2 - Opening Day: AIA International LONDON 2022 – Design Museum and Japan House
Fiona Mckay
AIA International LONDON 2022 / Opening Day – Design Museum and Japan House
Opening Day – Thursday, 29 Sep 2022 - was AIA CE’s contribution to the 2022 London Conference, with assistance from AIA UK. On first reflection, it seemed an unusual choice, but it was recognised that a guided tour of a building originally steeped in international symbolism could set the tone for an INTERNATIONAL Conference.
Afternoon Venue – Design Museum, Kensington High Street Guided Tour – ‘Design Museum: Designer, Maker, User and the Building’
What is now the Design Museum opened in 1962 as the Commonwealth Institute - with its large central atrium reserved for educational displays - as the British Empire was transforming into the modern Commonwealth. The exhibits were removed in 1997, and by 2008, the Design Museum took over an essentially derelict building.
When the Museum opened in 2016 - despite its Grade II* listing - the only part of the original building retained was the conical roof enclosing a central atrium. Conference attendees were reminded that the roof structure was conceived in the 1960s, long before modern computer aided design made dramatic roofs commonplace. The remainder of the tour explored displays of everyday objects that have achieved icon status.
Photo credits: P Salathe (AIA CE guest) and S Gold (AIA I) x 2
Although difficult without special equipment, several Conference attendees managed to capture the dramatic impact of the Design Museum’s atrium and roof. In any event, its popularity is evident in the many photo attempts. Slideshow contributors include (in no particular order) A Arditti (AIA I), L Jorgensen (AIA Alaska), P Salathe (AIA CE guest), S Zettersten (AIA CE), Y Kinksky (AIA CE) and Y Cheong (AIA I).
Evening Venue – Japan House, Kensington High Street
Japan House also added to the evening’s international character as Conference attendees moved there for an opening reception. It did not take long for them to intermingle, for conversation to pick up and buzz with general enthusiasm.
Even the small font size and lack of detail on the name tags proved a social asset. Asking someone - ‘and where are you from?’ - turned out to be a simple and successful conversation starter. New friendships were already beginning to prosper.
Talk - ‘Sustainable Building Innovation: The Path to Achieving Net Zero 2050 Targets’ / Ascanio Vitale, CEO STOP CO2
Photo credit: L King (AIA UK)
Despite attendees being jet lagged and hungry – and in the middle of a social whirl – conversation stopped, and the mood turned respectful and serious for ASCANIO VITALE’S riveting talk. He first gave a summary of the current state of climate change and then focused on the construction industry’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Vitale had something not only important to say, but also practical as he introduced examples of his own projects that used new technologies and engineering solutions to achieve net zero targets – including sustainable materials, passive solutions, new-gen heat pumps, solar cooling, novel semi-transparent photovoltaic panels, radiant cooling systems, phytoremediation, etc.
While making it abundantly clear that relying on gas and nuclear power was not acceptable, he encouraged architects to work closely with engineers from the earliest project stages to develop ever more innovative solutions to an increasingly serious climate change crisis.
Written by: Lorraine D King, AIA (aka secretary@aiauk.org), with input from G Alhadeff, FAIA, on Sustainable Innovations.
