Royal Scottish Academy Show, Architects, Artists, Architecture Exhibition Review
Royal Scottish Academy
RSA Exhibition, Edinburgh, Scotland: Architecture Information
rsa architecture open
24 Feb 2016
RSA New Contemporaries Exhibition 2016
RSA New Contemporaries 2016
The eighth annual RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES exhibition will take place at the Royal Scottish Academy Galleries in Edinburgh from 5th to the 30th March 2016. Showcasing 61 graduates selected from the degree shows in 2015; this carefully curated exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see the best of Scotland’s emerging talent under one roof.
RSA New Contemporaries continues to cement its position as Scotland’s most important showcase for emerging artists. In addition to the initial selection for the exhibition and the opportunity that this brings, the value of exhibition prizes now total over £40,000 and provide their recipients with yet another stepping stone in the early careers of these recent graduates.
The RSA in now in year two of our partnership with William Grant & Sons, offering one artist the opportunity of a three-month funded (£10k) residency at the Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown, plus the opportunity for an exhibition.
The flagship award – the £14k Fleming Wyfold Bursary – offers one artist a monetary award of £10,000 plus an additional £4000 towards material costs, accession of work into the prestigious Fleming Collection, one year of mentoring from an experienced arts professional and automatic selection for the New Scottish Artists exhibition in London.
Following on from RSA New Contemporaries, for the third year running and in partnership with the Fleming-Wyfold Foundation, the RSA will present a selection from the exhibition in London. The exhibition is titled “New Scottish Artists: a Royal Scottish Academy exhibition supported by the Fleming-Wyfold Foundation” and will run from 21 April to 7 May at the David Roberts Arts Foundation in Camden, providing a significant platform for emerging Scottish artists in London.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The selection was made at the 2015 degree shows by elected exhibition convenor Stuart Mackenzie RSA, with assistance from fellow academicians and representatives from the five main colleges of art. This year the six Scottish schools of architecture are represented by graduates who will work with architecture convenor Dick Cannon RSA.
These recent graduates are given the opportunity to launch their careers at the prestigious RSA galleries by exhibiting a substantial body of work; including painting, sculpture, film making, photography, printmaking, architecture and installation.
RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES represents the RSA’s commitment to supporting and presenting the best contemporary work in Scotland. The RSA team works closely with the artists and architects towards developing a lasting relationship in the lead up to the exhibition and beyond. With nearly £40,000 worth of monetary prizes in addition to residency, studio and purchase prizes, the development of this exhibition is an important initiative for emerging artists in Scotland, enabling a ‘first exhibition’ opportunity for 60+ emergent artists annually.
The RSA are delighted to announce that Walter Scott & Partners Limited are extending their partnership with us and will become Exhibition Patron. NVT Group will sponsor City Night (our exhibition preview for Scotland’s business community) and, for the eighth consecutive year, The Skinny will be our Media Partner.
“The RSA is to be commended for providing recent graduates with the opportunity to show their work in such a high-profile venue at the start of their careers.” Jim Birrell, Head of Painting & Printmaking, Glasgow School of Art.
5 – 30 March 2016. Admission £4/£2. RSA Building, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL.
Exhibition webpage: RSA New Contemporaries Exhibition 2016
Social Media: #RSAnewcontemporaries / #RSAnewcontemps / #RSAnc
3 Mar 2015
RSA New Contemporaries Exhibition News
RSA New Contemporaries 2015
• Seventy-two of Scotland’s best emerging artists & architects
• Exhibition prizes soar to over £40,000
• New £10k residency prize with Glenfiddich
• Fleming-Wyfold Foundation Bursary (£14k) to be awarded
• Selected artists will also exhibit at New Scottish Artists in London
14 Mar – 8 Apr 2015
Admission £4/£2
RSA Building, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL.
Exhibition webpage: http://bit.ly/1A9mtxE | Twitter: #RSAnewcontemporaries / #RSAnewcontemps
The seventh annual RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES exhibition will take place at the Royal Scottish Academy Galleries in Edinburgh from 14 March to 8 April 2015. Showcasing 72 graduates selected from the degree shows in 2014; this carefully curated exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see the best of Scotland’s emerging talent under one roof.
RSA New Contemporaries continues to cement its position as Scotland’s most important showcase for emerging artists. This year we are delighted to announce a new partnership with William Grant & Sons to offer one artist the opportunity of a three-month funded (£10k) residency at the Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown.
The recipient of this award will be selected by a panel comprised of Andy Fairgrieve, Coordinator of the Artist in Residency program at Glenfiddich, Alison Watt, the internationally-acclaimed painter, James Knox, Managing Director of The Art Newspaper and Susan Mansfield, art critic.
This terrific new prize significantly augments an already impressive line-up of exhibition awards, including the £14k Fleming Wyfold Bursary, which this year will be selected by a panel that includes artist Graham Fagan, Philip Long, Director of the Dundee V&A Philip Long and Laura Cumming, art critic for The Observer.
In addition to the opportunities provided by the exhibition and its associated awards, a selection of exhibitors will be invited to present their work at the prestigious Fleming Collection in Mayfair, London. The exhibition is titled “New Scottish Artists: a Royal Scottish Academy exhibition supported by the Fleming-Wyfold Foundation” and will run from 21 April to 24 June, providing a significant platform for new Scottish artists in London.
Architects
ESALA (Edinburgh): Calum McCafferty, Usma Al Kindi, Stefan Dopierala, Adam Elliot, Kevin Loftus. (5)
GSA (Glasgow): David Fleck, Nicola McLachlan, Jamie Whelan, Catriona Liggat. (4)
STRATHCLYDE: Stuart Rennie, Angus Ritchie, Daniel Tyler, Emily Stephen. (4)
RGU / SCOTT SUTHERLAND (Aberdeen): Lauren Jenkins, Fiona Thaddeus, Ross Pirrie. (3)
DOJCAD (Dundee): Hannah Beatty, Artom Tsapkov, Louise Patterson. (3)
• RSA ARCHITECTURE PRIZE (£400)
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The selection was made at the 2014 degree shows by elected exhibition convenor Edward Summerton RSA, with assistance from fellow academicians and representatives from the five main colleges of art. This year the six Scottish schools of architecture are each represented by a number of graduates selected by architecture convenor Fergus Purdie RSA (Elect).
The RSA are delighted to announce that Walter Scott & Partners Limited are extending their partnership with us and will become Exhibition Patron. NVT Group will sponsor City Night (our exhibition preview for the business community) and, for the seventh consecutive year, The Skinny will be our Media Partner.
29 Jan 2015
RSA New Contemporaries
RSA New Contemporaries prizes exceed £40k
ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY OF ART & ARCHITECTURE
RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES PRIZES SOAR TO OVER £40k!
New £10,000 residency award from Glenfiddich
RSA New Contemporaries 2015
14th March – 8th April
RSA Building, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
The Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture is pleased to announce a new award partnership with William Grant & Sons for RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES 2015. This significant prize incorporates a paid residency at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, a significant production fee, exhibition opportunity and artwork accessioned into the William Grant & Sons Art Collection.
One artist will be selected from RSA New Contemporaries to spend three months at the Glenfiddich Distillery, working from a fully serviced house and studio whilst benefitting from a monthly stipend of £1400. An additional £5800 will be made available towards production of new work, which will be exhibited at the distillery gallery, part of a major Highland destination that receives 75,000 visitors annually.
The Glenfiddich Artists in Residence programme is well-established. Since 2002 it has worked with 100 artists from 20 different countries, each having spent three months in residence at the distillery. Over the years the residency has attracted artists working in a wide range of media including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, printmaking, graffiti, film and digital.
The programme has become widely acclaimed in the art world for providing artists with an original setting, space and community in which to work. Past residents include Christine Borland, Louise Hopkins, Alison Watt, Damian Moppett, Mao Yan and Valay Shende.
Photograph of work by Tim Dalzell:
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
The selection was made by exhibition convener Edward Summerton RSA, with assistance from fellow academicians and representatives from the five main colleges of art. This year the six Scottish schools of architecture have each put forward a selection of candidates to work with architecture convenor Fergus Purdie RSA (Elect).
The graduates are given the opportunity to launch their career at the prestigious RSA galleries by exhibiting a substantial body of new work; including painting, sculpture, film making, photography, printmaking, architecture and installation.
NEW SCOTTISH ARTISTS at the Fleming Collection, London
A selection of works from the RSA New Contemporaries exhibition will be shown at the Fleming Collection in London in the second annual New Scottish Artists exhibition, the full title of which is New Scottish Artists: a Royal Scottish Academy exhibition supported by the Fleming-Wyfold Foundation.
The recipient of the Glenfiddich Residency Award will automatically be selected as one of the exhibiting artists. The exhibition runs from 21 April to 24 June 2015 and will provide a significant platform for new Scottish artists in London.
With over £40,000 worth of monetary, residency, studio and purchase prizes, the development of this exhibition is an important initiative for emerging artists in Scotland, enabling a ‘first exhibition’ opportunity for some 60+ emergent artists annually. The RSA are delighted to announce that Walter Scott will be Exhibition Patron and, for the seventh consecutive year, The Skinny will be our Media Partner.
RSA New Contemporaries Exhibition Awards
List of RSA New Contemporaries exhibition awards in 2015:
*SOME OF THESE AWARDS ARE STILL TO BE CONFIRMED FOR 2015*
• THE FLEMING-WYFOLD BURSARY
(£10,000 plus £4,000 bursary, 1 year mentoring, work purchased for the Fleming Collection and automatic entry into New Scottish Artists at the Fleming Collection.)
• THE GLENFIDDICH ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE AWARD
(£10,000 residency plus exhibition, work accessioned for Glenfiddich Collection and automatic entry into New Scottish Artists at the Fleming Collection.)
• THE STEVENSTON AWARD (£5,000 for a painter of merit)
• WALTER SCOTT GLOBAL INVESTMENT AWARD (£2,000 plus purchase for work in any category)
• RSA SIR WILLIAM GILLIES BEQUEST AWARD (£2000)
• FRIENDS OF THE ROYAL SCOTTISH ACADEMY AWARD (£1000)
• RSA ART PRIZE (£400 plus the Maclaine Watters Medal)
• RSA ART PRIZE (£400 for any category)
• RSA ARCHITECTURE PRIZE (£400)
• RSA CARNEGIE SCHOLARSHIP (£200 for painting)
• RSA ADAM BRUCE THOMSON AWARD (£150 for any category)
• RSA LANDSCAPE AWARD (£150 for a drawing, oil or watercolour)
• RSA CHALMERS BURSARY (£150 for any category)
• RSA STUART PRIZE (£150 for any category)
• RSA CHALMERS-JERVISE PRIZE (£150 for any category)
• ART IN HEALTHCARE PURCHASE PRIZE (Purchase of up to £2000. Funded by the Hope Scott Trust)
• DAVID & JUNE GORDON MEMORIAL TRUST AWARDS
(£800 for artists born or studying in the Grampian region)
• EDINBURGH PRINTMAKERS AWARD
(For a printmaking course, 3 months associate membership and 1 month’s free use of the studio.)
• EDINBURGH SCULPTURE WORKSHOP GRADUATE RESEARCH AWARD
(A residency for one month in one of the ESW’s Project Spaces including a fee of £150 for production costs, training and support, the opportunity for a public event and free membership for one year.)
• GLASGOW PRINT STUDIO AWARD (Membership and session fees for one year)
• PEACOCK VISUAL ARTS AWARD FOR MOVING IMAGE
(For six months free access to Peacock’s digital facility)
• THE SKINNY AWARD IN ASSOCIATION WITH CCA
A selected artist will receive a multi-platform award including guaranteed exposure in The Skinny magazine’s Showcase in print and online, and an exhibition in Glasgow’s CCA in spring 2015. The Skinny also provides a bespoke launch event and accompanying publicity campaign for the exhibition.
• THE SMART GALLERY EXHIBITION AWARD
For a solo exhibition at The SMART Gallery in 2015
• THE NICOLE PORTER GALLERY AWARD
For an exhibition at the Nicole Porter Gallery
About the Royal Scottish Academy:
Established in 1826, the Royal Scottish Academy maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independent, privately-funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose sole purpose is to promote and support contemporary Scottish art. In addition to our exhibitions programme, a fundamental role of the RSA is the developmental support of artists towards the creation of new work.
Together with partner funders, the RSA disburses over £250,000 worth of funds to artists at all stages of their careers, through the sales of works, monetary awards, scholarships and residencies each year, in addition to a host of in-kind exhibition, technical access, and studio memberships. For further information about the RSA visit www.royalscottishacademy.org
RSA Architecture Exhibition 2013
RSA OPEN 2013
RSA Architecture Open
23 Nov 2013 – 26 Jan 2014
Showcasing the best in Scottish Contemporary Art and Architecture
23 November 2013 – 26 January 2014
RSA Lower Galleries, The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday 12 – 5pm. Closed December 25th & 26th. Open New Year’s Day 12-5pm.
Admission free.
image © Adrian Welch
The RSA Open is an exhibition of small-scale works by contemporary artists and architects from Scotland and further afield. The exhibition provides a wonderful opportunity to buy unique artworks and in doing so, support artists living and working in Scotland.
Traditionally part of the RSA Annual Exhibition, the RSA Open has been rebranded as a stand-alone show featuring RSA Academicians and selected artists and architects from across Scotland. Now in its fifth year, the RSA Open marks a sea change in the format of the historic RSA Annual Exhibition and will continue to be a regular fixture of the RSA exhibition programme.
Last year’s exhibition was a great success, with well over two hundred exhibitors and record sales. This year’s exhibition – convened by Kate Downie RSA and Richard Murphy RSA (Architecture) – will feature over 350 small-scale works, selected from the open submission policy. As an open-submission exhibition, the Academicians form selection and hanging committees and assess each work to gauge whether or not it should be hung in the exhibition.
Last year’s committees witnessed a record number of submissions and the success rate for entry into the exhibition became very competitive: only 1 in 4 works were accepted. The result is a unique and varied exhibition of high quality works including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, textile art and architecture.
With all works for sale, the RSA Open presents the perfect opportunity for collectors, especially first-time buyers and anyone interested in picking up a special and unique gift in the run up to Christmas. The RSA is part of the Own Art Scheme which provides interest-free credit to any eligible buyers spending between £100-£2000, making it easier than ever to invest in contemporary art.
8 Nov 2012
RSA Architecture Exhibition
RSA Architecture Open 2012
RSA ARCHITECTURE OPEN 2012
24 Nov – 16 Dec 2012
RSA Projects Room, The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday 12 – 5pm. Closed December 25th & 26th.
Admission free.
The RSA are very pleased to present the Architecture Open – the RSA’s first ever open submission exhibition exclusively for architecture. Inspired by last year’s 3×3 – the first in a series of RSA exhibitions dedicated solely to Architecture – the RSA have recently received digitally-presented submissions of models, drawings and other 2D works for this exciting new exhibition to be held in the RSA Projects room. The RSA Academicians selected to convene the exhibition are Professor Alan Pert (of Nord Architecture) and Dick Cannon (of Elder & Cannon Architects).
“We are delighted to be appointed as joint convenors for this inaugural Open Exhibition. Dedicated solely to Architecture it presents a unique opportunity to stimulate debate and showcase a broad mix of topical projects from a number of emerging practices alongside work from some of Scotland’s best architects which reflect current Architectural practice in Scotland and further afield.” Dick Cannon RSA and Alan Pert RSA – joint convenors.
RSA Architecture Exhibition – 3×3
3×3: 3 ARCHITECTS, 3 PROJECTS, 3 IDEAS
18 Jun – 24 Jul
Finlay Room, RSA
Art & Design; Architecture & Landscape Architecture
The first in a series of RSA exhibitions focused on architecture, ’3×3’ looks at the work of the RSA’s most recently appointed academicians, the architects Neil Gillespie, Gareth Hoskins and Charlie Sutherland.
The exhibition focuses on three projects from each architect that explore ideas underpinning the approach of the architects and their practices, Reiach and Hall Architects, Gareth Hoskins Architects and Sutherland Hussey Architects.
Brief Review from the opening night by e-architect:
Well it was warm. Too warm. Either the architects of the RSA restoration hadn’t expected rooms full of architects or someone at the RSA had forgotten to flick the air-con switch to cool. Nevertheless, chilled white wine was flowing and the atmosphere was good.
One speech was made, by a chap from the RSA who told us he was a sculptor and talked about his three year old grandchild’s crumpled up sketch and about the relationship between model maker and builder (being different for a sculptor compared to an architect), which I thought was a long way to lead up to talking about the exhibition but then the speech was finished.
I would have liked someone to say a little about why each practice had chosen certain buildings. Normally you would expect a speech about how great Scottish architecture is and so on, but I think most people realise this was an exhibition about the latest RSA academicians to be nominated and accepted, so in that sense the curating had no direction or polemic.
But that is not a criticism, just like Michael Webb (‘veteran architectural writer’) pointed out in a recent issue of FRAME (#78) discussing last year’s Venice Architecture Biennale it is valuable every now and then to see architects work verbatim ie shorn of overriding curatorial themes.
The Finlay Room is quite small but the exhibition fits really well into it, simple small white framed images against a white wall with a few models scattered around the space in a balanced relationship. So there was unity of presentation between the three separate architects practices.
Gareth Hoskins Architects have clearly had a very successful trajectory in recent years with some major buildings, such as the Culloden Visitor Centre, and also a visible media profile from their shortlisting for the Glasgow Transport Museum to the Venice Biennale pavilion and latterly the television programme on Donald Trump’s proposals at Menie.
The GHA presentation was mostly white and grey punctuated by areas of yellow and simply showed building proposals such as for The Mareel in Shetland.
Reaich and Hall‘s presentation was mostly monotone – consisting of lyrical drawings, models and pithy texts. The drawings were arranged in a grid of portrait frames filling a whole wall (short side) of the room. One colour illustration for each of three projects articulated the grid, and there are some lovely, simple diagrams explaining plans and ideas.
The sparse models are elegantly crafted, hewn from wood by the son of artist Alan Johnston, with whom Neil Gillespie has a long working relationship (eg the ‘Sleeper’ gallery below Reiach and Hall’s studios).
Sutherland Hussey Architects‘ presentation was a riposte to a critique in a UK architecture magazine’s review of a recent RSA show being too parochial with small buildings…SHA wowed us with three major Chinese buildings, the key one of course being Chengdu Museum, a massive commission for what is quite a small practice and won from under the feet of I.M.Pei.
This was the first time I’d seen these more detailed images of the building and with it having just started on site it is good to see the bold concept of initial CGI’s has not been watered down as it often can be.
I’m slightly biased here as I worked on some great projects at Xiling (Chinese ski resort) by SHA but to see a Scottish practice that has so little built here doing such massive projects on the other side of the world puts into the shade the highly publicised complaints about Zaha Hadid struggling to work in her adopted country. With Sutherland Hussey now on site with the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop (in Leith) one can only hope this practice gets to spread its wings in Scotland.
So I hope you pay a visit to 3×3, it is on in the Finlay Room at the RSA (easiest entry from Princes Street) until the 24th of July.
RSA Annual Exhibition Edinburgh – 2011
The 185th RSA Annual Exhibition 2011
Hidden Aspects of the Artist’s Work – Inspiration and Process
The RSA Annual Exhibition is one of the longest-running and most prestigious exhibitions of contemporary art in Scotland and opens on Saturday 30 April at the Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture in Edinburgh.
Presenting the country’s leading contemporary artists and architects, the exhibition features a wide variety of painting, sculpture, filmmaking, photography, installation and architecture across all thirteen RSA upper and lower galleries.
Following a historical change to the RSA Annual Exhibition format in 2010, the exhibition now comprises of RSA Members, and a number of invited artists who feature in a curated element within the exhibition. The open submission policy of previous Annual exhibitions now has its own platform as the RSA Open exhibition later in the year.
This year’s convenor is Victoria Crowe OBE RSA and Charlie Sutherland RSA (Elect) is deputy convenor. They will be overseeing art and architecture respectively.
This year’s curated element Hidden Aspects of the Artist’s Work – Inspiration and Process features twenty invited artists selected by the convenor from the RSA membership and the broader Scottish arts community.
They include internationally renowned Scottish artists such as ‘New Glasgow Boy’ Ken Currie, Beck’s Futures Award Winner Toby Paterson, the Queen’s Painter and Limner in Scotland Dame Elizabeth Blackadder RSA and, in an unusual twist to the exhibition programme, the highly respected contemporary composer Thea Musgrave HRSA will be presenting a piece titled “Turbulent Landscapes” inspired by the works of Turner. (For a full list of exhibitors, see below).
The exhibition also showcases a number of last year’s RSA Award Winners, works from the RSA Permanent Collection and memorial works by Fred Bushe RSA and The Earl Haig RSA (please see lists below).
The exhibition will be accompanied by a full colour publication and most works will be available for purchase. The RSA is part of the Own Art scheme, offering interest-free credit to buy contemporary art and craft. public to get involved and learn more about the art/artists in the show. This range of activities will be hosted There will also be gallery tours, artist talks, meet the artists evenings and associated events to encourage the by the Friends of the Royal Scottish Academy, who are celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year.
For the second year running we are very pleased to announce the Friends of the RSA as this year’s exhibition sponsor.
The 185th RSA Annual Exhibition
30 Apr – 8 Jun 2011
All RSA Galleries
The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
Open Monday to Saturday 10am 5pm, Sunday 12noon – 5pm
Admission £4/£2 concession
RSA Annual Exhibition 2011 information from RSA
RSA Exhibition Edinburgh – 2011
RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES 2011 EXHIBITION
Showcasing sixty of the best emerging artists and architects in Scotland
The third annual RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES exhibition will take place at the Royal Scottish Academy Galleries in Edinburgh from 19 March – 13 April 2010. Presenting around 60 of the finest artists and architects selected from the 2010 Art and Architecture Degree Shows; this finely curated exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see the best of Scotland’s emerging talent under one roof.
The artists were chosen from the 2010 Scottish Degree shows by exhibition convenors Sandy Moffat RSA (art) and Gareth Hoskins RSA (architecture), with assistance from members of the Royal Scottish Academy and representatives from the five main colleges of art and six schools of architecture in Scotland.
The chosen graduates are given the opportunity to launch their career at the prestigious RSA galleries by showcasing a selection of new work; including painting, sculpture, film making, photography, printmaking, architecture and installation. Most of the works will be for sale.
This exhibitions offers a wonderful opportunity to invest it Scotland’s up and coming talent at the early stages of their careers and as the RSA is part of the Own Art scheme, buyers can spread the cost of an artwork over ten interest free monthly payments!
With over £11,000 worth of monetary prizes in addition to residency, studio and purchase prizes, the development of this exhibition is an important initiative for emerging artists in Scotland, enabling a ‘first exhibition’ opportunity for some 60+ emergent artists annually. The RSA are also delighted that The Skinny are continuing to support the New Contemporaries exhibition as Media Partner for the third year running.
RSA NEW CONTEMPORARIES 2010
19 Mar – 13 Apr 2011. All RSA Galleries
The Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound, Edinburgh, EH2 2EL
Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday 12noon – 5pm.
Admission £2/£1 concession
RSA New Contemporaries information from RSA
RSA Annual Exhibition Edinburgh – 2008
Review of 2008 RSA Exhibition by architect Adrian Welch
8 May
As last year there the two octagonal basement rooms are purely for architecture.
CLIFFORD ROOM:
Highlight:
What really stands out in this room – over the Gold Medal winner – is a ‘secret’ 30-storey hotel proposal, also by gm+ad architects, on the Clyde: 236 Broomielaw. Sorry, no images allowed on the website just yet. This is illustrated in a large colourful CGI of top quality, and backed up with Alan’s now-famous drawing of the north bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow – reduced to half the size of the original yet still as wide as the Bayeaux Tapestry.
This Clydeside hotel towers over its already tallish neighbours and by that token is bound to provoke controversy. Influenced by early SOM I reckon, in particular Walter Netsch’s Inland Steel Building in Chicago.
Models:
-Thee models – of gm+ad architects’ Craigton Road project, Graeme Massie Architects’ Venice Pavilion entry and Page Park Architects’ Kirkintilloch Arts Centre.
Framed work on walls:
-Bennetts Associates’ striking panel of nine frames illustrating the Matthew Hay Centre in Aberdeen, complete with stacked acrylic plans.
-Rising star Graeme Massie’s simple but striking Venice Biennale model plus his Vatnsmyri competition win.
-Two large frames of Castlemilk Stables by Elder & Cannon
-Two panoramic frames by WTARCHITECTURE
-Sheffield Park footbridge competition entry by a+j burridge, good to see more Scottish architects casting there eyes outwith Scotland
-McColl Architects’ Venice Biennale competition entry, shining a light for Aberdeen architecture!
BANK OF SCOTLAND ROOM:
Highlight:
Richard Murphy Architects’ Jesus College proposals – this is a bold building which doesn’t follow any current fashions such as random fenestration or multi-coloured panels. Robinsonesque expressed rhythmic brickwork forms evoke cathedral buttresses, perhaps influenced by college buildings at Jesus or the Victorian church opposite. Refreshing to see something different.
Model:
-Dunfermline Museum winning entry by Richard Murphy Architects, perfunctory white card model suggesting an influence from Benson + Forsyth’s Museum of Scotland building, underlined by the colour internal images – not just the random slots but relationships such as steps to parapets and walls.
Framed work on walls:
-Two houses by cameronwebster
-Albany Street Lane house proposal + Todlaw housing by Oliver Chapman Architects
-Carron Den housing in Stonehaven by cadell2
-make’s colourful ZED project and Dunfermline Museum entry (similar, and placed opposite to, Richard Murphy’s winning entry)
-Arcade’s The Causey
-Richard Murphy Architects’ massive black-framed panels of Jesus College and Dunfermline Museum. Also shown but in a smaller format – Conan Doyle Centre and proposed Strathtummel house
-draw architects’ Shanghai Expo 2010 shortlisted entry
-Estonian Academy of Arts competition submission and Edinburgh waterfront proposal by Allan Murray Architects
Poole project by rankin fraser landscape architecture LLP with Donald Urqhuart – spacious, pleasant presentation
-Nicolson Square proposed revamp by landscape architects LAND
-Campbell & Arnott Architects’ New Teaching Block at the University of Dundee, crisp white buildings
Summary
Nothing outlandish here, or signs of a new style or new direction, but a general sense that architects based in Scotland are starting to look outwards a bit more. This is to be encouraged and projects such as the Venice Biennale pavilion help whet the appetite for foreign adventures.
The fact that the Gold Medal winner is illustrated simply by a humble model and two handdrawn works should remind many of us, me included, to resist the world of CAD and CGI every now and then to scribble, sketch or draw.
Royal Scottish Academy Show 2008 Exhibition Review by Adrian Welch
RSA 182nd Annual Exhibition 2008 incl curated show ‘New Scots’
Dates: 10 May – 25 Jun 2008
Entry Cost: All RSA Galleries, Admission £4 / £2 Conc.
Royal Academy Exhibition 2007
Royal Academy Exhibition 2006
Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition: 2005 Review
Cameron Mackintosh: House, West Coast Scotland
Ushida Findlay Architecture – Kathryn Findlay
This year sees some changes. Firstly it’s only for Academicians. Secondly the architecture is interspersed with the art. Good or bad?
The former aspect means there’s much less material, less of the crowded Salon and more calm art gallery. It could be interpreted as being a bit elitist but it feels much more professional and enjoyable this year.
Architecture being mixed up with the art means there should be more engagement from either camp, a more rounded experience as you flit through the galleries looking for architecture. This year there are simply models, drawings and photographs.
I would have preferred an incisve analysis of (first showing) Kathryn Findlay’s latest work or projects rather than the pot pourri approach, we’ve seen that stuff before (well anyone who reads architecture magazines). It was the equivalent of Terry Farrell’s huge boards that Alan Dunlop criticised in 2004 (letter below).
The model of the clifftop house shown above was a highlight, but nothing really set the heather on fire and I hear Deyan Sudjic’s words ringing in my ears from the time of the RIAS Best Building of the Year Launch.
FESTIVAL CONNECTIONS
Royal Scottish Academy
179th RSA Annual Exhibition
13 Aug – 25 Sep 2005
Admission free, entrance via Princes St
Mon to Sat 10 – 5, Sun 12 – 5pm
image from the architect
Also featured are Ric Russell’s Calyx, Page & Park’s Maggies Highlands and Richard Murphy Architects’ Caernarfon Arts Centre and their latestEdinburgh Filmhouse model (above). Academicians not exhibiting include Malcolm Fraser.
Royal Scottish Academy : Article
image © Adrian Welch
Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition: 2004 Review
Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh – image © Adrian Welch
Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition 2004
RSA Playfair Project
Royal Scottish Academy: 2002 Designs
The RSA Annual Show is also an opportunity for architects to display recent or proposed projects. Richard Murphy’s adventurous intervention in Stirling Tolbooth to create a new arts centre is illustrated here, along with other important architectural projects such as Allan Murray Architects’ sharp designs for a new Royal Theatre in Copenhagen.
07.05.02
Comments / photos for the RSA Architecture Exhibition page welcome