Tuesday 23 June 2015

Architecture for a Green Capital: Beyond the environmental handbook

Last week, Peter Clegg, founding partner of FCB Studios and part of the design team behind the new Bristol Arena, gave his keynote lecture - Architecture for a Green Capital: Beyond the environmental handbook.

Presenting lessons learnt from a three-decade pursuit of new environmental approaches to architecture - from self-built experiments in passive solar design at the domestic scale in the 1980s to the increasingly complex social and political issues that shape our contemporary cities - Clegg set out his definition of Architecture for a Green Capital that will help shape the agenda for the City Ideas Studio programme,

Listen to the audio recording of this lecture here.

This event was part of Bristol's Big Green Week, with hexagonal planters made by Bee Bristol, one of which is now outside the front door of the Architecture Centre. Bee Bristol will be featured in the Nature element of the studio too.

For information about upcoming City Ideas Studio events, visit:
http://architecturecentre.co.uk/events



Event: Urban Wanderings - Green Routes

Last week saw Green Routes, an Urban Wandering walk, wend its way from Brunel's Mile to Temple Meads. Led by urban design and conservation specialist Alastair Brook, the walk touched on the five Bristol Green Capital themes (Food, Nature, Resources, Energy and Transport) to explore ideas and projects en route that are working to make Bristol a happier, healthier, better connected and more resourceful city.

Pop-up speakers included Melissa Mean of Redcliffe Forum, who discussed plans for Redcliffe Way; and Claire Raikes from Incredible Edible Bristol, introducing their Urban Growing trail from Temple Meads to Millennium Square. The walk took in the planting beds at Chatterton’s House – two vegetable, one for pollinators - and later looked at the new bed just installed at 100 Temple St (Bristol City Council offices).

This walk was part of Bristol's BIG Green Week.

For information about other Architecture Centre events, please visit: 

Knitiffi: Makers of the knitted fruit and veg in the City Ideas Studio


Want to know more about the knitted fruit and veg that features in the City Ideas Studio: Food?



Knitiffi is a collective of knit artists, including both service users and staff and friends of Milestones Trust.

The Knitiffi project is developed and facilitated by artist Ali Brown: “We create large scale knitted installations, usually based around the concept of knit graffiti. Our mission is to make the world a brighter, happier place; to highlight our immediate surroundings by animating the inanimate. Through ‘chance’ encounters with our installations we hope to provoke reactions to alter peoples’ perspectives on everyday objects."

Read about the latest Knitiffi projects on their blog, and look out for their yarn insects in the next element of the City Ideas Studio - Nature (15 July - September 2015).

Tuesday 9 June 2015

Event Reminder: Urban Wanderings - Green Routes


Guided walk: Wednesday 17 June 2015, 18:00, £6/£4
Meeting place given at time of booking: 0117 922 1540

Urban design and conservation specialist Alistar Brook guides this walk from Brunel's Mile to Temple Meads, using the five Bristol Green Capital themes (Food, Nature, Resources, Energy and Transport) to explore ideas and projects en route that are working to make Bristol a happier, helathier, better connected and more resourceful city.

Pop-up speakers for this event include Melissa Mean (Redcliffe Forum) talking about plans for Redcliffe Way and Claire Raikes from Incredible Edible Bristol talking about that project, food sovereignty and their Urban Growing Trail which runs from Millennium Square to Bristol Temple Meads. 

The walk will last up to 90 minutes. The walk passes over some uneven. Please wear suitable footwear and clothing.

This event is part of BIG Green Week, as is the City Ideas Studio keynote lecture on Tuesday 16 June - find out more and book now.

Join Grow Bristol on Thursday 11 June for the launch of the Urban Growing Trail


Incredible Edible Bristol, Grow Bristol and Bee The Change are collaborating on an exciting project that is bringing food growing to the centre of the city. You will see a trail of food growing spaces springing up as you walk from Platform 3 at Temple Meads past the council offices at 100 Temple Street and along Redcliffe Way to Millennium Square. Its aim is to inspire and educate – showing that food growing can be, and is, relevant in the urban landscape, as well as to provide free food for people and pollinators. Take a look at the most recent #UrbanFoodTrail Map above (which will be updated as more gardens appear) and find out what’s planted where and when to harvest.

June 11th: Urban Growing Trail Opening 


At Engine Shed, from 2-5pm, Incredible Edible Bristol and Grow Bristol, collaborating partners on the Urban Growing Trail, will be holding an afternoon where you're invited to come along and see the Grow Bristol aquaponics pod as well as see some of the Urban Growing Trail gardens. 

The team looks forward to seeing you and talking to you about the trail, how it came about as well as their hopes for how it will progress into the future and help both communities and businesses engage with urban food production as we move forwards as a city.