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Here’s an annotated walk to the office for tomorrow’s ‘Open Practice’ day. Download a copy of Google Earth and use it to open this file: Birmingham-ArchWeekWalk.kmz

Update:

We’ve added the audio guide to the office to complement the map:

Podcast Episode 2 - ArchWeekWalk and an ArchWeekAnecdote.

Upload to your mp3 player and follow the directions.

See you tomorrow today!

The images linked to the Google Earth file are here: ArchWeekWalk flickr set.

Part of the goal of Open Practice day this Friday is to talk about how architects work. One of the projects available for viewing on Friday will be some recent design work for a single domestic residence on a challenging suburban site.

The challenges of difficult access, overlooking from nearby houses and substantial level changes were developed into opportunities through a series of sketches and diagrams. The diagram is an important device in architecture and the hand drawn sketch continues (in an industry ruled mostly by computer aided design) to be the best way to explore them.

Come and visit on Friday and we can talk about the way the design developed…

A summary document outlining the work completed in Blurton and Normacot using online consultation techniques is now available. We will make some computers available for people to explore the sites during their visit on ‘Open Practice’ day.

Click here to download the PDF document.

Here’s an excerpt from the document:

By including the use of the internet we were able to increase the numbers of consultations, ensure that the process was as transparent as possible and provide another opportunity for hard to reach groups to view the proposals. Although the level of computer ownership in the area is unknown, our view is that as the cost of computer hardware continues to tumble it is incumbent on us to begin to explore online consultation techniques.

Architecture Week podcast episode 1:

To celebrate Architecture Week we’re publishing a two part audio presentation in mp3 format that will lead us up to Open Practice Day next Friday. The proposal is that you listen to them on the way to the office when you come and visit.

Charles Jencks and Ralph Erskine - Participatory Politics and Organic Design (mp3 file - 17Mb).

Episode 1 is for those of you who visit the city in the car, Episode 2 will be more sustainable - we’ll go for a walk!

Architecture Week 2006 events

It’s Architecture Week here in the UK.

Here are a few choice picks from the itinerary in my area, the West Midlands. There are plenty more to choose from on the official web site: www.architectureweek.org.uk.

I’ve saved the best one till last…

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