KieranTimberlake’s Post

The Lark is a bardic space manifested ‘in the light of thought’ and form. What is the purpose of an architectural space, what is its function and its form? These are critical questions when it comes to reflecting on how awards and accolades should be provided in recognition of the relative merit of a particular building and the people who have made that space happen. At a time of culture wars, where social extremists are forcefully tugging at the resilience of the fabric of community cohesion, it’s heartening to see that one building has risen to the heights of inspiration to provide a venue for people to come together in pursuit of creativity and innovation through the arts. These are pursuits that are pure of spirit, and which seek harmony above discord. This spatial ambition realises the best attributes of what the function of a wonderful building might be – that is its capacity to bring about the best in humanity. In terms of its form, The Lark, Ireland’s newest concert hall, is aesthetically astounding, with its façade reflecting the musicality of its purpose. So, The Lark embodies, in the words of Shelly’s ode, a realising of ‘the light of thought’, form, and purpose. I must admit to an element of bias in my observations here, because my brother, Michael Bracken, provided the beautifully finessed marble finish for the building. Nonetheless, I’ll unashamedly be giving it my vote for Ireland’s Favourite Building for 2024 as proposed by the the RIAI, and I’d encourage you to cast vote a for The Lark here as well! https:thelark.ie/vote/

I invite you to read this Special Issue "Street Art and Political Aesthetics in the Contested Urban Contexts," where I participated. A nice collection of essays https://lnkd.in/gqphWGqh

Are you interested in 19th-century cultural heritage? Join RBS this summer in our new library space for B-75 “American Publishers’ Bookbindings, 1800–1900,” taught by Todd Pattison, in Charlotteville from July 7 to 12. Learn more and apply by the first-round deadline of Feb. 19 at: https://lnkd.in/ezTT-jfv Binderies in nineteenth-century America underwent dynamic changes, evolving from small shops employing a handful of workers to large factories producing thousands of bindings per day using assembly-line techniques. In this course, we will examine the industrialization of bookbinding in America during the nineteenth century and the evolving organization of labor within binderies. Major topics covered will also include: the transition from attached board binding to case binding, the introduction of cloth as a binding material, and the increased and book-specific decoration opportunities case binding allowed. During the course, we will discuss a number of important individuals and establishments, including Benjamin Bradley, the Harper Establishment, the Altemus Bindery, Sarah Wyman Whitman, and Margaret Armstrong. In addition, the course will examine the changing decorative style of American publishers’ bindings during the nineteenth century and the increasing bibliographic significance of bindings. Photo by Shane Lin (2022)

This is gorgeous! And an excellent example of how to visually, clearly and accessibly communicate your organisations personal impact to your community (i.e. the people your practice actually serves!) without spreadsheets of jargon. Please open the link to fully understand why I adore this 👏

Some of London’s most incredible buildings and structures don’t exist anymore. This article brings small, low resolution photos and I can't help but thinking: What if we had the Matterport technology back then to capture and preserve these landmarks in a digital form? What if we could explore the Whitehall Palace or Holland House? Matterport Digital Twins have the potential to bridge the gap between past and present, ensuring that even as physical structures fade away, their digital counterparts stand the test of time. Museums and history books offer valuable insights, but the ability to virtually wander through these lost structures adds a layer of understanding that is unparalleled. Fortunately, we have Matterport now and can seize the opportunity to preserve our architectural heritage. #matterport #digitaltwins #architecturelovers

We are thrilled to announce that The Quiet Enchanting — our installation along the Strand originally only on view until Spring 2024 — has been extended well into the autumn. So if you are planning on heading into central London this summer, we’d urge you to go spend some time exploring the characters and questions that emerge from our myth. The Quiet Enchanting is situated at the heart of the now pedestrianised Strand Aldwych; once one of London’s most congested and polluted streets, it is now home to a ‘creative thinking quarter’ for the King's College London community and the wider public. So when Beatrice Pembroke, Executive Director of King’s Culture, suggested the possibility of showcasing some of our findings from our research residency Cascade Inquiry in the form of a public installation along the Strand… well, we were delighted. Even more delighted to also share an accompanying film edit of the work, with a specially commissioned score by our long term collaborator David Vélez. Designed as a poetic accompaniment to the work, our short film showcases the work throughout the seasons, the many people who have wandered by, wondered what could be different, imagined other ways to be. On our website we also share a little more of the inspirations behind and research underpinning our worldbuilding: https://lnkd.in/ghUtrvzh If we had to pick a single statement to encapsulate The Quiet Enchanting it would be, well, not a statement at all, but a question: "How can we rewild ourselves?" A rewilding of the spirit is perhaps the most urgent transformation we need, and then, maybe only then, can we effectively rewild, and transform, the world around us. #rewilding #imagination #publicinstallation

Join us this Friday for our presentation at this year's Building Museums Symposium presented by Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums! WHEN Friday, March 8, 2024 3:00pm-4:15pm WHERE Philadelphia Marriott Downtown 1200 Filbert St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 Room: Franklin 10, Level 4 The New Louis Armstrong Center: Building an Inclusive “Wonderful World” “I see trees of green, red roses too / I see them bloom, for me and you / And I think to myself / What a wonderful world.” Join Sara Caples (Principal and Co-Founder, Caples Jefferson Architects PC), Regina Bain (Executive Director, Louis Armstrong House Museum), and Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners) for an upbeat virtual tour -- with the best soundtrack ever -- and recap of lessons learned from building the Louis Armstrong Center. Louis Armstrong is a groundbreaking Black musician, and one of the most recognizable entertainers of all time. Most of his life he chose to live in a humble working-class neighborhood in Queens, NY. Today that historic home is preserved and open for tours, along with a new world-class visitor center and archives, with interactive exhibitions and a working jazz club. The entire project has been conceived to connect to the community in which Armstrong lived, and to bring new relevance to Armstrong’s music and his iconic stature as a cultural pioneer in more ways than one. Louis Armstrong House Museum is not only a visitor destination, but also a center for the community. The center partners with community groups like Justice Arts, working with young people and adults impacted by the criminal justice system; hosts an Artists in Residence program bringing Armstrong’s legacy alive with a new generation of Black artists; and offers a Trumpet Learning Program (Programa de Trompeta) for the diverse local community of Queens. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Name new ways a building project can connect to its community. 2. Understand the complexity of building projects in state and city agency contexts. 3. Propose ideas for creating new relevancy from vintage historical material. 4. Envision eye- and ear-catching approaches to exhibitions that draw audiences. 5. List simple techniques to add music and audio into a built space. 6. Consider new ways that subject matter can inform architectural design choices. For more information visit: https://lnkd.in/eHqN87GH

MKE historic city third third ward

My new publication, "Urban Activated Public Spaces in the Contemporary City", appeared as Chapter 15 in the collective volume Federico Bellentani, Mario Panico, and Lia Yoka (eds.), Semiotic Approaches to Urban Space. Signs and Cities, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, Massachusetts, 2024 Summary What kinds of spaces and places are needed today, in light of the radical social changes and new ecological problems that have emerged in contemporary cities? Can we design contemporary “activated” urban public spaces for youth, and what could be their symbolic and material characteristics? The aim of the present chapter is to investigate the possible philosophical, conceptual, semiotic, and architectural dimensions, approaches, and readings of the above spatial questions, based on the theoretical work and ideas of Emeritus Professor Kyriaki Tsoukala.

A great article I encourage all of you to read. I report three extracts from this article that I found enlightening! 1. “To truly understand how we can work collectively we need to first understand and perhaps most importantly acknowledge the values and priorities that govern the private and public sector.” 2. “This involves understanding whether decisions are made collectively and democratically and negotiating tension between being inclusive, ensuring everyone's voices are taken into account, and following the rule of the majority” 3. “Collaboration moves at the speed of Trust”!