A spectacular freefall from a landmark building, micro-compact living,
underground tunnels and floating cities
Architecture Week in the Midlands 15- 24 June 2007
Architecture Week is the national celebration of contemporary architecture and the built environment. Architecture Week is an Arts Council England led initiative, coordinated this year in the West Midlands by Fierce Earth in partnership with RIBA, ACE and MADE. Architecture Week promises to demonstrate the role that the arts can play in broadening people’s experiences of architecture through an exciting region-wide programme of events.
The events kick-start on Friday 15 June with artist Francesca Baglione aka Miss High Leg Kick dramatically freefalling from one of Birmingham’s landmark buildings, the Mailbox. Miss High Leg Kick, with full safety precautions, will invite audiences to witness her spectacular descent dressed in full glamorous showgirl attire. Accompanied by much fanfare; music, lights, smoke, Miss High Leg Kick will sweep elegantly to the ground to land on a red carpet and move forward to cut a ribbon to officially launch Architecture Week.
Down on the ground in partnership with the Festival of Xtreme Building, curatored by Dave Pollard, members of the public will be invited to visit and have the opportunity to win a night in the innovative micro-compact home. Designed by Professor Richard Horden, the high specification and ergonomically designed micro-compact home merges the boundaries between art, architecture, sculpture and function.
Artists Luke Jerram and Dan Jones will take people beneath Birmingham’s pavements to experience some of the hidden subterranean architecture of the city visiting the network of tunnels stretching from Victoria Square to New Street Station, including an old Royal Mail tunnel linking the Mailbox to New Street. Through a fusion of architecture, light and sound and
the viewer’s imagination, Tunnel Vision will evoke the atmosphere and histories of the City’s underground tunnel network.
On the water, young people will be working with artists to investigate and react creatively to the architecture of the canal system between the Coventry and Birmingham canal basins. The young people will construct paper models to be lit up and floated at Coventry canal basin at an evening event marking the end of Architecture Week.
Many architect practices will also be opening their doors to the public to reveal some of the secrets of building design under a special scheme for Architecture Week called Open House.
Kevin Isaacs, Regional Co-ordinator from Fierce said: “These events are just the tip of the iceberg, Architecture Week in the West Midlands promises to offer something for everyone from large-scale public art events like Miss High Leg Kick to projections onto buildings in Coventry, short architectural films being shown at a range of venues, and a RIBA hosted
debate on regeneration in the Midlands in partnership with BBC Radio WM. We are looking forward to presenting an exciting array of innovative events and hope to inspire people to think creatively about the spaces around them.”
Architecture Week activities in the West Midlands will focus on themes of diversity and children and young people. A full programme of regional activities can be found at www.architectureweek.org.uk.
ENDS May 2007
Press Enquiries: Helen Annetts, PR on behalf of Architecture Week in the West Midlands.
Mob: 07779 026720. Email: HelenLAnnetts@hotmail.co.uk
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