Iceland Academy of Arts by ADEPT Architects

Iceland Academy of Arts by ADEPT Architects

Iceland’s new Art Academy in the heart of Reykjavik. The Iceland Academy of the Arts will have a central location on the main shopping street Laugavegur – and will be uniting the existing institutes for art, architecture, design, theatre and music under one roof. Furthermore the building will contain a library and a gallery as well as theatre and music halls. Read more >>>

Architecture Caribbean Celebrates its First Anniversary (20th June 2010)

Architecture Caribbean Celebrates its First Anniversary

Architecture Caribbean would like to thank all our members, readers, subscribers, supporters, designers, artists, students, and the entire design community in the Caribbean, Latin America, and the rest of the world. Read our anniversary message here >>>

Why is art important to society?

Art in society

Architecture Caribbean asks Caribbean artists, “Why is art important to society?” Here are some of their responses..

“Art sometimes tells a story of an event that is topical or historical, it illustrates fantasy and reality and is most times is inspired by society itself. Art allows us to escape into dreamy landscapes or provokes our thoughts with abstract and often controversial compositions. However, mostly ART allows us, as a society, to share, understand, accept and enjoy.”

Peter Sheppard
Artist

Read the entire interview here >>>

Tell us what you think of their responses and what is your answer to the question…”Why is art important in society?”

Caribbean Pavilions for Shanghai Expo 2010

Bahamas Pavillion

Click here for more on the pavilions representing the Caribbean Communities at the Shanghai Expo 2010.

Grenada Pavilion

What do you think of the Pavilions representing the Caribbean communities? Click here to see all.

Destruction of the historic Caribbean vernacular, a cause for concern

There is strong concern by architects, and historians about the possible loss of their vernacular in Trinidad & Tobago, and Barbados, just to name a few. Significant buildings of the rich Caribbean vernacular which showcase the important architectural, climatic, social, and cultural resources of the islands (and other countries) seem vulnerable to destruction. As proven by this letter from the Barbados National Trust, there continues to be the demolition of the physical fabric and identity of the recent past, with little consideration of its value to the community, design history, architectural heritage and its role in the future.

The following is a letter from the Barbados National Trust which was published by the Barbados Advocate.

You can read the article here >>>

What are you thoughts on this?

“How to” on submitting projects to Architecture Caribbean

Firstly, thanks to all our members and readers for your commitment to design and to Architecture Caribbean.  A few of our readers have had problems submitting their projects to our site for publishing. We apologize for your troubles and have placed the submission process steps to aid you in submitting your great works. Continue sending in your works in Architecture, Visual Arts, and Design; we look forward to them!

Submit work process

1. Become a Member  http://www.architecturecaribbean.com/register.php
2. Sign in  http://www.architecturecaribbean.com/login.php
3. Please Click home page http://www.architecturecaribbean.com/index.php
4. Submit work http://www.architecturecaribbean.com/submit-work.php?section=art
5. Select Appropriate  Section
6. Click submit button.

Let us know if you need any further clarification.

Thanks from Architecture Caribbean

National Academy for Performing Arts Center – Video

National Academy for the Performing Arts

Brief video of the National Academy for the Performing Arts Center in Port of Spain, Trinidad (Caribbean).

Read previous Blogs on the Performing Arts Center:
architecturecaribbean.com/blog/?p=85
architecturecaribbean.com/blog/?p=249

National Academy for the Performing Arts – Trinidad & Tobago – part deux

National Academy for the Performing Arts – Trinidad & Tobago

The National Academy for the Performing Arts is currently under construction in the capital city of Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago. It will be the permanent home for the development of the Performing Arts, with particular focus on our national instrument, the steel pan, which was born in the 1940’s in Trinidad & Tobago. I applaud such a project in the Caribbean.

There are many opinions about it. I am glad that this project is being executed in Trinidad and Tobago; one that honors the talent and cultural contributions of Trinidad & Tobago to the world. Architecturally, what do you think of it? Some say it’s “out of proportion, ugly, devouring, fantastic, looks like Sydney Opera House, great design.” What is your architectural critique of it?

National Academy for the Performing Arts

I think the scale of the Project deserves a larger site, one with the landscape and site planning to compliment its grandeur. Look at projects like the New Parliament Complex in Canberra, Australia by Mitchell/Giurgola and Thorp. The building actually occupies only 15% of the site. There is a grand promenade and procession to the complex.

The Performing Arts Academy in Trinidad & Tobago is not able to have a dramatic procession with views and glimpses of it as you approach because of its site location. There is no procession…no approach, just an arrival. These factors are necessary in grand architecture I think. Driving around the Queens Park Savannah you see it, but again, that is not an approach, nor a procession. What if we built an island just for the National Academy for the Performing Arts? That is not impossible…costly, but not impossible. This was done in Sri Lanka for the Parliament building. A swampy site was dredged to create an island at the center of a vast artificial lake for the Parliament designed by Geoffrey Bawa. You notice the need for the scale of the site to match the scale and importance of the building.

How dramatic would it be to have to drive or walk along a grand promenade to the National Academy. The procession to it and catching glimpses of it would itself be a show, a build up to what was inside. I think this project needed or missed out on the opportunity for drama and the procession to it also being an event. In summary, congratulations to Trinidad & Tobago for a much needed facility, it’s about time! Architecturally, there is always room for improvement.

What do you think about the National Academy for the Performing Arts?

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Interview with Courtenay B. Williams, President of The Art Society of Trinidad & Tobago

“Tic Tac Toe” by Peter Sheppard

Architecture Caribbean presents its interview with Courtenay B. Williams, President of The Art Society of Trinidad & Tobago to discuss the Wall Projects recently unveiled at the Queens Park Oval and the Hyatt Waterfront Art Gallery in Port of Spain. This is a portion of the interview, see below for the entire interview.

Architecture Caribbean: can you tell us about the Wall Project?
Courtenay Williams: The Wall Project was the result of collaboration between the Label House Group who assembled the technology to print large scale reproductions and to use software to obtain as true a color reproduction as is possible of the original pigments used in the paintings.

AC: How did the idea come about?
CW: We were approached by the Label House Group to help in the selection of artists and execution of the project.

AC: How were artists chosen for the project?
CW: Initially the launch date for the project was so close to when we were first approached, that we had to have resort to Art Society members for selections to be made for the first phase along Tragarete Road. The intention was that every six months or so, the work would be retired but whilst up, a theme would be announced and artists would paint for that theme so that when the first set of work came down there would be new work ready for installation drawn from artists who responded to the theme (whether they were Art Society members or not). It was the intention that works would be juried by the Art Society using the kind of criteria we use for our own shows.

AC: What benefits have arisen from the Wall Project?
CW: People have become alive to the possibility of embracing art and what it says about them as human beings when they respond to it. It is not for the middle classes, it is our expression of the human condition which touches us all.

AC: What is the present state would you say of art and artists in Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean?
CW: That is a very very broad question which it is impossible to answer within the confines of this short interview process. I will say this: the Caribbean has a unique story to tell and even within the Caribbean, the Cuban experience is different to the Jamaican experience which is different to the Trinidad and Tobago experience which is different to the Surinamese experience and so on. I lament in Trinidad and Tobago that the general perception is still that children are not being encouraged to pursue careers in art because it is still perceived that artists cannot make a decent living from it.

AC: Is there a particular space in the city or country that you would love to do a grand exhibition for artists if you had the opportunity?
CW: A biennale or a true art festival is a dream of ours.

AC: What concerns do you have with regard to the Arts in the Caribbean/ T&T?
CW: Art is still perceived in some countries as not available to the general public, and that it is elitist.

AC: What advice would you give to young artists?
CW: Stay the course and improve your craft and technique and if it is your intent to do so, source good help and formal education and use it as best you can.

AC: What do you think about Architecture Caribbean and its goal to highlight Architecture and the Arts in the Caribbean and other parts of the world?
CW: I support it.

Read entire interview>>