The ATCH (Architecture Theory Criticism History) research group in the School of Architecture at The University of Queensland, in association with the Institute for Modern Art and Heat, cordially invite you to:
Writing Architecture: A symposium on architectural criticism and the written representation of architecture
Date/s: Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16, 2009
Time: 9:00am - 6:00pm
Venue: The Institute for Modern Art, in the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, 420 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia.
This is the first of two planned events, convened by Dr Naomi Stead of the ATCH research group, on the subject of writing architecture and architectural criticism. Presentations will address some of the following questions:
- WRITING: When and how is writing an architectural practice? What is gained in translation, and what is lost, when architecture is represented in writing? What happens when architectural criticism becomes explicitly or implicitly literary?
- CONVENTION: What are the genre conventions of writing in architecture, and written architectural criticism? What might an experimental writing in architectural criticism be?
- MEDIATION: How does the vehicle of publication effect what can be written, by whom, and for whom? What are the potentials and limitations of architectural writing in the new media?
- HISTORICITY: How does historical specificity bear on architectural criticism – why would we read old critiques, and for what? How is the historian a critic and the critic a historian?
- JUDGMENT: What is the significance of judgment in architectural critique? What is the significance of architectural awards, prizes, and competitions, when seen as a mode of architectural criticism? Is architectural criticism ‘critical enough’?
- DISCIPLINARITY: What is the relationship between disciplinary architectural criticism, and broader cultural critiques that take architecture as an example? How do critical practices in architecture compare with and differ from critical practices in the visual and performing arts, design, film, television, and literature?
- OBJECT: What is the object of written architectural criticism? How important is architectural criticism, to whom, when, and why?
Conference speakers
Conference speakers include Bernard Brown, Karen Burns, Cristina Dreifuss-Serrano, Helene Frichot, Gevork Hartoonian, Paul Hogben, Andrew Leach, Steve Loo, John Macarthur, Andrew Nimmo, Veronique Patteeuw, Deborah van der Plaat, Julian Raxworthy, Charles Rice, Magnus Rönn, Alex Selenitsch, Naomi Stead, Lee Stickells, and Sarah Treadwell.
To attend
Due to the very limited capacity of the venue we ask that potential participants submit a short (150 word) written expression of interest in attending. This should include a description of your interest and/or experience in the area, your willingness to actively engage in discussion, and which days you would wish to attend. Expressions of interest should be emailed to
paarch@uq.edu.au by Friday 7th August. Acceptance will be notified early the next week, followed by the registration process. The registration fee is $50 per day. It will be possible to register for one or both days.
Enquiries
AA Roundtable 02
Writing Architecture is held in association with AA Roundtable 02, ‘Media and Architecture: Building Communities,’ a chaired public discussion convened by Justine Clark, editor of
Architecture Australia.
When: Friday, 14 August, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Where: University of Queensland Art Museum
More information:
www.architecturemedia.com/roundtable/
The AA Roundtable is free and is presented by Architecture Australia in partnership with the University of Queensland and Heat
RSVP essential as numbers are limited. Please contact (03) 9646 4760 or
reception@archmedia.com.au to RSVP.