ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS LONDON PRESS RELEASE
London, UK
For immediate release: 8 April 2015
Images of the installations can be downloaded for press use here:
https://riba.box.com/s/ojz5gcfdcgh7aarskcp9z4hxmeuf82o6
Stunning architectural installations by RIBA Architects
adorn Shanghai Windows in new exhibition
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) London has opened its 2015 RIBA Shanghai Windows
exhibition of installations by its members. Now in its third year, RIBA’s Shanghai Windows pairs RIBA
Chartered Architects with local and international retailers to create original and thought provoking
temporary architectural installations around the city’s flourishing Xintiandi shopping and
entertainment district. The cross-over art exhibition is a partnership between RIBA London,
Shanghai Xintiandi and the Culture and Education Section of the British Consulate-General.
The lifestyle and entertainment businesses twinned with architects are:
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Draisci Studio with Barcodes - have designed faceted blocks that smile and seem to come
alive with eyewear on
CTHM Architects and Atelier I-N-D-J with the support of BuroHappold Engineering and the
lighting department at WSP. with Fountain - created an ethereal river of light that seemingly
floats, flows and falls from the upper windows of a restaurant
Mobile Studio with Giftique - design draws upon the meteorological qualities of the season
and will coincide with the launch of a new green tea
Squire and Partners with Maria Luisa– distorted hand crafted marble sculptures have been
inspired by the artistic process of creation and decay
Opensystems with NN - have designed DICE, a sculptural installation which resembles
primitive crystalline formations and marks the entrance of the store
Urban Systems with PH7 - installation references material systems in nature and is
fabricated using low-cost and 3D-printing technologies, using a bio-degradable plastic made
from renewable resources
Arup Associates with Pizza Express – create an outdoor installation that celebrates the art
of pizza making - motion of stretching the pizza dough for Pizza Express's 50th Anniversary
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Amin Taha Architects with Rubis Spa - flood the spa podium lobby to chest height, capturing
the blue mountain lakes of Switzerland where Rubis SPA was born
RCKa with Tayohya – created an immersive installation of changing colour, which is
ingeniously made of woven vinyl materials from a range of placemats and bags sold in-store.
RIBA President Stephen Hodder said “It’s good to be back in Shanghai again flying the flag for Great
British architecture and design. The Chinese market continues to grow and their appetite for original
creative works from RIBA architects remains robust.
“Our Shanghai Windows project offers our members the unique opportunity to gain invaluable
experience working in China, work with Chinese and global household name clients, and
demonstrate their skills to a design-savvy Chinese audience. Our exhibition will be seen by over 1
million visitors, helping to demonstrate why British architects are renowned around the world for
their creativity, ambition and flair. Well done to all the architects taking part this year, your original
designs and professionalism here in Shanghai do British architecture proud.”
Carrie Liu, General Manager of Commercial in China Xintiandi said: “It’s an honour to collaborate
with RIBA and the Culture and Education Section of the British Consulate - General again. The project
will enhance the unique shopping experience at Shanghai Xintiandi, and create a platform for crossover communication, further inspiring creative talent in Shanghai.”
Also launched, and running throughout the Xintiandi district, the ‘Through the Shop Window’
photography exhibition uses some of the RIBA Collection’s rich archive to tell the story of the
evolution of British shopping trends over the last century.
RIBA Shanghai Windows is open now at Xintiandi, Shanghai and runs until runs until 31 May 2015.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. For press enquires contact Howard Crosskey, Partnership Manager RIBA London,
howard.crosskey@riba.org 0759 091 0341
2. Project renders are available to download here:
https://riba.box.com/s/ojz5gcfdcgh7aarskcp9z4hxmeuf82o6
3. RIBA Shanghai Windows - Practice profiles:
Draisci Studio
Draisci Studio Ltd is a London based practice that designs and develops unique projects.
Commissions span from architecture to interiors, from exhibitions to installations.
Established by Francesco Draisci (DipArch, ARB,RIBA), after years of working experience with
Richard Rogers Partnership and Ron Arad among others, the multi-disciplinary practice
offers a platform that blurs the boundaries between the practical and the poetic.
In 2005 the practice was winner of the 40 under 40 AJ/CORUS competition (selecting the
most interesting architects in the UK) and, more recently, winner of the Design of the Year
Award by The Designer Magazine and finalist in the Wood Awards.
In 2007 created one of the 150 worldwide creative contributions to the V&A 150th
anniversary catalogue and received a commendation for sustainable architectural design in
the competition Letchworth Garden City of Tomorrow.
The studio work has been exhibited at the V&A, the London Design Museum and the Venice
Architectural Biennale.
The studio has been responsible for the design of the V&A exhibition “Decode: digital design
sensations”, The YOTA space in St Petersburg in collaboration with onedotzero, the design
and production of the Sacred Objects for the New North London Synagogue, a number of
residential projects in London, Italy and Paris and for the successful SPRING FOREST
installation for Clerkenwell Design Week 2012.
The studio has also provided environmental design consultancy for cultural institutions like
the Garage in Moscow and commercial brands such as Nike, Karl Lagerfeld, Nokia, Peroni.
www.draisci.com
CTHM Architects and Atelier I-N-D-J with the support of BuroHappold Engineering
CTHM is an award winning young architecture and design collective, established in 2012 by
Christopher Taylor, Timothy Hare and Harry Molyneux. Working in collaboration with the
multidisciplinary studio INDJ, founded by Ian Douglas-Jones.
From super-tall towers, large complex mixed use architectural schemes, private residences,
interiors, installations and product design Ian uses Atelier I-N-D-J as a vehicle for his creative
exploration.
CTHM is founded on a strong friendship, shared architectural values and a passion for all our
work. Whilst we share many similar architectural ideals, our skills and personal attributes are
varied and wide-ranging. This is essential to the dynamic and creative output of our young
practice.
We see the potential in each project as the result of a multitude of complex cultural, spatial
and temporal variables that we articulate through ordered structures and unexpected
material choices.
www.cthm.co.uk www.i-n-d-j.com
Mobile Studio Architects
Mobile Studio is a London-based architectural practice. The practice was nominated for
Young Architect of the Year Award in 2008. Apart from public projects Mobile Studio also
designs for private clients, interiors as well as the commercial sector. Mobile Studio has a
specialism in modular, reusable and reconfigurable systems for exhibitions, installations,
follies, museums and galleries.
www.theMobileStudio.co.uk
Squire and Partners
Squire and Partners is an award-winning architectural practice who have been designing and
executing buildings on key sites in London and internationally for over 35 years. The
practice’s approach to design assumes that every site has its own history, character and
needs. Derived from a sense of place, buildings respond to underlying themes of materiality,
scale and proportion which are common to their locations, whilst revealing a commitment to
contemporary design and detailing.
Projects range from bespoke interior design to full scale masterplans, including One Tower
Bridge and the Mayfair House in London, the British Council in Kenya and the Heart of Doha
in Quatar.
http://www.squireandpartners.com/
Opensystems
Opensystems Architecture Ltd. is an award-winning practice exploring design at the
intersection of technology, computation and craft. The practice understands architecture as
a problem of organisation, bridging visionary experimentation and practical solution.
Working along the notion of applied research, the practice develops performative forms in
the attempt to construct a more sustainable built environments. With over 15 years of
collective professional experience the office has established an impressive and diverse
portfolio in the field of architecture, interior design, installation, furniture and product
design. Founded in 2007 as a research platform, the company was incorporated in early
2012 and its work has already begun to achieve international recognition for its design
excellence. Opensystems pledges research and innovation as a paramount driving force of
the design process and its actual manifestation into built forms. As its name implies, the
practice conceives every project as a systemic integration of all aspects within an openended, vital designed form. This vision is enhanced by the multidisciplinary design approach
establishing fruitful exchange with a network of professional expertise.
http://www.opensystems-a.com/
Urban Systems
Urban Systems is a London Based Architectural design office led by Jeroen van Ameijde and
Brendon Carlin. The office employs new innovative and digitally enabled design and
construction techniques to deliver architectural, urban and infrastructural solutions.
Through maintaining collaborative links with leading academic institutions, Urban Systems
pursues a rigorous research agenda and constantly searches to advance the ways by which
we recognize, interpret and redefine the quality of our built environments.
Our methods incorporate generative design strategies, developing a digital workflow based
on rule sets which are informed by the characteristics and challenges of each individual
project. Applicable to a wide range of project scales and sites, this methodology allows for
the generation of highly adapted and site specific outcomes, producing informed design
solutions that contribute to the sustainability and vibrancy of our complex urban ecologies.
Urban Systems has since its launch in 2012 delivered several complex design projects,
including a 5,500,000 m2 masterplan for the extension of Changyuan, Henan, China with
residential and leisure areas and a new CBD. It has since delivered architectural designs for
the CBD area and several other projects in the city, including a 400,000 m2 retail and leisure
complex, several mixed-use projects and the ‘Yung Gardens’ and ‘East Gardens’ residential
projects. The office has collaborated with several leading consultants including ARUP, Buro
Happold, Bollinger+Grohmann and IPPR Beijing, and has participated in the invited
competition for 400 m. landmark high-rise tower in the ‘Changsha Northstar Delta’ together
with SOM, Aedas, Atkins and BIAD. Current projects include an office tower for the Bank of
China, a Science Museum and two private villa’s.
http://urban-systems-office.com/
Arup Associates
Arup Associates is a multi-disciplinary design studio within the international consulting
group Arup. Our integrated team works side-by-side from the start of every project, pushing
each other to think beyond the boundaries of our roles, exploring the unexpected and
sparking ideas we could never have alone.
http://www.arupassociates.com/en/
Amin Taha Architects
Amin Taha Architects was established in 2003 and selected in 2005 for the RIBA/Architects’
Journal 40 under 40 V+A Exhibition and for three years running as one of the top 40 under
40 offices within Europe (Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture + Design).
Practice works include private houses, hotels, housing, arts centres, offices and
infrastructure projects with clients that vary from private individuals and developers to
public bodies and corporations such as Virgin Atlantic, Fraser Neave of Singapore,
Hammerson, Lendlease, Sainsbury’s and the Madrid City Authority.
http://amintaha.co.uk
RCKa
RCKa provides an innovative model for young architectural practices operating in a
challenging and changing civic and economic landscape. Our active and enterprising
approach to enabling and securing projects of relevance to the local community is based
upon critical dialogue, and was developed to satisfy the central ambition of the practice, to
produce consistently high-quality pioneering and socially responsive architecture.
Formed in 2008 following a successful international housing competition win, RCKa quickly
established itself as one of the UK's most exciting young practices. Our particular expertise in
housing and community projects has been recognised in further competition wins,
commissions and awards, most recently an NLA 2013 Finalist Award for best public building,
and a winning project in the Housing Design Awards.
In addition to a strong portfolio of completed residential work, we recently completed a new
photography gallery on Liverpool's fourth grace site that the Financial Times reported as
being, 'ideally suited to the blend of grandeur and detail of much contemporary
photography', and a £3.5m youth and community facility in Lewisham that Building Design
Magazine praised as 'a political and architectural triumph in equal measure'.
In 2014 RCKa was presented with the RIBA London Emerging Architect of the Year award.
http://www.rcka.co
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