Date: 01 May 08
Author: Caroline Ednie, Web Editor
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Gareth Hoskins Architects have been announced as winner of the competition to design the Gathering Space, the Scottish presence at the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale.
Over 50 practices entered the competition to create the space, which is set to be a hub for a series of debates, film screenings and events - including the keynote British Council debate. All competition submissions were presented anonymously and details of the successful practice were unveiled only when the winner had been selected. Scotland’s presence at the Biennale is being led by The Lighthouse, the National Architecture and Design Centre.
“Public stairs as seating has had a long tradition of being a type of informal gathering place. Precedents include the Spanish Steps in Rome and the entrance stairs at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. These places are vital to the urban environment. If ‘all the world is a stage’, then the urban stair and the people who use them can be thought of as the audience.”
Gareth Hoskins
“The stairs as space” vision for the Biennale by Gareth Hoskins Architects proposes a physical presence in Venice that offers both an indoor auditorium and an external gathering space in an installation which will be constructed entirely from either sustainably sourced or reclaimed timber. On the outside a set of public stairs, with seating for up to 200 people, will be used for both organized events and informal gatherings. Meanwhile the stairs form a roof, which rises above the indoor auditorium - a space that is expected to seat 80-100 people. The design is based on an original idea by Elisa Yon, and will be in situ in a major piazza during the first week of the Biennale.
“We were impressed both by the number and the quality of the submissions for the Gathering Space,” says Nick Barley, Executive Director of The Lighthouse. “After a day of vigorous debate on the submissions, which were presented anonymously, the judges selected the proposal by Gareth Hoskins Architects. The judges were impressed by the structure’s ability to act as a kind of stage; as a place both to see and be seen in Venice, while also providing a very unusual indoor space suitable for lectures, seminars and presentations. "The judges were unanimous in their view that this structure, with its strikingly simple concept, its strong sense of drama and its ability to function effectively in several different ways, is the ideal choice to represent Scottish architecture on a world stage.”
''It is a fantastic opportunity for us to be involved in creating Scotland's presence on the world stage of the Biennale,” says Gareth Hoskins. “The design, developed from Elisa's initial ideas, aims to combine the formal requirements for an events venue with the creation of a memorable new place within the Venice - a new sculptural element that encourages people to pause, look, engage and gather and that creates a strong identity and presence for Scotland amongst the different cultures that will come together within the City.''
The Scottish Government has awarded a grant of £75,000 towards The Gathering Space as part of a programme of initiatives aimed at showcasing contemporary Scotland in an international context:
Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture Linda Fabiani said:
“As the most important architectural gathering in the world, the Venice Biennale is a wonderful platform to showcase the innovative architectural design that is thriving here in Scotland. Gareth Hoskins Architects’ design for the Gathering Space will be a real focal point and an inspiration for those exploring the art of architecture - putting Scotland right at the heart of the activity.”
Elsewhere in the competition Paul Taylor’s submission was Highly Commended with JM Architects and Graeme Massie Architects receiving Commendations.
Paul Taylor
JM Architects
Graeme Massie
The judging panel consisted of:
Nick Barley, Executive Director of The Lighthouse
Morag Bain Director, ACCESS to Architecture
Leonie Bell - Programme Director, The Lighthouse
Emily Campbell, The British Council
Ian Gilzean, Chief Architect at the Scottish Government’s Architecture Policy Unit
Rory Olcayto, Senior Reporter, Building Design
The 11th Venice Architecture Biennale is directed by Aaron Betsky, former Director of the acclaimed Netherlands Architecture Institute.
Media Partner for The Gathering Space will be Building Design, one of the UK’s leading architectural publications.
