Festival of Architecture 2018 programme preview
The 2018 Festival includes over 70 events in cities across the country including talks, debates, competitions and exhibitions.
This year’s Sir Ian Athfield lecture series will be given by US design writer and thinker Allison Arieff.
As part of Opensource – a main event at this year’s Festival – Strachan Group Architects will open up their studio to the public.
In Tauranga, take part in a virtual reality workshop with Ignite Architects.
On 23 September you can tour Christchurch’s newly refurbished Arts Centre as part of the Festival of Architecture.
Some of Wellington’s best houses will be on display during the Festival. See ‘Stealth Bomber’ (pictured here), architect Sally Ogle’s house at Island Bay, on 15 September.
Part of Queenstown’s programme of events is a screening of the Zaha Hadid film ‘Who Dares Wins’.
The annual New Zealand Institute of Architects Festival of Architecture returns in 2018 from 14 to 23 September. See some of our picks from the festival programme, which runs in cities throughout the country and includes studio open days, competitions, exhibitions, debates, walking tours and much more, all for (mostly) free.
Every year, the New Zealand Institute of Architects aims to put New Zealand design on display and engage the public with the country’s architecture. This year, more than 70 events will take place, covering every region across the country. Read on for some of the highlights, and see the full programme here.
Ian Athfield Memorial Lecture
This year’s international Festival guest is Allison Arieff: a San Francisco-based editorial director of The Urbanist and design writer for The New York Times. The lecture will be presented in Auckland on 17 September, Wellington on 19 September and Queenstown on 20 September.
Festival curator Jeremy Hansen says, “Alison Arieff is one of the world’s leading champions of how good design can change all our lives – not just in our homes, but in our cities and towns too. She is progressive and articulate, and will be sharing many of the lessons she’s learned in observing the design of American homes and cities with audiences when she’s here.”
24 Hour Design Challenge
This year’s 24 hour design challenge, organised by the Student Architecture Network New Zealand, will take place in Auckland and include students from all over the country. The competition runs over 21 and 22 September and is sure to keep participants on their toes.
World Park(ing) Day
Another highlight of the festival, this event invites designers and architects to reimagine city car parks as “people-friendly environments,” the NZIA says. The event will take place on Friday 21 September.
Opensource
This nationwide open day will take place from 11am to 4pm on Saturday 22 September when many architecture and design studios will be open to the public. Curious passers-by can drop in to see presentations and meet the designers behind their cities.
Hansen notes, “People all over the country have worked hard to put the Festival lineup together: there’s a wide range of events that will appeal for people everywhere, and plenty of smart people sharing stimulating thoughts that will give everyone plenty to talk about.”
Auckland events include Jane’s Walk on 14 and 15 September via Women in Urbanism, an architects vs. engineers debate and a talk about the proposed building to house the homeless with Jeremy Hansen and Auckland City Mission.
In Tauranga, take part in a laneway design competition throughout the duration of the festival, go along to a virtual reality workshop with Ignite Architects and recreate your own version of the Tauranga CBD with Lego at Legopolis.
See some of Wellington‘s best designed homes, go on The Architecture Pub Crawl and see a series of flash exhibitions – quick to put up, quick to see, and quick to come down – by art and architecture collective Humbugga in the capital city during this year’s festival.
In Christchurch, Australian comedian Tim Ross presents How Much for the Green Chair with the Wooden Legs?, tour the newly refurbished Arts Centre and take yourself on a sketching tour around the city.
Speed date and architect in Hamilton, walk through Dunedin’s Warehouse Precinct and screen the Zaha Hadid film ‘Who Dares Wins’ in Wanaka.
These events and many more will be coming to a city near you; keep an eye on the Festival of Architecture website as more details will be announced in the coming weeks.
