Urbanism 09
Urbanism 09 is five days of exhibition, exploration, discussion and celebration along the Leeds – Liverpool Canal stretching through South Sefton and North Liverpool - a vital green/blue lung in what many mistakenly perceive as an urban wasteland.
The route of the event runs along the canal from St Winefride’s & St Richard’s School (St Winnie’s) in Bootle to Bank Hall in Liverpool. Following in the footsteps of Utopians before them, St Winnie’s has been transformed by architects Raumlabor, artist Kerry Morrison and food activists Squash Nutrition into an Urban Arcadia while
Danilo Capasso presents Porto Allegro on the canalside at Bank Hall.
In Urbanism 09 Liverpool Biennial presents new commissions by international artists and architects invited to respond to the canal over the past year as well as the exhibition of muf’s Feral Arcadia and the five shortlisted designs for Waterworks, a mobile hub for watersports and environmental education on the canal.
Travel from the Promising Land to Porto Allegro with the artists, architects and food acitvists on 17 September, to examine real case studies of creating positive spaces.
Talk to the bees, talk to the sky, drink tea in the floating Tea House, paint in the floating studio, explore the Feral Arcadia museum, make chutney in the Squash vegetable garden, take a swan pedalo down the canal and make plans for the Happy City . . . With David Bade, Ben Parry, Kerry Morrison, Squash Nutrition, Raumlabor,
Majiek Kurak, Danilo Capasso, Muf Architecture, Public Works and Rob Sweere Taking its cue from architect Carolyn Steel’s inspirational book, Hungry City, the Happy City conference on 18 September, in association with Places Matter!, explores alternative ways of planning and redesigning our cities and neighbourhoods, starting with the premise of not simply providing more houses but improving the quality of the spaces between them and the wellbeing of their inhabitants. Speakers include Pete Halsall, CEO of visionary developers, Bio- Regional Quintain, Joost Beunderman, Research Associate at Demos, Ian McArthur, Regional Director of Groundwork and Michael Palwyn of Exploration Architecture.
The week reaches a climax on Saturday 19 September in a water-borne parade including an upturned Black Cab, a floating Mint Teahouse and a whole variety of crafts created by artists and residents who live in the neighbourhoods along the canal; giving a whole new meaning to the traditional processional ‘float’
