17 10 310 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/3a9f502870f65ee28d77a21263a93530.pdf 88e26df8d5133fce3cb39d0d9c0d6592 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Brian Anson/ARC pre and post Harrogate Subject The topic of the resource Various documents describing ARC ideas and activities See below Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975-1976 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource ARC Subject The topic of the resource Single page introduction to ARC Description An account of the resource Over the past few weeks the Architects Revolutionary Council has been publ icising its aims in the press and media and pamphletting schools, papers and magazines. Certain MP's have also been given copies of our literature. This pamphlet expands our views and puts forward our strategy to bring about the architectural revolution. We see architecture today as criminal, in as much as it is practiced against the general welfare of ordinary people in Britain. These are the people ARC members see as their peers, not the present controllers and manipulators of our environment. Because of the injustice and chaos caused by architecture and its practitioners, we feel that though our approach is similar to other revolutionary groups, our enemy is slightly different. True, architecture is oppressive, exploitive, manipulative and ignorant of peoples desires, but in its present form it is also archaic, totally archaic. .: The practitioners and bosses of architecture are virtually unaware that they are so inadequate and i1]1 educated in terms of the directions that our society is trying to progress. Unlike unwanted governments, monarchies| or military Oppressors, they are unable to conmand physical force to directly implement their dictates. These two factors, unawareness and ill-equippedness make our enemy, the architectural establishment? vulnerable, yet unpredictable. We do not know how aware our eneny is of iteelf, or of the strength and versatility of ite opponents. The RIBA has resisted any real efforts to change this situstion, openly unwilling to ednit its social insdequacy and allow the emerging social forcee to influence its dictates. A more sensitive and socially responsive Overleaf is e primary action course, that we see as the foundeticn to the newarchitecturemovementcomingtofruition.heOeeaeeOecones tecChnicians, drsusguhgthetmeemnen aand studenetsn wiSatnheingetheourparosfessrions to Gscrarec,! SOCIAL HOMICIDE REV reason behind a structure manifesting itself, in the physical form was because it was croritenie. In terms of the scale of this manifestetion the equation is simple, the bigger the practice, the bigger the building, the greater. the profit and inevitebly the greater the social disruption and destruction. OLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE The Architects Revolutionary Council is not a populist movement. Unlike a total social revolutionary group, we are primarily concerned witn radical change within our *ield of work, that being architecture and How have we managed to achieve a total reversal in the eccepted reason for the existance of architects? 4 planning. Having said that, 1t would be naive to think that our writings and activities will not effect social change, we will have failed if they ao not. We are initially concerned with the heightening of the awareness, of our colleagues, the creation of a real empathy with the users of our designs, then producing a solidarity based on whst we see as a just cause. Our cause is a just one and we are committed to instigating our policies and strategies to bring about architectural revolution. A complete evaluation of almost any building erected in the vast two or three decsdes will show,in social terms, firstly how vowerful architecture has become and secondly, how the abuse cf that power has brought sbout a destruction of our culture. Architecture has ceased to function fcr the good of people, it now functions to satisfy profits, ego's end abstract aes thetics. That is the shameful cafession architecture has to make to society, now. ARCHITECTURAL SUICIDE Public sector architecture has pernetrated a syate of ugly, dominating and vast developments in the neme oF society,in the vretence thet it is 1 *the power structure, based on the economic infrastructure, yropned un end reinforced by the media and supported by the educations] couses. The architectural profession has been instrumental in the destruction of the physical rabviec of society, when its major purpore should have been the exact opposite. Collectively the architects, technicians, draushtemen and students in the profession have either eagerly participated or silently carried cut a systematic annihilation of our great citics and many of their cultures and sub cultures‘,In many ways architecture has created more havec and destruction than the Lurtwaffe in World War Two. The only difference being that architecture has hidden behind the viel of redevelorment or rehabilitation. The war was destructive in many obvious and clearly definatle ways. Architecture has been a ict more subtle.... but make no mistake the result has been precisely the same. Germanys motives in that war were also easily identifiable ond we found them very easy to hate; their succinct eggressive nature was plain to see. Yhe reasons for the architectural force taking over the aggressors rele is not as clear, yet in the vrivate sector the answer is simply profit. Though actual. building fascades varied, irrespective of purpose or locetion, the At peony ARC is uncertsin what grounds the establishment will submit on; what its greatest weaknesses ara Also we are uncertain of its potential | towards the areas of society that need our aseistance. The RIBA is too severity in repressing the indictments we are going to make, and ite i committedto the wealthy to change its direction,without loosing Sauce and capactty to resist a real attack on its very foundation, As well e2 cur j Jeapordizing ite professional status with that section of society. This manifesto, which basically states our beliefs, it is imperative that we dependance unon architecture being profitable is ruining cur environment, riot limproving it. Architecture in ites existing form is far too svorerveent lay down certain ground rules. On achievement of the mass movement which i we are striving for, theee ground rules can be used as a future basis oF : etarting point for the new architecture movement. It is our belief, in i® pefering te the RIBA and its members as the enemy or the establishment, to the economic structure to assert its real social responsibility. Therefore we are committed to its destruction and the replecement of it with » syetem of enviromental design that takes people as its peers, not money. that there exists a distinct 'us and them’ situation in architecture and Lanning. There are those who wield the power and those who are subject o it. The wielders are the RIBA, the principles in private ‘practice and the heads of lccal government denartment:. Avle recruits for these posit- ions are always in the pipeline thanks to the educationalists who constantly feed this archaic, yet, powerful group. Obviously we are aware - thede consciences and commence wor thet this nower structure is cubscrviant te finenciers, cornoraticns and rich clients, anc cf course develomers and syecalators. This heirerchy has always been eble to rely on the technicians, partially qualified designere end drevcatemen,who make un the bulk of people in tie offices, to carry out their dictates unquestioningly. They are guilty of silent ecquiesenct, working without a »rincipled mind, ebusing their conrciences, end foregoing eny rocial morale they may heave had. The resui+ of this power abuse ond cocial disregurd, is a lousy environment, Uroun chacs, rural decay, cocinl disruption, psychological disorders...architectural suicide. : solying housing and educational problems. Most of these prcviems are partially inFated by architects and planners thinking they can disgnose a society without even coming into contact with that society. In all honesty all that architects really need to know about people is that they are mostly between four and six feet high and take up varicus amounts of space, dependant on the activity they are involved in, That has been elmost the sum totel of expertise architects have applied to their buildings in distinct human terms. Architecture has successfully reduced people to the status of a design element, to be taken into account with all the cther elements such as lighting, plumbing, car parking etc. architectural order must remove them and begin to redirect our exnertise Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Undated https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/301e024af37cb9bfa60ac6b10d1fab1d.pdf a62fbc35fa44df6cdf0d96109b44aca9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harrogate Founding Congress Subject The topic of the resource The Harrogate Congress was the founding of NAM. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 21-23 November 1975 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harrogate Congress Subject The topic of the resource Flyer for Harrogate Congress 1975 single 2-sided paper Description An account of the resource PROFESSIONALS. TOGETHER / 09gL8KS Rio NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT Harrogate Congress 21:23Wev Costs from £1059 inclusive Info from Wew Architecture Movement 10 PERCY STR. LONDON WI O17 636 0798 NEW ARCULSECTURE MOVEMENT CONGRESS - 21st to 23rd NOVEMBER 1975 Royal Baths Conference Centre Harrogate FRIDAY 21 NOVEMBER TIMETABLE 13.60 to 15.00 1. Registration of Delegates and Guests at Royal Baths Conference Centre. 15,00 to 15.30 3. Afternoon tea. 15,0 to 17,00 4, Opening Plenary Session. i) Initial address ii) Discussion and Initial Motion. 17.15.%o 19.60 5. Working session groups (1 to 6) to formulate approach and assess validity of the task. 6. Bar open between 19.00 and 22.30. 19.00 to 20.00 7. . Cold Buffet. 20.00 to 22.00 8. Optional Plenary Session. 22.30 9, Conference Centre closes. SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER 10, OO: te 11,00 1. Plenary Session. dO%6T23202.Morningcoffee. 11.30 to 13.00 . 3. “Working Session 15400. to-14..00 4. Conference Session. 16.00 to 16.30 5. Afternoon tea. &B.30 to 18.00 6. Conference Session. 7. ‘Bar open between 18.90 and 23.00 29.00 to 21.00 8. Buffet Supper. 21.30 to 23.00 9. Optional Conference Session. 23.00 10. Conference Centre Closes. SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 10.00 to 11.06 54 20.06 Lis Ti .30 €6 13.00 55.00 to. 14.00 14.00 to 15.00 £3.30 Conference Session. Morning coffee. Closing Session. Meeting of Elected Officials. Buffet lunch. Conference closes. 23.06. 06 15.30 2. Registration of Delegates at hotels and guest houses. 13.00 to 15.00 Free time, no lunch given. An onportunity to view Harrogate. DH uv & W DN EH BeilOeeeRe Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Nov-75 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/24b6bf27a8e586e107dbde60d8f56e62.pdf 507be80ea058dd350b7280de9aaadfb4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Introduction and Origins Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harrogate Congress Subject The topic of the resource ARC Flyer and promotion of 1st NAM Harrogate Congress 13 pp total Description An account of the resource ARCHITECTS STUDENTS, TECHNICIANS & OTHERS. THE ARCHITECTS REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL, 11, PERCY STREET, LONDON W.1, TEL. 01.656.0974. Sx7.27. The Draft Manifesto. ARC ARC ARC ARC is well aware that to achieve a new framework for architecture there will have to be radical changes in our present political and economic system. Nevertheless first architects and students must demonstrate that they are prepared to fight for a new system in their own art. specifically believes that the students in the schools of architecture cry out for a new educational system to replace the existing one where they are trained as fodder for the profit orientated professional system existing now. calls on all these people to join together to form a new international movement end through solidarity help bring about the architectural revolution. REMEMBER UNITY IS STRENGTH. ARCHITECTS UNITE FOR THE REVOLUTION. REJECT THE RIBA. VICTORY TO THE 4£RC. eee FURTHER COPIES OF THE PAMPHLET(15p each) and POSTERS (20p each) ARE AVAILABLE FROM:— ARC, 11 PERCY STREET, LONDON W.1. calls on all those architects and others involved in the built environment who believe that we should cease working only for the rich and powerful minority or the bureaucratic dictatorships cf central and local government and offer our skills and services to the local communities which have little chance to work directly with architects and architecture. maintains that the profession as it now stands is a luxury profession and that because of this the architect is caught in the narrow trap of economic viability and profit. further maintains that the RLBA Qycpogetes this narrow luxury characteristic and is thus directly responsible for the malaise of architecture and the state of our cities. believes that their are thousands of architects who would welcome a new framework through which they could work directly for the local communities which would then becone the real clients with alk the power and privilege: of traditional clients. believes that the problems of architecture are al11 around us, but that people who suffer from them cannot afford architects to solve them; neither can architects afford to tackle them. It is this trap we wish to break. 2irateteentntimerA What is ARC, It is a movement of architects, students and others, which believes that creative architecture should be available to all people in society, regardless of their economic circumstances. It is a movement committed to revolutionary changes within the architectural eatablishment and spec- ifically to the replacement of the RIBA by a new architectural system. Why is ARC needed. The term ‘orisis “in architectyre! 18 common -ioday.and mot only pecause or Malcolm MacEwans book; the press is constantly filled with statements of alarm, disgust and desperation over the state of architecture and the dilema in which architects find themselves. We in the movement would refer everyone to MacEwans book which soundly castigates the RIBA, for in general terns we agree with his analysis, BUT WE DO NOT AGREH WITH HIS SOLUTIONS OR CONCLUSIONS. His radi¢al Péformist policy, which accepts the convinuance of the. RIBA,..i18 doomed to failure, in the contexs Of our archnivectupal system, because, as ANdre Gorg says!....reformism rejects those objectives and demands, however deep the need for.them, whieh are incompapibie with the preservation of the system..". Architecture shoulda be done in the service of “society.* Social euhics and justice should-pe “our Criteria, We all kmow. this.is not so.and that the architectures! profession has fay too frequently been motivated by anti-social values. The profession is full of the whining and wheedling of the RIBA at the moment over the disasterous slump in the professions work load. Delegations to the govertmen., lobbying’ of Wi"s and Poolewe receny plea vo ele architects wo donate £10 to the HIBA;s- these are all~ Sigs of s-ponie rue to protect the status quo, The reasons for Pooleys begging are, in his own words, !..as+sbat a Strong RIBA is neccessary’ to the survival of practices everywhere and the achievement of a stable building programme. Apart from the fact that this is not even true (greedy large practices are at least partially responsible. for the dilema of the small enterprise), there is not a word about the quality of the.environment, nor about the dramatic gocial changes trying to break through if} our society,.and in.which.erohitecture Must Play apart if-4a%-as to heave amy credibitaby at,ali,, Pie common ownership,of workplaces,.-the desire for local: control, the. semi slavery of the technicians in the profession;. there is no evidence that the RIBA is stimulated by such ideals. The RIBA's yearning for a stable buildigg programme is a wistful reference to, the boom years of the late sixties.and early seventies, Those boom years tell the whole story and they are the prime reason why ARC maintains that only revolution: wall. do. This graph showing the rise and fall of cormissions in the world of architecture, shows Clearer than any words, just where the profession and the RIBA have stood im Pelavion to our society in recent years. This coincides enootly Manin the Office Boom, So:-°2 weknowwhothefriendsofthe SaaecaedAe RIBA were, and why the profession s+“Delioatin theyreats.t+4he years of 1969 to 1973 will be rerienbered for a long tine’ 6 come. They are our generations architectural heritage. L Pay pare fj | | y et aMILLION [acre le ca eae es PSE peopl g [| | § i i | i| p PaPorees Seve ys| Ae |. aod Foal a TS aa 7. 97>cLaeaieaneTa oe 800 iesdues ae ee pory ce] ase ia' !ieo;Ee}aan cf6p~6s TOUTfayoe VALUE OF COMMISSIONS/LAST DECADE. sesilent: Ai} 4900 he) im this period the price of buiidine and of land,recketedt;he 4mm fae unacceptable face of capitalism’ -was~coined; the speculator and. the developers became sihe villains in our society and. corruppien-in-the saintly architectural profession began=toobreak: throygn-~the-thin-yeneer of 'epegbive prapessiauslasmi ctiao he RiBAchad:fosteredanfoxs sontong.in the words of ‘many commentators,"it wasonly the tip of the iceberg"; Yet during. that. time leading members of the profession (some now on the RIBA Council) were saying such things as; H1t is, Cideoulovssnot.t0 Gevelop the site to. its.fuliest potential... tmere.18 No poling. in iF aectietenceing on valuable Tand.."' Fitzroy Rovineon. "The most successful architects are those who understand property values and the mechanics of property development". Owen” Duder. ‘Yes we did work for the spivs(developers) and when we did we felt DOr eLoLe. NVPOCL tees. .a« Pl, Wal could we do”, Anonymous: arehitect Building Design 4/75. OT couwmse. the HiBA-did Hoy officially endorse such Views, Dub, Meivper didwit,;-durdug these-years.of physical and S0ctal rape, once cry, os in Protesty Hor those in the Movemeny, sete pesu-yoers Leave pecn tie Tie oie. Likemany.otherswehavewaited.to.seetheprofessichetacc.uptoi3 social responsibility and we were willing to. accept éven. gradual reform as lone a@s.weeould. see. a e260. 01. eo0cial Cpa « We now-sée. that we could wei lorevers.in our; View, the groabest,and last, chance, tor the RIB, Colca im ie Oroperw,). 090n,. Tits ico when. Loe prolession, could. have. bes the vanguard in environmental ethics and morality. instead the, RIBA showed, die, true character, and .sided.with he, ceriminats.who. exploLied pe infgiation-in,dand. and.consiruction. costs. Louis Hellman(AJ cartoonist) wa s certainly right when- he said: of the RIBA "4. the people at--the wets ow ‘this place have a vested interest in keeping things the way they aro. Architecture, said Hans Meyer in ine P9504 Sis? a weapon that-has as-all éimes been wielded by the ruling class of human society'. Stephen Kurtz in his book 'Wasteland’ says "She history of architecture is’ the history of those who had the power to build. Rembrandt's greatest work was accomplished in poverty and*reyection.’ But without kings, noblemen and governments, churchmen, merchants and speculative builders, architecture WoUuld=-Metoxis~wb.ec”au.se--lheywouldnototherwisehavefunctioned. Architects have always allied themselves with the rich and powerful’, No-one can deny this. But we can change this, and turn architecture into aSweaponthatCanbevusedforthegood*orsocietyeae?“perhEOUsarseyea1 the cause of those who live in degrading environments’, The RIBA is\ part of the free market system andi.that-is why..the-dnetisute is In“such a turmoil now as that system is under such an. attack..We all Wnow what that oystem has done to Since 1971 three times as much capital ment as into our industrial production. outside this system, and nor has it the however, always had a mandate to do so, as it's charter, specifically demands that it'advance civil architecture'. preted as perving society, which it has £100,000 a year from the taxpayer in purpose. Where other professions have social service, (some tentative like Legaal Aid Centres; some which embrace the whole society, like the our physical and social environment. NHS) whilst the RIBA has only become more associabed.with the rich and: powerful. has gone into property develop- The RIBA cannot imagine itself traditions -to do so. 1b has, This can, only be. inter- never done though it takes tax and rate reliefs form this made moves forward in terms of 2eeee reteeee adsense ere Oeous orees hon—6—s5 ofpanlis of any veform of lasting value to society, ‘The institute is dead! says MacEwan, Dut then ne goes on to say “The t7sti ite on the other hand is alive and well't,. THE INSTITUE IS NOT DEAD! 80% of arch- itects belong to it and it is the mouthpiecs of architecture in our society. WHY THE TIME IS RIGHT. ie many ovitior of the RIBk gall for reform, We eal) tor REVOLUTION and say DO AWAY WITH THE RIBA; It is an enemy of eociety, and the dictator of the lives of the poor and underprivileged. It is in the path of progress and must be swept away, it has abused the trust of society and must now go,to allow a humane and just design profession to Flourish, The ARCHITECTS REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL sees itself in the tradition of past revolutionary moverients in architecture; the Constructivists, ARSE, Atelier Populaire. These movements did not succeed because the time was not right, but they planted fertile seeds. WE BELIEVE THAT THE TIME IS RIGHT and we in ARC want to play our full part in the creation of the new mass movement in architecture. But this can only come about with your aid. There are over twenty thousand registered architects in this country. Per head of population this is more than any country in Europe, Over 80% of these registered architects are membems of the RIBA. 80% of all architects are salaried;IE.they work for other architects. This alone shouldbeunacceptabletothesocietythatpaysfortoed.Tren so is the taxpayers money that provides the grants to train architects to deal with the enviromnental prepblems of society. Architects do not repay this debt in any way at present, they are unaccountable and irresponsible to that society. Trained people are foreed to work in and are exploited by a bosses orgamisation;the RIBA, A large peoportion Of the archit- ectural work is handled by a small proportion of the membership. who have built up large practices. The RIBA has always been run by such people and thus the status quo is maintained. The tendency has been to become big and powerful with the emphasis on streamlining and managenent techniques. The RIBA's ethic, if it can be gaid to have one, is that of narrow professionalism; a service to the client. These days the client cannot be identified with the society and frequently not even with the user. All this is in direct contrast to the moves going on in our society; the themes of local autonomy and preservation, the revival of craftsmanship and a more human approach to developing phe environment. Over half our urban environment is economically impoverished and environmentally deprived.The communities within these areas have helped through taxation,to train the profession. This profession returns note of this aid and where it does not ignore these areas (commissions do not come from the poor areas)it helps in the rape of them through development or subtle gentrification. The RIBA upholds 2 19tn centuny elitist position and deliderately keeps lay people out of its club. This is particularly true as regards the yawning gulf between the profession and the working classes. The RIBA has a code that seeks to cushion its members from adverse critisism;it is more important to the RIBA that members should be loyal to each other and to the institute, than to the society that it is supposed to serve. It refuses openly to condemn aparthied and therefore has no regard for Civil justice. If it cannot have such principles from 4000 miles how can we expect justice from it on the home front, i2 has never developed even such esoteric concepts as the compethtion system, because the ruling elite wish to keep the rewards for themselves. But the RIBA and its ruling establishment, has worked itself into a trap from whieh it cannov escape. It's greed, especially over the last decade, and its narrow objectives have put 1+ in such tad repute, tiat 1 it is fighting a last ditch battle to try to build an acceptable image. It will not succeed. The 3000 unattached architects have already c2 clained in a recent survey that the RIBA has done nothing for architec ture, Members of Parliament attack it for its social sins. The puoi and especially those in the poorer areas, now see alone with whe Loeal bureaucrats and speculators who have ruined their lives, environments and communities, the subtle villian of the piece is the RIBA. But -usekess asnitlis ne RIA will mot welinguish.power volunvarily. The status quo.will.not..casily abdicate in the face of reason said Harold Taski. He was fight. A stronge°architectural révolyiionary moverent must-keep attagking.the RIBA, until the.power.is restéd from them ang a new order established, .Prior to.this,hope Only “oy Wiel the “tow. architects and. students.deeply commited to an architecture-for-atl people Now many more will commit themselves, because they sre left with no other.optien, fhée.new system.of architecture will need to be based on & mass movement just agrthe RIBA is, otherwise, there ¢an be no’ progressive and creat- ive atpack.,on.therénvironmental problems.of our-society. That 18 why the ARCHITECTS REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL Goes not pretend to be The ew movenent, wor indeed its embryo. ARC has constantly seen itself as a snall commited tiovement totally opposed to the present set#up. It wpuld also oppose the new movement should it show tendencies to becoming 2 bureaucracy intent-oh prererving. - iteelf.’ to’ the. deteriment, of SOCiEV. ARC sees itself as helping to bring the new movenant abou and if nessessary.acting as its,vanguard, To this end it-is organising & national, conyentaon.in.ithe Autuma,of all-architects, technicians, students and others who wish to see revolutionary changes within the professio Seperate literature will be published shortly concerning this convent- Long : Agawepards ARC Ateelt, there.ia,still much. to. be done to build the, group into.aM; 6licetivea.archdtectural guerilla forge, What-follows 18 8 brier history of the movement so far ‘and ways inf which you tayoe able Go molp Livyou,d¢ eel. gyourse.t..comyitted..For.as Malcolm xX. once gait. "...1f-you,.e not ~oseh, of pame. solution. vour,;part, of. the. problem”, THE PRESENT SLTUATION Th ARC. The movement began some eighteen months ago, when two architects,. one English and one Jugoslavian, decided that an international movenent was needed to take the profession out of its elitaést and, capitalistic framewrk and make it responsible to society. There was particular need to deliberately nlign the profession with the poorer eueam tous environment were donnection with architecture is non-existant. The peodle living ig- these communities are particularly incensed. pecause the professiom passed itself off as being socially conscioys. But the tables are turning because of the massive number of redund- ant architects who will soon condemn the RIBA for not building a firm social working base for architecture. Over a thousand architects will pe out Of work by Christmas and more: than 60% of graduates will not. find employment this sumaer. These unemployed architects can blame, with some justification, world inflation and recession for their, plight, put the main problem is the greedy inflexible charncter of the profession. And as the redundancies occur who will be hit first? Not the powerful principles who run the big practices and back up the elitism of the RIBA. Tt will be the salaried architects and technicians, the people who do the real work in architects offices. All those soon to be redundant should know that there has never been a lack of work. A large part of our environment is a slum and ‘getting worse. But the RIBA has never taken the trouble to-ferge the professisn into.an organiser capable of tackling these problems. The first prerequisite of such capability is thw desire to do ‘Ssonething about ity thie presupposes a social .conscience,. something the RIBA has never had. For reasons such as greed and aloof- ness the REBA “be incapable cofidintyingsttiselt problem «atithe -kevei.of the Me RISA has noieaming thr our 3iGiety: a seciety “that requires commit Hent to:49,.Gause... bee no meaning .for continues .fo control their destiny. It has meaning to many purely as -an enticement to letters after ones name, Soon there will be no jobs left. avchitectire “srudents veu 1t as-a path to commissions or jobs. Because eventually we will need parlianentary backing, the movement is in the process of naking contact with appropriate MP's, Our contatts with the unions are also developing and at the right time we expect full support fron*then, The movenent is drafting ideas for a new aystem of educatthon; for the new finenoial =siructure. (how architects would be paid under the’ new soc- ially orientated system) and for the other ideas. These will be put to the Autumn convention as ARC's contribution to the mass movement. By July the main core of the English movement(in LOndon) will have split, to produce at least three new cells om Units, in the Provinees; on ‘the Hast coast, in the North West and in Scotland. Because these: cells will be constructed by totally committed ARC members we will be certecin of four fpealthy cells Oy -SstUmmer. WHAT CAN YOU DO. Within, im: your vractice, College or Locality you’ can’ try-vo Dull: up-a unit that would strive for the establishment of a new system of architectu ture, based on the draft manifesto, It,is better to have. four people who can trust Gach other than a,ioose- unit: often. Remember unity is strength, and you, will not te alone, Contact the main movement to let’ us know you are attempting to build a cell then keep us in contact and let us know your views. We have a fairly extensive network of people throughout Britain and we maybe able. to put you in. touch with others in your.locality. Your help will be needed in setting up the Autumn convention and to thés end the ARC main group will be calling a meeting of all the British members Carly in Summer; Finally always remember that the reason that the status quo is preserved is because people think they are alone. The minute two people get together and say ew can do something, then a movement is born. This is wha what we said and a movement has been born and we shall win, because the ting, 12 Pier t.. Architects unite for revolution VICTORY -TOt THE AERC¢ « One of the primary instincts of the founders: was that there: already existed many hundreds, if noy thousands, of architects who-are a part of such a movenent in spirit; what was collective and formidable force for ssion. Commonsense demanded that national movements be constructed first, and this pamphlet refers only to the that there are embryonic cells in Argentina, Italy, Jugoslavia, France, due course, perhaps within two years, Ceol", The main core of the English movenent is in London, and contains, in addition to architects and students, menbers have worked extensively in valid “though “that. netitod tis ,:cit wilh environnental field on its own. The revolusgionrsed ‘to aid community action.: has been building strength based on have left because they could not live putting the cause of the revolution itecture. Others have joined after The core meribers have lectured at land, .In addition a.small group recently speaking at colleges in Boston, New Angeles and many other cities, One adressed the conference of the ¥oung party but we will proclaim ARC anywhere). needed was to forge them into a revolutionary: Changé, inthe: profe- English group. However it is known eight other: countries so far; USA, Norway, Ireland and Scotland. In the first ARC INTERNATIONAL will laypeop&fé and lawyers. All the core community action and believe that, not-achi eve total Inoeedem ain sbhe profession themselves have to be During the last year. the movenent commitment (for example one or two up to the ideals, which denangs before conventional success in arch- long and serious thought.) colleges in England, Ireland and Scot~ travelled throughout America York, Chicago, San Frensisco, los of<the founder members recently Liberals.(We do not align with this p [ere ARCHITECTS avian BEVOUUTIONARY cee COUNC START THE NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT | Ceaseoe membershipfeestotheRoyalInstitute of British Architects and stop supporting any functions or activities they organize or sponsor. 2 Commence setting up in regions, cities, offices, colleges or localities groups of people willing to participate in a truly social form of architecture and environmental design. 3 Forego any committment to the existing practice and education system and begin contacting and working for people and groups who are working towards ereating a better environment, not screwing it for all it is worth. 4 Come together and begin to organize a system of design education which we can implement through national and local government, colleges, universities, and polytechnics, to replace the present archaic process of design teaching. 5 Work for and participate in a national convention in October, to formerly establish the beginning of e new architecture movement, based on people not profit. We see the establishment of these points as paramount if we are going to have a worthwhile architecture. The present system,for the reasons stated,is incapable of the radical change neccesssry to ressurect architecture from its disgusting state. KEN “pone SOUTHERN REGION) ADAM PURSER( MIDLANDS) DAG FASTING( EASTERN REGION) GEORGE MILLS(NORTH WEST) BRIAN ANSON( LONDON) ANDY BURRELL( SCOTTISH REGION) REGION) BRIANeno) REGION) PAUL WALKER(WESTERN PETER MOLONEY( IRELAND) IlPERCY STREET LONDON WI. Ql.636:0974 EXT 27 The Architects Revolutionary Council is escalating its activities to bring about the We need committed people to make revolution. If you require further with organization,contact the following people at the ARC Offices. radical changes it envisages. the architecturel information or assistance Over the past few weeks the Architects Revolutionary Council has been its aims in the press and media and pamphletting schools, papers and Certain MP's have also been given cop ies of our literature. This pamphlet expands our views and puts forward our strategy to bzwasng about the architectural revolution. We see architecture today as crLM Wigs, an as mucn as ik a Sp ract iced agains t the general welfare of ordinary people in Bri 2ain. aHese are the people ARC members see as their peers, not the present controllers a manipulators of our environment. r my REVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE fhe Architects Revolutionary Council is not a populist movement. Unlike @ total social revolutionary groun, we are primarily concerned with Padical change within our Yiela of work, that being architecture and planning. Having said that, 1t would be naive to thin that our writings and activities will not effect social change, we will have railed if they do not. We are initially concerned with the heightening of the awareness, of our colleagues, the creation of a real empathy with the users of cur designs, then producing a solidarity based on what we see asa just cause. Our cause is a just one and we are committed to instigating our policies and strategies to bring about architectural revolution. At present ARC is uncertain what grounds the establishment will ‘submit on; What its greatest weaknesses era Also we are uncertain of its potential severity in repressing the indictments we are gcing to make, and its capacity to resist a real attack on its very foundation. As well «2 cur manifesto, which basically states our beliefs, it is inmerative that we day down certain ground rules. Cn achievement of the mass movement which we are striving for, these ground rules can be used as a future beais or starting point for the new architecture movement. It is our Pelice,. an refering to the RIBA and its members as the enemy or the establishment, that there exists a distinct ‘us and them! situetion in architecture and lanning. There are those who wield the nower and those who are suvject o it. The wiélders are the RIBA, the principles in private ~ractice and the heads of lIccal governnent denartment: Able recruits for these nosit-— ions are always in the pineline thinks to the educationalict: who constantly feed this archaic, yet newerful jroup. Obviously we are aware not improving it. CPV Le. to the economic structure td a Therefore we ari -conmitted te 1 of is with a system of enviromental design that takes neople as f ers, not Ssocarcuavectirad Because of the injustice and chaos caused by architecture ani its practitioners, we feel that though our approach is similar to other revolutionary grouns, our enemy is slightly different. True, architecture is oppressive, exploitive. manirulative and ignorant of peonles desires, Dut in its present form it is also archaic, totally archaic. 2: The practitioners and bosses of architecture are virtually unaware that they are so inadequate and ill educated in terms of the directions that our society is trying to progress. Unlike unwanted governments, monarchies or military oppressors, they are unable to coumand physical force to directly implement their dictates. ‘these two Tactors, unawareness and ill-equipredness make our enemy, the architectural establishment* vulnerable, yet unpredictable. we do not know how aware our enemy is of itself, or of the strength and versatility of its opponents. SOCIAL: HOMICIDE thes this powersare cane ‘rich elients, anuoct > cour tins alwnys be Gesigmerr end « Ber Car ly 2Ont, Wi Gery AEC’ ecqulesance, weoricrrs % end Porepui ns: Lad j power ubuce rural decay, eecizd disruption, paycholcgical suicide. *the power structure, baced on the economic infrastructure, propyed un end reinforced by the media und supported by the educational couces. Aa ind A conmilete evaluation of almost: any building erected in the past two or three decades will show,in social terms, firstly how powerful architecture has become and secondly, how the abuse of that power has brought zbout a destruction of our culture. Architecture has ceased to function fcr the good of people, it now functions to satisfy profits, ego's end abstract ees thetics. That is the shameful caression architecture has to make to society, now. ¥ ARCHITECTURAL SUICIDE The architectural nrofession has been instrumental in the destruction of the phyeical 1 ds of society, when its major, purpose should have been the €xact opposity. Collectively the erehitects, technicians, draushtsmen and students in the profession have either eagerly particirated ov silently carricd cut a systemutic annihilation of our great citics and many of their cultures and sub culturesI.n many ways architecture has created more havoc und destruction than the Luitwafie in World War Two. The only difference being that architecture has hidden behind the viel of redevelorment or rehabilitation: The war was destructive in many obvious and clearly detinarle ways. Architecture has been a lot more subtile.... but make no mistake the result hag been precisely the same. Germenys motives in that war were also easily identifiable and we found them very easy to hate; their succinct aggressive nature was plain to see. ‘he reasons for the architectural rorce taking over the aggressors role is not as clear, yet in the pvrivate sector the answer is simply profit. Though actual. building fescades varied, irfespective of purpose or lccetion,~ the reason behind any structure hsp chy Pee itself in the physical form was becanse it was vrofitable. In terms @f the scale of this manifestetion the equation is simple, the bigger the ptactice, the bigger the building, the greater. the profit and inevitebly the greater the social disruption and destruction. How have we managed to achieve a total reversal in the accepted reason for the existance of architects? is ODITeam fubscervaant, te singnevers, cornolatitns ani aevelcsers and srecalato This heirerchy un the bulk of peonle in the o>fices, ines (ane wgud ht y ofis? Lent Public sector architecture has perpetrated a spate of ugly, dominating and vast develonments in the name of socliety,in the pretence thet it is solving housing and educational problems. Most of these prcevlems ere paertislly inated by architects and planners thinking they can disgnose a society without even coming into contact with that society. In all honesty all that architects really need to mow about people is that the are mostly between four and six feet high and take up varicus amounts of syace, dependant on the activity they are involved in. That has been ealnust the sum total of expertise architects have applied to their buildings in distinct human terms. Architecture has successfully reduced people to the stetus of a design element, to be taken into account with all the cther elements such as lighting, plumbing, car parking étc. The RIBA has resisted any real efforts to change this situation, openly unwilling to ednit its social inadequacy snd allow the emerging escisl forces to influence its dictates. A more sensitive and socially rzsnonsive architectural order must remove them and begin to redirect our exnertise towards the areas ci society thnt need our assistance. The HIE j committed to ths ith jeapordizing it: io dependance unon 4 2 11s direction thout 1 S05 with thet, seetion of money. vrelritabl Overleaf is a pritary action course, that we eee as the fovndaticn to the new architecture wovement coming to fruition. We technicians, drew ctodents within the theis consciences eee ermo©rSmniees’, Ol. this acs, i All costs include VAT Please make cheques payable to the New Architecture Movement. @ecsseeeeeeeesaecevesseeovreeeenseseecse All costs include VAT Please make all cheques payable to the New Architecture Movement. HARROGATE 21st to 23rd Nov. 1975 evening meals on Nov. 21st & 22nd. £5.00 : tevecee eeeccee Bed and Breakfast, Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd Nov, Type of roon Cost per person No. of rooms available No. Req: 2Total 21 coccoses b5estee 31 seceeeee ae 29 eee bierte isan 25 soeevens eoeeeae a7 seeccces euseves 10 16eb eee eenbnes 28 @eeoeeees@ eseeee0es Single Single Single Double Twin Double £3.25 e355 (5 £4,590 fee 15 £2613 23500 £3550 Pert WAHT Twin eeee eee £GRANDTOTAL.scoeee NAME O.6'0'6'651666.660186068.90.40000:0600octeieoeoePeeSNeORVeephereeatieyoteerierneHeevaluetayoamegessoeae NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT CONGRESS APPLICATION FORM Please return by Nov 3ad to NAM 11 Percy Str. London Wi Cost per person No. Reds £ Total Conference Attendancé including 3 NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT CONGRESS HARROGATE 21st to 23rd Nov. 1975 YauwuPr nm oe Gt no el & ADDRESS PRCHSHHHE HEH HOES EHHEAEHSHHHCHEES HOES HS HOSE OHE EE EEAESES ESHER OESEEE SS aeeeda OtOeCOCo,Gan APPLICATION FORM Please return by Nov. 388, to NAM 11 Perey Str. London W1 Conference attendance including ~ Cost per person evening meal on Frid, 21st & Sat 22nd. £5.00 Bed and Breakfast, Friday 2ist & Saturday 22nd Nov. No. Req. coccvece EBTota. eecceces Type of room Single Single Cost per person £3.25 PER NIGHT £3.15 21 31 & TOTAL eeccccee wcvccce seceveee cdeeees Double Twin £2215 ELS 25 le] oocerene eeevece soceccee wteenes Twin £3.50 28 eeegeee a Se @orvecoes sees ee £>GRAND.TODATo:6esis ‘ No. of rooms available Wo.’ Req: Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Flyer Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Nov-75 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/a563fe2519ded93c9a1e09d8b7adb2f2.pdf 6255d45aa6e627b43f2dc4b4df0dd0b0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Introduction and Origins Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harrogate Congress Subject The topic of the resource Poster New Architecture Movement Harrogate Congress with Hellman cartoon Description An account of the resource PROFESSIONALS TOGETHER / Harrogate Congress NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT 21:23Wev Costs from £10-58 inclusive Info from New Architecture Mevement 10 PERCY STR. LONDON WI 01 636 0798 Lon Moy ay FRIDAY 21 NOVEMBER TIMETABLE to 19.00 5. i) Initial address ii) Discussion and Initial Motion. Working session groups (1 to 6) to formulate approach and assess validity of the task. 19.00 20.00 22.30 SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER to 20.00 to 22.00 10.90 to 11.00 11.0 to 11.30 11.30 to 13.00 13.00 to 15.00 15.00 to 16.00 16.00 to 16.30 26.30 to 18.00 1. Plenary Session. 2. Morning coffee. 3. Working Session 4. Conference Session. 5. Afternoon tea. 6. Conference Session. 7. Bar open between 18.90 and 23.00 NEW ARCULSECTURE MOVEMENT CONGRESS - 2ist to 23rd NOVEMBER 1975 Royal Baths Conference Centre Harrogate 13.00 to 15.00 l. Registration of Delegates and Guests at Royal Baths Conference Centre. Registration of Delegates at hotels and guest houses. 13.00 to 15.30 2. 15.00 to 15.30 3. Afternoon tea. 15..0 17.15 to 17.00 A. Opening Plenary Session. 6. Bar open between 19.00 and 22.30. 7. Cold Buffet. 8. Optional Plenary Session. 9, Conference Centre closes. 29.00 to 21.00 g, Buffet Supper. 21.30 to 23.00 9. Optional Conference Session. 23.00 10. Conference Centre Closes. a-——~s 2 gap ra Ussin. ! Awan. Huw. 2. Fodigfo.Wake |HeeAmm¢ 2. SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 10.00 to 11.00 11.00 to 11.30 11.306 to 13.00 13.20 to 14.00 14.00 to 15.00 15.30 Conference Session. Morning coffee. Closing Session. Meeting of Elected Officials. Buffet lunch. Conference closes, Chanics Prot bar, Occ COLL aradesrtrette polvctlhrn, oe Free time, no lunch given. An onportunity to view Harrogate. A wu & W NY FEF 7s. ee @ @®@© @ «@ Over the past few weeks the Architects Revolutionary Council has been publ icising its aims in the press and media and pamphletting schools, papers and magazines. Certain MP's have also been given copies of our literature. This pamphlet expands our views and puts forward our strategy to bring about the architectural revolution. We see architecture today as criminal, in as much as it is practiced against the general welfare of ordinary people in Britain. These are the people ARC members see as their peers, not the present controllers and manipulators of our environment. Because of the injustice and chaos caused by architecture and its practitioners, we feel that though our approach is similar to other revolutionary groups, our enemy is slightly different. True, architecture is oppressive, exploitive, manipulative and ignorant of peoples desires, but in its present form it is also archaic, totally archaic. .: The practitioners and bosses of architecture are virtually unaware that they are so inadequate and i1]1 educated in terms of the directions that our society is trying to progress. Unlike unwanted governments, monarchies| or military Oppressors, they are unable to conmand physical force to directly implement their dictates. These two factors, unawareness and ill-equippedness make our enemy, the architectural establishment? vulnerable, yet unpredictable. We do not know how aware our eneny is of iteelf, or of the strength and versatility of ite opponents. The RIBA has resisted any real efforts to change this situstion, openly unwilling to ednit its social insdequacy and allow the emerging social forcee to influence its dictates. A more sensitive and socially responsive Overleaf is e primary action course, that we see as the foundeticn to the newarchitecturemovementcomingtofruition.heOeeaeeOecones tecChnicians, drsusguhgthetmeemnen aand studenetsn wiSatnheingetheourparosfessrions to Gscrarec,! SOCIAL HOMICIDE REV reason behind a structure manifesting itself, in the physical form was because it was croritenie. In terms of the scale of this manifestetion the equation is simple, the bigger the practice, the bigger the building, the greater. the profit and inevitebly the greater the social disruption and destruction. OLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE The Architects Revolutionary Council is not a populist movement. Unlike a total social revolutionary group, we are primarily concerned witn radical change within our *ield of work, that being architecture and How have we managed to achieve a total reversal in the eccepted reason for the existance of architects? 4 planning. Having said that, 1t would be naive to think that our writings and activities will not effect social change, we will have failed if they ao not. We are initially concerned with the heightening of the awareness, of our colleagues, the creation of a real empathy with the users of our designs, then producing a solidarity based on whst we see as a just cause. Our cause is a just one and we are committed to instigating our policies and strategies to bring about architectural revolution. A complete evaluation of almost any building erected in the vast two or three decsdes will show,in social terms, firstly how vowerful architecture has become and secondly, how the abuse cf that power has brought sbout a destruction of our culture. Architecture has ceased to function fcr the good of people, it now functions to satisfy profits, ego's end abstract aes thetics. That is the shameful cafession architecture has to make to society, now. ARCHITECTURAL SUICIDE Public sector architecture has pernetrated a syate of ugly, dominating and vast developments in the neme oF society,in the vretence thet it is 1 *the power structure, based on the economic infrastructure, yropned un end reinforced by the media and supported by the educations] couses. The architectural profession has been instrumental in the destruction of the physical rabviec of society, when its major purpore should have been the exact opposite. Collectively the architects, technicians, draushtemen and students in the profession have either eagerly participated or silently carried cut a systematic annihilation of our great citics and many of their cultures and sub cultures‘,In many ways architecture has created more havec and destruction than the Lurtwaffe in World War Two. The only difference being that architecture has hidden behind the viel of redevelorment or rehabilitation. The war was destructive in many obvious and clearly definatle ways. Architecture has been a ict more subtle.... but make no mistake the result has been precisely the same. Germanys motives in that war were also easily identifiable ond we found them very easy to hate; their succinct eggressive nature was plain to see. Yhe reasons for the architectural force taking over the aggressors rele is not as clear, yet in the vrivate sector the answer is simply profit. Though actual. building fascades varied, irrespective of purpose or locetion, the At peony ARC is uncertsin what grounds the establishment will submit on; what its greatest weaknesses ara Also we are uncertain of its potential | towards the areas of society that need our aseistance. The RIBA is too severity in repressing the indictments we are going to make, and ite i committedto the wealthy to change its direction,without loosing Sauce and capactty to resist a real attack on its very foundation, As well e2 cur j Jeapordizing ite professional status with that section of society. This manifesto, which basically states our beliefs, it is imperative that we dependance unon architecture being profitable is ruining cur environment, riot limproving it. Architecture in ites existing form is far too svorerveent lay down certain ground rules. On achievement of the mass movement which i we are striving for, theee ground rules can be used as a future basis oF : etarting point for the new architecture movement. It is our belief, in i® pefering te the RIBA and its members as the enemy or the establishment, to the economic structure to assert its real social responsibility. Therefore we are committed to its destruction and the replecement of it with » syetem of enviromental design that takes people as its peers, not money. that there exists a distinct 'us and them’ situation in architecture and Lanning. There are those who wield the power and those who are subject o it. The wielders are the RIBA, the principles in private ‘practice and the heads of lccal government denartment:. Avle recruits for these posit- ions are always in the pipeline thanks to the educationalists who constantly feed this archaic, yet, powerful group. Obviously we are aware - thede consciences and commence wor thet this nower structure is cubscrviant te finenciers, cornoraticns and rich clients, anc cf course develomers and syecalators. This heirerchy has always been eble to rely on the technicians, partially qualified designere end drevcatemen,who make un the bulk of people in tie offices, to carry out their dictates unquestioningly. They are guilty of silent ecquiesenct, working without a »rincipled mind, ebusing their conrciences, end foregoing eny rocial morale they may heave had. The resui+ of this power abuse ond cocial disregurd, is a lousy environment, Uroun chacs, rural decay, cocinl disruption, psychological disorders...architectural suicide. : solying housing and educational problems. Most of these prcviems are partially inFated by architects and planners thinking they can disgnose a society without even coming into contact with that society. In all honesty all that architects really need to know about people is that they are mostly between four and six feet high and take up varicus amounts of space, dependant on the activity they are involved in, That has been elmost the sum totel of expertise architects have applied to their buildings in distinct human terms. Architecture has successfully reduced people to the status of a design element, to be taken into account with all the cther elements such as lighting, plumbing, car parking etc. architectural order must remove them and begin to redirect our exnertise . -_ .ae Sienaeae WeAloan (7 a Yea oon DAL? i hodsved_ LavonW| Ol:696-019. ida /75. Nowe SIT, Refer Wolves fyyout7clepbavawy ‘ be Tiaelipa, iells 0s npaae mae Wonwoda, “Log vei noe Tenyalt it aint wieBRS,baceceah - ow) Liege be fet xed a fj PROFESSIONALS TOGETHER | oY\ =* a (? a599SOxwyTy[iaRMIaY70 095LIESSLAYPNRLIRA|S, ) C= = oO <i. | »i i C) ef aj ay —s- st.>= NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT Harrogate Congress 21:23Wev Costs from £10:58 inclusive Info from Wew Architecture Movement TO PERCY STR. LONDON WI 01 636 0798 NEW ARCUISECTURE MOVEMENT _ CONGRESS - 2ist to 23rd NOVEMBER 1975 Royal Baths Conference Centre Harrogate FRIDAY 21 NOVEMBER TIMETABLE 13.00 to 15.00 1. Registration of Delegates and Guests at Royal Baths Conference Centre. 13.00 to 15.30 2. Registration of Delegates at hotels and guest houses. 15.00 to 15.30 3. Afternoon tea. 15. 0 17.15 to. 17.00 4, Opening Plenary Session. i) Initial address ii) Diseussion and Initial Motion. to 19.00 5. Working session groups (1 to 6) to formulate approach and assess validity of the task. Bar open between 19.00 and 22.30. Cold Buffet. Optional Plenary Session. Conference Centre closes. 6. to 20.00 7. to 22.00 8. 9, 19.00 20.00 22.30 SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER 10.90 to 11.00 1. Plenary Session. id. -0-to..11:,30 2. Morning coffee. 11.30 to 13.00 . 3. Working Session 15:00 to 16.00 4. Conference Session. 16.00 to 16.30 5. Afternoon tea. 26.30 to 18.00 6. Conference Session. 7. Bar open between 18.90 and 23.00 29.00 to 21.00 8. Buffet Supper. 21.30-to 23.00 9. Optional Conference Session. 23.00 10. Conference Centre Closes. SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 10.00 to 11.00 11.00 to 11.30 11.30 to 13.00 13.50 6 14.00 14.00 to 15.00 15.30 Conference Session. Morning coffee. Closing Session. Meeting of Elected Officials. Buffet lunch. Conference closes. 13.00 to 15.0 Free time, no lunch given. An onportunity to view Harrogate. DH uu & W N FF = ee @ @© @ @ The Congress on "A New Movement in Architecture” will open at 3.00p.m. on Friday 21st November in the Royal Baths Conference Centre, Harrogate, Yorkshire. (See attached programme for full details.) The Congress will be officially opened by John Toomey, a local councillor and community worker from London. He will outline one of the principle aims of the new movement - that is, for the architectural profession to relate directly to local communities. Any new movement will obviously need the support and sympathy of Parliament and we have been much encouraged by the support shown by leading parliamentaries. It is hoped that Jo Grimmond, MP will address the Congress after John Toomey. Discussion on the issues raised will then bs thrown open to the Congress participants. The meeting itself will have two Chairmen: Peter Whelan - playwright Nikki Hay - formerly editor with the Architectural Association and now a freelance writer. be wt Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Poster Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Murray Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 21-23 Nov 1975 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/59fe7299ad1f94f55513a53ba33092c9.pdf 82afade476dd9ab8a61903b1b091eeb4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Brian Anson/ARC pre and post Harrogate Subject The topic of the resource Various documents describing ARC ideas and activities See below Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975-1976 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Start the New Architectural Movement Subject The topic of the resource 2 sided Flyer. Start the New Architectural Movement. Description An account of the resource ¢c£Ia Tn i nteoceebeona functionsoraotaticind.Stopsupportinga. 2°‘ Commence spiesmllge gave se cities, offices, colleges er ee les eae to uw 3 Fooegocanaycomittmtehenrttotsheeit and weee Souren Savi sonnen OtTnnoGtE screwing it for all itRiceeecen Come together and begin to organize a system of z design education which we can implement through Bay golgtecuni cep ste cesses tthe reeee universities, and polytechn to plac the present archaic Work ‘for auakmentien wes in a national Sonvention aueCCeCbeny teae tone eee eett en Ene ene ng i We see the establishment of these as paramount if we are going to have aworthwhile « neanen tes The present ,for the reasons stated,is incapable of the radical change ‘neccessary to ressurect architecture from its oe eeaeSao Councilisescalatingits activities to bring about the radical changes it envisages. We need committed people to make the architecturel revolution.Ifyourequirefurtherinformoraatssisotance oeetieoerganization,contact the following people at the ARC > ) 2843 JO OBNQe aN3 mo" *<tpucooS Donoeesaes,ewte%TaTSoSUT‘MoUSTTTa go} rx oe 9 46U U3 Gpauvacy pua zOz Supy1om ooumuso0o puu agouetoouoo azouy ie a03ouyow youn uoye o = |~- OB138qYPuaB,oBo tastrond per ge Mma mary SSHCHUAONTBT 0} guoT t x 4 83Gon ood mane | weanoge’sitecan soto | doony 30 L942. u obsFuosYsonar © nayep , 9u3 UNI Ta pua wewaguanasp HOO3 ; Om 2042 ‘osunod uoTZ00 ArUmZad ao oF JESTISAQ Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Murray Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/968a269d300a98fd397e25e011dc0c55.pdf 1f46d1bcfe89abd69d12552c9c98706d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harrogate Founding Congress Subject The topic of the resource The Harrogate Congress was the founding of NAM. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 21-23 November 1975 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A New Architecture Movement Subject The topic of the resource 2 sided report arguing for a New Architecture Movement Conference Description An account of the resource s A NEW ARCHITSCTURE MOVEMENT The Architects Revolutionary Counzil understands the need for a new architecture movement, and is glaé to instigate it. ARC has no intention / of becoming a mass movement itsel?. The new architecture movement wii be seriously concerned with the Social responsibility of architecss and the framework in which architecture is practiced. ARC hoses to bring a moral and social consience to the architectural prozession. It hopes to end architecture as an elitist profession and direcsly relate architects to those who them the most, our true allies, th: people. .3. So that people may control their environment. At the moment people have insufficient control of their environment in terms of planning and the use of resources. The Green Paper on Neighbourhood Councils now passing through Parliment gives only limeted participation to the people and by its lack of power reduces these Councils to purely advisory bodies easily over ruled. .Action must be taken with the goverment to give real power to the Neighbourhood Councils, 4, The environmental professions Should be subject to the democratic control of the public. In 1938 the Architects Registration Act came into being, due to the pressure from the RIBA to create a legal closed shop for the profession, while the Governments responsability for the public was sufficed by protecting them from sham architects. In todays society of worker control, user democracy and public accountability the Architects Registration Council of the United Kingdom is obviously unacceptable, ARCUK must be reconstituted by Parliment to ensure that the public has adegate control of the architectural profession, Below are just some of the reasons for forming a new architecture movement:-= 1. To create a situation where arczitects work for the real clients the users. This can only be achieved if the users become the clients with the control of the capital fo> projects. Decentralisation of power and increased democracy are essens:al concepts of this direction and architects should play an active vole in obtaining them. But as individuals architects have no power, because they are controlled by the providers of the resources fo> projects. When architects combine they have only limited power whica is quickly shattered by the non- essentialality of their position in society. Thus architects have to gain public support for socialisirg their task, to be able to exert any worthwhile pressure. With this in nind a new movement could aim at putting architects talents at the aisposal of the public and because this idea is truly in the interests of the public it is capable of mobilising public support. 2. To make arthitectural services ay2ilable to all sectours of society. At present the architectural profession works for just two areas of society, firstly the rich minority and the powers of industry commerce and finance: secondly for local or national goverernment bureaucracies distant from the public they vainly try to serve. The majority of the population has hever had access to the aechitectural profession and so have been restricted in improving the quality of their environment. The self help attitude can only help a few people, while an architectural service could help those without ¢he time or resources of their own. The national health service was not created by doctors or patients on their own, but only came about when enough pressure was brought on the goverment to create it, Similarily neither architects ror the public on their own can create an architectural service that with all the ills of our present environment, movement will have to be responsable for taking action government, with the SS ee effectively deals A row architecture ye reeve 5. Architectural education should be controlled by a body equally representative of the public, the profession, the teachers and the students. At present architectural education is controlled by the RIBA, a private club, through its Board of Education, which has powers of recognition delegated from the RIBA controlled ARCUK, Government funding of architectural schools and students is dependant on this recognition, Thus the public pays for an architectural education over which it has no control, to produce architects over which it has no control, to create bad environments it can do nothing about. A reconstituted ARCUK could operate a new democratic Board of Architectural Education, 6. So that the RIBA's pretence at speaking as the "voice of architecture". ends. The RIBA is effectively controlled by a small group - of principal architects, and its "voice" is stongly in line with their own minority interests. Most of the group belong to the Association of Consultant Architects, a private practice organisation, Evidence for this the RIBA's determination to save the fixed fee scale now under attack by the Monopolies Commission. Their lack of interest in the dangers exposed by the Summerland Fire and the use of High-alumina eé@ment. Their reluctance to expose incompetant and corrupt architects, A new architecture movement must stand for all that is socially responsible in architecture, 7. The RIBA is not a progressive body. Many people have tried to create change within the architectural profession through the RIBA, most have totally failed. The RIBA is glad to absorb progressive ideas and people, in an attempt to portray an outward looking front, but in reality to smother people and their ideas in tedious committees and lengthy red tape. The result being to tire people out and make their ideas so impotent as to be harmless to the continuance of the RIBA's status quo. A new architecture movement must not be a stagnant tedious body, but vital, fleixable and ever responsive to the changing needs and ideals of progressive people. The first five points indicate the need for Goverment action, while the last two show the great inadequacies of the RIBA. Together they reveal some of the logic behind forming a new architecture movement. Once a new architecture movement has gained a wothwhile base in the architectural arena it can begin to gain the Support of the public in accomploshing its objectives. The first stage along this road will be to found a movement at a national conference of all interested parties. ARC hopes that its responsible role in this is understood, we are not trying to force anything upon anybody, we welcome critisism and constructive ideas, we abhor dogmatism. We would be grateful for as much help as possible-in this, and are asking for help, to get as Many people as possible to the conference, to make contributions, to help with the conference organisation e+.-. to make architecture socially responsible, CONFERENCE FORMING A NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT FRIDAY OCT. 31st 3pm. to SUNDAY NOV. 2nd. 5pm. MORECAMBE Bed and Breakfast £2.00 plus evening meal an extra £1.00 Conference fees £1.00 or what you can afford. Booking and information from:-— ARC 11 Percy Street, London w1 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Murray Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/55c71b1dd9b2cf8279144a4c1973a0cf.pdf a46174680044505fcd15c4d9bc5e1139 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Brian Anson/ARC pre and post Harrogate Subject The topic of the resource Various documents describing ARC ideas and activities See below Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975-1976 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Report Subject The topic of the resource ARC Report Argument for change (6pp). 2 copies Description An account of the resource ARCHITECTS, STUDENTS, TECHNICIANS & C MIiTwp oa GOs THE ARCHITECTS REVOLUTIONARY 11, PERCY STREET, LONDON W TEL. 011.636.0974 XT 27 ARC calls on all those architects and others involved in the built environment who believe that we should cease working only for the rich and powerful minority or the bureaucratic cietatorships of central and 15¢e21 government and offer our skills and services to the local communities which have little chance to work directly with architects ana architecture. ARC maintains that the profession 2s.it now stands is a luxury profession and that because of this the architect is caught in the narrow trap of economic viability and profit, ARC further maintains that the RLBA Qrspogates this narrow luxury characteristic and ig thus directly responsible for the malaise of architecture ant the state of our cities, ARC believes that their are thousands of architects who would welcome a new franework through which they could work directly for the local communities which would then become the renal clients with alk the power ana privilege of traditional clients, ARC believes that the problems of architecture are all around us, but that people who suffer from them cannot afford architects to solve then; neither can architects afford to tackle them. It is this trap we wish to break, ARC is well aware that to achieve a new framework for architecture there will have to be radical changes in our present political and econonic system. Nevertheless first architects and students must denonstrate that they are prepared to fight for a new system in their Own art. ARC specifically believes that the students in the schools of architecture ery out for a new educational systen to replace the existing one where they are trained as fodécr for the profit orientated professional systen existing now. ARC calls on all these people to join together to forn a new international movement ond through solidarity help bring about the architectural revolution, The Draft Manifesto, REMEMBER UNITY IS STRENGTH. ARCHITECTS UNITE FOR THE REVOLUTION. REJECT THE RIBA, VICTORY TO THE ARG. Sopa Seg Pn thghtasTe | PURTHER COPIES oF THE LAMPHLET(15p each) and | |POSTERS (20p each) ARE AVAILABLE FROM:— ,ARC, 1 PERCY STREET, LONDON W.1. SS What is ARC. It is a movement of architects, students and others, which believes that creative architecture should be available to all people in society, regardless of their economic circumstances. It is a movement committed to revolutionary changes within the architectural establishment and spec— ifically to the replacement of the RIBA by a new architectural systen. Why is ARC needed. The term 'crisis in architecture’ is common today and not only because of Malcolm MacEwans book; the press is constantly filled with statements of alarm, disgust and desperation over the state of architecture and the dilema in which architects find themselves. We in the movement would refer everyone to MacEwans book which soundly castigates the RIBA, for in general terms we agree with his analysis, BUT WE DO NOT AGREE WITH HIS SOLUTIONS OR CONCLUSIONS. His radical reformist policy, which accepts the continuance of the RIBA, is doomed to failure, in the context of our architectural system, because, as Afidre Gorz says!....reformism rejects those objectives and demands, however deep the need for them, which are incompatible with the preservation of the systen..". Architecture should be done in the service of society. Social ethics and justice should be pur criteria, We all know this is not so and that the architectural profession has far too frequently been motivated by anti-social values. The profession is full of the whining and wheedling of the RIBA at the moment over the disasterous slump in the professions work load. Delegations to the government, lobbying of MP's anc Pooleys recent plea to all architects to donate £10 to the RIBA; these are all signs of a panic rush to protect the status quo. The reasons for Pooleys begging are, in his own words,"....that a strong RIBA is neccessary to the survival of practices everywhere and the achievement of a stable building programme. Apart from the fact that this is not even true (greedy large practices are at least partially responsible for the dilema of the small enterprise), there is not a word about the quality of the environment, nor about the dramatie social changes trying to break through igi our society, and in which architecture must play a part if it is to’have any credibility at all. The common ownership of workplaces, the desire for local control, the semi slavery of the technicians in the profession; there is no evidence that the RIBA is stimulated by such ideals. The RIBA's yearning for a stable buildigg programme is a wistful reference to the boom years of the late sixties and early seventies, Those boon years tell the whole story and they are the prime reason why ARC maintains that only revolution will do. This graph showing the rise and fall of commissions in the world of architecture, shows clearer than any words, just where the profession and the RIBA have stood in relation to our society in recent years. This coincides exactly with the Office Boom. So we know who the friends of the RIBA were, and why the profession is bemoaning the rec:. a .. The years of 1969 to 1975 will be remembered for a long time to come. They are our generations architectural heritage. T 200 VALUE OF COMMISSIONS/LAST DECADE. aMILLION 64 ‘65 ‘68 *"7071727374 41200 4000 +1. 800 600 % 400 = & RLenene) In this period the price of building and of land,rocketed;the term ®the - unacceptable face of capitalism’ was coined; the speculator and the developer became the villains in our society and corruption in the saintly architectural profession began to break through the thin veneer of ‘creative professionalism! that the RIBA had fostered for so long.In the words of many comnentators,"it was only the tip of the iceberg". Yet during that time leading members of the profession (some now on the RIBA Council) were saying such things as; iT+ is ridiculous not to develop the site to its fullest potential.... there is no point in underdeveloping on valuable land.." Pritzroy 2tobinson. "The most successful architects are those who understand property values and the mechanics of property development". iYes we did work for the spivs(developers) and when we did we felt terrible hypocites,.... but what could we do". Anonymous architect Building Design 4/75. Of course the RIiBa did not officially endorse such views, but neither did it, during these years of physical and social rape, once cry out in protest. For those in the movement, these past years have been the final straw. Like many others we have waited to sce the profession::face up to it's social responsibility and we were willing to accept even gradual reform as long as wecould see a sign of social spirit. We now see that we could wait forever. In our view, the greatest and lest chance for the RIA came in the property boom. This is when the profession could have been the vanguard in environmental ethics and morality. Instead the RIBA showed its true character and sided with the criminals who exploited the inflation in land and construction costs. The RIBA is part of the free market system and that is why the institute is in such a turmoil now as that system is under such an attack. We all know whit that system has done to our physical and social environment. Since 1971 three times as much capital has gone into property develop- ment as into our industrial production. The RIBA cannot imagine itself outside this system, and nor has it the traditions to do so. It has, however, always had a mandate to do so, as it's charter specifically demands that it'advance civil architecture'. This can only br inter- preted as serving society, which it has never done though it takes £100,000 a year from the taxpayer in tax and rate reliefs for this purpose. Where other professions have made moves forward in terms of social service,(some tentative like Legal Aid Centres; some which embrace the whole society, like the NHS) whilst the RIB: has only become more associated with the rich and powerful. So the RIBA is not fit to govern the world of architecture, nor is it capable of any reform of lasting value to socicty. 'The institute is dead! says MacEwan, but then he goes on to say 'The institute on the other hand is alive and well', THE INSTITUE IS NOT DEAD! 80j of arch- itects belong to it and it is the mouthpiecs of architecture in our society. Owen Luder. Louis Hellman(Ad cartoonist) was certainly right when he said of the ” RIBA "... the people at the top of this keeping things the way they are..." place have a vested interest in Architecture, said Hans Meyer in the 1930's'is +imes been wielded by the ruling class in his book 'Wasteland' says 'Bhe history of those whe had the power to build. Rembrandt's accomplished in poverty and rejection. governments, churchmen, merchants and speculative would not exist....because they would not Architects have always allicd themselves No-one can deny this. But we can change a weapon that can be used for the good the cause of those who live in degrading a weapon that has as all of human society’. Stephen Kurtz of architecture is the history greatest work was But without kings, noblemen and builders, architecture otherwise have functioned. with the rich and powerful’. this, and turn architecture into of society and particularly in environments. WHY THE TIME IS RIGHT. The many critics of the RIBA call for reform,. We eall for REVOLUTION and say DO AWAY WITH THE RIBA; It is an enemy of enciety, and the dictator of the lives of the poor and underprivileged. It is in the path of progress and must be swept away, it has abused the trust of society and must now go,to allow a humane and just design profession to flourish. The ARCHITECTS REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL sees itself in the tradition of past revolutionary movements in architecture; the Constructivists, ARSE, Atelier Populaire. These movements did not succeed because the time was not right, but they planted fertile seeds. WE BELIEVE THAT THE TIME IS RIGHT and we in ARC want to play our full part in the creation of the new mass movement in architecture. But this can only come about with your aid. There are over twenty thousand registered architects in this country. Per head of population this is more than any country in Burope. Over 80% of these registered architects are members of the RIBA. 807% of all architects are salaried;IE.they work for other architects. This alone should be unacceptable to the society that pays for their training. It is the taxpayers money that provides the grants to train architects to deal with the environmental prepblems of society. Architects do not repay this debt in any way at present,they are unaccountable and irresponsible to that society. Trained people are foreed to work in and are exploited by a bosses orgamisation;the RIBA, A large proportion of the archit—- ectural work is handled by a small proportion of the membership who have built up large practices. The RIBA has always been run by such people and thus the status quo is maintained. The tendency has been to become big and powerful with the emphasis on streamlining and management techniques. The RIBA's ethic, if it can be said to have one, is that of narrow professionalism; a service to the client. These days the client cannot be identified with the society and frequently not even with the user. All this is in direct contrast to the moves going on in our society; the themes of local autonomy and preservation, the revival of craftsmanship and e more human approach to developing the environment. Over half our urban environment is economically impoverished and environmentally deprived.The communities within these areas have helped through taxation,to train the profession. This profession returns none of this aid and where it does not ignore these areas (commissions do not come from the poor areas)it helps in the rape of them through development or subtle gentrification. The RIBiA upholds a 19th century elitist position and deliderately keeps lay people out of its club. This is particularly true as regards the yawning gulf between the profession and the working classes. The RIBA has a code that seeks to cushion its members from adverse eritisism;it is more important to the RIBA that members should be loyal to each other and to the institute, than to the society that it is supposed to serve. It refuses openly to condemn aparthied and therefore has no regard for civil justice. If it cannot have such principles fron 4000 miles how can we expect justice from it on the home front. It has never developed even such esoteric concepts as the competmtion systen, because the ruling elite wish to keep the rewards for themselves. But the RIBA and its ruling establishment, has worked itself into a trap from which it cannot escape. It's greed, especially over the last decade, and its narrow objectives have put it in such bad repute, that i it is fighting a last ditch battle to try +o build an acceptable image. It will not succeed. The 3000 unattached architects have already co clained in a recent survey that the RIBA has done nothing for architec— ture. Members of Parliament attack it for its social sins. The public and especially those in the poorer areas, now See along with the local bureaucrats and speculators who have ruined their lives, environments and communities, the subtle villian of the piece is the RIBA. « The people living ig. these communities are particularly incensed because the professiom passed itself off as being socially conscious. * But the tables are turning because of the massive number of redund- ant architects who will soon condemn the RIB for not building a firm social working base for architecture. Over a thousand architects will be out of work by Christmas and more than 60% of graduates will not. find employment this sumuier. These unenployed architects can blame, with some justification, world inflation and recession for their plight, but the main problem is the Brcedy inflexible char-cter of the profession. And as the redundancies occur who will be hit first? Not the powerful principles who run the big practices and back up the elitism of the RIBA, It will be the salaricd architects and technicians, the people who do the real work in architects offices. 411 those soon to be redundant should know that there has never been a lack of work. A large part of our environment is a slum and getting worse. But the RIBA has never taken the trouble to-ferge the professicn into.an organiser capable of tackling these problems. The first prerequisite of such capability is thw desire to do sonething about it; this presupposes a social conscience,,. Sonething the RIBA has never had. For Teasons such as greed and aloof-— ness the RIBA is incapable of dirtying itself at the level of the problen. The RIBA has no meaning fbr our siciety; a society that requires connit-— ment to a cause. It has no meaning for architecture students iciomelat continues to control their destiny. It has meaning to many purely as an enticement to letters after ones name, as a path to commissions or jobs. Soon there will be no jobs left. THE PRESENT SITUATION IN aRc. : ? The movement began sone eighteen months ago, when two architects, one English and one dugoslavian, decided that an international movenent was needed to take the profession out of its elittst and capitalistic franewrk and make it responsible to society. There was particular need to deliberately align the profession with the poorer areas of our environment were connection with architecture is non-existant. eSLL__e a_ But useless as it is the RIBA will not relinquish. power voluntarily. The status quo will not easily abdicate in the face of reason said Harold Laski. He was right. A strong architectural revolutionary movenent must keep attacking the RIBA, until the power is rested from them an@ a new order established. Prior t5 this, hope only “iny with the few. architects and students deeply commited to an architecture for all people Now many more will comnait themselves, because they are left with no other option. The new systen of architecture will need to be based on & mass movement just as the RIBA is, otherwise there can be no progressive and creat— ive attack on the environmental problems of our society. That is why the ARCHITECTS REVOLUTIONARY COUNGTT, does not pretend to’ be the new movenent, nor indeed itts embryo. ARC has constantly seen itself as 2 stall commited hovement totally opposed to the present setup. It wpuld also oppose the new movenent should it show tendencies +o beconing a bureaucracy intent -oh precerving - itself’ to the deteriment of society. ARC sees itself as helping to bring the new movenmnt abou and ciets nessessary acting as its vanguard. To this end it is organising a national convention in the Autumn ,of all erchitects, technicians, students and others who wish to see revolutionary changes within the profession. Seperate literature will be published shortly concerning this convent- ion. As regards ARC itself there is still much to be done to build the group into an effective architectural guerilla force, What follows is a brief history of the trovenent so far and ways in which you maybe able to help if you feel yourself committed. For as Malcolm X once said "...if you're not part of the solution your part of the problen". - Sorts ane wokeEERE) instincts of the founders was that there already , isted many hundreds, if noy thousands, of architects who are a part of th a novel ent in spirit; what was needed was to forge them into a ; Llective and formidable force for revolutionary change in the profe- ion. Commonsense demanded that national move nents be constructed first, i this penDnlet refers only to the English group. However it is known at there are embryonic cells in eight other countries so far; USA, rentina, Italy, Jugoslavia, France, Norway, Ireland and Scotland. In > course, perhaps within two years, the first ARC INTERNATIONAL will sur. 2 main core of the English movement is in London, and contains, in lition to architects and students, eae eee and lawyers. All the core ibers have worked extenisively in conmunity action and believe that, lid though that method ae it will not achieve total freedom in the fironnental field on its own. The profession themselves neve to be 7olusionised to aid community action. During the ee year the movement 3 been building strength based on commitment (for exareple one or two ve left because they could not live up to the idea which denanés tting the cause of the revolution before conventional success in arch—- scture. Others have joined after long and serious thought.) 2 core members have lectured at colleges in England, Ireland and Scot-— id, In addition a small group recently travelled throughout jimerica aking at colleges in Boston, New York, Chaoe San Frensisceo, Los and many other cities. One of the founder members recently essed the conference of the ¥oung Liberals. (We do not align with this ty but we will proclaim ARC anywhere) . sause eventually we will need parliamentary backing, the niovement is the process of naking contact with appropriate IP's Our contazvts th the unions are also developing and at the right t e we expect full oport fron*then, > moverient is drafting ideas for a new system of educathon; for the new 1ancial structure. (how architects would be paid under the new soc-— lly orientated system) and for the other ideas. These will be put to > Autumn convention as ARC's contribution to the mass movement. July the main core of the English movement(in LOndon) will have split, produce at least three new cells om units, in the Provinces; on the st coast, in the North West and in Scotland. Because these cells will constructed by totally committed ARC members we will be certsin of ar healthy cells by summer. iT CAN YOU DO. thin in,your practice, college or locality you can try to build up a it that would strive for the establishment of a new system of architectu re, based on the draft manifesto. It is better to have four people 9 can trust each other than a loose unit of ten. Remember unity is rength, and you will not te alone. Contact the main movement to let us ow you are attempting to build a cell then keep us in contact and let know your views. have a fairly extensive network of people throughout Britain and we ybe able to put you in touch with others in your locality. Your help 11 be needec in setting up the Autumn convention and to th@s end the C main group will be calling a meeting of all the British members rly in Summer. nally always remember that the reason that the status quo is preserved because peopel think they are alone. The minute two people get sether and say ew can do something, then a movement is born. This is wha at we said and a movement has been born and we shall win, because the me is right. chitects unite for revolution TORY TO THE ARC. cS Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Murray Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource undated https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/a2eb8eb0f57c1f2667d1f289ed0b6a67.pdf 77d47bb6b926961bdbf9e451c14bfd13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Brian Anson/ARC pre and post Harrogate Subject The topic of the resource Various documents describing ARC ideas and activities See below Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource ARC Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975-1976 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource AA Intermediate School Unit 1 Subject The topic of the resource Review of staff & projects AA Unit 1 in Percy Street: Unit Master Brian Anson (4pp) Description An account of the resource UnitStaff EISSSOOOO'S cc ccc AA Intermediate School REVIEWS Unit 1 1974/75 PHILOSOPHY The Unit came into existence in 1971 on Unit one in the Intermediate School is re- architecture is neither used as a weapon HISTORY In the name of architecture we proclaim theworldofpeople'sarchitecture. We cannot yet put right al that is injust in our social system under which archi- tecture exists, but we can determine that The members of Unit One have always beeninterestedintheirownprofession's “figure-head’ and its attitude towards those instigating social change. The Present members of the Unit's acceler- ating disgust for the institution that Purports to advance the course of architecture has manifested itself in ARC, To learn how to direct our art and create effective change within its application and performance we must understand PROJECTS The “Onshore Impact, Study and threattothelandscape,itseems,isafar Disasterbuilding more important issue than the threat to the social structure of an area, foronly capital city of Macedonia ed bird sanctuary) are certain proposals Central area and rendering thousands of would only be available to houses with a demolished and the land redeveloped in the context of a master plan. the wave of publicity over the Covent nowned for its rejection of conventional Garden campaign, an issue with which architectural theories and practice. Since Unit Master Brian Anson, was deeply in- it came into being four years ago it has volved following his dismissal from the when development threatens a stretch of Yugoslavia. In 1963 a serious earthquake picturesque coastline (or a long establish- hit the city, destroying a major part of the Pope Street fell on one of thearbitrary border lines drawn by the LA planning G.L.C."s Covent Garden planning team So, from the very start, the Unit was in- extricably linked with community and political action, This naturally led to a deep interest in the nature of particip- ation and a fundamental belief in the throughout England, Ireland, Scotland myth and prove it is a fraud in the guise Preferably confuse into assistance, ideaofaco-operativesociety. andWalestheUnitmembershaveattempt-ofarchitecture, Infactifthereisonemajorelementin edtorelatedirectlytotheordinary GEORGEMILLS,ARC the structure of the Unit's philosophy and people in their work, not to the powers one idea that has permeated its work over that pretend to represent them. It has thelastthreeyears,itisthisideaofwhat alwaysbeenfundamentaltotheprogress impact of recent oil discoveries in the ment, which is our base, the need for a new system of values based on co- operation is urgently needed. Through working with a community abused and ignored by these agencies, and Sbscurity isadvantageous. they are an obstacle in our desire to work +The Unit Master is sort of unusual? radical reassessment of role in — education — profession so the project was established w.thin the not, be based solely on a single resource AA in 1973 and has now been built into a or demand. Clearly this lesson has yet to be learned; and at sucha price, are,ofnecessity,takingaradicalreview of the very nature of the architect and his role in society alternativeapproach tosocialproblems. In general we are engaged in the conti- nuity process of constructing a meta- language in the untried, unknown, or jobsonthenewdevelopments exceptper- haps as cleaners or gate wardens? Most of traffic-free narrow streets of the old city, The Unit has always been interested in the more equitable distribution of know- ledgeandpowerwithinSocietyand Particularly in architecture. To our knowledge we are the only Unit Perhaps in Britain to use resources to employ local community people to funct- ion as teachers of the environment. Often they are the experts. The great American organiser Saul Alinsky said: We know why this is so. What is the point ofhavingskillsthatonlyaprivilegedfew Content MACRO FRAMEWORK So what is this vital issue? Most people knowa few distorted facts. Very few haveanyknowledgeofallofwhatis really going on, except for the oil developers themselves and those with the power and wealth, And they are not concerned with the damage to coastline OF community. Only in the light of the national crisis have some of the North Sea Oil issues been seen in any form of perspective, A sad reflection on the national press and mass media, which have misinterpreted, under-rated,andinsomecases,under- played the massive changes which face the people of Scotland. But only the dramatic issues, such as the massive tax loopholes,arereportedbelatedlyata national level, while the gradual social erosionoildevelopments,whichwill eventually directly affect thousands and indirectly affect the entire nation, grind ‘on inevitably. ThousandofacresofScotlandarenow directly controlled by London and U.S. based multinational companies, while newoptionsonhundredsmorearebeing takenupalmosteveryweek.Thereare sitesofstaggeringproportions;2,000 acres and more, twice the area of central London. All this has not occured merely in the last two or three years, as some believe; the footsgobacktenyearstowhen thefirst legislationpassedthroughparliament. During this time, the U.S. and U.K. commercial sector moved in quickly. Only now, when the first physical signs of development appeer, are there any signs of public alarm. ‘Yet the concern so far has been mainly for the physical beauty of the area, The continue within the AA for at least an- other year yet despite our modest successes the task ahead isstil monu- mental.Wehavereallyjustbegun. 500 houses. Unit One continues to advise the association and recently we have acquired a building within the area which isbeingconvertedintoayouthclubtoa Unit One student's design and specification We have also been able to gather money from various charitable sources for the association. At present we are working on @ scheme to rehabilitate the area in general and to put forward design options for the improvement of the dwellings. In conjunction with this we are looking at the redevelopment sites and putting for- ward designs for new housing to replace theold.Wearedoingthisinsuchaway as to allow the residents to control the financing and rate of building. We hope to do this by extending the residents’ “The University of Chicago spends hun- dreds of thousands of dollars on socio- logistsinordertofindthelocationof people.Occasionallythefruitionofits houses of prostitution when any taxi- beliefs and philosophy manifest them- driver could tell you that in five minutes,”” selves in a physical form. More often But we must practice what we preach for than not they can be found in the defence out of asituation, itself isaprocess of nature,trulyconceptualthoughtisintheacupuncture wecanhardlyspeakofcommunitiesand of working with them if we are incapable ofgeneratingacommunal spiritwithin our own ranks. ofpeople'slife-styleandculture,orinan attack on the system that makes us both creativelyimpotentandsociallyin- adequate. {any combination PopeStreetisanexampleofanurban associationintosomesortofco-operative area which suffers from the latter form housing association which could then ofexploitation.Thestreetconsistsof26 undertakeagradualrebuildingoftheir houses which were built towards the end area. By building on small vacant sites in of the last century. They were built as ‘the area we can rehouse enough of the minimal working class accommodation to existing community to then demolish serve the Mersey docks nearby. They and redevelop their houses. The important sufferfromthedeteriorationinthe pointisthattheresidentswillbeincon- building fabric brought about by a life of trol of the development rather than the are outside the dwelling in a small back- yard. Unit One's involvement dates from the decision of the local authority to at last turn its attention to the improvement of this area. It set about this task by dectar- ing part of the area a G.1.A., meaning that houses with a 12-point standard with the aid of a grant from the L.A. This grant ways been present in schools of architect- ure. Throughout its history, in project The people in their ignorance think that this is architecture. We must destroy this lobby to communities in Scotland. Parallel fishing based communities and so Scot- of the Unit to develop and maintain the invaluable links with our real clients, and to respect their life-style, customs and cultures. Fabric suggestions MICRO to the street to assess the situation and residents led to the forming of a residents’ association. co-operation means and how it can be achieved. Society isbeginning to realise, and the young have realised it for some time now, that the new world must be based on co-operation and one of the major struggles is against the 20th century cultofindividuals looking after Members get involved deeply in the rarely expounded to prospective unit — other tutor associations theirowninterestsalone, politicsofarchitectureandgovernment, hunters,asthestudent,actingonhearsay —other cli jati more than thirty years. Even if the Prefabricated dwellings, which as well as People of Scotland do ‘prosper’ (whether Causing servicing problems threatens The Unit is always wrongly accused of being totally political. It is true the resultant direction that the members of the Unit have external to AA they wish to or not) this means that before the next century is more than a few years old. Scotland will again face widespread economic depression, as it to encroach on to the limited agricultural land on which the city is still largely dependent for food. for the people who are worthy of our attention, The discovery that one’s skills are being prostituted to be a destructive, and accept the ‘condemnation’ hapilly. architectural design isvery frustrating. looking for and if I'm seen trying to find out... inadequacies likely to corrupt an induced information flow. erchitecture acquire a level of homo- geneity. Some of us redefine ~ architecture — society — neither The participation game (MYTH) —it's a game because, when completed, the symbols can all be forgotten, the tablecleared,andlifecanresume ‘Make the bastards participate or we'll a very wide ranging study of the history of the situation, the present and future implications, the effects these are having. Itwould be far easier, no doubt, to narrow the field of investigation, an academic might argue. But this is not an academic project in any sense of the word: it does not break off during the Easter vacation, nor does it end after the leave their work camps, and who pay no tax to this government. The wrench from the academic to the real world isahorrendous one for most archi- tecture students. The much cherished There’s a lot of assumptions made in any situation, Ifwe're uncertain about any- thing we assume the facts, conditions, and consequences. If life is so complex that we require to make assumptions then it is imperative that we have a substantial framework with/in which to construct, Since the work has started the political situation inScotland has developed con- fringe, they are a large enough group not siderably. This makes our continuing to be ignored even if only by throwing contribution more important than ever. the Housing 's mul We have continued to monitor the situa- Statistics into total confusion! tion and publicise our conclusions via TV can afford? What are the reasons behind the complete divorce of our cherished skills from ordinary people's desires? same position, and can only differentiate itself gradually, in accordance with the level of development, including that of the organ of thought.” (Marx) The analysis, the ideologies, the time scale,andthechange,needyourhands, By constructing a language (semantic, analytical or practical) you are set to communicate and to progress. Anyone who has stuck with the Unit or returned to it, will tell you that it is a hard ideological constructs. By professing an and demandind existence, but well worth ideology one necessitates a change in the struggle. The Unit has never set itself society. limitations or goals, it simply responds to “Since the process of thought itself grows understand nothing environmental injustice as iteffects public relations Many people cannot live up to the fundamental unit philosophy. But the A second year architectural student, if he hasanyqualityatal,mayhavethe Position of a professor in relation toa skilled dock worker in matters pertaining tothephysicalenvironment.Likewise group, thedockworkerifhehasbeeninvolved OurphilosophyisbasicallyrespondingtoMISANTHROPYmustbeaguidelineto inlocalcommunity actionisanenviron- mental specialist in relation to his own factory manager who may never have stopped to think about the environment. People,notmanipulatingthem,being creative with them, not destroying their way of life. viewingtherespectiveinstitutionsatti- tudes to those instigating social change. As bodies they should protect their members and advance their specific sub- jects. In what manner can a subject @dvance or members be protected to- Related to this work is the more academic research. This covers al aspects of hous- ing including rents, land values, labour, materials, etc. The information and pro- cessoftheworkisrecordedwithinthe Unit and will be communicated to the The embodiments of social/political mix peoplewhohavestayedthecoursehave intheformofspecificinterestgroupsin- found it incredibly rewarding in many different ways, both individually and as a cludes the professional institutions. ACCEPTANCE ISMAINTENANCE IS a hundred years with little maintenance L.A. whose redevelopment process would fromlandlords.Theyarelackingincertain requirethemassexodusofthecommun- basicfacilitiessuchasbathrooms, ity. efficientwatersupply,etc.EventheW.C. Architecture is a powerful weapon, we AndtherecanbenoquestionoftheUnit believeitshouldbeatthedisposalofthe getherwithanadvanceinsociety?The Successive generations have lived in these housesanddespitethesediscomforts, have consolidated amongst themselves a strongcommunityspiritandadeepsocial architecturalprofessionasapleafora Personal inter-relation: Masterbeingabovethegroup.Likeevery- majority,notadministeredbyfinancial, _situationchangesconstantly,wecannot alacttoachievethegreatesteffectand One else he must at times function as teacher, student and comrade. This type of work is difficult and it takes along time to achieve any meaningful results but we can attempt it daily in our work as a Unit together. multi-national and commercial interests, CONTROL change, nor should we wish who represent the privileged section of our to — but we can DIRECT change. change the direction in which architecture is moving. Are you going to assume — or are you going to assume? . Sure, we'll bite your head off, but we'll help you mould a new one. ANDY BURRELL, ARC more sensitive approach from the pro- fessionals. The students who have been involved in the project have been intro- duced to the reality of the implications of architectural decisions and have deve- loped a more responsible awareness of their potential for society. society. In the hands of the right people architecture could once again become a socially creative element, not an ugly, economic and brutal force aimed against the ordinary people of our society. _Institutional directors, not correctors, Production platform. against large sections of the people nor its potential value denied these people. Advisory Group” is essentially con- brought to public attention. homes uninhabitable. The aim of the Even the local residents of proposed de- Project was to look at the way immediate department, which meant that houses on FRAMEWORK The intrinsic and intricate philosophy (ies) internal group discussion, consultation and first became interested in the early stages of North Sea Oil development. Since that time, development has escalated at an incredible and alarming rate and their initial and personal interest has now been forced into ful time in- did after the coal mines were run down Skopje isacity of enormous contra- street had been built at the same time, More about something The association's aim was to fight the planners’ decision and itcommissioned Unit One to act as its environmental advisors. The houses on either side of the adopted and adapted over the years are — other college associations but the Paramount reason for this is and superficial ; assumes the If. through partici i .theywereprevent- andtheshipbuildingindustrydwindled dictions.Whilemanyyoungsterpeople wereequallystructurallysound,andhad ed from continuing the work in Scotland away. An economy cannot and should show obvious enthusiams for the new equal potential for improvement. In In the sphere of architecture end environ- because our skils and principles are unkown and convinces himself that international style city centre with its bright shopping centre and tall luxury flats, the cultures of the many different enthnic groups that make up the Mace- Scotland itself, the primary area of in- who are losing their homes, theirvillages, vestigation. The first task, therefore, was their way of life, how many will be given Pursue their own way of life in spite of discussions with the P.H.1. we confirmed that the houses were to be demolished merely asaplanning convenience interms of the redevelopment site. This meant that an existingcommunity would be destroyed, merely to give the L.A, architect a ‘choice’ site for his re- development. s#ggestions ‘The framework in which we combine and never get planning permission’. {Contemporary Times). You study the problems everyday — now here's how to overcome them: understand everything and all permutations regulate information and with which we analyse and compare situations are our _—‘To direct implies understanding a situation, pushing ahead constantly. _correct To is retrospective, wasteful and damaging. the forces, the complex manipulatory Paths, and the psychological disguises that we must inevitably counteract, or seas of northern Europe and the threat To explain the above we must look at the micro-frameworkinwhichweattemptto assimilate our ideologies in practical, educational and philosophical relation- ships. Ireland, Cornwall and Norway. The over- ment rates, faces the ultimate irony of Ten years later the city has almost rebuilt disastrous blow to the tight-knit commun- allaimbeingtoestablishanetworkof massivedevelopmentwhereitisneither itself,withmanymajorchanges,many ityofthestreetandsomeoftheresidents Emotive, alittle frightening, he doesn’t dress in a ‘representative’ manner (or does varied projects he), he has nothing to do with the first = sometimes interconnected year ‘lucky-dip instant exposure machine’, = sometimes rambled he hasn't won any architectural design application of principles derived from competitions, and he doesn’t write for any magazines, except perhaps the letters page — obviously sub-standard. I've heard about the unit though, nothing One of the obvious faults in our society is that many people who have talent in various subjects are prevented from using that talent and thus gaining from it, due to accident of birth, background and location. This isnot only injust but it limits the true development of intelligence skills and principles many of them up- and in fact eventually prevents the more hold throught their education, that they priviledged amongst us from getting the have defended vehemently on occasion, intellectural stimulus needed for our own are inconsequential when they start de- development. signingtoearnaliving.Therealworldofandthatwerelegateasfaraspossiblethethelastview. summerterm, andcertainjournals.Theworkwill nowrepresentsanareainwhichthereare Clientele, which by and large doesn't have Not creative force in society, is ahard one the economic power to emply them as conventional architects, the Unit members to accept. Because of the diligence of the Where will the money go to, who will it donian population are still very much in benefit? And what of the present un- evidence. Turks, Albanians, orthodox Unit's members in seeking out the source of our environmental problems, we are eccused of meddling, agitating and being too idealistic. Say that to ex or present members of the Unit and they will smile good, so Isuppose they can't be what I'm unsure areas where social and individual tosetUpaseriesofresearchprogrammes to act as a general educational backup. These were rounded off by a tour of the Scottish coastline affected by oil deve- lopment. The group is now committed to and other imigrant labour who never the authorities’ rather vain hope that — practice Work within the Unit began in May 1973. Some members of the group were un- familiar with the situation and also with employment? How many of the locals Macedonians and gypsies still doggedly — both We see ourselves, by necessity, adopting The success of these 26 families provided the g areas which suffered from similar problems. At present the Residents’ Association constitute — powerless bodies — semi-powerful bodies pregnant with committees —aconstitution blame inflation employanarchitect{thereof opt OUT OptiNn Opt Theaboveareyourtoolsforsuccess. The process you know well. However... AGITATE EDUCATE ORGANISE This is an indication of the process in which our ideologies are finding a plat- form. We judge the situations, the levels, thetimeandthemannerinwhichwecan Gypsywomanwithchild. Pope Street, Bootle cerned with the social/environmental One side of the street would stay for 30 years while people on the other side would be moved out of the area to new houses in snother part of the city. The speculated planners line was a velopments areas do not know what lies ahead for them, and their families. Most developments are proposed in rural or Studies are also being carried out in land, with its history of high unemploy- disaster problems were overcome, how People reacted under sudden unexpected disaster conditions, and how the city has rebuilt itself since the earthquake took place, posed by the powerful oil development needed nor desired, and the continuation groupsandindividualspreparedtofight ofadepressioninareaslikeClydeor broughtaboutbytheneedtocreatesafe against the exploitation of people and Dundee, where the development could resources wherever this may occur. greatly benefit the area, little time for overall planning consider- TheGrouphasitsoriginsatDundee, 1970, where a small number of students North Sea Oil is not expected to last for spread out city of low density, mostly asked Brian Anson who had been born andbroughtupinthestreettohelpthem. tight-knit group of about 6 students. the jobs at present are filled by Italians north of the river, indicate uninterrupted Pursuit of the old Turkish way of life and commerce. Thousands of gypsies con- tinue to inhabit ‘Skopje Field’ and al- though many have moved out to the more remote settlements on the town gradual re-education can be achieved. The At all times in the campaign the residents were treated insensitively by the L.A. who branded them as a ‘political’ pressure group. The residents gained the support of a local councillor, the press, and some local students and eventually, after 12 months, managed to get the planners’ decision reversed and the houses were saved and thus the community. in Southern constantly questioned and attacked The AIBA has usurped the power of acceptedmodesofarchitectureandtheir TMchitecture. relevancetosocietyandthisincludesa Thousandsofmenandwomenareunder fashionable escapist ideas that have al- itsspell. AgroupfromtheUnitvisitedSkopje,the 30vearlife.Alotherhouseswouldbe Permanent housing at a speed which leaves Some Unit One students went with him ations.Skopjehasbecomeanenormously theresultofourdiscussionswiththe esses the average male unemployment rate rises The specific projects that |have been up to over 30%. working on this year are as follows: In the last six years of violence, Derry has 1. The Cottages and Farmhouses for the lost over 200 shops, pubs and garages due Arts Council Exhibition. to bombing, many houses have been burnt and over 50 civilians have been shot 2. A continuous 24 hour study of Covent Parallel with the needs of the Partisan Army. by the military Garden the week before and the week after the fruit and vegetable market left the area. centralised Health Service was not for many reasons possible. But the evaluation of the partisan case gave us some under- standing of medical care as such. Paul Simons, 4th Year 74/75 |have been working with Brian Anson since Unit One was formed in 1971. My role as an active unit member has de- clined over the last two years as |have concentrated my work on studying British Vernacular Architecture. However a firm understanding of the past gives backing to arguments concerning today’s environment and the functioning of the recorded partisan camouflaged hospitals, chance to work directly with architects AA/Cincinnati exchange Covent Garden Ealing Derry Derry city in the North of Ireland has one architecture profession. Our experience of the highest unemployment rates in the from studying the past and being in- U_K.; currently it is 15% but hes been as volved with community orientated pro- high as 20% in recent years. But as most jects become closely related when think- care was an ad hoc system, which grew in of the city’s employment is for women, ing of planning for the future. The majority of the housing stock is old and in very poor condition, and only since 1970 has there been any attempt at providing new housing and clearance of shire. Material is being edited in order to For example: the existing slums Derry has been nominated aStrategic Development Area and within that plan great attention has been paid to re- development of the inner city area — | believe it was the wrong kind of attention With the military in virtual control of the city, | believe that they were able to in- fluence decisions about selec’ Se- molition, changes in design and layout etc publish a booklet to create interest in this watermill’s future, 4. A design scheme to incorporate the 14th century Guesten Hall roof that has been repaired at Avoncraft Museum of Buildings. 5. A design scheme for the restoration and presentation of a timber framed gem, Tyr-Mawr, discovered in the Montgomery shire hills near Welshpool. — Centralisated versus decentralised systems 6. The recording and dismantling of Nailors Row and the Barrack St areas were timber framed structures in Watford and —community hospitals — Self Health Centres. Alongside the complex institutionalised structure of the NHS, a new network of self-help is slowly emerging, e.g. the Self Health Centre in Islington. Our seminars were rather intensive because we al had some definite interests: Ken brought to our discussions comparisons between the NHS and the demolished with a rapidity that was out of keeping with the development plan both these areas, once demolished, allowed easy access and viewing of the Bogside for the military. The original new flats in 1966 had 3 high rise blocks and flat roofed maisonettes, after the 1969 riots the plans were changed and new buildings all had pitched roofs. The stair wells had boarding that ran horizontally, which acted as a ladder to allow access to the roof, later this was re- placed with vertical boarding Car parks and open spaces were provided — missions. This is to stimulate the drift most of these were unnecessary and their back to using locally available materials. New roads, and a flyover, and excessive work concerning the newly formed Worcester and Hereford Architecture Record Group (WHARG). 9. A catalogue of available traditional building materials for technical sub- institutionalisation of services. Penny carried through the term her particular interest in the Afan Valley, a declining community in South Wales; she would like to design a community hospital for its needs. Dag concentrated on a criticism of the existing structure of NHS and is 3. A survey of Stotfold Mill in Bedford- We invited different people to our seminars to give us their views about NHS. Chalfont St Peter for reconstruction at the proposed open air museum in the Chilterns. 7, A measured survey of all the surviving monastic buildings surrounding Ely Cathedral 8. GSSU Thesis on the Recording of Vernacular Buildings, in conjunction with educational system — the problem of only function seems to be to split the At the same time a collection of tradition publishing an article “A Layman’s View community physically — like Haussman’‘s al building materials is being put together Paris. A high rise bridge that spans the River Foyle isproposed that will allow shipping into the docks — at the same time they Proposed @ motorway along the docks So we can see what part the military play in Ulster’s Town Planning, but surely if we look closely enough we will se similar things happening here. for eventual exhibition. HaSS Project In Autumn 1974 five of us started con- The Architects Revolutionary Council has published a draft manifesto calling on all architects and others involved in the built versations about National Health Services in England and we called our project HaSS: environment who believe that we should Health and Social Services, their level and cease working only for the rich and quality. The project was partly built on experience dictatorships of central and local govern- which some of us gained during the ment to offer our skills and services to summer of 1974 in Yugoslavia. There we the local communities, which have little which were built by the National Liber- ation Army during the German occupat- ion from 1941-45, The partisan medical and architecture. ARC believes that the profession, as it stands, is a luxury and that the RIBA propagates this narrow luxury characteristic and is thus directly responsible for the malaise of architecture and the state of our cities. Basically the movement isone of social ency system and 4 government controlled, concern. ARC believes that the problems A comparative study between an emerg- of architecture are al around us, but that people who suffer from them cannot affor afford architects to solve them; neither can architects afford to tackle them. ARC wishes to break this trap. It is well aware that to achieve a new framework for architecture there will have to be radical changes in our political and economic system. Nevertheless, first architects and students must demonstrate that they are Prepared to fight for a new system in their own art. In a long, prolix and rather ungrammatical explanatory note, the ARC explains that ‘the new system of architecture will need to be based on a mass movement’ but the revolutionary council does not regard itself as the embryo of the movement. ARC is,asitwere,themidwifewhichwill help to bring the movement into being, after which it will adopt the role of stern tutor to ensure that the movement does mot become a bureaucracy intent on pre- serving itself to the detriment of society. At present the movement consists of one cell in London with embryonic cells in various other countries. In the autumn, the London cell will divide to produce three new cells — on the east coast, in the north-west and in Scotland. ARC wants to build up other units of architects, technicians and students and urges anyone interested to get in touch with 11 Percy Street, London W.1: It is better to have four people who can trust each other than a loose unit of 10. A national convention is planned for the autumn. of the NHS". He hopes that the article A.J, 26th May, 1975. will bring a dialogue between medical and architectural students which would then result in exchange of practical knowledge. At the end of the term we held an Open Forum — adiscussion between thePar- ticipants of the seminars and ourselves. Our conversation did not give rise to any specifically new ideas, but it enabled us to reach an understanding between our- selves. The graphical analyses represent the development of the seminars and of our critical attitude towards NHS. They also make some recommendations. — — — The application of the re-organisation of NHS from April, 1974 The problems of District Hospitals New approaches towards community health care: ~changed role of a General Practitioner —health centres powerful minority or the bureaucratic New industry issituated on the east bank of the river — if they redraw the border the majority of the population will be left on the west bank. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource AA Project Review Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Murray Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1974/75 https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/8c68ab87d630790349838e8cbb28f9d3.pdf 89303eb08babecb583bc859bc6256044 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Liaison Group Including London Group Subject The topic of the resource Liaison Groups: NAM was initially structured as local groups. There was also a Liaison Group whose role was to coordinate the different groups, deal with correspondence and arrange the next annual conference. NAM campaign groups, which were largely autonomous, worked across local groups to develop their ideas. They arranged their own conferences and reported through SLATE and annually to the NAM Congress. The seven different campaign groups listed had members from a variety of local groups. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-1979 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Report Subject The topic of the resource Report of the North London Group of NAM 3 pp (2 copies) Description An account of the resource REPORT OF THE NORTH LONDON GROUP OF THR NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT Giles Pebody So, from meetings to the first meeting: we left Harrogate with this much common ground: a shared disgust at the part the architect plays in the brutalisation of the physical and social environment and at the power that seduces or forces him to play that role, and also a shared- commitment to find collective ways of building a humane architecture It is, I hope, quite unecessary here to start to list the questions begged by such sentiments. We made an early decision to concentrate our work on private practice, at least at the start, as all North London membérdare employed in private practice and have most experience there we acknowledged that we neede to find a new understanding of the social economic and political role of the architect, different, that ts, from the one promoted by the RIBA, the schools, and the principals in private or public practice. But there was algo an urgency for action to provide ways in which frustrated working architects and assistants could direct their energies. Action itself could take two forms: the mah e of propaganda, and the setting up of alternative structures both in the profession and in the organisation of practice itself. A combinationrof theorevical and action projects would support each other: the theory wculdinform the action and thes action the theory. For all this, it is now necessary to divide this report into two parts: I will deal first with our theoretical work, and. then with the ' Interior Perspective 'project. I think that-it-is fair to say, at “least 'in retrospect, that we set out to investigate two of the central myths on which the architectural profession iis based: firstly, that the profession was set up in order to ensure that the public was well served by its architects; and secondly that every practising architect works ag an individual, bearing the torch of architecture, and enjoying its priviledges himself as the peer of evry other architect ( poetically christened ' the Brass Plate Syndrome !). Firstly, before telling you about the results of our work, let me describe how the group works: we meet fortnightly, at the home of each member in turn. The actual work of researching, writing, making posters and so forth, is done outside the meetings so that the meetings thems‘earlerveseersvedfordiscussion.Inthiswaythemaximumbenefit is mace of the exchange of views and ideas, and the group has time to learn and maintain its coherenve. The 'host' takes minutes and writes the agenda for the next meeting. this process gives continuity, but does not inhibit the raising of new topics as they occur. The subsequent meeting is generally arranged on the pavement outsids the nearest pub ( we rarely have time to get further than that ) at about 11 15pm, and at 11 20pm “bhe host for next time heads home to count the coffee cups. Ts deal briefly with the first: the established arbiter between the archotect and the interests of the public is the RIBA, through its code of conduct The Interior Perspective project was first suggested at the Harrogate Conference: employees in private practice would send in information on the offices in which they worked, which would then be made available to job applicants. This way the sort of information to light at interviews would be made available, and so strengthenthe position of the applicant at the interview itselfA.s’we discussed the idea it became clear that its implications could be broader than this. Firstly, the information, if siutebly collected, could be used by other parties with an interest in a parvicular practices prospective clients wishing to use a practice with high standarda and, on the other: hand action groups fighting schemes in-which architectasre involved. It could also form a vehicle for pressing for of employment, and of a mors sensitive approach to design. The most Significant aspect of the Sore, however, is that it would be sét up which rarely comes the adoption of -better sonditions and its supervision of education. The title architect is also controlled by law under the Architects Registration Acts. We looked first at the origins of the RIBA in the C19th, and then at the registration acts themselves and concluded that the RIBA, far from being founded on altruistic principals, was set up to ensure that the profession could run its own affairs, free from interference, especially from government, who, if anyone’ one would, would represent the interests of” the public:at large ‘throvgh the democratic process. Thi8 was achieved in the early C19th during a period. of’ éénfusion and corruption in practice by offering a’ code of conduct to regulate the behaiviour of architects, in return for which the RIBA was granted the autonomy it enjoys. This was further reinforced by the virtual monoply granted under the Architects ' Registration Act, whose adminstering body, ARCUK, rapidly came under its control. The second topic, the ' Brass Plate Syndrome ' is closer to the daily working lives of architects, and is best. considered in- that context. 80 percent of architects axe calaried, and, clearly their autonomy as architects is heavily circvmscribed by thee duties as employees. The argument -has often been advanced that the outlook of the RIBA, and the ethic underlying the codes of conduct are based on the ideal of the architect as an individual practitioner, and they do not therefore represent the interests fo the salaried architects. Further this contradiction increases the frustration of salaried architects who are justifiably angr: that their considerable talents are wasted on unwanted or even destructive projects when the need for sensitive and useful:-architccturec is so painfully evident. Wetre looking at the possibilities for the reform cf practice: Collective decision- -making over design policy or working conditions is extremely rare, in either public’ or private practice, This situation is.aggravated by the difficultoyf finding asiutablelegal form for the institution of cooperative or employee controlled practices. The processes invclced in partnership law are extremely cumbersome, while the limited liability company would provide = siutable for m weve architects not forbiden from forming. them, for other reasons, by the code of conduct. The setting up of a national design service, by which the architects! services would be freely available, much ag a doctors are, could perhaps provide a framework for new forms of nvactice, REPORT FROM THE CARDIFF GROUP OF THE NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVEMENT Anne Delaney A small group of architects, technicians, students and planners has been meeting irregularly in Cardiff since February. Initial meetings concerned themselves with discussion as to the most effective form of proceeding as a group of radicals in the environmental field. We decided initially to familiarise ourselves with relevent work which had already been done locally.The South Wales Housing Action group is perhaps best described as a federation of local community action groups inCardiff, Swansea,and the South Wales mining valleys.The people involved in this group had put up a strong opposition to a scheme for comprehensive redevelopment of Cardiff city centre. Centreplan, the P.R's sell-name for the scheme,was set up as a partnership between Cardiff City Council and Ravenseft,a firm of property deveclopers.Come the economic recession,Ravenseft pulled out of the deal,leaving the centre of Cardiff pitted with vacant or blighted nites in searck of a developer. At the suggestion of .the Ss W. Housing Action Group, Cardiff NAM are looking into the feasibility of alternative schemes for the centre,At the moment we're attempting to tackle this in two ways:firstly by preparing a general report on inner © city development in whichwe hope to discuss a few alternatives to office and large scale store development;sesondly by attempting to apply the theories contained in ou report to one particular site in the centre of Cardiff.It's early days so there's nothing to show as yet. One spin off from this work is that we've been asked to contribute to an exhibition running concurrently with this year's RTPI conference which is being held in Cardiff next month. Community action groups in Cardiff were allocated a few metres' space in the official RIPI exhibition at the conferencebu,t decided they had more to say to planners than could be contained in the space offered them,so they decided to run their own exhibition concurrently in a vacant shop in the city centre. The emphasis on this sort of action seems to set the Cardiff group apart from other NAM groups.There are obvious dangers in diving headlong into action of this sort - the old debate as to whether theory can or should precede action or whether it should arise from experience of action.Hopefully by being awake to the dangers our theory and action will develop side by side,one reinforcing the other. and run by employed architects to serve their interests and those of the users of. buildings. It has the potential to open up a direct. channel of communication between these two groups in a way which would enable then to suppurt each other. It is interesting to compare the Inteficr Perspective proposal with the RIBA Directory, which is its 'Official-! counterparts the latter is, in essence, a form of controlled adverertising for private practiceisn competition with each other, and for the profession as a-whole. As such it provide.sin formation of use unly to principleisn private practice and. their clients. It is of little or no use to the public at large, or architectural employees. Our future plang include an extension of this work on radical professional dccuments to include a new code of conduct and conditions of engegement, .based on ‘our growing ctitique of current ways of practice. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Giles Pebody Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Undated https://nam.maydayrooms.org/files/original/8e60c031439748d15514c052aa41a0f6.pdf c8f8efae586dc075b8eaf08a03d40dde Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harrogate Founding Congress Subject The topic of the resource The Harrogate Congress was the founding of NAM. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Various Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 21-23 November 1975 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harrogate Subject The topic of the resource Tourist visitor leaflet for Harrogate - from 1st NAM Congress, 1975 Description An account of the resource CONISTONE &KILNSEY CRAG Holiday Centre for the Yorkshire Moors & Dales Harogate, one of the most beautiful towns in Europe, builttoatractvisitors,liesinthe centreofBritain.Itis easily reached by road, rail or air YORK we —. iv Mi oea eed CS enreas es a beautiful countryside, the town combines a sense lined avenues and of being an urban centre with its elegant tee ers ura Ee aee Feeen rn SR aLe ae Sa ee eeeeeee jelight and car parking isplentiful prising that, with these amenities, Harrogate Barncat) Barn Fel) an ens ores Doo eeaeeeen ee aea teeming with history, and in close proximity to the National Parks oftheYorkshire DalesandtheNorthYorkMoors. eet leastoftheseoneofthewonders uc ta) Ree et oftheworld,Fountains and the most picturesque of country towns and UU Licemetne Uns aL ts eeeora Plentiful and coach excursions are regularly provided MOORS Vir PARK ASO Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Harrogate Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived John Allan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1975