ARCSOC

Chris Williamson is President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and a respected architect known for championing design quality, sustainability, and the social value of architecture. In this talk he reflects on the experiences that shaped his career, from practice to leadership, sharing lessons on collaboration, responsibility and the future of the profession while offering insights and advice for the next generation of architects worldwide today and beyond.

Since October 7th, 2023, at least 92% of housing in the Gaza Strip has been destroyed or damaged, according to the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The current scale of devastation in Gaza has led organisations such as Amnesty International to label the conflict as “live-streamed genocide”. This symposium brings architects, urban planners, anthropologists, and researchers together to examine the spatial, political, and evidentiary dimensions of Gaza’s destruction and its aftermath. Irit Katz, Nick Newman, Stefan Tarnowski, and Prof. Farid Al-Qeeq will explore urgent questions: How do we document and bear witness to these spectacles of conflict? What role does architecture play in resistance, reconstruction, and accountability? And how might we think about Gaza’s future beyond the frameworks of perpetual crisis and humanitarian catastrophe?

This Thursday, 5pm, in the studio.

This Wednesday we are so excited to welcome Jane Hall and Giles Smith of ‘Assemble’, the Turner Prize winning architectural collective, for the launch of two new books.
Common treasures is a dual volume exploring the challenges faced by rural communities, written by people who are working on the land and in the fields. We will be hearing from co-editor Giles Smith about the process of researching and writing these volumes, which broadly address ‘Land, food and farming’, and ‘Housing, planning and construction’.

The wonderful Jane Hall will be speaking to us about Assemble’s recently published monograph. This exciting book is the result of extensive conversations between the group and architecture critic Aaron Betsky, bringing together their most significant projects to date through photographs, drawings and their own words.

80% of buildings standing today will remain in use by 2050, while our approach to this fact may be integral to achieving the Paris Climate Agreement goals, a critical understanding of adapting and conserving the existing built environment is largely overlooked in Architectural education. Drawing on Freddie Phillipson’s work at Witherford Watson Mann on Astley Castle, Catherine Rose’s presentation on the role of SPAB and Bethan Watson’s account of conservation practice, this ARCSOC Conversation hosts a dialogue between the contrasting approaches to working with existing fabric under the shared, contested term of conservation. Join us tomorrow at 5pm, Classroom.

We’re incredibly excited to announce that this year’s ARCSOC exhibition has taken form and we would like to invite you to our LAUNCH next Monday the 16th at 5pm in Lecture Room 1.

The exhibition(s) — because there will be two — are under the title and speculative framework of ‘AFTERIMAGE’.

Afterimage is the lingering imprint left after looking at something bright: it’s imperfect yet vivid. In this retinal afterglow, colours and lights swirl. A memory without remembering; a sight with eyes shut.

Whatever level of involvement you’d like — from just wanting to meet us, to joining the exhibition team and having a hand in curating and building the shows — come join us on Monday, for an announcement followed by an open conversation. There will be wine and pizza.

Another thrilling Conversations termcard, including three panel discussions. Join us for some interesting ideas and a glass of wine.

DJ lineup for tonight @ Mash, ARCSOC TOURIST.
Pack your bags and get ready, final tickets on sale - link in bio.

Flights for ARCSOC TOURIST are about to take off - ticket link in bio 😎

Mash 03.02.26

Photos from ARCSOC OFFICE (2/2) Tickets for our next event TOURIST on sale now!

Photography Lily Owens

Photos from ARCSOC OFFICE (1/2) Tickets for our next event TOURIST on sale now!

Photography Lily Owens

Jerry Tate is an architect, writer and lecturer specialising in sustainable regenerative design. This is seen in his practice Tate + Co, founded in 2007, working on the Eden Project in Cornwall along with schemes featured on Channel 4’s Grand Designs. In addition, he also writes regularly for a number of architecture publications, including the Architects Journal, Building Design, Dezeen, and World Architecture News, and has taught at Harvard, continuing his teaching expertise at UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture. Through these experiences, he offers a perspective on sustainability which is rapidly growing in the architecture world today, and which will continue to have ramifications for generations to come.

Tomorrow, 5pm, in Lecture Room 1.