This one-day colloquium is an occasion to reflect on the field of intellectual inquiry from the material and visual perspectives

Very often, at the heart of cultural production, there is a practice inspired by a rational or existential response to material, technical and cultural constraints – and a consequent aspiration to offer tools that enable the rest of the community to critically understand things. This one-day colloquium is an occasion to reflect on the field of intellectual inquiry from the material and visual perspectives, looking at the work of architects, planners and designers and its social and cultural relevance in stimulating awareness and criticism of the existent. The event will feature presentations on current research and recent projects and a final panel discussion introduced by journalist Justin McGuirk.Followed by a reception 

The event also marks the closing of CitiesMethodologies, an interdisciplinary event on innovative methodologies across the arts and humanities at the Slade Research Centre (Woburn Square, 5-7 May 2010).

The reception takes place in the Haldane Room, Wilkins Building, Gower Street 

Speakers

James Auger is a tutor and research fellow within the Interaction Design department at the Royal College of Art collaborating with Philips research. He has previously been a research associate at Media Lab Europe and has worked in Japan for Issey Miyake. Since 2000 he has collaborated with Jimmy Loizeau on several projects including the Audio Tooth Implant and the Iso-phone, aimed at removing the commercial aspect from the designed object and make it a tool for questioning rather than problem solving. Through the development and dissemination of speculative and critical products and services Auger and Loizeau instigate a broader analysis of what it means to exist in a technology rich environment both today and in the near future. Their work include self-generated and industry funded research projects, commissions, workshops. Their award-winning projects have been exhibited worldwide.

Mark Cousins is director of Histories and Theory at the Architectural Association. He has been Visiting Professor of Architecture at Columbia University and at the Architecture School of the University of Navarre. He has been a member of the Arts Council and consultant to the practice of Zaha Hadid. He has written on the relation of the human sciences and psychoanalysis. His publications include a book on Michel Foucault (with Athar Hussain), the Introduction to a new translation of a selection of Freud's papers on The Unconscious in a series edited by Adam Phillips and a series of articles on The Ugly in AA Files. He has published on the work of Tony Fretton and on many artists, most recently catalogue essays for Cerith Wynn-Evans and Anthony Gormley. Cousins has contributed to many journals including Harvard Design Magazine, m/f, October, Economy and Society, and Art History. He is currently working on Odysseus and the history of homecoming.

Annelys de Vet is a critical graphic designer and head of the design department of the Sandberg Institute Amsterdam. Her work explores the role of design in relation to the public and political discourse. Since 1997 she runs her own studio, which has transformed from a practice working for clients like Droog Design, Thames & Hudson, Stedelijk Museum and KPN, towards a self-directed practice where De Vet, among others, published several books concerning the representation of cultural and national identity: The public role of the graphic designer, Subjective atlas of Palestine, Subjective atlas of the Netherlands, Subjective atlas of Serbia and Subjective atlas of the EU from an Estonian point of view.Jonathan Hill is Professor of Architecture and Visual Theory at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, where he is programme director of the MPhil/PhD Architectural Design. His research helped to pioneer the investigation of the relations between architectural objects and the practice and experience of architecture. Hill is the author of The Illegal Architect (1998), Actions of Architecture (2003) and Immaterial Architecture (2006) and the editor of Occupying Architecture (1998), Architecture: the Subject is Matter (2001). He also co-edited Critical Architecture (2007) and the Pattern issue of Haecceity (2007). His work has been exhibited worldwide. His forthcoming authored book is Weather Architecture.Justin McGuirk is the editor of the international magazine Icon. An award-winning journalist and critic, his writings on design culture range from the architecture of Palestinian refugee camps to the design of electric shavers. He is a regular commentator on design issues for the Guardian and other national newspapers and the broadcast media.Teresa Stoppani is Reader in Architecture at the University of Greenwich, where she directs the MSc in Architectural Studies programme and the postgraduate Architecture Theory courses, and visiting lecturer in History and Theory at the Architectural Association, London. Her writings on architecture's histories, theories and representations touch on different disciplines and focus on the relationship between architecture and the city. Recent publications include Venetian Dusts (Log, 17, 2009), The Vague, the Viral, the Parasitic: Piranesi's Metropolis (Footprint, 5, 2009), L'histoire assassinee. Manfredo Tafuri and the Present (in N. Temple et al., eds, The Humanities in Architectural Design, 2010). Her book Paradigm Islands: Manhattan and Venice will be released by Routledge in Autumn 2010.Eyal Weizman is an architect and director of the Centre for Research Architecture at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a member of B'Tselem board of directors and of the Decolonizing Architecture collective. His books include The Lesser Evil, Hollow Land, A Civilian Occupation, the series Territories 1, 2 and 3 and Yellow Rhythms. Weizman is the recipient of the James Stirling Memorial Lecture Prize for 2006-2007 and was chosen to deliver the Edward Said Memorial Lecture at Warwick 2010.Registration and Contact

The event is free and open to all.Booking is recommended; please contact Gabriele Oropallo, Wesley Aelbrecht or S. Caroni.