Concrete Elegance lecture: Showcase for contemporary architecture

Two exemplar contemporary concrete architecture projects will be presented at the next Concrete Elegance lecture to be held at The Building Centre, Store Street, London, on 10th March 2010 from 18.30hrs. The event is organised by The Concrete Centre in partnership with The Building Centre and supported by Graphic Concrete.

Simon Henley, from Buschow Henley Architects, will discuss St Benedict’s School in Ealing, London. The building has been designed like Russian dolls, with one hall inside the other. The inner two storey examination hall is framed by a cage of columns and doors which when open doubles the area to create assembly space. The physical form and plan of the halls, visitor entrance and new chapel evoke a cloister at the very centre of the school and this reflects the culture of the Benedictines.

The second presentation will be by Matthew Hardcastle of Zaha Hadid Architects who will examine the Evelyn Grace Academy in Brixton. Here, the design continues the ‘school within a school’ theme.  Natural patterns of division within highly functional spaces are generated to provide each of the four smaller schools with a distinct internal and external identity. These spaces have an abundance of natural light and ventilation and feature understated by durable textures. The communal spaces are planned to encourage social communication with aggregation nodes that weave together the various spaces.

Admission to the lecture is free. To register, email: reception@buildingcentre.co.uk

Ref: TCC637