Yasmin Ali

Last Thursday formed the main day of talks for the sixth Annual Congress of The Academy of Urbanism, held at the Lighthouse in Glasgow.

The initial morning session focused on Glasgow's City Narrative - tracing its Strategic Vision given by GCC's Executive Director Gerry Gormal, to the national perspective from The Scottish Government's Chief Planner Jim McKinnon, and rounding off with a community perspective given by social entrepreneur Lord Andrew Mawson.

The morning session resumed after a short recess to focus on the sub-theme of Neighbourhood Stories, chaired by Professor Brian Evans of the Mackintosh School of Architecture, who introduced the four speakers, each with a unique and informed perspective on urban regeneration, as enacted at the neighbourhood scale. With the overarching theme of Congress as 'Liveable Neighbourhoods', talks centred on different aspects of improved quality of life. Liz Davidson, Project Director of the Merchant City Townscape Heritage Initiative, gave a lively illustrated talk on the regeneration efforts of the Merchant City area, including public realm improvements, community engagement and action, dealing with crime and attracting creatives to the area, all of which have vastly improved the area for residents and visitors. Carol Tannahill, Director of The Glasgow Centre of Population and Health (GCPH), gave an informed lecture on the findings of the GoWell Study, linking health and mortality indicators to a need for social reform led by urban regeneration.

Chief Executive of  Clyde Gateway explaned the role of the Urban Regeneration Corporation in leading development for The Commonwealth Games 2014, and its positive effects - both planned and in motion - for Glasgow East neighbourhoods within the catchment. Arie Voorburg of Arcadi gave a Dutch perspective on particular aspects of financing social renewal, speaking earnestly of the dangers of 'social apartheid' sometimes self-imposed on neighbourhoods, caused by development stagnation and poor living conditions calling for innovative mechanisms for reform.

Read on for the afternoon events...

Pages: 1· 2

The British Art Show is billed as the UK's 'most influential and ambitious exhibition of contemporary art'. Scottish and Scottish-based artists featured in the BAS7 exhibition include Karla Black who will represent Scotland at the 2011 Venice Art Biennale.

Curated by Lisa Le Feuvre and Tom Morton, the show now in its seventh edition, takes as its subtitled theme the emblem of a comet as a motif of change, with connotations of discovery and wonder. Of the show, Curators Lisa Le Feuvre and Tom Morton said:

'The exhibition seeks to reinvent, reinvigorate and constantly question itself as it travels across the country. We are delighted to present the exhibition in Glasgow, a city whose artists and institutions are of central importance to contemporary art in the UK'.

The show tours cities across the UK, joining Glasgow from its previous leg in London and Nottingham prior to that, and going on to its final showing this tour in Plymouth later in the autumn.  It is the first time Glasgow has hosted The British Art Show since the glory days of City of Culture in 1990.

Full story »

The Academy of Urbanism welcomed its sixth Annual Congress north of the border for the first time on Wednesday, with an introductory reception and coach tour setting off from its main venue at The Lighthouse, Scotland's centre for Architecture & Design.

After introductory speeches by AoU's chairman Kevin Murray and GCC's Bailie Liz Cameron and Head of Planning Alisdair MacDonald, delegates departed for the study tour - a whistlestop coach tour around many of the city's key sites. The coach headed out west, pointing out some of the key historic features of Glasgow's grid-iron street structure, before reaching its first stop at Glasgow Harbour. Here, at the riverside, visitors were treated to a first-look of the new Riverside Museum by Zaha Hadid, before the landmark project opens to the public in late June. After a look round - both from the exterior and upper interior gallery - we set off for the other end of the city, heading East towards the garden suburb of Pollokshields, which was nominated for an AoU Neighbourhood Award for its unique character, diversity and quality of built environment and form.

Full story »

This week there are two upcoming events in Glasgow - The Academy of Urbanism Annual Congress, from 11-13th May, and The RIAS annual Convention 2011, from 12-14th May. I'm pleased to be covering aspects of both of these, but because of the overlap it will be a hectic week!

Both events include 2+ days of talks plus dinners and walking tours, and more...

Academy of Urbanism Annual Congress

This year's timely theme of 'Liveable Neighbourhoods' incorporates the four R's - 'Renaissance, Regeneration and Reconstruction, and exploring their Resilience in terms of economy and social capital'.  The latter term of Resilience is shaping up to be a more comprehensive  and trusted term than sustainability in some academic circles on the subject, so it will be interesting to hear how it is covered.

To see the programme in detail as a pdf click this link.

RIAS Convention 2011

This year the Convention has multiple themes. Its first half day on Thursday reviews the role of historic architecture in urban regeneration via specific case studies. The main plenary day on Friday takes architecture and education as its main theme. It will showcase a series of informed views on architecture and education from Scottish, international and world perspectives.

There is also a walking tour on Saturday morning, starting from Citizen M hotel.

To see the programme in detail as a pdf click this link.

Read more for further info and links for both of these events...

Full story »

RIBA and SHELTER join forces for the ever-successful annual charity consultation event...

Architect in the House (AITH) is an innovative scheme run by Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity, and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The scheme matches homeowners with a local RIBA chartered architect who donates an hour of their time for a design consultation, for a suggested donation of £40 to Shelter. Throughout Scotland, the scheme is also supported by RIAS Chartered Architects in Scotland, and Shelter's Scotland division.

Applications for both Architects and interested Homeowners are open on the AITH website until 3rd July. Last year's event raised over Applications for both Architects and interested Homeowners are open on the AITH website until 3rd July. Last year's event raised over £115,000 for Shelter, a charity which helps prevent and tackle housing and homelessness problems across the UK. Sometimes these initial meetings continue to successful home adaptations, a few of which are available to view on the AITH website here.

Read more to see how it works...

Pages: 1· 2