Listings information
May 2008
London Festival of Architecture 2008
Family-friendly events
Tickets available from 5 May at www.lfa2008.org
The London Festival of Architecture 2008 will be the biggest event of its kind in the world, with over 500 events across the capital from 20 June to 20 July. A buzz of activity will move through five Hub areas across the city over five weekends, with large scale temporary structures; major street closures animated by art, music, dance and other events; exhibitions; walks; talks; performances; urban agriculture projects; and boat trips around the capital’s waterways all encouraging visitors to take a fresh look at London. Family-friendly events include:
Archi-hats
21 June 2008 11am – 5pm
The Victoria & Albert Museum
Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
A creative activity at the V&A. Make a hat inspired by the buildings around you and then join in a festival of sounds and structures
Architectural Jelly Banquet
4 July 2008 6pm – late
University College, London
Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT
Vast jelly party curated by architectural foodsmiths Bompas & Parr in UCL’s neo-classical quad. Let’s get ready to wobble!
Architecture plb 1
11 July 2008 6–8pm
The Unicorn Theatre
147 Tooley St, Southwark, London SE1 2HZ
An exhibition of images and edible models by pupils from London schools who have worked with architecture plb to rethink school dining.
Art on Greenwich peninsula story walk
20 June 2008 2–3pm
Greenwich Peninsula Business Centre,
1 Green Place, London SE10 0PE
A history story walk led by artist Rich Sylvester around Greenwich peninsula for young people.
Bompas & Parr 2D Banquet
5 July 2008 11am – 4pm
Montague Place,
London, WC1E
Come and explore Bompas & Parr’s two-dimensional banquet of architectural food. Get photographed feasting on a paper blowout.
Bop to Architecture
11 July 2008 1-11pm
Various venues – for more information see www.lfa2008.org
Travelling architectural installation featuring a mobile sound system and listening station, creating venues out of unused spaces within Southwark.
BUILDING FOR A GREENER FUTURE guided exhibition tour and activities for children
21 June 2008 12pm
St. Olaves School
Tooley St, Southwark, London SE1 2JR
Guided tour of the exhibition CO-EVOLUTION and fun activities on sustainability architecture and urban planning for children and families.
Da Motus! ‘En vie…en ville!’
28 June 2008 3pm – 3.45pm Repeated at 5pm – 5.45pm
Canada Square Park,
London E14 5AX
A silent geometrical ballet and fusion of art and architecture from this guest dance company from Switzerland. Witness the imagination and humour of these four yellow-suited characters.
Draw the City! With Benedict O’Looney
21 June 2008 2.30pm – 4.30pm
The City of London Square Mile The City of London is one of the most intricate and historically complex city centres in the world: its townscape is a rich collage of buildings from the 17th century to today given further visual interest by the City's organic medieval street layout. This complexity can be both fun and a challenge to draw. Join us for these sketching workshops celebrating the evolving townscape of the City of London. Led by architect and drawing teacher Benedict O'Looney these sessions are open to people of all ages. No previous experience is necessary; all that is needed is a decent sketchbook a pencil and an interest in drawing.
Clerkenwell Green Village Fete
20 July 2008 12–4pm
Clerkenwell Green,
Clerkenwell, London EC1R 0BJ
Contemporary architectural village fete with stalls and activities for all the family.
Crossing the Road
23 June 2008 (time TBC)
Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
Island Studios, 22 St. Peter’s Square,
London W6 9NW
A workshop for school children to learn the basics of bridge design. Hosted by architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands.
Embodied Energy: Dance Workshop
15 July 2008 6– 7pm
Grimshaw Architects,
57 Clerkenwell Road,
London EC1M 5NG
Katie Green of green bean dance leads a workshop for adults and children over 11. No experience necessary.
Embodied Energy: Monster Making Workshop
15 July 2008 6–6.45pm Repeated at 7–7.45pm
Grimshaw Architects,
57 Clerkenwell Road,
London EC1M 5NG
Donna Wilson leads a monster making workshop. Suitable for all ages six plus. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Family Activities at the British Museum
5 July 2008 11am – 4pm
The British Museum
Great Russell Street,
London WC1B 3DG
Celebrate the London Festival of Architecture and join in the free family activities at the British Museum.
Family Friendly architectural fun and cakes
12 July 2008 1.30–3.30pm
Alan Baxter Associates
75 Cowcross Street,
London
EC1M 6EL
Calling young architects and makers! Join us with your family for an afternoon of making building fun and delicious cake!
Family Friendly: hidden gems of Clerkenwell
19 July 2008 1.30pm – 3.30pm
Alan Baxter Associates
75 Cowcross Street,
London
EC1M 6EL
Pick up a postcard pencil and drawing tips. Go discover an architectural gem. Bring it back for tea cakes prizes.
Family fun: Buildings
5 July 2008 10.30am – 4.30pm
The Foundling Museum
40 Brunswick Square
London WC1N 1AZ
Family drop-in session exploring the Foundling Museum building that’s free to everyone.
London’s Largest Living Room
20 June – 23 June 2008
Somerset House
Strand, London WC2R 1LA
The courtyard at Somerset House will be transformed into London’s Largest Living room complete with outsize furniture, giant television screen and plenty to read. The installation is a Design for London/London Festival of Architecture project designed by Gerrard O’Carrol and offers an opportunity to see new street furniture designed by Studio Weave. Visitors are invited to make themselves at home.
Official LFA2008 cycle ride series
Throughout the festival
Various locations across all Festival hubs – for more details see www.lfa2008.org
Architecture rides led by key design figures in design and cycling.
Papier-mâché Dragon
Throughout the festival
Battersea Park,
London SW11 4NJ
A sculpture made of recycling created by Nikoloz Japaridze & Christopher Smith within Battersea Park.
Portavilion: Unicorn Theatre performance at Toby Paterson pavilion
19 July 2008 12.30pm and 5.30pm
Pavilion in Potters Fields Park
Bankside, Tower Bridge,
London SE1
Unicorn Youth Theatre will present two short free performances of a re-working of a classic fairy tale leading the audience through a trail of reality and fantasy within the space of the park and around Toby Paterson’s pavilion.
RADA – Nonsuch Mass Caper Performance
5 July 2008 4–5.45pm and 6 July 2008 1–1.45pm
Montague Place,
London Borough of Camden, WC1E
Come and learn medieval and Elizabethan social dances and perform them in public.
Regent’s Canal: A Fresh Perspective: Canal 125 BBQ
6 July 2008 12noon– 6pm
Canal 125 Bar and Restaurant full address
Enjoy an organic Fresh! BBQ menu including fresh home-made steak burgers from English cattle and line-caught tuna steak.
Regents Canal: A Fresh Perspective: Islington Ecology Centre and Wildlife Boat Trip
6 July 2008 10am – 5pm
London Canal Museum
12/13, New Wharf Road,
London N1 9RT
A unique opportunity to discover the canal’s environment by water taxi and learn about its wildlife.
Small Designs
19 July 2008 10am – 12.30pm
Siobhan Davies Studios
85 St George’s Road,
London SE1 6ER
A morning of fun and creative activities focusing on the architecture of Siobhan Davies Studios for all the family.
The Continuous Picnic
5 July 2008 8am – 8pm
Montague Place and Russell Square
London, WC1E
The picnic with a difference: Fresh food market installation followed by a giant public picnic on Montague Place and Russell Square.
This is Tomorrow Too – Families and Young People’s Workshop
5 July 2008 11am – 4pm
This is Tomorrow Too Pavilion, Montague Place
London, WC1E
The Mobile Studio’s ‘This is Tomorrow Too’ pavilion presents a Families and Young People’s Workshop focused on Bloomsbury’s lost urban history in an interactive and fun way.
Visualise: Design: Build
5 July 2008 11am – 4pm
Victoria House (Bloomsbury Square entrance)
Bloomsbury Place,
London WC1A 2EB
Exhibition and workshop for all ages focused on designing and building a gateway to the hub.
Walk the World
21 June 2008 11am – 4.30pm
Royal Geographical Society
1 Kensington Gore,
London SW7 2AR
Using a free pack complete a self-guided walk exploring global influences along Exhibition Road. Suitable for adults and young people.
For further press information please contact
Sarah McLean or Rachael Smith at Theresa Simon & Partners
020 7734 4800
Image download
Go to www.theresasimon.com/press, sign in with name and email, click on London Festival of Architecture and download the relevant pictures
Notes for editors
1. London Festival of Architecture www.lfa2008.org
London Festival of Architecture 2008 will be one of the world’s majorcelebrations of architecture and the built environment. London’s landscape will be transformed during the spectacular month-longfestival, which will include over 500 events for visitors as well as architecture professionals. Organised in association with Design for London, events including exhibitions, architect-designed pavilions, film-screenings will take place at national cultural institutions like the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, high profile outdoor public spaces, and places of architectural interest across the capital.
In association with the British Council, LFA2008 will also include an international Embassies Project to link this celebration of London’s architectural activity with that from over twenty countries around the world, and a National Student Architecture Festival where temporary structures will spring up across the city, offering shelter and demonstrating how unused spaces can be transformed.
2. London Festival of Architecture Hubs
Five Festival Hubs across the capital will be defined areas of concentrated activity where events will take place, where people will congregate and where the buzz of major events will be evident. They are:
· Kensington, Chelsea & Knightsbridge Hub – focusing on museums and galleries in South Kensington, and on the proposed ‘shared space’ public realm scheme in Exhibition Road by Dixon Jones.
· Canary Wharf, Stratford & Greenwich Peninsula Hub – debates on the future of East London in light of planned major development, a major lecture by a world renowned architect, and open air events exploring the area’s docklands and rivers.
· King’s Cross, Bloomsbury & Covent Garden Hub – exploring the new masterplan for Bloomsbury, a network of public spaces between the British Museum and the new St Pancras International terminal and talks at New London Architecture.
· South Bank & Southwark Hub – including evening events on the Riverside Walk and exhibitions and talks in cultural venues including the Design Museum and an installation by French architectural collective EXYZT.
· Clerkenwell & City of London Hub – including events exploring high-tech sustainable architecture and the future of work places, installations in Paternoster Square, Smithfield Market, Clerkenwell Green, and a ‘medieval market’ on Cheapside, London’s first high street.
3. Headquarters
LFA2008 information centre/headquarters is at NLA at the Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH:
LFA, The Building Centre T: +44 (0)20 7436 8625
26 Store Street London WC1E 7BT www.lfa2008.org