Participation

Director of Newcastle College's new Performance Academy Vee Wilkinson shows people the guts of the building with architect Adrian Boot of RMJM in Architecture Week 2004

Enjoying good places and buildings

Northern Architecture creates opportunities for people in the North East to find out about what's being built, planned and designed today, to enjoy and be excited about the best of this and, in particular, become more involved in what's happening.

Places and buildings affect all of us and as citizens we need to be part of the process to achieve sustainable environments. Participation can help minimise mistakes, foster a sense of ownership and encourage people to look, question and think creatively.

Northern Architecture intends to work with a diverse audience including an education programme for young people. The work will bring together the skills and activities of decision makers, design professionals, the construction industry, environmental workers, artists and students, to support community groups, teachers, youth workers, young people and their families.

Our education programme follows a year's research into ways of using creative workshops to engage young people. By building on a young person's existing experience of places and buildings Northern Architecture seek to inspire and inform sessions of imaginative problem solving. Young people discuss, analyse and voice ideas in order to participate in informed debate about how to shape environments.

Just how do I get involved in architecture?

Watch out for a new Resources section that will be developed over the coming year with a variety of resources to use in education or to create opportunities for participation in architecture and built environment development. In the meantime we have catalogued web links that can help build an understanding of the current climate of built environment education in Britain. Some of the links contain ideas for activities and project work.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Tell us about your interest in architecture and design in the North East by submitting the attached form.

Whether you are an organisation or an individual, register your interest in our work by sending us your details and opinions. We will add you to our mailing list for events but also let you know of any projects happening in your area.