Architectural Statements – what’s the message? (continued)

My previous look at ‘architectural statements’ in the 21st century continues with a further selection of new university buildings below. From the lavishness heaped on these buildings there can be no doubt of how society in the UK views the importance of higher education. In addition these could be seen as ‘aspirational destinations’ due to the “superb facilities” offered (Teeside University among most). Two further point of note: the University of Lancaster’s website features the phrase “Modern yet welcoming environment” as if almost apologising for its styling or trying to claw back lost ground on its potential student base deterred by its form? To finish, the following statement from the University of the Arts London, could perhaps be used alongside all of the institutions: “Our new building allows us to create the highest quality learning environment”; does this infer that these buildings offer the highest quality learning?

From a library perspective. . .

Do you think a guideline document would be useful for materials other than those produced for and hosted on librarywales.org?

“Working on an all Wales basis we have to bear in mind local guidelines for corporate and partnership logos etc. . .

I think individual organisations should ensure consistency, but equally in order to attract/reach the desired target audience too much of a ‘corporate’ look and feel can be inappropriate.

We don’t have to apply the Welsh Government guidelines to our designs (other than the size and representation of their logo) – if we did then it would affect our ability to produce individual campaigns which have a different look and feel each year.”

Comment from Jane Purdie, Welsh Libraries Project Marketing Officer

Access to Access Learners

Using the immediate study environment for research participants has proved to be challenging as a result of internal machinations at the university. However persistence has paid off and meetings between me and Access students at University of Wales Newport (Caerleon Campus) have been arranged and diarised.

Props developed for the other sessions will be used as well as a script, and a presentation file; a session plan has also been created in order to ensure all intended areas are covered, as well as allowing for related discussion.

Exhibition

My thoughts have for some time lingered on the possibilities presented by exhibiting work or a piece of work which reflects, supports, or simply illustrates this project. For me although the research centres on typography, it is also the relationship the viewer has with a piece of graphic communication in which type might appear – and the appropriateness its environment effects.

The focal point of any publicity within an adult learning centre is “the Notice board”, and it is this element which I’m currently aiming to interpret within any exhibition space. This in turn will provide the frame for any work which is produced through and as a result of my action research.

Tutorials have raised consideration of previous installations such as that of Martin Boyce (Turner Prize Winner, 2011 – in particular “We are Soundless Until Spoken”, 2010, where scratched and scraped graffiti sprawl across a wooden desktop) as well as a 2010 exhibition of prison doors at Edinburgh Castle, where graffiti again is etched, recording the meandering of inmates minds (video footage of these is provided below).

My own personal interest is the visceral, core realisation, where the opportunities education offers can enable social mobility and life improvement. The question, ‘What if. . .’ perpetuates the thought of the prospective learner.

I am trying to source components for the exhibition, before demolition consigns history to a skip. Watch this space.

Architectural statements – what’s the message?

While we consider the potential perception of education through typography, the wider picture of education emerging in South Wales through architectural design, intrigues me. Three new education ‘constructs’ have been created recently, which it could be argued sets out a blueprint of education in the 21st century, where any ‘message’ of what education is, could, or might be, is wrapped-up in quite exotic form (see below).

Previously I have argued that learning is a product of education, where, ‘product positioning’ in terms of aspirational markets could be used positively to help reach out to groups within the widening participation agenda. Two of the examples below are university campuses (City Campus, Newport and the Atrium, Cardiff), which effectively are ‘pay-per-learner’. One uses serif type in its make-up and the other sans serif; the school (Archbishop McGrath Catholic School, Bridgend) also uses sans serif. Here perhaps are examples of a mixed message or disagreement in aligning any visual graphical style to architectural form and function (similarly, any of these new campuses might simply be adopting its corporate language).

In addition, where Archbishop McGrath School, has expended significant cost to its building’s fabric, intriguingly, very little has been applied to its prospectus – this being almost homemade in appearance.

What is the message projected by these temples of learning? I am reminded of my initial council debate of how inappropriate application (of type) could be deemed a ‘barrier to education.’ I would still contest this for some learners within the WP framework, and wonder whether this other visual design ingredient – architecture – cements any educational barrier or connects to the aspiration of learners.