National Trust: Brutal Utopias

The National Trust, an institution dedicated to the provision of tearooms, gift shops and the conservation of crumbling country houses has begun to recognise the importance of the preservation and promotion of modern architecture. For ten days starting on the 25th September 2015 the National Trust in partnership with others will be hosting a series of unique one off events, tours and talks in celebration of brutalism. 

The tours include, the Brutalist elements of the Southbank complex (Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery) which will be soon closed for refurbishment works, tours of the recently restored Park Hill flats in Sheffield and Denis Lasdens work at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. There will also be the opportunity to rid a Routemaster bus in a series of expert-led bus tours of London’s other iconic Brutalist sites. 

Anyone wanting to take advantage of this opportunity should book straight away as the limited tickets are selling quickly! I was unable to secure tickets for the Brutalism: Brutal or Beautiful? talk ('a discussion of Brutalism’s legacy at the Southbank Centre') which looked very interesting.

Tours 
Southbank Centre – Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery
Park Hill, Sheffield
University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich

Other Events:
Brutalism: Brutal or Beautiful? Sold Out :(
Routemaster bus tours

(National Trust website) More information 

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EVENT: Freedom of the City: Discovering Southbank Skate Spot

An event at the Royal festival hall by the London society, 'Freedom of the City: Discovering Southbank Skate Spot' which charts the successful campaign against the proposed 'Festival wing' development (which would have seen the under-croft, long cherished by skateboarders and graffiti artists transformed into commercial retail units) by the Long Live South Bank campaign. 

The event will take place on Monday 8th June, it will involve a walk-talk with questions welcome to stimulate debate  

Long Live South Bank also have a new book out (as well as other merchandise to help their cause -- link HERE) featuring some brilliant pictures of the Brutalist South Bank centre. 

- Find out more about the 'Long Live South Bank' Campaign HERE 
- Find out more about the London society HERE

UPDATE - VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS LEFT - TICKET LINK

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EVENTS/EXHIBITIONS: London Festival of Architecture

This years London festival of architecture which will run through-out June brings with it a series of interesting events for any architecture fan. Below I have listed the events which may be of interest to fans of Brutalist architecture. Unfortunately the rather inadequate booklet does not give a description of the events so I am going by the names! If you have any other suggestions let me know.  

EXHIBITIONS:

'The Brutalist Playground' 
where: RIBA 
when: 10 June -16 August (10am-5pm) 

'The Barbican Exhibition: Building a Landmark (already featured)'
when: 25 May - 29 November (in Barbican opening times)
where: Barbican foyer at the Barbican centre

TOUR:
'TACK-ON-TOURS: The Ugliest Buildings in London' 
where: Hoax Theatre
when: 6,7,13,14,20,21,27,28 June 11am and 3pm each day 
- also inevitably featuring many brutalist buildings!

DEBATE:
'Rise and Fall of the Council Estate'
where: RIBA
when: 23 June (7-8.40pm) 
- Possibly of interest, it will give a wider context to the rise of fall of the brutalist style in Council estates.  

> For more information visit the London Festival of Architecture website here

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EVENT: Brutalism: The Savage and The Sublime (the barbican)

On the 6th November the barbican arts centre (the only appropriate setting for such an event) will be holding a panel discussion on Brutalism in its event Brutalism: The Savage and The Sublime. The discussion will be based on the recent film by Jonathan Meades Bunkers Brutalism And Bloodly mindedness in which he explored in his usual idiosyncratic manner the controversies of the brutalist style which fascinates him. 

The panel is made of Sir Simon Jenkins, chairmen of the National trust, journalist and author, as well as the architectural critic Douglas Murphy (see his articles), the architect Piers Gough and of course Jonathan Meades himself will be debating brutalism and 'the aesthetics and morality of concrete'.

This promises to be a very interesting discussion and not an event to miss! tickets will be sold out quickly so book now!

More information can be found on the barbican website here
Tickets are £10

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EXHIBITION: Something Fierce University of Essex: Vision and Reality

Image of the Essex university Library

A new exhibition running from 7 October to 13 December 2014 at the Coldchester campus of Essex university will be celebrating 50 years of its bold and brutalist architecture. The new university designed by Kenneth Capon from its founding in 1964 to embrace the architectural style of the day and to encourage its scholars to emulate its boldness. 

"The exhibition details how our architecture has influenced the people who have lived and worked in the University. In particular it tells the story of how since the 1960's Essex has become home to the tenacious and the bold, home to those that don’t just talk about a better world, but work together to create one - and why challenging convention is in our DNA." 
The exhibition promises scale models and original drawings as well as a look at the many brutalist buildings on campus. The exhibition will be housed in the Hexagon, an iconic building built at the birth of the University.

7 October to 13 December 2014 - Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11am to 5pm
(Welcome Week: Monday 29 September to Saturday 4 October 2014 - 11am to 5pm)

For further details and information on opening times please see their website 

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'Balfron season' Bow arts Sept-Oct 2014

The iconic Balfron tower designed by the eminent brutalist architect and designer Erno Goldfinger will be hosting a series of events running until the 12th October whilst the building is prepared for restoration. Artists supported by Bow arts will for a short period base themselves in the tower opening it up to the public in a season of exciting events in which the architecture and the social life of the area will be be explored in a series of guided walks, artistic installations and workshops.  


ARCHITECTURAL WALKING TOURS 
A series of architectural walks will be hosted by London’s city-in-waiting during September. The first 'Penetrate the Impenetrable: A walk via the Balfron Tower through East' will run on Sunday 7th September from Stratford City to Canary Wharf and will be hosted by regeneration experts Ralph Ward and Michael Owens. A second walk will take place on Saturday 20th September (on open house weekend), this will take visitors from Lansbury Estate through Poplar, reviewing post-war architecture up to the present day. 

BALFRON TOWER ART 
On the weekends of 6-7th September and 20th-21st September the Bow Artists resident in Balfron tower will be hosting an Open Studio in which they will be exhibiting a range of specially created shows. 

On the 13th September in Flat 131 a one-day Adult drawing Workshop (limited places available) in which participants will hope to be inspired by the brutalist building’s characteristics and surroundings. 
Many more events can be found on their website. 

OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND
On Open house weekend (20th-21st September) there will be full access and guided tours of Balfron tower 

For all enquirers and information visit their website and follow them @BalfronSeason
for other events follow me @BritBrutalism

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London Open House weekend (20-21 September 2014)

For one weekend every year many of London's most famous and iconic buildings normally closed to the general public are opened, this year is no exception with the Open house weekend taking place on the weekend of 20th-21st September. I have selected below the most interesting brutalist buildings and related events.  

* 8 Stoneleigh terrace (Camden) Sunday 10am-1pm 2pm-5pm tours on the hour
Designed by architect Peter Tabori who worked in the progressive Camden architects department in the 1970's, it shows the influence of other architects in the department (such as Neave Brown) and Denys Lasdun under who he worked for a time with the use of high density low rise social housing.

* Alexander Road (Camden) Saturday 10am-5pm regular tours (first come first served). 
One of the iconic brutalist estates of the capital built by Neave Brown from the late 1960's onwards. This open house event promises entry into a flat described as 'originally designed'. 

* Balfron tower (Tower hamlets) Saturday 1pm-5pm tours every 30 minutes 
Designed By Erno Goldfinger in the mid 1960's as social housing for London County Council. This open house event also promises access to one of the flats. See more in my post. 
- see Balfron season for more events and information 

Barbican centre (City) Saturday tours on the hour 12-3pm PRE BOOK ESSENTIAL 
(meeting at advance box office). A tour of the highwalks and the ideas behind the Chamberlain Powell & Bonn brutalist masterpiece. (could be an interesting tour but it doesn't look like there is anywhere included which you can't normally access included in the tour).

* Dunboyne Road Estate (a.k.a Fleet road estate) (Camden) meet Sunday 2pm 
PRE BOOK ESSENTIAL - Guided tour will be by the original architect Neave Brown (!!) and contemporary architect Takeshi Hayatsu. This tour also promises a look at a well kept original flat in the estate.  

* Royal college of Physicians (Camden) Sunday 10am-5pm (last entry 3.30) tours included as well as a lecture on Denys Lasden at 2.15pm. Designed by Denys Lasden overlooking regents park, one of the most significant brutalist buildings in London and a rare opportunity to see the interior.  

* - not to be missed

More information on all the open buildings can be found on the London Open House website. 

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EVENT: Balfron tower open day

On the 21st June 2014 for one day only Balfron tower in the east end of London, (the sister of Trellick tower in the west end, both designed by eminent brutalist architect Erno Goldfinger) will be open to the public. A series of exciting events (some which need to be booked - see below) will be taking place inside the building all day exploring the architecture of the tower and the surrounding area. 

Built in the mid 1960's the building is due for a series of refurbishments and alterations in preparation for private sell off of the flats (going the same way as trellick tower - more HERE on the 'social cleansing'). This may be the last opportunity to see the interior in its original condition. Not an event to miss if you are interested in Brutalist architecture!

Find out more detail HERE (including booking details)
Guardian article on the festival HERE

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EXHIBITION: Brutalist architecture in London

Following the brilliant exhibition at the new Wellington arch exhibition space at Hyde Park corner which celebrated the story of preservation during the 20th century of 19th century architecture by the likes of John Betjeman (Pride and Prejudice [now finished]) there now follows another exhibition this time the fight for the preservation of the 20th century architecture. 'Brutal and beautiful' - saving the 20th century will tell the less widely known story of the continuing fight for brutalist architecture right up to the present day and the battle to protect and educate people about brutalist architecture as John Betjeman and his contemporaries did for 19th century buildings.

25th September- 24th November 2013 
For details: 
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/brutal-and-beautiful-wa-25-sep/

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