Yasmin Ali

The Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT) is a charitable organisation focusing on historic and heritage architecture, and is the largest organisation of its kind in Scotland. They have saved and enabled the restoration of twenty-five significant Scottish buildings, including its base at Riddle’s Court, off the Royal Mile, also known as The Patrick Geddes Centre, where they hold their events and lecture series. They have recently announced on their social media channels, their Spring Lecture series, which includes two speakers a month, featuring aspects of local architectural and urban social history.

The talks are available for in-person and online viewing and feature a range of knowledgeable speakers, including professors and historians. The Spring series of six lectures mostly focuses on the rich history of The Tron Kirk, sited on The Royal Mile, a few minutes walk from Riddle's Court.  Some of the talks also include a walk to the nearby Tron and its surroundings, including the upcoming walk and talk led by John Lowrey: 'Puddings, Printing and Palladianism: The Tron in its Context' on 26th April. It is sure to be an interesting way to spend a Springtime evening. 

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ARCHITECTURE CULTURE TECHNOLOGY Symposia Series

Strathclyde's Architecture school has announced their ACT programme for 2015, which builds on the success of last year's sessions. Award-winning artists, academics, artists, architects and writers have been invited for a carefully curated curriculum of Architecture, Culture and Technology seminars.

Current themes are:

• Modernity and Identity
• Urban Art Practice
• Land and Rights to The City

The series begins on the 5th of February with Modernity and Identity. Speakers on this theme include Gary Boyd, Reader in Architecture at Queen’s University, Neil Gillespie, Architect and director of  Reiach and Hall and Ashraf Salama, Professor, Head of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde. All three esteemed speakers also have a connection to the Venice Biennale Architecture programme 2014.

Each session takes place on a Thursday evening, from 1600-1830. The symposia are open to all. For professional architects this is an RIAS-RIBA accredited CPD course.

Dates for sessions:

Modernity & Identity 5th February;Urban Art Practice 19th February;Land Rights to the City 5th March

Times: 1600-1830 for all sessions

Venue: University of Strathclyde, Department of Architecture,  75 Montrose Street

RIAS members - £10 per symposium; Students and unemployed - £2.50

For more information and to book please reply to catriona.mirren@strath.ac.uk

// Reviews to follow

Strathclyde University is hosting a series of four evening symposia on discourses related to Architecture, Culture and Technology.

These have the added benefit of being CPD accredited for RIAS-RIBA and carrying 12 credits, as well as half-price for RIAS members, with further discounts available for advance booking. There are also concessions available for students, and it is possible to pay per symposium or on the door.

The first of the four starts on the 30th January with the topic 'Film, Architecture and The City', featuring talks from film makers Murray Grigor and Chris Leslie, alongside Professor Iain Borden from UCL.

The series runs on Thursday evenings, 4-9pm, at The James Weir Building on the university campus, until and including 27th February, except on the 13th February.

// for booking please click here

// Coverage to follow in February

Information correct at time of going to press. Article updated 15.01.14

This year's Design Skills Symposium run by A+DS has an exciting agenda and venue. It will be held on the 20-21st March at the Emirates Stadium. With the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a backdrop, the event will feature how a focus on a design-led approach to the creation of healthy sustainable neighbourhoods and community engagement can help to build the conditions for greater urban and economic resilience.

The event is intended for both built environment professionals, and people with an interest or involvement in the creation of places. It is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Clyde Gateway. A varied programme is on offer, including presentations, masterclasses, site visits and practical design exercises. The Scottish Government is running a pre-symposium drawing workshop entitled 'Drawing Places', designed for delegates wishing to implement drawing and design skills at The Lighthouse on the 27th February. This is provided at no extra cost; full details are also available on the symposium website.

// Bookings made before the 17th January are eligible for early bird rates. Discounted places are also available for students, recent graduates or individuals representing community groups.

// Coverage of the event will be published in March.

http://www.designskillsscotland.co.uk/

Glasgow’s creative scene has been on the rise for many years now, and is starting to be celebrated in the mainstream, with innovations like the MAKlab facility recently featured on Glasgow City Council’s ‘People Make Glasgow’ tourism campaign. A new community creative hub DNA, led by Darren Kavanagh, is revitalising an empty central retail unit in Glasgow’s Style Quarter that has been vacant since the late 90’s. Just off George Square, 12-16 Frederick Street is the home for pop-up shop and arts venue DNA. DNA will offer affordable display, retail and studio space for creative start-ups to exhibit and sell their work and run events. An artisan café is also planned as a welcoming frontage for the community.

DNA is engaging with the architectural community, and has hosted an exhibition by architectural research and design collective Lateral North. During the exhibition the collective held well-attended free design consultations for prospective clients and tutorials for Masters students. Next month, entries from the recent Glasgow Institute of Architects’ design competition will be displayed at an exhibition at the venue, with shortlisted entrants invited to present at the opening night on the 13^th November.

Though yet completely renovated, in its first few months so far DNA has hosted over 200 events including art exhibitions, charity projects, fashion shows and pop-up events. The response from the creative community and the general public has been strong, with over 9000 visitors and a growing crowd-funding campaign currently online. The campaign aims to raise £10,000 to help finance the growth plans, and there are incentives including free shop and exhibition space, discounts, and marketing plans. A party is planned for the 30^th November for all contributors. Kavanagh says “Contributing to this campaign will mean the world to not just us at DNA but the many people who use our spaces on a daily basis”.

--

Online campaign - http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dna-glasgow-multi-use-community-hub

Connect with DNA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DNAGLASGOW

// DNA Hub, 12-16 South Frederick Street, Glasgow G1 1HJ

// Glasgow Institute of Architects exhibition “Connecting The Seven Lochs”, opens Wednesday 13^th November at DNA, and runs until 20^th November.