(UN)BUILDING 2023/24: DESIGN, CITY-MAKING AND BIODIVERSITY

The (Un)Building 2023-24 curriculum centres on collaboration and project-oriented learning, with a focus on ecology and site-specific design. Working in groups, students are challenged to design and improve the existing ‘Cumberland Square Garden’, adjacent to the LSA’s new home in Dalston.

Working with a wide range of experts within the built environment and local communities, students are encouraged to look to find inspiration in the site’s context, their own experiences as well as cultural traditions that have been passed down through generations. This course hopes to inspire young people to explore and develop resilient forms of space-making.

APPLY NOW FOR 2023/24

Applications for 2023/24 close on Friday 20 October.

(UN)BUILDING: DESIGN SPACE AND CITY-MAKING

In Spring 2023 we ran the pilot programme of (Un)Building as a free 20-week course for young people in Hackney and Islington from underrepresented communities in architecture. It was delivered on Saturday afternoons (2pm to 5pm) from the 7 January to the 27 May 2023 at the LSA in Haggerston and other locations across the city.

(Un)Building introduced foundational climate literacy and presents the practice of spatial design and city-making as a collective endeavour. Alongside introducing a wide range of experts, the cohort undertook a design and build brief, engaging with local community groups to help shape their final proposal which will was realised in late Spring 2023.

The programme explored new ways of designing with sustainability in mind, considering how spaces can be built, unbuilt and adapted to allow for new uses in an age of Climate Emergency and was delivered across three stages:

• Skill-building
• Live project
• Documentation

Our course studied exemplary local retro-fit projects, re-introducing the built environment as a rich source of inspiration, explore the possibilities of working with natural materials and the opportunities that spatial designers have to positively influence their surroundings.

Through emphasising craft and making, critical engagement with context and environment, and collaborative practice, the course inspired young people to explore and develop relevant and resilient forms of space-making.

To learn more about the 2023 programme, ready more below. To find out more about our 2024 Saturday Club, and to get involved, email yaya@the-lsa.org and roy@the-lsa.org.

SKILL-BUILDING

Over the course of the 20 week programme our (Un)Building cohort took part in a range of workshops and talks to help them build essential skills to help them in their future careers. These workshops exposed the cohort to a range of practioners from across the built environment, allowing them to learn about the breadth of the field. The skill-building workshops were as follows:

• Workshop 1: National Saturday Club self-portrait project – model making and presentation skills
• Workshop 2: Introduction to foundational climate literacy by ACAN and Extinction Rebellion – Collective drawing and debate skills
• Workshop 3: RIBA Building tour, “Long Life Low Energy” exhibition, RIBA skill up workshop – drawing skills
• Workshop 4: Mini-me workshop hosted by AHMM – model making skills Workshop 5: Local building tour – Introduction to retro-fit and sustainable design – sketching skills
• Workshop 6 (first half): Presentations on different forms of agency
• Workshop 13: Introduction to circular design with Re-fabricate – model making skills
• Workshop 14: Introduction to engineering principles – model making skills

LIVE PROJECT

The final outcome of the National Saturday Programme was to create a temporary structure, that was designed and made by the young people taking part in the programme. To the end, the course provided workshops to support the live project, introducing the cohort to a range of stakeholders and skills.

• Workshop 6(second half): Introduction to project brief, initial site visit
• Workshop 7: Introduction to community engagement
• Worshop 8: Hearing from the Hoxton Trust (client) / initial concept sketching Workshop 9 /10: Model making
• Workshop 11: Scale drawing
• Workshop 12: Presentation to the Hoxton Trust

DOCUMENTATION

Throughout the programme, the young people were also taught about the importance of documentation. This included a workshop from the photographer Jim Stephenson about architectural photography. The young people, course leaders and workshop providers also created a final output of a Zine, summarising and reviewing the programme. This will be available to view shortly.

THE NATIONAL SATURDAY CLUB

The National Saturday Club offers young people a unique opportunity to explore subjects they love for free, to discover new talents, meet new people, and explore future study and career possibilities. In addition, Club members will participate in National Saturday Club Masterclasses with leading industry professionals, the Summer Show where Saturday Clubs nationwide exhibit their work in a public exhibition, and a Graduation Ceremony for Club members to celebrate their achievements.

Learn more about the NSC here.