Students Design Day

A unique collaboration between the four Schools of Architecture in Yorkshire took place at Sheffield Hallam University on 19 February 2008. The Students Design Day,
organised by RIBA Yorkshire and Sheffield Hallam University, involved 96 third-year students, working in groups of four on a design project. Each team was made up of one student from each of the four institutions – the University of Huddersfield, Leeds Metropolitan University, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield.

The one-day event was the first time the four Schools of Architecture have joined forces in many years and it aimed to capture some of the spirit of the Winter Schools of the past, which some members may remember.

Go to Press Releases |for further details. 

 

'Rhubarb, Rhubarb' - A fresh way to network

On 6 March 2008, RIBA Yorkshire ran pan-professional networking event 'Rhubarb, Rhubarb', on behalf of Integreat Yorkshire and hosted by Liz Green from BBC Radio Leeds at Leeds' Oracle Bar. Integreat is the Regional Centre for Excellence in Regeneration and Renaissance and has enlisted the help of RIBA Yorkshire to develop a programme of networking and collaboration events for built environment professionals. 

The hundred-strong audience was treated to a fascinating insight into the inspirations and influences of eight individual presenters, drawn from a wide spectrum of disciplines. The professional bodies who put forward a speaker were the RIBA, RTPI, RICS, Institution of Highways and Transportation, Yorkshire Forward, Landscape Institute, ICE and Chartered Institute of Housing. The IStructE and CIOB were also actively involved and the RICS kindly provided funding for drinks on the night. 

'Rhubarb Rhubarb' is a version of the popular Pecha Kucha networking nights formulated by Tokyo-based architects, Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham. Original Pecha Kuchas were organised as informal networking events for architects and designers and were named after the Japanese word that describes the buzz of conversation, for which the closest British equivalent is 'Rhubarb, Rhubarb'.

Each speaker is asked to present 10 images representing people, structures, ideas and places that have inspired them both professionally and personally. They have just 30 seconds per image to explain how it has inspired them and led them to this point in their lives. The fast pace of the presentations challenges speakers to stick to their subjects and encourages them to experiment, while the audience experiences a kaleidoscope of ideas and images to spark conversation.

IStructE Chair, Tristram Hope, who attended the event said: 'Some great quirks - from British Rail's own 'Railway Font', to the relevance of handbags to modern-day architectural practice – but also the serious conviction that bravery is a pre-requisite to good design. Roll on next year!'

This will be the first of three regional pan professional forums to be delivered on behalf of Integreat this year, which they hope will help to shape our collective responses to many of the pressing issues impacting on the region, not least achieving a low carbon economy.

Richard Motley, Programme Director, Integreat Yorkshire said: 'It is important to maintain this cross-sector dialogue within the built environment if we are to make Yorkshire and the Humber a great place to live, work, play and invest.'