On Tuesday 03 March we delivered our 2nd Urban Lecture in collaboration with GO Southampton – ‘City as Urban Room’ at the Barclays Eagle LAB with the expert input of Rupert Cook Director of Architecture PLB and Piers Taylor of Invisible Studio. Rupert delivered a deeply rich insight into his family ties to Southampton and an insight into the design process for the recent Sports building for Solent University, which draws on the rich Urban grain of previous City layouts. Piers gave a wonderfully inspiring talk reviewing city life and what constitutes a truly sustainable city, way of life and home, whilst drawing on and using examples of his own social architecture and Urban rooms.

I would like to thank Barclays Eagle Lab, for throwing open their doors and organising the evening and to Rupert + Piers for their hugely inspiring talks.

On Thursday 12 March we where invited to the screening of Invisible studios new film ‘ Practice’ created and delivered by Laura Mark and Jim Stephenson which is a wonderful insight into Piers Taylor’s thinking, practice and methodology as new way to practice. The link is below, so when you have a moment take a look.

https://vimeo.com/394381124

Architects have welcomed calls by Historic England to slash VAT on retrofit, but warn that barriers to reusing buildings still remain. Richard Waite reports in the Architects Journal.

We gave our thoughts on how reuse, and re imagining existing buildings needs to be assisted with joined up thinking by government agencies.

COMMENTS

Darren Bray, director, Studio B.A.D Architects

Those of us who feel passionate about reuse and reimagining existing buildings for our clients in light of the climate change emergency face challenges each week on a whole range of projects, from existing churches and banks to former civic buildings. The current challenges around VAT and listed status make projects difficult to manage and deliver.

On many of these projects, budgets and timescales are the greatest barrier to unlocking potential and adding value for clients. Faced with 20 per cent VAT and, in some cases, difficult listed statuses to navigate on existing buildings we are trying to reuse and upgrade, it gives little scope to deliver both a retrofit solution with an inspiring reimagined piece of interior or architecture.

There needs to be some serious collective joined-up thinking and approach by both the government and Historic England. This would enable clients and architects to take the retrofit route as a first option. Otherwise the industry will continue to ignore and demolish much of the existing building stock.

 

https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/retrofirst-is-the-heritage-sector-adapting-to-reuse/10046473.article?blocktitle=more-on-retrofirst&contentID=24767

At St Margaret’s Church we have been developing a strategy that deals with the here and now, as far as the communities requirements are concerned, as well as having one creative eye on what we might speculate on for the future of the church. So as well as our long term development strategy, we where asked to undertake a small piece of joinery, which we have treated as small piece of furniture. Something that becomes the 1:1 test bed model, for what might come next. This small but perfectly formed door and screen is seen as a very light touch, respecting the existing structure of the church, with just a hint of a new addition in 2020.

Studio B.A.D has partnered up with Go Southampton to bring a series of public lectures entitled ‘Reading The City’.

Hear from thought leaders who are at the forefront of contemporary urban debate across various venues in the city centre.

These have been put together to ensure place-making in the city is informed and inspired by modern visions of how our experience of urban life is enhanced. Each event in the series will take place between 5.30pm – 6.30pm and are free but you will need to register to confirm your place. See below the full list:

The public lecture series is the first element within a strategy focused upon raising public awareness, engagement, and participation in a curated process of re-imagining the public urban realm of Southampton. Contributors are each at the forefront of contemporary urban debate and will provide diverse and often challenging perspectives upon the City of the twenty first century. The over-arching objective is to ensure that place-making in the city is informed and inspired by contemporary visions of how our experience of urban life is enhanced.

 

‘Too often as a nation we have focussed on the quantity of development and the speed of our regulatory processes, and whilst these matters are important, they should not be at the expense of a clear vision of the sorts of places and communities that we wish to see.’

 

(PLACE MAKING ALLIANCE)

 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/urban-lecture-series-reading-the-city-march-2020-tickets-90928661073