Countdown To Waterford Architecture Festival Begins

Waterford is gearing up for the 2011 Waterford Festival of Architecture.

Events get underway on Thursday the 5th with a public talk about plans currently underway for the Viking Triangle, with Eamonn McEneaney in Christ Church at 3pm, followed by a public, opening event talk by noted architect and historian Shane O’Toole at 5pm in the Large Room, City Hall and the opening of RIAI exhibition in the Theatre Royal at 6pm.

On Friday in the WIT Auditorium, hear two of the country’s most esteemed and critically acclaimed architects speak about their work and the recent ‘Of de Blacam & Meagher’ project for the 2010 Venice Bienale. Followed by a rare opportunity to hear local artist and architect Jack O’Hare interviewed by Shane O’Toole in the WIT Auditorium about Jack’s collaborations with the famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright from 1948-1949. There is a film screening of the famous 1929 black and white silent film ‘Man With A Movie Camera’ in the Garter Lane Friday night at 7pm, with an introduction by WIT’s Dr. Richard Hayes.

The weekend is full of opportunities to be outdoors and surrounded by the contributions to architecture by John Roberts, the inspiration behind the creation of the festival. On Saturday, come to the festival container in John Roberts Square to mark the beginning of your ‘Architecture Detective Trail’ (12-5pm), collect your map and start sleuthing! The festival container this year is host to various selected works from three different projects; WIT Dept of Architecture selected works 2010-2011, WIT Department of Architecture samples of designs submitted for their house building charity project in Nicaragua and Architecture as Artform: Student exhibition of Architect in Residence project for Waterford County Council (also on exhibition in the Tramore Civic Offices, Tankfield, Tramore).


Take a stroll over to St. John’s priory to see demonstration of stonewall building in the carpark across from St. John’s. or a bit further to Kilcohan Industrial Units on Ballytruckle Rd (beside Azzurri) for a live demonstration of the building of a Viking Longboat, by members of FAS and community. On Sunday, don’t miss our ‘Family Day’ in John Roberts Square, with all ages workshops: engineering workshops by CALMAST, architecture and craftsmanship workshop about the use of form, structure and materials with architect Aoife Banim, demonstrations and exhibitions of maritime heritage by FAS members and community with a Bantry Gig and Sailing Dory on display in the square! Make like a tourist and take a free tour of the House of Waterford Crystal Factory Tour at 3pm in the House of Waterford Crystal (tickets, limited to two per booking, through info@wfa.ie).

Finish your evening with a film – about one of the world’s premier architects, Norman Foster, in “How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster”, in the Garter Lane Cinema at 8pm. Tickets for “How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster” and “Man With A Movie Camera” are available through www.garterlane.com or box office at 051 855038.

You can pick up a programme from your local library, or log on to www.wfa.ie for a full list of events.

(GK)