Earlier this month, around 70 members and guests gathered at Portmeirion for the 2019 鈥楽ummer School鈥�, co-hosted by Ibstock and Forticrete. The theme, At home in Europe 鈥� an international perspective on the Welsh placemaking agenda, explored two fundamental areas of architectural and social engagement: housing and placemaking. In Wales, the Welsh government鈥檚 Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, described by the United Nations as 鈥渨orld leading鈥�, positions placemaking at its heart, so to achieve these ambitious goals, the Royal Society of Architects in Wales looked to friends and neighbours beyond Wales to share experiences and learn from their research and practice. With this in mind, the programme featured speakers from London, Paris and Vienna and was chaired by the Secretary General of the Architects Council of Europe, Ian Pritchard.
Atelier du Pont showed examples of their social housing projects in Paris and Rennes, while James Turner of recently Stirling-shortlisted Mikhail Riches gave an overview of the UK鈥檚 largest Passivhaus development at Goldsmith Street, Norwich. The traditional 鈥業nspiration Hour鈥� was a stimulating and rewarding end to an intensive day, presented by Haysom Ward Miller, winners of the 2018 澳门王中王 House of the Year award for Lochside House.
In feedback, delegates described the event as 鈥渋ntense intellectual stimulation, in a spatially stimulating context鈥�, with many appreciating 鈥渢his extraordinary juxtaposition of cultures and different horizons鈥� and 鈥渢he chance for follow-up conversations with world class speakers鈥�.
An auction of architect-designed postcards of Portmeirion raised over 拢1,000 for three charities: Bobath Children鈥檚 Therapy Centre Wales, the Architects Benevolent Society and Maggie鈥檚 South East Wales.
