Green-Roofed Skyscraper Costume

Green-Roofed Skyscraper Costume

A Tale of Two Towns

An Opera of Buildings

(part of the ICA’s Live Weekends Series)

In collaboration with clarinettist and music teacher Kazia Smith, Studio Weave were proud to present, for one night only, a unique Opera of Buildings.

Making the Building-Costumes

Making the Building-Costumes

Taking as a starting point our practice design methodologies of making up fairytales, personifying buildings and landscapes, and discovering the important imaginary relationships between buildings in the city, we made building-costumes and in them performed a Building Opera of nursery rhymes as you’ve never heard them before.

Princess Tower

Princess Tower

Twenty children thought to themselves: “If I were a building, what kind of building would I be?” Results included the Hotel Magnificent, a country house, a princess palace, a turreted stone castle, twin skyscrapers with green roof gardens and many more…

Stone Castle

Stone Castle

And as if re-inventing yourself as a building isn’t enough for one evening, we then re-learnt old nursery rhymes with new words and performed an opera telling the tale of two towns who discovered each other and became the best friends two towns have ever been.

The Performance

The Performance

Thanks to Kazia, the ICA and everyone who took part, it was a strange and wonderful evening!

Tasty Cake Shop

Tasty Cake Shop

May 16th, 2010

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Studio in the Woods

Studio in the Woods

Studio in the Woods

This summer Studio Weave will be heading to the Isle of Wight for Studio in the Woods, an outdoor summer workshop aimed at architecture students, practicing architects and anyone with an interest in place, landscape and the direct experience of making and working with materials to hand.

We have teamed up with Tim Lucas, a partner at Price & Myers.

More information and registration here.

Studio in the Woods Poster

Studio in the Woods Poster

March 25th, 2010

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ASD Choir Singing

ASD Choir Singing

Christmas Chorals

On the 11th December the MUSARC / ASD Choir performed in the beautiful St Bartholomew’s at West Smithfield. More about the concert here. We performed works by Orazio Vecchi, Orlando di Lasso, Gavin Bryars, Anton Bruckner as well as spirituals and traditional carols from the 15th century to the present.

Propane Gas Organ

Propane Gas Organ

Before and after the concert, the audience played on an amazing Gas Organ, invented by Lou Smith. This consists of glass tubes and propane torches. Sound is generated when the heat from the propane flame causes the air in the tube to heat up and vibrate.

Trio Tambourine

Trio Tambourine

In the middle of the concert Trio Tambourine, a wind trio (whose clarinetist is Maria’s sister) played some Martinon and Milhaud.

December 12th, 2009

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Presenting at Istanbul Technical University

Presenting at Istanbul Technical University

Istanbul

Studio Weave were invited along with David Kohn Architects and 00:/ to travel to Istanbul as part of the Architecture Foundation’s International Exchange Programme between new young practices here and abroad. This was a very exchangeful experience both between us and the Istanbul practices: Asli Kiyak Ingin, ddrlp, and Tuspa NK as well as between Studio Weave and our neighbours in London. Getting to know 00:/ and the newly YAYA-ded David Kohn better was fascinating, at times quite hilarious, and also uncovered the secret to a great old legend…

Our visit included presenting at Istanbul Technical University, attending the lectures and book launches, visiting our Turkish counterparts’ offices, and of course wondering about and finding treasures such as a road devoted to trophy making!

Sulukule

Sulukule

We also visited Sulukule, a 550-year-old Roma district now mostly demolished. The Guardian ran an article last July on the the area.

Discussions with the Istanbul practices revealed very interesting issues around small practices winning public clients and influencing a city’s developement and also models of collaborative working. Another key topic was the division of academia from practice and the negative (and perhaps occasionally positive? discuss?!) effects this is having on architectural education.

Cats

Cats

We couldn’t help but be distracted by the many furry little pussycats that make this city their home. They seem much friendlier than our neighbour’s cat!

The programme will continue with the Istanbul practices visiting London next year. Meanwhile, I will leave you with something very special…

Mastic Flavoured Coffee

Mastic Flavoured Coffee

November 9th, 2009

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Leafy Shadows

Leafy Shadows

We Have Moved!

Studio Weave have moved to the lovely Hackney Central.
Now we get nice leafy shadows like this on our clock.
Click on “Contact” in the blue box above for our new address.

October 11th, 2009

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ASD Choir

ASD Choir

Being Choral

The ASD Choir had it’s second performance at the very beautiful Wilton’s Music Hall. Here we are in the dress rehearsal (wearing our signature blue) being commanded by the wonderful Cathy.

July 10th, 2009

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Maria stuck in the rain!

Maria stuck in the rain!

In the rain…

That’s Maria in there! The rain on the tarp sounded like applause!

July 7th, 2009

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My first bake

My first bake

Scones

They’re not ugly – they’re rustic damn it!! I promise not to turn this into a baking blog – I was just so proud of my very first bake!

July 5th, 2009

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Boscombe Sand Mountain

Surfing in the Mountains

Je went to Boscombe to deliver our entry for the Boscombe Beach Hut competition and look what he found!

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Surfing in a parallel unvierse

We’ll put some pictures of our entry up as soon as the results are out next week – things are crossed!

June 29th, 2009

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090613_frame

We've Been Framed: Viennese Special

Framed in Vienna

Here we are being cheesy again! In Vienna this time. We also found this:

Clean Edit!

Clean Edit!

no prizes for guessing what it says.

June 13th, 2009

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Fire Folly Settled in the Landscape

Fire Folly Settled in the Landscape

Fire Folly at Studio in the Woods

This summer we were cordially invited into the Studio in the Woods family. This year the workshop took place on the Isle of Wight where we (Aidan Brown, Tom Atkinson, Charlie Fisher, Alfonso Galan, Simon Jones, Tim Anderson, James Payne, Edward Short, Frankie Loam, Ian Black, Neil Evensen, Matt Dalziel and Tim Lucas of Price & Myers) *breathe* built this quirky and marvellous Fire Folly from freshly cut corsican pine, chalk-and-water white wash, and the officially structurally specified s*?t load of nails!

Team Woodwam

Team Woodwam

Thank you so much to everyone for your incredibly fast and efficient work, bravery at heights, uphill walking endurance, and general good humour.

At Night by the Light of the Fire

At Night by the Light of the Fire

Proper project page to follow soon…

July 12th, 2010

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Graviton at the centre of the Hot Utopian Bliss, Shangri-La

Graviton at the centre of the Hot Utopian Bliss, Shangri-La

Graviton

We’ve just returned from the wonderful blurry madness that is Glastonbury. This year Studio Weave had the pleasure and honour of making our own moonstruck monument to this alternate universe in the form of a dance platform “Graviton“.

Also for exhausted daytime lounging

Also for exhausted daytime lounging

Graviton will also be travelling to the Secret Garden Festival in July.

More info here

Crowd swelling over Graviton

Crowd swelling over Graviton

June 30th, 2010

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Freya looking over the cold lake

Freya looking over the cold lake

Freya in the Snow

Since the first snowfall we’ve been thinking of Freya up in Northumberland in a peaceful white dream…

Hunkered Down

Hunkered Down

In a White Dream

In a White Dream

January 12th, 2010

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Wysing

International Camp for Improbable Thinking

Studio Weave have been invited to take part in Wysing Arts Centre’s 2010 Camp for Improbable Thinking (could there be a better name for a camp?!).

This will take place from June – September 2010 and our fellow improbable thinkers include Asli Cavusoglu, Fabiano Marques, Emily Rosamond, Bedwyr Williams, Andy Holden, Lars Bang Larson and many more.

December 22nd, 2009

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Jemi and Freya

Jemi and Freya

A Real Love Story

A few weeks ago we received the most fantastic news, Freya had had some very special visitors. In their own words, the story goes:

“Jemi and I met when we were 14 at Ilkley Grammar School, it was Valentines day and a leap-year and she introduced herself by asking me to marry her! Sadly, we were just a bit too young for marriage, and our relationship only lasted for a week and worse, we never kissed.

Fast forward 12 years and unbeknowst to either of us we were both working about half a mile apart in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. We finally bumped into each other at the Harrogate branch of the HSBC bank. (She still has the paying-in slip from that day!) We went out for a few lunchtime drinks and it soon became clear that we liked each other very much.

Fast forward another 2 years and we’d moved in together and had two cats, a couple of very full bookshelves and a bed that we still haven’t put up!

I’d seen Studio Weave’s beautiful cabins at Kielder Water in the Architects Journal and when we decided we were going to holiday in Northumberland, I knew that Freya’s Cabin and its amazing story would be perfect for our engagement. I managed to keep the whole thing quiet, apart from that we were going to go for a walk at Kielder.

While we walked the long way to Freya’s Cabin, I told Jemi the probably badly remembered story of Freya and Robin. After a few sunny but blustery miles, we arrived at the cabin and stood together looking out over the water trying to spot Robin’s Hut on the other side. I told Jemi to close her eyes and hold her hands out, I placed the ring on her upturned palms and told her to open her eyes, before she could say anything I asked her if she would marry me, thankfully she said yes and then we kissed. I always think of that kiss as the one I missed 14 years earlier.

THE END”

Alex and Jemi

Alex and Jemi

Thank you Alex and Jemi! We consider this very very high praise indeed!

December 18th, 2009

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The Bench Looping Inside a Shelter

The Bench Looping Inside a Shelter

Planning Approval for The Longest Bench

The Longest Bench project has won planning permission! We’re very very pleased that the bench has been given the go-ahead and Littlehampton will have its shot at the record books. Read about it in the AJ and BD.
If you’d like to have your name on the Longest Bench for posterity, go to www.thelongestbenchintheworld.com to add yourself.

Argus

November 5th, 2009

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Wood Awards

Wood Awards

Freya’s Cabin was shortlisted in the Best Small Project category in the Wood Awards!

You can see a the BD Wood Awards suppliment here.

Here are judges John Wilkie and Giles Downes taking shelter in Freya’s Cabin:

Wood Awards Judges

Wood Awards Judges

October 15th, 2009

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AJ

Freya and Robin in AJ

Freya and Robin are in the AJ this week along with all the other Kielder Pavilions including Adjaye’s Specere.
Here’s the main article, here’s the bit about Freya and here’s the bit about Robin.

August 27th, 2009

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The kids unveiling the prototype (Photo: Carina Parkes)

The kids unveiling the prototype (Photo: Carina Parkes)

The Longest Bench in the World!

On Tuesday (the 14th July) children from Connaught Junior School unveiled a 7m prototype of what hopes to become the longest bench in the world! Through CABE’s Sea Change programme and a private donation they have enough money to make a very very long bench, but they need a bit more to make it the very very longest.

www.thelongestbenchintheworld.com

www.thelongestbenchintheworld.com

For a mere £15 you can put your name on the bench for posterity (and posteriority!) and help Littlehampton and the children make it into the record books.

Put your name on the bench

Put your name on the bench

Go to www.thelongestbenchintheworld.com to add your name.

Maria with Gavin from Newsround! (Photo: Carina Parkes)

Maria with Gavin from Newsround! (Photo: Carina Parkes)

But wait – there’s more – we were on Newsround!!! The kids (and Maria!) were very excited. Watch our moment of fame here!

The 7m prototype on the promenade

The 7m prototype on the promenade

More about the design here.

July 16th, 2009

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Inside-Out House in BD

Inside-Out House in BD

Something Royal, again

Freya’s Cabin and the Inside-Out House have won us the prize for Best First Time Exhibitor at the Royal Academy. We’re going to a fancy dinner in July – Je needs a suit – oh my!

Freya's Cabin and Inside-Out House in AJ

Freya's Cabin and Inside-Out House in AJ

June 5th, 2009

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