Ruskin Lane Consulting Autumn 2013 | Page 12

EVENTS

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Festival of Architecture 2016
sing its centenary as a launch-pad, The Royal Incorporation of
Architects in Scotland, along with numerous partner
organisations and with the active support of the Scottish
Government, has been shaping a year-long, nation-wide celebration for
2016. The aspiration for the Festival is high, to transform the Scottish
public’s relationship with architecture.
The last major celebrations of architecture on a national scale were
Glasgow’s City of Architecture and Design in 1999 and the Six Cities
Design Festival in 2007. 2016 will be nearly a decade on from the
latter. The context is still ever challenging, and the need to improve
appreciation and understanding of the benefits of a well-built future for
Scotland, ever more pressing. The 2016 events will focus on the built
environment’s effects on our economy and our wellbeing and will
promote awareness of architecture’s critical role in Scotland’s identity.
An ever-growing forum of enthusiastic sector representatives is
already engaged in designing the Festival and planning its content.
With financial support from government, a round of consultative
workshops was organised to give views from across Scotland. The
consultation set out to measure the appetite for such an event, to
agree what its priorities might be locally and nationally, and gather
ideas. The seven sessions, facilitated by Dr Deborah Mays (RIAS) and
Nick Wright (Nick Wright Planning) gave voice to communities from
throughout Scotland, from Dumfries to Inverness.
Each two-hour workshop considered the architecture of the
particular region, past, present and future. In Inverness, for example,
the session mused on the impact of the Housing Expo in the area
and the challenges of flood prevention along the Ness. In Aberdeen,
the group deliberated historic links to Scandinavia. The make-up of
each group and the local concerns raised were enjoyably diverse.
However, reassuringly, the collated results demonstrate shared goals.
The findings have revealed resounding support for the outline
strategy and goals drafted by the Forum.
Throughout Scotland, workshop participants wanted to see an
improvement in public awareness of the benefits of good
architecture and better understanding of its impact. They agreed on
the need to demystify architecture and to develop public confidence
in engagement with architecture, design and the planning system. The
delegates found a great deal to celebrate in the quality of our
architecture and lessons to be learnt from its success. Architects and
their work are arguably one of Scotland’s strongest cultural exports

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Mareel, Gareth Hoskins Architects. Image © Phatsheep Photography

and continue to make a valuable contribution to the quality of
Scotland itself as a place to live and to visit. We should shout this
from the rooftops, at home and abroad.
Harnessing the energy of the young, hearing their priorities and
empowering the next generation was a common focus across the
workshops. All ages matter and should be encouraged to participate.
This was clear. However, \