An evening of discussion curated by members of the BAME design criticism programme, N.A.W.
This evening of in-depth interviews and panel discussion exploring the edge conditions urbanism and culture marks the second year of the New Architecture Writers programme. Members of the programme will lead a mix of challenging conversations with leading figures from media and the built environment.
Civilisations attempt to constrain, denigrate and consume what they regard as lying at their edges, yet these built and cultural regions comprise dynamics and structures that enable human and non-human ecologies to arise and thrive along the periphery. In recent times, desperate migrations and ecological destruction highlight the dangers of living on the edge and the necessity of reconceiving this condition as essential rather than peripheral to the concerns of the centre.
What does drawing the edge to the centre implies both spatially and socially? How can this realignment be achieved? Will this process necessarily devalue the centre, or will it merely entail a masquerade of assimilation and further subjugation? And what is the point if this redrawing merely creates a new centre?
In exploring the theme of the edge and the centre, we hope to challenge fixed narratives and bring forth new and disruptive positions. Speakers include Hanif Kara, co-founder and director at the world leading engineering firm AKTII, Gurmeet Sian, founder of Office Sian, Chrystal Genesis, journalist, curator and host of award-winning independent Stance podcast, Rupesh Varsani, former Development Manager at Almacantar and Siufan Adey, NAW alumni and video production assistant at Dezeen.
Founded in 2017, New Architecture Writers is a free year-long writing course which aims to make a positive contribution to the culture and diversity of design criticism in the UK. Since March 2019 the second year group have been taking part in a programme of workshops, tours, lectures and written exercises all alongside their own further studies or work. This event is their first public event.
This event has been made possible thanks to the help for the N.A.W. supporters, in particular, the Royal College of Art Architecture Department.
Date
7pm, Thursday, 4 July 2019
Tickets
Tickets are free but must be booked in advance.
Register via the Architecture Foundation online shop.
Venue
Royal College of Art Summer Show
26 Lambeth High St
Lambeth
London SE1 7AG
