Terrorism, Happiness and Eco-towns: RIBA events at the 2008 Party Conferences

Date:

09 September 2008

Press office contact:

Mina Vadon
T: +44 (0)207 307 3761
E: mina.vadon@riba.org

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) will be presenting three topical fringe events at this year's Party Political Conferences:

The Built Environment: Can the state design happiness? (part of the Urban Hub)
Eco-towns: Green Solution or White Elephant? (with CPRE)
Security and Resilience: Defending our Built Environment (with the ICE)

These events aim to place architecture and design at the forefront of politicians and policy-makers minds. British people spend an average of 20 hours per day inside buildings. The quality of our buildings has been shown to improve how well children perform in school, how quickly patients get better in hospital, increase our feelings of happiness and reduce levels of crime so politicians need to pay due regard to high quality design.

Attendees have the opportunity to hear leading opinions on these topical issues, including Hazel Blears MP, Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of Shelter; Jeremy Vine, Editor of The Times Public Agenda; Ed Vaizey MP, Sir Terry Farrell; Sunand Prasad, RIBA President and Jonathan Glancey, The Guardian.

These events complement existing projects that the RIBA has been leading on, including the 'Designing out Terrorism' CPD course (run in conjunction with the Home Office), the launch of the 'Building Happiness' book in September 2008 and RIBA President Sunand Prasad's work on the eco-town committee.

Anna Scott-Marshall , Head of Public Affairs at the RIBA said:
"The RIBA wants to see a revolution in attitudes towards architecture and construction in the UK. We want to see policymakers and politicians not just accept that good design is vital but actively promote it. This year's party conferences will be a crucial time where policy is developed for the manifestos ready for a general election"

The RIBA will be hosting these events at each of the party conferences (full details in Notes to Editors) and press are encouraged to attend.

Notes to editors

Notes to editors

Press are invited to attend these events. To book a press place or for further information, please contact Mina Vadon in the RIBA Press Office on 020 7307 3761; email mina.vadon@inst.riba.org
Full details of the RIBA events are as follows:

The RIBA at the Liberal Democrat party Autumn conference:

Monday 15 September 13.00 RIBA in the Urban Hub:

The Built Environment: Can the State Design Happiness?

Hermitage Hotel. Speakers include Richard Younger Ross MP, Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport; Catherine Fieschi, Senior Associate, Demos; Sunand Prasad, President, RIBA

Monday 15 September 18.00 RIBA and CPRE in the Climate Clinic:

'Eco-towns: Green Solution or White Elephant?'

Punshon House. Speakers include Dan Rogerson MP, Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government; Dermot Finch, Director, Centre for Cities; Adam Sampson, Chief Executive, Shelter; Sunand Prasad, President, RIBA; Andrea Davies, Senior Campaigner, CPRE

Tuesday 16 September 18.30 ICE and RIBA:

'Security and Resilience: defending our built environment'

Connaught Hotel. Speakers include Chris Huhne MP, Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Mike Tuffrey AM, Leader of the GLA Liberal Democrat Group; Sunand Prasad, President, RIBA, Paul Jowett, Vice President, ICE

The RIBA at the Labour party Autumn conference:

Monday 22 September 17.45 RIBA/Urban Hub:

The Built Environment: Can the State Design Happiness?

IoD Hub, Peter House, St. Peter's Square.

Speakers include Hazel Blears MP Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Tom Bloxham, Chair, Urban Splash; Sunand Prasad, President, RIBA; Phil Redmond Liverpool Deputy Chair, Liverpool City of Culture; Jeremy Vine, Editor Times Public Agenda (Chair)

Tuesday 23 September 13.00 RIBA and CPRE in the Climate Clinic:

Eco-towns: Green Solution or White Elephant?

The Cube, 113 - 115 Portland Street.

Speakers include Iain Wright MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government; Sir Terry Farrell; Sunand Prasad, President, RIBA; Neil Sinden, Policy Director, CPRE; Jonathan Glancey, Guardian

Tuesday 23 September 18.00 ICE and RIBA:

Security and Resilience: defending our built environment

Banqueting Room of Manchester Town Hall.

Speakers include: Keith Vaz MP, Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee; Murad Queshi AM; Sunand Prasad, President, RIBA; Richard Coakley, Vice-President, ICE; Tom Watson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Cabinet Office tbc;

The RIBA at the Conservative party Autumn conference:

Monday 29 September 17.45 RIBA/Urban Hub:

The Built Environment: Can the State Design Happiness?

City Inn, Brindley Place.

Speakers include: Ed Vaizey MP, Shadow Minister for the Arts; Ben Page, Managing Director, Ipsos MORI; Nic Marks, founder of the nef centre for well-being; Sir Terry Farrell; Ruth Reed, President Elect, RIBA

Tuesday 30 September 13.00 RIBA and CPRE in the Climate Clinic:

Eco-towns: Green Solution or White Elephant?

Speakers include: Jacqui Lait MP Shadow Minister for Planning, Grant Shapps MP, Shadow Minister for Housing;Ruth Reed, President Elect, RIBA; Shaun Spiers, Chief Executive, CPRE; Cllr Paul Bettison, LGA; Chris Trott, Sustainable buildings team leader, Arup

Tuesday 30 September 18.00 ICE and RIBA:

Security and Resilience: defending our built environment

Jury's Inn.

Speakers include: Dame Pauline Neville Jones; Ruth Reed, President Elect, RIBA; Roger Evans AM, London Assembly; Tim Chapman, Chair, ICE Best Practice Panel

3. The RIBA will be part of the Urban Hub at the political party conferences 2008. Urban Hub brings together RIBA, CABE, The Work Foundation, the Core Cities Group and the Centre for Cities for a programme of city-themed events. Our panel events will bring together politicians, cities and business in Manchester, Birmingham and Bournemouth to debate the future for Britain's cities. The full programme is now available at www.urban-hub.org |