This June, during London Festival of Architecture, Sarah Wigglesworth Architects (SWA) will celebrate its work in micro and macro, showcasing the daily life of the office in Practice Shared and exploring its creative approach through a guided cycle tour of its London projects.
For Practice Shared, the doors to SWA’s Islington studio will be wide open, providing a rare opportunity to access the office at 9/10 Stock Orchard Street, Wigglesworth’s seminal project that featured in the first series of Grand Designs. Visitors will be able to meet with SWA’s architects, access guided tours of the space and attend portfolio review sessions.
For the cycle tour SWA will take to the streets, embarking on a guided journey around its most-loved London projects. The tour, led by Sarah Wigglesworth herself, will offer insight into SWA’s work in physical form, encompassing a range of sectors including arts (Siobhan Davies Dance Studio), transport infrastructure (Bermondsey Cycle Station), housing (Wardroper House) and sport / leisure (Cremorne Gardens).
The events are taking place as part of a wider programme of celebrations marking SWA’s 25th year in practice. This includes a roundtable discussion on physical and sensory learning in the digital age, and an exhibition of its newly appointed artist-in-residence’s final outcome. These curated and varied events are an opportunity to reflect on past projects and lessons learned, debate current issues facing the built environment, and consider the future direction of the practice.
Practice Shared
Saturday June 8, 2019
2pm – 6pm
10 Stock Orchard Street, London, N7 9RW
LFA link: https://www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org/event/swarchitects-practice-shared/
During Practice Shared SWA will be welcoming visitors into its N7 studio for tours of the building, miniexhibitions highlighting projects and their wider contexts, plus portfolio ‘surgery’ sessions. The studio space of current artist-in-residence Becky Shaw will also be on show and Shaw will be on hand to discuss her progress. The afternoon will be a chance to meet with the individuals who make up SWA in a relaxed, informal setting.
The practice believes in nurturing future talent and will therefore hold a portfolio ‘surgery’ — a chance for aspiring architects to meet on a one-to-one basis with a practising architect and access advice and feedback. Through bookable slots SWA’s team will be able to offer feedback on university or job applications and portfolios and answer any questions about the world of architecture. Natalie Barton, Architect and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Officer at SWA, says, “As with the buildings we design, we believe it is important for architecture to be accessible to all.
As part of our wider equality, diversity, and inclusion vision, we are invested in changing the architectural profession to ensure that those shaping the built environment have the knowledge and skill set to design for the people who will be using it. What makes this event really special is that we will be imparting knowledge to aspiring architects – a positive contribution towards this ambition.”
Crossing Borough Boundaries: Cycle Tour
Sunday June 30, 2019
1.30pm – 4.30pm
Meet at Space Studios Deborah House, E9 6RJ All cycling abilities welcome; bring your own bike £5 (to be donated to charity)
LFA link: www.londonfestivalofarchitecture.org/event/crossing-borough-boundaries-swa-cycle-tour/
For SWA’s cycle tour, the team will be stepping out of the office and onto the streets to explore some of its best-known London projects. Starting at art studio space Deborah House in Hackney, the group will head south to a cluster of Southwark-based schemes, including Bermondsey Cycle Station, Wardroper House and Siobhan Davies Dance Studios (where guests can see inside the building and refreshments will be available). The route will then head west along the riverside, where it will conclude at Cremorne Riverside Centre in Chelsea. At each stop-off, tour leader and practice director Wigglesworth will be highlighting key aspects of the physical building and discussing the project’s background, brief and specification. The tour will cover a wide range of building types including housing, arts, and civic spaces — reflective of SWA’s diverse portfolio.
