Airspace Events
 
£4/£2 concessions pay on the door
350 Euston Road, Regent’s Place London NW1 3AX
Tel: 020 7253 3334
 
Low, Medium, High and Extra High: the Skyline Showdown
Book by email
Tuesday 13th June 6.30pm
 
Speakers: Steve Bee, English Heritage; Clive Sall, Scabal Architects; George Saumarez Smith, Robert Adam Architects; Amanda Bailieu, BD (chair)
 
Unlike New York or Shanghai, London’s skyline isn’t a singular, iconic image beheld from a universally accepted position. London’s skyline is a composite of several outline views from several cherished vantage points that include the River Thames up to Primrose Hill. Using specially commissioned digital renderings of London as tools of persuasion, three passionate advocates will attempt to convince the audience that their vision of the city’s skyline is the right one.
 
Sex, Power and Towers
Book by email
Thursday 29th June 6.30pm
 
speakers: Deyan Sudjic, Design Museum; Tiffany Jenkins, Institute of Ideas; Nigel Coates, Branson Coates Architects; Philip Dodd, Made in China (chair)
 
Skyscrapers are emblems of machine-age modernity or pathetic mishaps of man’s hubris, skyscrapers have long been associated as the architecture par excellence of patriarchal prowess and power-crazed-complexes. Will the ultra-rich always opt for the uber-obvious? Isn’t it time to grow out of skyscrapers? The evening’s guests will discuss the symbolic significance of towers and its interplay between power, economics and identity.

Airspace Events
 
The Skyscraper goes to Hollywood
Lecture by David Bass
Book by email
Thursday 6th July 6.30pm
 
Lecture by David Bass, in conversation with Shumon Basar, curator of Airspace
 
Movies and modern tall buildings nearly share birthdays, both in the1880s. Very quickly, both became symbols of progressive modernity, reaching a literal high during New York’s 1920s, when the talkies and tall buildings mesmerized spectators with their own inimitable special effects and capacity to conjure new worlds. Today, cinema continues its love affair with skyscrapers and skylines. This evening’s David Bass, architect and lecturer will talk to Shuman Basar Curator of Airspace about the mutual infatuation cinema and tall buildings have had, using clips from the most famous of examples.
 
What should we do?
Book by email
Thursday 13th July 6.30pm
 
speakers: Steve Bee, Director of Planning and Development English Heritage; Mark Camley, Chief Executive of The Royal Parks; Selina Mason, Director of Architecture and Design Review Cabe; Colin Wilson, Strategic Planning Manager, Greater London Authority; Julie Greer, Manager of Design, Conservation and Archaeology London Borough of Southwark; Paul Finch, Architectural Review (chair)
 
The biggest, hardest question surrounding tall buildings is this: how do we plan for them in a complex, changing and diverse city like London? In this event the planners who are most engaged with this issue will give a succinct outline of the approach they most favour, and will then take part in a discussion.
 

 
Free events
Lunchtime tours
Every Thursday at 1pm we will have free public tours of the exhibition, conducted by experts (TBC) in the field.

Special event
 
'LAB Big Debate'
What skyline does London want? Friday, 23rd June at 7.30pm
 
Booking £15/£12 concessions
To book Call 0870 2471207 online www.barbican.org.uk
Barbican Lecture Theatre
Barbican Centre
Silk Street
London EC2Y 8DS
 
Rem Koolhaas, FOA, Adam Caruso (Caruso St John) and†Lee Polisano KPF). Chaired by Rowan Moore (AF)
 
London’s skyline is about to be transformed forever as a series of taller and taller buildings spiral upwards over the next few years. Until now the true implications of these collective proposals have not been discussed in a public forum. Organised by the Architecture Foundation as part of the London Architecture Biennale, The LAB Big Debate will be a lively examination of the future of London’s skyline.