LI London Branch Newsletter November – December 2009
LI London Branch - Committee Snapshot
Despite these strange economic times, when those of us in work seem to be working harder and harder to stay in the same place, our dedicated Committee members still generously give their time to deliver a range of landscape-centred events. We hope we are providing something to suit members at all levels of the profession, and to spread the word beyond it. Thanks are due to all, but especially to Shelley Mosco for again setting up the Open House Walks in September, which give us such a great opportunity to talk to a wide variety of people about how the landscape profession can influence the shape, character and quality of our city, and of course to all those who led and helped on the walks. Thanks are also due to Marian Zavara and Wing Lai for organising the Contracts Seminar, to Adam Cook and Tuan Nguyen for attending the Branch Forum and London Planning and Development Forum respectively, and to Jan Anderson for developing the policy group, and last but not least to Tim Spain for galvanising us all to contribute to this newsletter despite his imminent P2C exams.
As for myself, I am writing this not from the UAE, but am still in London, though I’ve been travelling around the UK on a regular basis – Abu Dhabi has been deferred, possibly starting in January 2010.
So - good luck to everyone taking their P2C exams in November, and although it seems really early as I’m writing this Season’s Greetings to you all: and hope to see lots of you at our Christmas event.
Susan Lowenthal,
Chair London LI
Events
Christmas event to be announced shortly via e-mail and our web site.
All other LI London and Local LI events will now be listed on the 'News and Events' page, click the link on the sidebar (left) or follow this link.
Finance
We are currently in a good position in terms of general finances. However, the difficult economic climate remains a challenge to balance the needs of services and objectives within the branch, particularly with reduced funding from the L.I. Nevertheless, we are committed to providing the best support to our members where needed and continue to where possible enhance our pathway to chartership support programme, and also the significance of CPD & social events for everyone. As an example of this, we have exercised a fair pricing policy for professional practice / P2C related events, increased the number of social events for members, and where possible provide a number of free events.
We ask that you support our initiative to continue to maintain and enhance services such as marketing for landscape architecture, CPD support, P2C support and membership/ recruitment of new members through either a small donation, or through the provision of resources such as the use of practice offices for some of the branch’s events. More importantly, if you have questions or suggestions to help enhance branch services, please do feel free to email us at mail.london@landscapeinstitute.org
Pathway 2 Chartership
We are urgently looking for CMLI’s to step forward to act as mentors for P2C candidates. It is a very rewarding experience to be able to help guide and mentor the candidates and with careful time tabling of obligations does not need to be an onerous task. Without mentors, it is impossible for candidates to be able to progress along the system to being able to achieve CMLI status leaving many talented individuals frustrated and potentially stagnating. If you feel you can spare some time to volunteer as a mentor please contact us at:. mail.london@landscapeinstitute.org
LI London have been very pro-active over the last two months in helping to arrange revision groups for its regional P2C candidates and organising CPD events. This is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our regional members at all levels.
If you have any further questions or comments on how LI London can support you as a mentor or candidate, or how you can get started on the P2C process please contact us at: mail.london@landscapeinstitute.org
Policy
London Plan Review - comments needed by January 2010.
The London Branch Policy Group's aim is to review existing and forthcoming landscape related policies that affect the London region and to comment on these where appropriate in liaison with the LI's national policy officers. Current topics we are looking at include Green Infrastructure and the latest review of the London Plan. We would like to encourage London branch members to share your thoughts on these and any other London related policy topics you'd like to raise through our new discussion group on Talking Landscape (it's called 'London Branch Policy Group' just to make it really easy to find!). Everyone is welcome.
Council Rep
LI Branches Forum was held in Birmingham and West Midlands Institute, 9 October
- This was a structured day due to the nature of business such as the development plan.
- Next year’s forum may be led by the branches.
- There had been general discussion including feedback on the handbook and Policy Officers. Information on communications was presented by LI Marketing. This included Branch web sites and the possibilities of Talking Landscape for Branch communication.
- Branch representatives also carried out a rough exercise, with the Development Plan, which gave a general flavour rather than a detailed plan for branch priorities.
- It was stated at the Forum ‘Advisory’ was used to distinguish the old LI Council from current Council. The term Advisory Council was likely to be dropped in due course, once this LI Council was established.
LI (Advisory) Council, Institute of Physics, 19 October
- I reported that the committee had grown recently and they were working on their action plan.
- LI London encourages members involvement and keeps people informed using the web site.
- We welcome members to raise new agenda items.
Please contact LI London Hon. Secretary for details of the next meeting at:mail.london@landscapeinstitute.org
Adam Cook CMLI
LI London Council Rep.
Extra Curricular
NLA Nights, Will Alsop, 11 November, 6.30-8.30pm 2009
NLA is delighted to invite supporters of NLA and their guests to our November NLA Nights event with guest speaker Will Alsop.
While recently on painting leave, Will told the AJ that he would like to try his hand at healthcare. Now that Will is joining RMJM, he might have a chance to fulfill that dream. His talk, in a series of NLA Conversations, is entitled 'What I would do to a hospital if they'd give me one.' Further details can be found here.
80 for No. 8: Celebrating the design competition for Kings Cross Central’s Gasholder No.8, 16 November – 4 December 2009
An exhibition of the entries, short listed and winning schemes for King's Cross Central's competition to design the public realm and buildings for a new event space and public park within and around one of the historic gasholders at King's Cross Central. Further details can be found here.
Sustaining Identity Symposium II, 26 November, 10.00am-5.30pm, V&A, Cromwell Road
Is there an architecture of resistance that stands in the face of commercial globalisation, that rejects the iconic image, that celebrates the sprit of individual place? In the current economic climate, is there an architecture that naturally rejects commoditization and excess? Can architects, designers and engineers help sustain a sense of local identity, both in terms of cultural heritage and the conservation of the environment? How is human identity grounded in environment and architecture? Further details can be found here.
OPEN:POLAND Season at the RIBA
Enjoy an extensive programme of events exploring how contemporary architecture and urban projects are transforming Poland.
Admission free to all exhibitions
OPEN:POLAND -Architecture and Identity
RIBA Gallery 1, Florence Hall, 7 October–25 November
Polish Avant-Garde Architecture and Architectural Publishing, 1920–1940
RIBA British Architectural Library, 7 October–25 November
Renoma: Reflections of Wroclaw
Arup, 8 Fitzroy Street, 16 October–30 January
Pop Life at the Tate Modern, until 17 January 2010
Andy Warhol claimed "Good business is the best art." Tate Modern brings together artists from the 1980s onwards who have embraced commerce and the mass media to build their own 'brands'. Pop Life includes Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and more. Further details can be found here.
Turner and the Masters, until 31 January 2010
This unforgettable show places beautiful masterpieces by Canaletto, Rubens, Rembrandt and Titian next to some of JMW Turner's most dramatic paintings. It shines light on a lesser-known side of the British Romantic painter: his obsession to prove he was just as good, if not better, than the old masters who he so admired. Further details can be found here.
A Sense of Place
Visual Art Exhibition, The Gallery Upstairs @ The Bear, 14-17 November 2009 (opening Saturday the 14th Nov 2009, 7.00 - 11.00 pm)
What happens when 4 artists, from completely different backgrounds and experiences, meet by chance in London?
296A Camberwell New Road London SE5 0RP
tel. 0207 2747037
info: 07985 508433
Further details can be found here.
Landscape Photographer of the Year 2009
Saturday 5 December 2009 to Sunday 24 January 2010
A seven-week exhibition of the winning entries will be held at the Lyttelton exhibition foyer, National Theatre, London SE1 9PX, from December 5. This popular annual award, now in its third year, culminates in a stunning exhibition of photographs that express the spectacular beauty and diversity of our country whilst also reminding us of the need to protect this precious inheritance. Associated with this is:
Seeing Landscapes
Awards founder, Charlie Waite, will be giving talks on his approach to landscape photography and the exhibition on 8 & 9 December and 12 & 13 January at 11.30am. Further details can be found here.