mantownhumanKowalsky Gallery, 33 Great Sutton Street, London EC1V 0DX
Sponsor: ue
Media partner: 
BluVenue: 
"Blueprint is delighted to be media partner for Critical Subjects, an intellectual endurance test for aspiring architects. With an intensity of ideas combined with practical challenges, mantownhuman's Winter School has the potential to shift the outlook of a generation towards a more ambitious view of the future".
STUDENTS' COMMENTS:
I found the event completely inspiring, both in terms of its initial ambition and content. I left with a real feeling of having been apart of something worthwhile and uniquely dynamic. A breath of fresh air.
Francis Field,
Nottingham
Thank you for such an interesting and valuable 24 hours. The school really helped me question my approach in every aspect. I have never been so energised by such a tiring experience!
David S Jones,
Oxford Brookes
Had a great time, it was especially nice to have the input of such a diverse range of experts, not just from the field of architecture...Great day, great prize, great opportunity.
Rowan Morrice,
Robert Gordon, Aberdeen
The whole experience was worth it, I had an amazing time, as well as learning so much (and it made me much more confident about voicing my own opinion).
Sarah Shuttleworth,
Newcastle
I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that we had such an amazing time at the Winter School - thoroughly stimulating experience and a lot of fun too. It was great to have an open debate and be able to freely express ourselves in a semi informal way. .
Simhika Rao,
Edinburgh
I found the Winter school an incredible experience. I found the debates and talks extremely thought-provoking and interesting. It was an honour meeting so many highly acclaimed professionals in the architecture field. I've come away from the event with an even stronger passion in Architecture.
Mary Denman,
Liverpool
It may not have been the easiest 24 hours but it was well worth doing and I'm really interested in future events and, I would even go as far as to say that I'd do it again. I felt it was not only that the speakers were really interesting but was great to actually discuss ideas not just have them spoken at you, and especially for an event associated with architecture that it was really well run.
Josh Broomer,
Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow
Just wanted to say a big thank you again - finally caught up on some sleep and have been able to fully appreciate the winter school. It was a fantastic session - a great way to share ideas and develop thoughts beyond that of the university institution. My ideas are now overflowing! Much appreciated,
Ashley Ball,
Leeds Metropolitan
I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity and organizing the event. It was an extremely rewarding experience.
Andrew Green, Lincoln
I just wanted to thank you again for a really productive couple of days. It was great to here from speakers, and the chance to question there logic! I really appreciate your enthusiasm and effort you put into the event and I thought it was very successful. Thanks for including me. Hopefully we will encounter each other again in the future.
Holly Hayward, Brighton
I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to attend the design school last week. I did not know what to expect and found it to be an enjoyable and challenging experience. The range of topics discussed was a fantastic insight into some of the issues which architects need to consider. I hope it will make the choices in my design work more informed in the future.
Nicola Perrett, UCL
I think the kind of discussion that we had last week in London would really add volumes to the architectural culture, and am very keen to nurture it. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for accepting me to the winter school, it was a truly exciting experience and one that I will remember for a very long time.
Rory Stott, Newcastle
It was a very interesting (not to mention fun) event! It really re-ignited my interest in architecture.
Andrew Ng, Dundee
I believe that a huge thank you is in order for giving me the opportunity to attend the Winter School. It has really opened my eyes to the questions surrounding architecture which are rarely asked, and has encouraged me to develop a much stronger attitude to architecture as a whole. The school really has sparked something inside me, I have began to write, or more importantly to think, more freely. As soon as I have harnessed these thoughts into any legible writings, I will surely be in touch again.
John Brown, Strathclyde
SPEAKERS'/ JUDGES' COMMENTS:
It was a privilege to engage with the best and brightest students. I left with more thoughts than I brought with me. It is distinctly possible that the future of architecture and the city could be more cheerful than I had imagined.
Ray Tallis, physician, poet and polymath
Well done on organising such a fantastic event!
John McRae, director, ORMS Architecture Design
Thank you! I really enjoyed taking part…what a fantastic event it turned out to be.
Vicky Richardson, director, Architecture, Design, Fashion, British Council
I was privileged to attend the mantownhuman’s "Critical Subjects: Architecture & Design Winter School". I was stimulated and challenged until my brain hurt. I stayed long after my own session had ended.
Michael Owens, strategic planning, development policy and urban regeneration advisor.
I was delighted to help and amazed, knowing yoof, that they took what I had to say seriously!... What you were doing is admirable.
Michael Estorick, founder, Estorick Gallery
I had a blast! Preparing for it was great and the event exceeded all my expectations. Thanks for inviting me.
Ximo Peris, Creative Director, CrystalCG
I enjoyed it very much! It was about generosity.
Colin Fournier, co-architect with Peter Cook of the Kunsthaus Graz
Well done for organising, it was a very successful event and the students all seemed to get a lot out of it.
Brian Eckersley, director, Eckersley O’Callaghan Structural Design
Good fun… I was very impressed given the short timescale and seriously impressed with your dedication. Don't hesitate to ask again… I thought it very much worth it. Thanks for asking me to help, was a pleasure.
Amin Taha, Amin Taha Architects
I enjoyed the session very much and thought the engagement from the students was fantastic. I'd be very happy to do it again.
Munira Mirza, director of arts, culture and the creative industries for the Mayor of London
I liked the way that it mixed up parts of the country and broke down silly silos that exist around schools. The students I talked to said they would keep in touch with each other.
Cany Ash, director, Ash Sakula
It was brilliant and we loved it.
Ben Pentreath, The Three Classicists
mantownhuman is:
Austin Williams, Alastair Donald and Karl Sharro
More information is available on www.mantownhuman.org
07957534909
mantownhuman
Critical Subjects: Architecture & Design Winter School
November 17 – 18th
The Advisory/ Judging Panel included:
Edwin Heathcote, architecture and design critic, Financial
Times;
Matthew Collings, writer and presenter of This is Modern
Art, and host of Channel 4's Turner Prize coverage;
Vicky Richardson, director, Architecture, Design & Fashion,
British Council;
Peter Kelly, acting editor, Blueprint;
Amin Taha, Amin Taha Architects;
Cany Ash, Ash Sakula;
Pauline Hadaway, director, Belfast Exposed;
Cathy Slessor, editor, The Architectural Review;
Nadim Karam, founder, Atelier Hapsitus [Beirut];
Munira Mirza, director, Arts, Culture & the Creative
Industries for the Mayor of London;
Rafael Vinoly, founder, Rafael Vinoly Architects;
Kristen Richards, editor-in-chief, Oculus and ArchNewsNow.com
[New York];
Jonathan Glancey, architecture and design correspondent,
The Guardian;
Kate Goodwin, architecture programme curator, Royal Academy;
Enrique Norten, principal, TEN Arquitectos (New York/
Mexico City);
Lise Anne Couture, principal, Asymptote Architecture (New
York);
Joe Ewart, founder, graphic design studio, Society;
Tim Marlow, creative director at White Cube; writer/
presenter Tim Marlow on..;.
Michael Sorkin, founder, Michael Sorkin Studio; director
of the graduate urban design program at New York's City College;
Gilane Tawadros, chief executive, Design and Artists Copyright
Society;
Gordon Murray, founder,
Gordon Murray Architects; past president, RIAS; chair, SCHOSA (Standing
Conference of Heads of Schools of Architecture)
Guest performance from the "New Palladians" (Ben Pentreath, George Saumarez Smith and Francis Terry) constructing a major work over the course of the day.
| 10:30 | ARRIVALS | SPEAKERS / GUESTS |
| 11:00-12:00 | How to think critically? | Are we the midst of a crisis of judgment? |
| 12:00-13:00 | What is Beauty? | Three critics explore the meaning - and role - of criticism |
| 13:00-13:30 |
Integrity |
Does (structural) honesty implies (architectural) integrity? |
| 13:30-14:00 | Lunch | |
| 14:00-15:00 | Whatever happened to 'ism's? | Futurism, Modernism, Post-Modernism... Environmentalism? |
| 15:00-16:00 | Drawing things together | Art class |
| 16:00-17:00 | Is less more? | Potentially; the more choices you have, the better the project? |
| 17:00-17:30 | Tea | |
| 17:30-18:30 | Is architecture social policy? | Should architecture tell us how to live? |
| 18:30-19:30 | What's the Big Idea? | Is it good to be Utopian or is pragmatism more important? |
| 19:30-20:00 | Proportion | What is the reality of eternal essences, natural beauty & universal truth? |
| 20:00-20:15 | Setting the brief for the DESIGN EXERCISE - an urban intervention | |
| 20:15-08:30 | STUDIO DESIGN EXERCISE | Start of all-night design project |
| 03:30 | Film interlude & discussion | |
| 09:00-12:00 | Final Crits | Presenting your project... and the ideas behind the concept - to a panel of judges |
Note: Food and drink was available throughout the day
The Future Cities project has been set up to critically explore issues around
the city.
Read on...