RIBA Futures Fair 2009: Society and Stimulus

Date:

09 April 2009

Press office contact:

Mina Vadon
T: +44 (0)207 307 3761
E: mina.vadon@inst.riba.org

Dates: 12 May – 2 June 2009

Venue: RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD

This summer, the Royal Institute of British Architects' (RIBA) think-tank Building Futures will be launching the new look Futures Fair 2009.

Themed Society and Stimulus, the season runs from May – June 2009 and features four provocative breakfast seminars focusing on how factors such as terrorism, media, technology, sustainability and immigration could impact on the future look and feel of our towns, cities and regions.

The future of our towns and cities is shaped by a variety of socio-economic factors which, in 2009, has never felt more fragile. The current economic crisis has laid bare unresolved tensions and the needs of our towns and cities. Now is a great time to consider what lies ahead and rethink our strategic approach to the built environment. Technological and environmental change will affect us all. It is only through mapping new trends and behavioural norms that we can be responsive to future needs and requirements.

Details of the seminars are included below:

Retrofitting: Adaptation and aspirations
Tuesday 12 May 2009, 9.00 - 11.30am
Could the potential of older stock be realised by changing public expectations and making retrofitted design an aspiration? How can we apply this to wider community sustainability? Could we future proof an entire neighbourhood? An entire office district? Can we make such changes a desirable lifestyle or user choice?
Introduction bySunand Prasad - RIBA Presidentwith contributions from Jeremy Titchen- Qatari Diar Development, Prof. Yvonne RydinBartlett School, UCL London,Dr Matt WatsonGeography Dept. University of Sheffield,Prof. AbuBakr Bahaj School of Civil Eng. and the Environment, University of Southampton
Population: Movements and limitations
Tuesday 19 May, 9.00 - 11.30am
What if we have got predictions wrong? Economic collapse has brought into question once thought sound notions of growth. What will be new European trends? Who is moving and from where? What areas of the UK will suffer from depopulation as a result of the current economic climate? What impact will this have on growth strategies and sectors of the economy in particularly the housing market? Can we champion non growth, but maintain stability?
Introduction by Prof. David Fisk , Imperial College London, with contributions from Roger Martin - Optimum Population Trust , Austin Williams- Futures Cities Project andAlasdair Murray- Centre Forum.
Settlement: Structure and New Paradigms
Tuesday 26 May, 9.00 - 11.30am
What influence will demands for housing, healthcare, media, surveillance and communications have on the soft infrastructure of our cities in future? Can our urban fabric successfully respond to new choices and new social media? What will be the impact of the innovation economy on the form of our cities? Can we plan for it? What type of place will people be seeking or be forced to accept in future? Or can people forge the future of their cities through their own desires ?
Introduction by Dickon Robinson,Chair Building Futures, with contributions fromAlan Penn- BartlettSchool, UCL , Richard Miller- Innovation Platform Leader andLesley Gavin- Head of Futurology, BT Innovation.
Infrastructure: Systems and interventions
Tuesday 2 June, 9.00 - 11.30am
In order for UK plc to embrace the economic upsurge in 2012, our infrastructure needs to be readdressed. Now is the time to merge our ambitions for green standards with our everyday landscape. With government in command of investment capital, there is a great opportunity to plan out systems that simultaneously provide economic stimulus with a network upon which future communities can plug into. What will these networks comprise of? How can business and the market be encouraged to assist in its creation ?
Introduction by Richard Hastilow- Chief Executive RIBA with contributions from Jane Wernick - Jane Wernick Associates, Stephen Hill- C02 Future Planners, Hugh Mulcahey- Gensler andNick Gibbins, Associate Director, Upstream Sustainability Services - Jones Lang LaSalle.

Notes to editors

1. For a press place or further information, please contact Mina Vadon in the RIBA Press Office on 020 7307 3761 or email mina.vadon@inst.riba.org|

2. Futures Fair 09: Society and Stimulus is supported by the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) www.epsrc.ac.uk | and RIBA CPD. Building Futures is an RIBA initiative. Visit www.buildingfutures.org.uk |for more information.

3. Building Futures is the RIBA's think tank on issues affecting the future of the built environment. It was established to create space for discussion about the needs of society from our built environment and, consequently, the built environment professions in 20 years and beyond. The group aims to highlight and promote those working with new technologies and developing new ideas, which will contribute to the future of our towns and cities and address society's changing demands over the coming years. How and where will we be living in 50 or 100 years' time? What technologies will architects be using to design new buildings and what materials will be specified? How will the inevitable new technologies affect the buildings and places we use every day? The Building Futures programme is ongoing and includes exhibitions, debates, events and research activities. For more information visit www.buildingfutures.org.uk |.

4. For more information on the Building Futures series contact Mike Althorpe at mike.althorpe@inst.riba.org |

5. 2009 marks the 175^th Anniversary of the RIBA. To celebrate this milestone the Institute has planned a programme of special events which look back with pride on some of the most significant achievements of the past while also looking forward to the years ahead. We aim to use our position as the home of architecture in the UK to engage an even wider audience in the vitally important architectural issues which have such a large influence on the way we live and work both now and in the future. Our programme for the year includes major loans to the Palladio 500 exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts and our collaboration with the Barbican centre to bring the highly-acclaimed exhibition; Le Corbusier: The Art of Architecture to London. We are also running a national schools competition in collaboration with Construction Skills to design a new parliament building which coincides with the 175th anniversary of the current Barry/Pugin Palace of Westminster. Our major annual events such as the RIBA Stirling Prize, the Royal Gold Medal and Annual Lecture will also be given special prominence during the year. In raising our profile for our anniversary year we hope to demonstrate better the breadth of our activities and convey our passion for good design and designers, in the built environment. For further information go to www.architecture.com/175 |