depth at creativity across the built environment. You will be amazed and delighted by our popular walking tours and we’ll also be keeping busy,behind the scenes, with our community participation work connecting communities to key decision makers - to help improve the quality and functionality of our buildings and places. the place team 40 Fountain Street, Belfast BT1 5EE Open Tues - Sat 11.30am - 5.30pm; Thurs 11.30am - 7.30pm
2 | welcome
Brutal, Bold & Brilliant 20th Century Brutalist Architecture in Belfast and Dublin Launch: Thursday 7 October, 6 — 9pm Continues until Saturday 28 November Brutal, Bold and Brilliant is a photographic exhibition designed to encourage fresh conversations about Brutalist architecture with particular reference to buildings in Belfast and Dublin. Derived from the French term béton brut, Brutalism in its early phase (originally called New Brutalism) was a design philosophy, not a style. The idea was to create an aesthetic based on the exposure of a building’s components: its frame, skin, and mechanical systems. However, the term quickly began to be applied to buildings that used monumental concrete forms and bulky massing. Curator Sarah Newell aims to reflect, evaluate, and expand upon Belfast and Dublin’s Brutalist forms, materials, and mixed receptions. see also: the fair face of the ulster museum (p.8) brutalist buildings visit & workshop (p.12) exhibitions | 3
AAI Awards 2010 New Irish Architecture Launch: Thursday 2 December, 6 — 9pm Continues until Saturday 29 January A staple of our annual exhibitions calendar, the AAI Awards allow you to look in detail at the architecture judged the best of the year by the Architectural Association of Ireland. Projects include An Gaeláras by O’Donnell and Tuomey (nominated for the World Building of the Year, to be announced at the World Architecture Festival in November), social housing in Dublin, parks, school buildings and offices, from Kilkenny to the Shankill Road in Belfast. see also: aai awards lecture - john tuomey (p.8)
4 | exhibitions
Panel Discussion: Creating Healthy Cities Wednesday 13 October, 1pm PLACE, 40 Fountain Street, Belfast BT1 5EE Healthy cities are vital, vibrant places that provide good living conditions for all groups - young and old, rich and poor - and offer opportunities for all to lead physically and socially active, inclusive lives. They aim to strengthen equity across social groups, which helps make the city more resilient and attractive to existing as well as potential residents and investors. The built environment plays a key role in creating a healthy city: it affects people directly, through the quality of housing, transport systems and public space, and indirectly by shaping behaviour, access and the sense of identity, place and community. Creating a healthy city means putting people, their needs and wellbeing at the heart of decision making. It is about building on existing assets, including expertise across sectors and relies on developing shared aims and ways of working. Speakers include: Joan Devlin, Director, Belfast Healthy Cities Dr Bernadette Cullen, Public Health Agency £5 including lunch - book online at placeni.org or phone 028 9023 2524 in association with belfast healthy cities discussions | 5
Panel Discussion: Restore, Reuse, Recycle Wednesday 20 October, 6pm Lecture Theatre, Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast This panel discussion explores the principles, paradigms and pragmatics of architectural conservation. Confirmed speakers include: Nicholas V Thompson, Donald Insall Associates Dawson Stelfox, Consarc Niall McCullough Mulvin Architects, Dublin ÂŁ5 - Book online at www.belfastfestival.com Part of Belfast Festival at Queens
6 | discussions
Wolfgang Buttress in Conversation Wednesday 24 November, 1 — 2pm Reception Room, City Hall, Belfast A major piece of public art is about to have a huge impact on Belfast’s skyline. RISE will be located on the Broadway Roundabout over the Westlink, between the Village and Falls neighbourhoods. This is the main gateway into the city from the south, and the illuminated sculpture – two concentric spheres rendered in steel – will be taller than the Albert Clock. This is your opportunity to hear from the internationally renowned artist, Wolfgang Buttress, and to find out more about his concept and hopes for RISE. We will also have input from the local communities. light refreshments served. this event is free, but places are limited. to reserve your place, please call 028 9050 0512 or email culture@belfastcity.gov.uk discussions | 7
The Fair Face of the Ulster Museum Wednesday 3 November, 1pm In this lecture, Sarah Newell, curator of the Brutal, Bold and Brilliant exhibition looks at the original extension to the Ulster Museum. She considers the building’s history, the architects of the extension and the state of architecture at the time, and offers a critique of the design and its architectural influences. £5 - book online at placeni.org or phone 028 9023 2524
AAI Awards Lecture: John Tuomey Thursday 9th December, 1pm | PLACE Having made a significant impact across Ireland and further afield, the work of Dublin- based OʼDonnell and Tuomey appeared in award lists throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. They have started the new decade in a similar vein: in 2010, their Timberyard Social Housing scheme won the AAI Downes Medal, among other international awards, while their building for Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin in Derry won an AAI Special Award and was shortlisted for the Civic & Community World Building of the Year. In this lunchtime lecture, John Tuomey discusses the firm’s work on these two projects, the differing contexts and approaches taken, and the completed works in situ. £5 - book online at placeni.org or phone 028 9023 2524
8 | discussions
Creativity and Housing Conference Wednesday 10th November (day long event) Venue to be confirmed Where we live is the most important place in our lives, it provides the context for most of our days. Our homes are more than simply financial investments, and how housing is designed has a sustainability impact for us as individuals and as a society. With support from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure’s Creativity and Innovation Fund, this conference is the first in a series aimed at exploring and promoting innovation and creativity in practice. The Creativity and Housing Conference will explore best practice housing examples from throughout the UK and elsewhere, showcasing creativity and innovation from award-winning architects, housing associations and private developers. This event is a must for built environment and construction professionals and students, as well as community workers and decision-makers who want to make a positive impact on their local areas. conference price: £25.00 | student concessions: £15.00 don’t delay - register now. contact PLACE on 028 9023 2524 or email info@placeni.org part of irish design alliance design week conference | 9
FAMILY EVENT
The Big Draw at PLACE Make your Mark on the Future Saturday 9th October, 10am — 4pm PLACE Can you imagine Northern Ireland in 50 or 100 years’ time? What would you like our towns and cities to be like? Your drawing could be realistic - maybe every house will have a wind turbine or a grass roof. Or it could be a real flight of fancy how about a floating school to save space on the ground? Come along and imagine the future with us! Workshop facilitated by Helen Tubridy. The Big Draw happens annually in twenty countries and on five continents. It aims to use drawing to connect visitors with museum and gallery collections, urban and rural spaces – and the wider community – in new and enjoyable ways, offering unlimited scope for those who love to draw, and those who think they can’t. this event is free. drop in - everyone welcome.
10 | family events
Draw! Try out your design before The Big Draw event.
FAMILY EVENTS
Brutalist Building Visit & Workshop Saturday 6 November, 11am Exploring the themes of the Brutal, Bold and Brilliant exhibition, this workshop with Aisling Shannon explores the most controversial style of the 20th Century. How did they make these buildings? Why were they so different? Come with us to visit one and find out! primary school ages. £5 - book online at placeni.org or phone 028 9023 2524
Are you a teacher? Winter Wonderland We have a programme of Workshops CPD workshops for teachers and we can also arrange guided visits to our exhibitions, which are fun and engaging activities outside the classroom. If you’re interested in our education programmes, get in touch! email info@placeni.org or call amberlea on 028 9023 2524
12 | family events
Saturday 4, 11 & 18 December, 11am Our Winter Wonderland workshops return! Create a Crib, Santa’s Grotto or an Ice Palace - and take it home to brighten up your house during the winter season! primary school ages. £5 - book online at placeni.org or phone 028 9023 2524
Competition
A
Identify these three Brutalist buildings and be entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to our Brutalist building visit and workshop (see p.12). Email your answers to info@placeni.org Closing date 30th Oct, 5pm. Winners selected at random from correct entries - you will be notified by email if you’ve won. Good luck! Hint: visit the Brutal, Bold &
B
Brilliant exhibition to see the buildings in full.
C
family events | 13
Tours Belfast Art Deco Saturday 25 September, 11am Repeated Tuesday 5 October, 11am
This one-hour walking tour explores the icons and hidden gems in Belfast City Centre from this elegant and stylish period of architecture.
The work of Sir Charles Lanyon Tuesday 28 September, 6pm Repeated Saturday 30 October, 11am
Lanyon is described by Charles Brett as “certainly the greatest single name in the development of Belfast.” Over his prolific career he designed numerous churches, a dozen country houses, many miles of roads and railways and some of Belfast’s best loved buildings.
Churches of Belfast Saturday 16 October, 11am This 1.5 hour Saturday morning walking tour uncovers the history & architecture of the numerous churches in Belfast City Centre, from the grandeur St. Anne’s Cathedral to the more modest examples, hidden away in the city’s backstreets.
14 | tours
Donegall Square Saturday 2 October, 11am Repeated Saturday 23 October, 11am
Donegall Square is a bustling and vibrant part of Belfast, and the first experience of the city for many, due to the transport links surrounding all sides of the square. This tour will discuss the rich architectural and cultural heritage attached to these buildings that provide a beautiful backdrop for our daily lives.
Belfast Bank Buildings Saturday 9 October, 11am Belfast was founded as a city of trade and industry and in the 19th century this was reflected in the excellent, and often opulent, buildings that housed the wealthy banks. This tour explores several exceptional surviving examples, some still used for banking as well as those which have found a new lease of life. tours cost ÂŁ5 per person, ÂŁ3 concessions. book online at placeni.org, book by phone on 028 9023 2524. all tours depart PLACE, 40 fountain street, belfast bt1 5ee.
tours | 15
Belfast Sculpture Journey Saturday 6 November, 2pm Ormeau Baths Gallery SinĂŠad Bhreathnach-Cashell hosts this workshop which invites participants on an unusual sculptural journey around Belfast, the birthplace of SiobhĂĄn Hapaska. Participants are invited to use objects and ideas from the everyday to create sculptural interventions around the city. The tour begins at OBG and ends at PLACE in Belfast. This event is suitable for all ages. Admission free. Enquiries to OBG on (028) 9032 1402.
Bookshop The RIBA Bookshop at PLACE has a select collection of titles designed to entertain, engage and inspire not just architects but also the general public of Northern Ireland, by stocking a diverse range of items relating to Irish, UK and international practice and theory. From monographs on individual architects to wider studies of townscape, design histories to participatory practices, urban policy to visions of the future, our selection aims to demonstrate how architecture affects us all, every day. 16 | sculpture journey
Student Design Charette Saturday 6 November PLACE is proud to present its inaugural Student Design Charette, designed to bring together students of different design backgrounds from various schools to bring innovative and creative responses to challenging urban design issues. The emphasis is on working as a team to find the best multi-disciplinary approach to a real-world problem, with schemes judged by an expert panel with wide-ranging experience. So if you’re a student in Architecture, Planning, Landscape or a related field, get in touch with PLACE to register on a student design team: email info@placeni.org or phone (028) 9023 2524. Keep an eye on the website closer to the time, where we will profile the teams and follow the activities on the day. www.placeni.org
design charrette | 17
at a glance 25 Sept
Belfast Art Deco Tour
p.14
28 Sept
Sir Charles Lanyon Tour
p.14
2 Oct
Donegall Square Tour
p.15
5 Oct
Belfast Art Deco Tour
p.14
7 Oct
Launch: Brutal, Bold and Brilliant
p.3
9 Oct
Belfast Bank BuildingsTour
p.15
9 Oct
The Big Draw at PLACE
p.10
13 Oct
Discussion: Creating Healthy Cities
p.5
16 Oct
Churches of Belfast Tour
p.14
20 Oct
Discussion: Restore, Reuse, Recycle
p.6
23 Oct
Donegall Square Tour
p.15
30 Oct
Sir Charles Lanyon Tour
p.14
3 Nov
Talk: The Fair Face of the Ulster Museum
p.8
6 Nov
Belfast Sculpture Journey
p.16
6 Nov
Student Design Charette
p.17
6 Nov
Brutalist Building Visit & Workshop
p.12
10 Nov
Creativity and Housing Conference
p.9
24 Nov
Wolfgang Buttress in Conversation
p.7
2 Dec
Launch: AAI Awards 2010
p.4
9 Dec
Talk: AAI Awards - John Tuomey
p.8
4, 11, 18 Dec Winter Wonderland Workshops find placeni.org. visit our blog for news and views: placeni.blogspot.com follow us on twitter: @placeni join our facebook group: search “place northern ireland”
p.12
join the place mailing list for regular event updates and news on all our activities.sign up online or email info@placeni.org
notes
place: the architecture and built environment centre for northern ireland 40 Fountain street, belfast BT1 5EE 028 9023 2524 | info@placeni.org