UNStudio to design Yongjia World Trade Centre

News: Dutch office UNStudio has won a competition to design a world trade centre in the growing city of Wenzhou, China, with proposals for a family of segmented skyscrapers.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio

Occupying an eleven-hectare site near Wenzhou’s riverfront, the Yongjia World Trade Centre will add to the growing number of international trade centres in China – currently standing at 26 – but will also create a mix of retail, leisure and residential uses in a district presently dominated by offices.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio

UNStudio‘s design concept is for a collection of “precious objects on a tray”, comprising five towers rising up from a podium with a landscaped roof. “The continuous podium landscape occupies the entire site and serves as a tray-like, green plain for the towers,” says the studio.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio

The two tallest towers, including one with a height of 287 metres, will be positioned to the north of the site and will house the World Trade Centre operations. Apartments will occupy the uppermost floors, while the three towers to the south will accommodate a mix of residential, shops, offices and a hotel.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Model photograph

A series of overlapping frames will give a segmented form to the elevations of each tower, intended to break down the scale and outline different communities. Where these frames overlap, the architects will create gardens and meeting areas for both offices and apartments.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Design concept – click for larger image

The surrounding gardens and terraces will unite the buildings, creating a publicly accessibly green route from the buildings to the river.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Landscape diagram – click for larger image

UNStudio recently announced its relaunch as an “open-source architecture studio” inspired by technology start-ups. Find our more in our interview with studio principal Ben van Berkel.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Use diagram – click for larger image and key

The studio is also working on several skyscraper proposals, including a residential tower for London and a cactus-shaped skyscraper for Singapore. See more design by UNStudio »

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Sky garden concept diagram – click for larger image

Here’s a project description from the studio:


Yongjia World Trade Center, Wenzhou, China, 2013

The Yongjia World Trade Centre will create a new image for the WTC brand and will become a unique symbol for the new riverside city of Wenzhou. Wenzhou city lies in the dense economic zone along the coast of southeast China, next to the Yangtze River Delta region. The deep water sea port outside of Wenzhou and the inland channel to the sea expands the city’s access advantages for international and domestic markets.

The World Trade Center is located in the Oubei Sanjiang Area which has the highest development potential in Wenzhou. According to the masterplan, the Oubei Sanjiang Area in Yongjia is positioned as an integrated functional area with, among others, business, modern residence, tourism service, leisure and entertainment functions rolled into one.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Atrium locations

The functional shift of the WTC area, from a business and financial district to a mixed-use development which includes cultural and recreational facilities and a high percentage of residential properties, will create a forward-looking and sustainable city district that has all the components needed to support economic growth whilst propelling social connectivity and local identity.

UNStudio’s competition design proposed 5 towers ranging from 287m for the main tower to 146m for the smallest tower. The office towers, including the World Trade Centre offices, are situated in the north area of the development. High end residential apartments are located on the upper levels of these towers, with residences that enjoy the best 360 degree views overlooking the whole peninsula. The programme mix of office and residential ensures an intertwining of functions and activation throughout the day and night. In the south part of the development residential towers and a hotel tower are located. In accordance with the competition brief the total above ground area adds up to 500,000 sqm, including shopping and commercial areas of 150,000 sqm, office areas of 160,000 sqm, hotel area of 50,000 sqm and a high-rise condominium are of 140,000 sqm.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Facade concept diagrams – click for larger image

UNStudio’s design for the new World Trade Centre presents a green neighbourhood in the sky which is combined with three main elements:
» Trade and business
» Diverse programme mix
» Accessible public landscape

The notion of precious objects on a tray drives the main design concept, where the continuous podium landscape occupies the entire site and serves as a tray-like, green plain for the towers. The harmonious composition of the towers affords a unique image of the development from all different views. The composition will interweave with its surroundings, yet will remain recognisable as family of objects.

On the tower scale ‘frames’ underline the concept of neighbourhoods in the sky which create unique locations with distinct identities. Where these frames overlap the so-called ‘Eyes’ are located. These are commonly used spaces such as sky gardens and lounges for use by residents, or social gathering places for office areas that afford the best views towards the river and Wenzhou city centre. Both the frames and the ‘eyes’ enhance the character of this future city symbol.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Tower sections – click for larger image

The landscape is the unifying element in the overall design, providing the display element for the tower objects. It is in large parts publically accessible and establishes a continuous green connection that links through the central green axis to the riverfront area.

The competition design proposes zoning by differently themed areas embedded into the landscape that are related to cultural and entertainment functions. At the central water stream and on the lower podium level the landscape has a lively character with various functions. In contrast, the top of the roof enjoys a more private character. This zoning creates diverse green areas that can satisfy the different needs of residents, visitors and business people alike.

Yongjia World Trade Centre Wenzhou by UNStudio
Concept diagram by Ben van Berkel

Client: Shanghai World Trade (Shanghai) Holdings Group
Location: Wenzhou, China
Building surface: 500.000 m² above ground
Building site: 4 plots total 154,900 m2, the developable area is 111,237 m2
Programme: Towers with Offices, Residential and Hotel, Podium with Retail and cultural functions
Status: Competition 1st prize

Credits: Ben van Berkel, Astrid Piber with Hannes Pfau, Ger Gijzen, Juliane Maier, Martin Zangerl and Sontaya Bluangtook, Amanda Chan, Albert Gnodde, Jan Kokol, Patrik Noome, Mo Lai, Jan Rehders, René Rijkers, Stefano Rocchetti, Shuang Zhang

Landscape consultant: Loos van Vliet
Structure consultant: ARUP Shanghai
Sustainabilty consultant: ARUP Hong Kong

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Young people “can’t afford to work for free” says Intern magazine founder

News: the founder of a new magazine celebrating the work of interns in the creative industry has spoken of the dangers of creating a culture on unpaid labour (+ interview + slideshow).

Intern magazine

“We would welcome a move away from unpaid positions,” said Alec Dudson, who is trying to raise money on Kickstarter to launch Intern magazine in the UK. “The danger across all industries is that a culture is fostered whereby young talent thinks nothing of unpaid work and puts up with arrangements that are far from beneficial,” says Dudson.

However, Dudson said that unpaid positions can sometimes be beneficial to young people. “Unpaid positions can, in circumstances that satisfy the intern’s needs, be useful experiences for those trying to break into the industry,” he said, responding to D&AD chairman Dick Powell’s recent speech advising graduates to “work for nothing”.

Yesterday Powell clarified his remarks, saying unpaid work is not “acceptable on any level”.

Intern magazine for creative industries

Intern magazine aims to showcase work from talented creatives currently interning in the creative industry, and raise debate on the culture of internships. Manchester-based Dudson told Dezeen: “Our intention is to empower interns through the publication.”

Intern magazine for creative industries

Dudson founded the magazine after a two-month paid internship with Domus in Milan and voluntary work with Boat magazine in London. “I gained a lot from my internships, but I had to sacrifice a lot in order to do them,” he said.

Intern magazine has launched a funding campaign on Kickstarter this month, which runs until Wednesday 7 August 2013. If the fundraising is successful, issue one will go on sale in October 2013. Here’s the campaign video:

Here’s the full interview with Dudson:


Kate Andrews: Why did you decide to start Intern magazine?

Alec Dudson: I set out on my first internship in the magazine industry last March with Domus in Milan. After two months there, moved to London and worked for the remainder of the year with Boat. Realising after what were two wonderful, yet financially tough, experiences that I was no closer to my dream position with a magazine, I started to explore the possibilities of setting up my own. Inspired by my own relatively brief time in the world of internships and the experiences of others I had met, it struck me that the ideal subject for such an endeavour was right before my eyes.

I knew from my time at Boat how slender the opportunities to make a profit off print publications were, so any project I did set out on was going to need to undertaken by me alone, wherever possible. Fortunately, Chris, one of the freelance designers at Boat during my stint there, was just setting up design studio She Was Only with a couple of friends and they were prepared to take on the project’s design and art direction. Without them, I would have struggled to get the idea off the ground.

Kate Andrews: Were your internships with Domus and Boat magazine paid or unpaid?

Alec Dudson: At Domus I was paid €400 a month, which just about covered my rent when I was out there. Boat was not but I approached them and was fully aware of the situation before I started.

Kate Andrews: When does the first issue come out?

Alec Dudson: Our Kickstarter campaign runs until August 7th. Should we successfully raise the £5500 or more, I hope to have issue one on sale in September or October at the latest. While a portion of our content is already down and good to go, my helpless desire for perfection and the difficulties in rounding up final drafts of all the articles will inevitably cause some delays. But I firmly intend for the magazine to be very much worth the wait. Anyone backing us to the tune of £1 or more will be kept in the loop regarding the issue’s progress allowing our backers to come with us on the journey towards our launch.

Intern magazine for creative industries

Kate Andrews: What will be in the first issue?

Alec Dudson: The first issue will feature a selection of work by interns from around the world alongside a balanced debate that also see contributions from those established in the creative industries.

Kate Andrews: What are your thoughts about internships, particularly unpaid internships, in the creative industries?

Alec Dudson: I don’t necessarily feel that the creative industries are any better or worse than other industries with regard to how they treat and value unpaid and junior talent, but I do feel that they make a fascinating case study.

The danger across all industries is that a culture is fostered whereby young talent thinks nothing of working unpaid and puts up with arrangements that are far from beneficial. I personally feel I gained a lot from my internships but I had to sacrifice a lot in order to work them, still I am luckier than most as I was in a position where I could make the situation work. A great deal of people simply can’t afford to work for free and by creating situations where only those who can afford are granted access to the industries, you engender a scenario where the pool of talent being picked from is already very selective. Surely this is a morally perplexing scenario for the creative industries as creativity isn’t something only people of a certain social class have or can articulate?

Kate Andrews: What advice would you give to graduates hoping to enter the creative industries?

Alec Dudson: My advice to new talent would be to have the confidence to value yourself and your time. If you end up working unpaid for a studio or company whose work you adore, yet you aren’t given the sort of hands on experience that you desire, or aren’t made to feel an important part of the team, don’t be afraid to walk away. Doing so in a civil manner won’t stop you being able to list them on your CV and get a reference.

The best internships out there are those where trust is placed in the intern and they are allowed a degree of creative freedom and involvement in the day-to-day. It might not seem like it, but there are some great places out there that provide these sort of experiences, they pay as well. Confidence in your ability and the confidence to communicate that ability are key in breaking into the creative industries.

Intern magazine for creative industries

Kate Andrews: Do you think unpaid work is okay or not?

Alec Dudson: I think there remain situations where it can be beneficial. I certainly wouldn’t have had the confidence or the know-how to approach [this project] if it had not been from my time with Boat magazine. Ideally, of course, all positions would be paid. But I think if those contemplating internships have a better idea of what to expect and what isn’t acceptable when it comes to free work, then a lot of the exploitative unpaid positions can be eradicated.

Kate Andrews: Are internships a good thing?

Alec Dudson: Again, in their purest form, absolutely. A good internship is one where the transaction – in a non-monetary sense – is enriching for both parties. By treating interns as a valuable resource and a part of the team, employers can get far more than an eager worker in return. From the intern’s perspective, someone who values their contribution and trusts them, offering guidance where needed can be of great value going forward. Of course these experiences are always subjective but there are too many instances where the arrangement offers little for the intern that little or no monetary compensation can justify.

Kate Andrews: Will Intern magazine be taking on interns? Will they be paid?

Alec Dudson: We won’t be taking on interns. We will be sourcing contributions from interns and unpaid workers in the creative industries and paying them for their contribution. The reality is that this won’t be a full professional rate, but as a new publication and one with a model for steady sustainable growth, we will pay as much as we can. It is the hope that as the magazine grows, sooner rather than later, those payments will reflect a professional rate.

Kate Andrews: What stance will the magazine take on unpaid internships?

Alec Dudson: Our position can’t be overly vitriolic as it would undermine our ability to host a debate of any worth. However, it is clear enough from our stance on paying our contributors that we would welcome a move away from unpaid positions. Internships can be a positive thing to do. We will feature stories from those who we believe provide excellent internships but will not waste our time bad-mouthing those who don’t. A key means of enriching the intern experience for all concerned is providing the tools – in terms of advice and tales of others’ experience – that enable those applying for internships to be more discerning and that is one of the magazine’s main intentions.

Intern magazine

Kate Andrews: What are your thoughts on Sou Fujimoto’s comments about unpaid architecture internships in Japan?

Alec Dudson: The RIBA’s stance [in calling for people to report unpaid internships in the UK] is an important attempt to clean house of the UK architecture industry. The debate may not have much footing in Japan at the moment but it will be interesting to see if that remains the case going forward. If the interns are highly involved in model building and, with that, real projects, then I imagine it can be a really great experience for them, particularly with a firm with huge international status.

Where it gets morally perplexing is that realistically, few can afford to work for three to six months unpaid for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. If this is during studies or with a scholarship in place then I imagine it is easier but it is those who have the talent yet are financially restricted from getting that experience that we should be worrying about and that the debate needs driving forward for.

Kate Andrews: What about Dick Powell’s recent speech that advised people to “work for nothing” to break into the industry?

Alec Dudson: Unpaid positions can, in circumstances that satisfy the intern’s needs, be useful experiences for those trying to break into the industry and I think that is what he is suggesting. But it is a bit disappointing that a prominent figure associated with a foundation like D&AD is encouraging graduates to specifically seek out unpaid work.

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“I’m sure we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year” – Marcel Wanders

Dutch designer and Moooi art director Marcel Wanders explains why the design brand wanted to make a big impact at Milan this year in this movie filmed at Moooi’s Unexpected Welcome exhibition

"I am certain that we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year"

The Moooi show featured pieces from its Unexpected Welcome collection arranged in small room layouts, with giant portraits by Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf dividing the large warehouse space.

"I am certain that we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year"

“I am 100% sure that we are by far the most expensive exhibition in this Milano fair,” Wanders says in the movie. “We might hopefully be the most impressive one.”

"I am certain that we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year"

“For Moooi, this is the right moment to do something,” he continues. “This year we felt we were really ready to do more development.”

"I am certain that we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year"

“We wanted to show that besides making iconic objects, we are ready to do spaces, to make things work together. To not only make objects, but homes.”

"I am certain that we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year"

Wanders believes that the quickly developing economies in the east provide a new set of challenges and opportunities for companies like Moooi.

"I am certain that we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year"

“The west has been educated in its own kind of rational way for a hundred years,” he says. “We arrive now to clients all over the world. These people don’t have this dogmatic education. You’re not going to sell them a grey sofa because you tell them it’s a great grey sofa.”

"I am certain that we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year"

Wanders continues: “You have to give real value, give them something that they think is really vital to them, something valuable to them, something they really want to have in their hearts. And I think it’s a great opportunity for design.”

"I am certain that we had the most expensive exhibition at Milan this year"

See all our Milan 2013 coverage »
Watch our Dezeen and MINI World Tour video reports from Milan »

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4n house by Ninkipen!

This family house in Nara, Japan, is raised up on pilotis and residents have to enter using a staircase beneath the floor (+ slideshow).

4n house by Ninkipen!

Named 4n, the residence was designed by Osaka studio Ninkipen! to house a couple and their two children.

4n house by Ninkipen!

The site had previously been split into two levels with a retaining wall in between. Rather than levelling the ground, the architects decided to create a hill and position the house above it.

4n house by Ninkipen!

“We removed the wall, connecting the two levels with a gentle slope, and floated the house above it,” said architect Imazu Yasuo. “By elevating the house on pilotis we created good views and an all-weather outdoor space.”

4n house by Ninkipen!

The cantilevered front end of the building forms the shelter for an entrance porch, leading through to the staircase and up into the house.

4n house by Ninkipen!

Inside, the lower level of the house is divided up into different living areas. A concrete kitchen counter runs along one side, while a dining table is positioned centrally and the front end is a living room with partitioning glass screens.

4n house by Ninkipen!

A second staircase leads up to an attic floor, where exposed timber ceiling beams frame a pair of bedrooms.

4n house by Ninkipen!

Ninkipen! previously designed a house made up of a set of rectangular volumes. Other projects by the studio include a bakery in Osaka and a clothing shop with fake doors.

4n house by Ninkipen!

See more design by Ninkipen! »
See more houses in Japan »

4n house by Ninkipen!

Photography is by Hiroki Kawata.

4n house by Ninkipen!

Here’s a project description from the architect:


This is a house for a family of four in Ikoma city.

The site had been divided into two levels with a retaining wall, and vehicle access was to the lower level only. We removed the wall, connecting the two levels with a gentle slope, and floated the house above it.

4n house by Ninkipen!

By elevating the house on piloti we created good views and an all weather outdoor space which is also a children’s playground and the entrance porch.

4n house by Ninkipen!

The window rail on the second floor is cantilevered to allow wind flow inside. The kitchen counter is a thin concrete slab on a timber frame and maybe it is suitable to call it just a flower stand.

4n house by Ninkipen!

The third floor is a cramped but has free flowing atmosphere like an attic. Children are running around these three floors now.

4n house by Ninkipen!

We hope that this family of four can have a house for their family in the wake of the 3.11 earthquake and live comfortably in their own way.

4n house by Ninkipen!

Project name: 4n
Architect: Yasuo Imazu / ninkipen!
Structural engineer: Masaichi Taguchi / TAPS
Contractor: Kimura Koumuten

4n house by Ninkipen!

Use: house
Location: Ikoma city, Nara
Completion: 2013.3
Total floor area: 118.98m2

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Gala chandelier by Rich Brilliant Willing

Product news: these chandeliers by American lighting designers Rich Brilliant Willing feature glowing blobs of glass that dangle from aluminium rods.

Gala Chandelier by RBW

The Gala chandelier was designed by Rich Brilliant Willing with a form taken from nature. “It’s like “full, ripe fruit hanging on a branch,” says the studio.

Gala Chandelier by RBW

The bulbs are hand-blown by a local glass blower, before being hooked over aluminium rods using fixings that look like basket handles.

Gala Chandelier by RBW

The rods come in three lengths – 42 inch, 72 inch or 114 inch – and can be combined with a choice of small, large or long bulbs that can be configured in either symmetrical or asymmetrical arrangements along the rod.

Gala Chandelier by RBW

Gala chandelier was presented last month at New York Design Week, where Rich Brilliant Willing also launched a wall-mounted bedside lamp that can be swivelled to angle light where it’s needed.

Gala Chandelier by RBW

Other lamps we’ve recently published include a set of pendant lamps with raised collars that direct light up to the ceiling as well as down to the floor and a duo of floor lamps that have shades almost identical to their bases. See all our stories about lighting »

Gala Chandelier by RBW

Here’s a product description from Rich Brilliant Willing:


Full, ripe fruit hanging on a branch. The Gala Chandelier takes its cues from nature (and a RBW favourite snack!), with curvaceous, organic forms that sit alongside or above one another on a strong linear arm. Hand-blown glass bulbs are supported by a sleek aluminium beam, adding warmth and subtle character to any contemporary space.

Gala also conjures a festive celebration and it is this spirit that the warm orbs of light intend to offer. Basket like ‘handles’ connect globes to the beam and discreet powered cables connect the beam to the ceiling.

All RBW products are hand-assembled in the studio and with that as a production backbone, we thought to further explore artisan skills and craft in our 2013 collection. The Gala Chandelier’s most prominent design feature is undoubtedly its glass bulbs and for this, we sourced a local glass blower.

A technique developed in the middle of the last century BC, glassblowing requires a blow pipe and super lung strength. These tools allow molten glass to form into a bubble and from there it can be shaped however the blower sees fit.

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Dezeen Mail #161

Innovation-Tower-at-Hong-Kong-Polytechnic-University-by-Zaha-Hadid-Architects-s7

Zaha Hadid’s soon-to-complete university building in Hong Kong and a debate surrounding unpaid internships feature in Dezeen Mail issue 161, along with all the latest news, jobs, competitions and reader comments from Dezeen.

Read Dezeen Mail issue 160 | Subscribe to Dezeen Mail

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UK launch of camera you focus after shooting

News: a camera that allows users to focus photographs after they’ve been taken has launched in the UK.

Lytro camera

The Lytro camera uses “plenoptic” or “light-field” technology to record light at every point in a scene, rather than at a particular focal point, as with a traditional camera. The user can then select a focal point to create a sharp image later.

“It’s the first consumer camera that records the entire light field – all the rays of light traveling in every direction through a scene – instead of a flat 2D image,” explains the company’s website.

The cuboid-shaped camera has only two buttons – for the power and the shutter. The square touchscreen is used to view and focus images.

Move and click your mouse over the image below to see how the zooming and focussing technology works:

“With light field technology there is a huge opportunity for creativity in photography that hasn’t been possible in the past,” said Jason Rosenthal, CEO of Lytro. “We’re looking forward to seeing living pictures from our UK customers,” he added.

Lytro camera

Consumers can pre-order and buy the camera from UK retail stores starting from 22 July 2013. The camera was first launched in the USA in February 2012.

See more cameras on Dezeen »

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Porsche Sculpture by Gerry Judah

This streamlined sculpture by designer Gerry Judah features three Porsche 911s soaring up into the sky like rockets.

Porsche sculoture by Gerry Judah

Gerry Judah created the sculptural installation for car brand Porsche at Goodwood Festival of Speed, which took place last weekend.

Porsche sculoture by Gerry Judah

The structure features three iconic generations of Porsche 911, secured onto the end of 35 metre-long hollow steel plates that have been welded together.

Porsche sculoture by Gerry Judah

It weighs just over 22 tonnes and each leg slims down at the base, becoming narrow enough for a person to wrap their hands around.

Porsche sculoture by Gerry Judah

“I had to create a sculpture which personifies the energy and excitement of the car and the Festival of Speed,” Judah told Dezeen. “The 911 is a fantastic shape, so I had to think ‘You can’t deconstruct or embellish it’; so in this context the sculpture had to provide the right platform for the car to soar up and shine in the sky”.

Porsche sculoture by Gerry Judah

Judah creates an enormous car sculpture for the festival every year. Past projects include a white knotted race track for Lotus and a bright red looping structure for Alfa Romeo. See more sculptures by Judah »

Photography is by David Barbour.

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Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition

Dezeen promotion: an exhibition dedicated to the work of British architect Richard Rogers opens at London’s Royal Academy of Arts today.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
Centre Pompidou, photo by David Noble. Top photo by Katsuhisa Kida

Timed to coincide with Rogers’ 80th birthday, the exhibition contains a retrospective of the architect’s career – from his early experiences and education to his current portfolio of work with Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
Escalators of the Centre Pompidou

Original architectural drawings, sketches and photographs of his iconic buildings will be displayed, such as the radical Centre Pompidou in Paris, designed with Renzo Piano, Lloyd’s headquarters in London and the Bordeaux Law Courts.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
Centre Pompidou elevation from the competition entry

Rogers will reflect on his architectural career during an evening discussion on 19 July and he will be joined by Piano to chat about their collaboration at another event on 4 October.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
The Room at Lloyd’s of London, photo by Janet Gill

A series of Friday evening talks themed on architecture and urban design will include speakers Michael Pinsky, Dan Pearson and Douglas Murphy and will be free to anyone with an exhibition ticket.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
New Area Terminal, Madrid Airport, photo by Manuel Renau

The exhibition opens to the public from today until 13 October at the Burlington Gardens gallery of the Royal Academy of Arts.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
National Assembly for Wales, photo by Katsuhisa Kida

Tickets cost £8 and concessions are available, while children under 12 free and Friends of the RA go free.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
Wimbledon House, photo by Richard Bryant

For more details about the exhibition visit the Royal Academy of Arts website.

Ahead of the exhibition, Richard Rogers spoke to Dezeen about how architecture’s civic responsibility has been eroded in “an age of greed”. Read the interview »

See all our stories about Richard Rogers »
See more architecture by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners »

The following information is from the organisers:


Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out will explore the ideas and ethos of the internationally renowned architect and urbanist Lord Rogers of Riverside. Timed to coincide with Rogers’ 80th birthday, the exhibition will examine his social, political and cultural influences and their connection to his architecture. Previously unseen original material, drawings and personal items, will present a unique insight into the thinking behind one of the world’s most celebrated architects. Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out will be held in Burlington Gardens, the Royal Academy’s new venue for contemporary art and architecture.

The exhibition will draw on key stages in Rogers’ life, from the influence of his Italian family, his experience of wartime and post-war Britain, his education at the Architectural Association and Yale, and the impact of seeing new American architecture and technology. Visitors will be introduced to Rogers’ principles through the presentation of major projects and collaborations, revealing his pioneering ideas about architecture and his belief in the need to create vibrant cities for everyone.

Rogers has consistently worked with themes that are far wider than conventional architectural thinking, articulating them as a spokesperson, writer, politician and activist, as well as an architect. For over half a century, Rogers has advocated the social objectives of architecture, the importance of public space, urban regeneration and better planning, through innovative design. He has played a pivotal role in master-planning and shaping government policy on urban development, believing that architecture is the most powerful agent for social change.

A number of high-profile projects that incorporate Rogers’ architectural principles will be showcased. These will include the Centre Pompidou, designed with Renzo Piano and still considered one of the most radical modern buildings since its opening in 1977, the Grade 1 listed headquarters for Lloyd’s of London, and the Bordeaux Law Courts. Through these projects Rogers has established himself and his practice, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, as standing at the forefront of the architecture industry.

The exhibition will bring together the far reaching effects that Rogers’ interest in the politics of social justice has had on architecture and public policy.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
Wimbledon House sketch

Join the debate

To encourage visitors to engage in the debates and issues around architecture today, the final room in the exhibition will be a space for dialogue and discussion, events and workshops, where visitors can share their views and hear from high- profile speakers in related fields. Also look out for Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Manufactured House in the courtyard through August until early September. This innovative, flat packed, environmentally efficient home is an example of how new building technologies can help shape better mass housing.

Friday Evening Soapbox Talks

Taking place in Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out, the Soapbox provides a literal platform for key figures from the worlds of architecture, design, art and engineering to make fresh and passionate 15-minute polemics on some the central issues confronting architecture and cities, today and in the future. Provocative and inspiring, contentious and stimulating, audience participation is actively encouraged!

7–7.30pm – Gallery 10, Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington Gardens. Free with an exhibition ticket (no booking required).

» 26 July: Michael Pinsky – fresh and passionate polemics on central issues confronting architecture and cities.
» 2 August: Douglas Murphy – writer and critic. Murphy will be asking ‘Whose Future?’
» 9 August: Carolyn Steel – architect and leading thinker on food and cities, Steel will discuss “Sitopia: The Creative Power of Food”.
» 16 August: Dan Pearson – leading landscape designer, Pearson’s work ranges from small private gardens to large-scale, multifaceted public spaces and parks.
» 30 August: Anna Minton – Minton discusses ‘how the security which comes with privatised ‘public’ places creates fear and paranoia. A truly public realm by contrast, is open, inclusive and democratic’.

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
Zip-up House, courtesy of Richard + Su Rogers

Evening Events

Please check RA website for full details, timings and tickets.

» 19 July: Richard Rogers RA in Conversation
» 9 September: Architecture and Politics
» 23 September: Designing Cities
» 4 October: Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano with Alan Rusbridger

For more details of daytime events, family activities, exhibition and architecture tours visit the exhibition website here.

Organisation

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out is organised by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSH-P) and the Royal Academy of Arts. The exhibition has been curated by Jeremy Melvin, Consultant Curator for Architecture, Royal Academy of Arts. The exhibition is designed by Ab Rogers Design with graphics by Graphic Thought Facility.

Supported by: Ferrovial Agroman, Heathrow and Laing O’Rourke. Investing today to transform tomorrow.

Media Partner: The Guardian

Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out exhibition
“London As it Could Be” drawing

Catalogue

An illustrated catalogue has been published to accompany the exhibition Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out, with contributions from Michael Heseltine, Anne Powers, Michael Craig-Martin and Ricky Burdett amongst others.

Dates

Open to the public: Thursday 18 July – Sunday 13 October 2013, 10am – 6pm daily (last admission 5.30pm)

Late night opening: Fridays until 10pm (last admission 9.30pm)

Admission

£8 full price; concessions available; children under 12 free; Friends of the RA go free.

Tickets

Tickets for Richard Rogers RA: Inside Out are available daily at the RA or visit www.royalacademy.org.uk. Group bookings: Groups of 10+ are asked to book in advance. Telephone 020 7300 8027 or email: groupbookings@royalacademy.org.uk

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at the Royal Academy of Arts
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Unpaid work is not “acceptable on any level” says Dick Powell

Dick Powell

News: D&AD chairman Dick Powell has moved to defuse the controversy over a speech advising young people to “work for nothing” in order to get a job in the creative industries. In a letter to Dezeen, Powell states that “there are no circumstances where working unpaid in any capacity is acceptable on any level” and adds: “I apologise to your readers who may wrongly have a different impression”.

Yesterday’s article provoked a furious backlash from Dezeen readers, who posted over 100 comments and expressed their anger on social media.

“I’m grateful to Dezeen for this opportunity to clarify a number of points which have understandably caused a great deal of concern and anger,” Powell writes in the letter, which we publish in full at the bottom of this story. “It was certainly not my to intention to infer working for free… I should have made it clear that I was referring to student internships and NOT graduates.”

Seymourpowell took to Twitter yesterday to claim Dezeen had misrepresented Powell. “This article is a total misrepresentation of Dick Powell’s speech the article refers to,” the company tweeted.

Powell, who is also co-founder and CEO of leading industrial design studio Seymourpowell, gave a speech at the opening of graduate show New Designers Part Two earlier this month in which he said: “Offer anything, do anything, call in every contact you have, get on LinkedIn and let it take you everywhere, work for nothing, make tea, carry bags, and learn, learn, learn.”

Unpaid internships or placements contravene D&AD guidelines. In the design charity’s list of ten commandments for placements, it states: “Pay them and treat them right, and expect the same in return. We mean at least minimum wage.”

Here is the letter from Powell:


I was shocked and rather saddened to read your article yesterday headlined “Graduates should ‘work for nothing’ says D&AD Chairman” in relation to my recent speech at the opening of New Designers Part Two on 3 July.

Your article does not reflect my views, nor those of D&AD and I’d like to put the record straight, so I’m grateful to Dezeen for this opportunity to clarify a number of points which have understandably caused a great deal of concern and anger.

Sadly, these days, it is harder than ever for graduates to find work; the jobs don’t come to them – many don’t realise that their graduation is the start of a lengthy, often soul destroying process that is as much work as work itself.  The message of my five minute speech [see transcript here] was intended to fire up and inspire them to that process . . . a process during which the learning doesn’t stop. And the hardest part of that process is to stand out from the crowd and get yourself in front of the right people.

It was certainly not my to intention to infer working for free, more an attempt to impress upon them that they should stop at nothing to ‘crack open the door’ (buried among a longer list of wilder ideas to emphasise the message). As I wrote these words, and afterwards in conversation with Dezeen, I should have made it clear that I was referring to student internships and NOT graduates.

The question of internships is, rightly, a matter of hot debate. To my mind, a student internship is part of a student’s education and, just as important, it’s one of the best ways to get yourself in front of the right people and crack open the door to a future job (several of SP’s younger designers first came to us as student interns). Internships are a quid pro quo arrangement – agencies get to meet and experience talent, and maybe short circuit the employment process, while students build valuable experience, continue to learn and can showcase their talent . . .  but being part of a student’s education is no excuse for not paying interns. Indeed, at Seymourpowell we pay all our student interns. But unconscionably, not every agency or design company concurs with this moral position.

In my view, and in D&AD’s view, there are no circumstances where working unpaid in any capacity  is acceptable on any level! I apologise to your readers who may wrongly have a different impression as a result of your article.

Thank you for the opportunity to make this clear.

Dick Powell, Seymourpowell

The post Unpaid work is not “acceptable
on any level” says Dick Powell
appeared first on Dezeen.