Future Cities

This week we welcome Austin Williams from Future Cities, a London-based architecture think-tank devoted to the critical exploration of issues of the city.

It is their belief that Architecture has become more about process, than product - evidenced by the fact that we have quangos and debates about the housing shortage and yet, year on year, fewer and fewer homes are built.

They feel buildings are now blamed for everything; from global warming, increasing the flood risk,and personal and societal ill-health; and yet urban design is charged with encouraging social engagement, building communities, kick-starting economies and engendering a sense of well-being. Future Cities challenges these notions as well as what they see as the detrimental affect of sustainability on architecture.

So from 5:45pm, come and have a drink on us, and listen to Austin WIlliams discuss his unique views on architectural cuture and the profession.

Guy Hollaway Architects

This week we welcome Guy Hollaway of Guy Hollaway Architects.

Guy Hollaway Architects are one of the South East's most successful practices with the RIBA South East award for Mill House being one of a number of their successful projects.

Based in Hythe they have recently expanded to London as they look to compete on both a national and regional scale.

As in previous weeks, come and have a drink at 5.45 p.m and listen to Guy Hollaway talk about his practice's work.

Adrienne Chinn Design

This week we are pleased to welcome Adrienne Chinn of Adrienne Chinn Design Company!

Fresh from giving interactive seminars at Grand Designs Live, Adrienne Chinn has been praised as being one of "...the rising stars, poised to set the world of interior design alight".

Based in London but practicing all over the world, Adrienne Chinn Design Company has worked on a variety of projects ranging from a houseboat to a riad hotel in the Moroccan mountains. Regardless of the location or size of the project, Chinn believes that “designing is a creative journey”, and a significant part of this journey is spent exploring the site and its context hunting for this creativity.

Her projects are highly personal and relative to their location. This sensitive approach to design has earned her a large amount of respect from industry professionals.

As last week; 5:45pm for drinks, 6pm to hear Adrienne Chinn Speak about her practice. See you there!

DMA - Joe Morris

This week we welcome Joe Morris from Duggan Morris Architects to begin our 2010-2011 series of Open Lectures!

DMA are one of the UK's most exciting young architecture practices, a fact reinforced by their nomination for this year's Young Architect of the Year Awards for their King's Grove project; as well as nominations in the Architect of the Year Awards and the AR Emerging Architects Awards. Truly one to watch!

Based in London and established in 2004, their work is borne of context, offering a stong sense of being within new surrounds, offering qualities 'evident for future generations'. The aformentioned King's Grove project in Peckham won accolades for just that, promoting high-Architecture in the unlikliest of surrounds.

So from 5:45pm, come and have a drink on us, and listen to Joe Morris talk about his practice's work and methods.

KASA 2010 | Jestico & Whiles

This week [30th March 2010] we welcome Heinz Richardson of Jestico & Whiles, one of London's current brightlights in the profession.

Now an established practice of both architects and interior designers, Jestico & Whiles operate offices in London and Prague; with projects based in Europe, the Middle East and India.

Having proven expertise for excellent and sustainable designs across a wide range of sectors - including universities, schools, housing, cultural facilities and retail - they have garnered over 100 national and international awards for our architecture and interior design.

We are delighted to welcome Heinz - one of the country's leading experts in sustainable design and housing - to this week's lecture, and hope you can join us for the last KASA lecture of this term.

We will be starting slightly later than usual due to a CREAte lecture with Larry Herzog, Professor at San Diego State University which starts at 5pm. So the lecture with Heinz will be starting at 6:30pm, with drinks at 6:15pm.

Hope to see you there!

KASA 2010 | Discussion Forum #3

The studios are a constantly changing environment.While we are using them every day, we have never discussed how they could work better for us.

We thought it would be a good idea to get together and talk about ideas that could make the studios better, and find out how you as students feel the studios currently work, and how to make them a more creative, inspiring environment.

Pop-up City

From here.

KASA 2010 | C. F. Møller

This week we welcome one of Scandinavia's oldest and largest architectural practices - C. F. Møller. Their work involves a wide range of expertise - based around simplicity, clarity and unpretentiousness - their ideals have guided their distinctive work since the practice was established in 1924, and they continue to re-interpret to suit individual projects.

Having won a large number of national and international competitions, their work has been exhibited locally as well as internationally at places like at the RIBA HQ at Portland Place in London, the Venice Biennale, and the Danish Cultural Institute in Beijing.

Now employing over 300 employees, their head office is in Århus and we have branches in Copenhagen, Aalborg, Oslo, Stockholm and London, as well as a limited company in Iceland.

Come by this Tuesday at 5.45pm to have a drink, with their lecture starting at 6pm, to see some of Scandinavia's most exciting and forward-thinking work.

Discussion Forum # 2 - How Will Changes to the School Affect You?

For all of those that attended Thursday's all school meeting, you'll be aware that there are certain changes in motion that will affect the structure of the school, the teaching, and the opportunities of the students.

While Thursday provoked - quite rightly - a passionate response, we thought it would be appropriate to gather the school together as students [minus the Dean], and discuss this now we've all had time to reflect.

What we propose is that we write a letter from KASA on behalf of the students to the Dean and Vice Chancellor, outlining our response to these actions. We can hopefully clarify what we're collectively oppposed to on Tuesday, and write it down there and then, preferably in a calmer, and less chaotic way!

What would be useful is if we could come with clear points, so perhaps give it some thought before Tuesday.

Whether these changes are set in stone is largely irrelevant, what we aim to achieve on Tuesday is a student response to what has predominantly been a 'University decision'. Surely it would be better to say something now when there is a possibility of change, rather than regret it when these changes take place.

Come offer your views and opinions this Tuesday in the Marlowe Lecture Theatre 1.

KASA Design Competition #2 - St(a)ge Winner

Congratulations to Nicholas Sexton of the third year, for winning KASA Design Competition #2 - St(a)ge. His Wicker St(a)ge addressed the brief in it's fullest sense, but was of a number of exciting proposals. We now take the design from concept to reality, through an appointed design team. To take part click here.

KASA 2010 | Project Orange

This week, we welcome James Soane of Project Orange, a young, award-winning architectural and design studio with a broad and original portfolio of work spanning a whole range of building types.

Seeking to create places that are easily inhabited be they a small café or a public building, Project Orange's work has already garnered a whole host of awards, including the coveted BD Interior Architect of the Year Award both in 2007 and 2009.

Come share a drink with us from 5.45pm - with James' lecture beginning at 6pm - to see the work of one of the most exciting young architectural practices in the country at the moment.

KASA Design Competition #2 - St(a)ge Entries

Here are the entries for KASA Design Competition #2 - St(a)ge. They represent a varied and creative response to a difficult brief. The winners shall be announced this Tuesday, by none other than James Soane of Project Orange!

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Phil Baston / Jonathan Cerowski / Morgan Grylls / Ben Prince
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Nicholas Sexton
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Maddy Allen / Sara Dowle / Lucy Healy
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Gregory Weinrich / Nathanael Wright

KASA 2010 | Llewelyn Davis Yeang

This week, we welcome Malaysian architect Ken Yeang, possibly THE leading specialist in ecological and passive low energy design.

Seen by many as an architect ahead of his time, he has delivered over 200 built projects, and his ‘bioclimatic’ towers - derived from his seminal book, 'The Skyscraper: Bioclimatically Considered' - have had a major impact around the world, fusing high-tech and organic principles.

With so many of us doing masterplanning and landscaping at the moment, this is surely one not to miss!

So come join us for a drink from 5:45pm - with Ken's lecture beginning at 6pm - to see some of his current work, and learn about his principles of design.

KASA 2010 | Discussion Forum #1 - Portfolio Building

This week, we introduce the first in a series of student-led talks, aimed to help us all through collective discussion.

While we gain the knowledge to go out and work for architects or interior designers, what we're sometimes not told is how to seek work, and how to promote ourselves.

Opinions differ from person to person: architect to lecturer, student to employer; so what we thought would be best would be to get together and discuss how we've each done things. This way, anyone wishing to build a portfolio can make up their own mind.

We'll be inviting architects from the area, and current MArch students will be on hand to offer advice on how they found work during their year out. Current alumni and current students on their year in industry would also be welcome to attend!

This event is strictly bring your own booze!

We look forward to seeing you there!

DC#2 Inspiration

Here's some inspiration for Design Competition #2 - St(a)ge. Architects Terreform have come up with an inventive use for New York City's trash - rubbish to you and me. Check it out here.

Via Inhabitat.

KASA 2010 | BDP

This week, we welcome Mehron Kirk from BDP - 'Europe's most progressive interdisciplinary design practice'.

Founded in 1961, BDP employs more than 1200 architects, designers, engineers, urbanists and sustainability experts in 15 studios across the UK, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Working closely with users, clients and the community, BDP create special places for all purposes across the world; with a leading track record factoring all major sectors.

BDP were nominated for last year's Stirling-prize for their masterplan, Liverpool ONE; and hold a whole host of other awards.

Come join us next Tuesday for a drink from 5:45pm, with Mehron's lecture from 6pm, as he talks us through their most recent projects.

KASA 2010 | de Rijke Marsh Morgan

It's our pleasure to announce our first lecture for 2010!

Sadie Morgan from de Rijke Marsh Morgan will be coming down to begin our exciting new series of open lectures for 2010.

dRMM celebrate their 15th anniversary this year, and they have achieved much in that time. The practice takes pride in carrying out work that is innovative, high quality and socially useful. Having won many awards already - several for their first, the office building in which they currently work - they strive to push boundaries.

Gaining much press for their innovative 'Sliding House'; the "boisterous polychromy" of Claphan Manor Primary School; and their wonderful presentation at the 2008 Venice Biennale; dRMM are continually causing waves in the architectural community.

So from 5pm in the Marlowe Lecture 1, come have a drink on us, and listen to Sadie Morgan talk about her practices’ current work.