- RIBA installations in West End and Peckham will headline the 2016 London Festival of Architecture
- Shortlist to be showcased at Peckham Levels, 1 June to 30 June 2016
- Winning entries displayed at RIBA, 66 Portland Place, 21 June to 6 August 2016
RIBA members, from students through to chartered practices, regardless of size or location, are invited to submit designs for the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) summer installation ‘Constructing Communities’. Entries open today (Friday 4 March) until 6 April 2016.
During summer 2016, the RIBA will give RIBA members, both practising architects and students, an opportunity to display their ideas and work across London between Peckham Levels and the RIBA headquarters at 66 Portland Place. Responding to the London Festival of Architecture theme of ‘Community’ the RIBA will exhibit projects that take a fresh look at how architectural structures, both permanent and temporary, can strengthen community engagement, from micro to macro scales. Prospective submissions may represent a variety of community ideals such as alternative housing arrangements, new co-working or co-habitating setups, mobile enterprises, or public spaces. RIBA will be looking for original projects that explore technical innovation, potential to instigate change, and the ways in which communities can be constructed with architecture. Experimentation and imaginative thinking are encouraged for the works submitted to the open call.
A shortlist will be presented in 2D, 3D or time-based media visualisations at Peckham Levels in south London – the iconic car park site well known for hosting Bold Tendencies and Frank’s Campari Bar.
Three winning entrants will be invited to construct their project at a 1:1 scale for installation at the RIBA, 66 Portland Place. These installations, and their development process, will be exhibited across RIBA. This will be shown in parallel to the summer exhibition in the Architecture Gallery, ‘At Home in Britain: Designing the House of Tomorrow.’ (opens 18 May). The practices selected to build 1:1 structures will be working with the RIBA Young People’s Forum (16-24) to develop and build the 1:1 installations. These installations will launch on the RIBA Late Tuesday on 21st June, an event which regularly draws over 1,000 people.
The exhibition will be designed by Rachael Davidson (HÛT Architecture) and Chris Bryant (Alma-nac). The shortlist exhibition at Peckham Levels will be on display throughout the London Festival of Architecture, 1 June to 30 June.
Constructing Communities open call judges:
- Chris Bryant, Director, Alma-nac and Chair, RIBA Small Practice Group
- Hannah Lawson, Director, John McAslan & Partners
- Marie Bak Mortensen, Head of Exhibitions & Interpretation, RIBA
- Oliver Wainwright, Architecture and design critic, The Guardian
- Rachael Davidson, HÛT Architecture
RIBA Head of Exhibitions and Interpretation, Marie Bak Mortensen, said:
"I’m delighted to present this exciting brief to architects. Our summer show, running across contrasting sites in London will present new ideas and ignite debate on how architecture influences our communities.
"This ambitious vision for work to be realised on a one-to-one scale will be a challenge, but one I know our members will relish."
Key dates:
- Deadline for submissions: 6 April 2016, 5pm
- Shortlist opening, Peckham Levels: 1 June 2016, continuing to 30 June
- Winning entries (1:1s) opening event at RIBA Late Tuesday: 21 June 2016, continuing to 6 August
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- For further information about the open call and eligibility criteria email opencall@riba.org
- If you are a member of the press requiring further information contact the RIBA Press Office: pressoffice@riba.org 020 7580 5533.
- RIBA champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members. www.architecture.com @RIBA
- The RIBA is a registered charity and it relies on the generosity of individuals, companies, trusts and foundations to preserve its world-class collections, to maintain free public access to its exhibitions and develop a diverse and exciting public events programme.
