Despite burglary students work to light up inner city Chch

Despite burglary students work towards lighting up inner city Christchurch
Friday, October 19, 2012
Media Release: Festival of Transitional Architecture (FESTA)
For immediate release

FESTA - Festival of Transitional Architecture
20-28 October 2012
Christchurch

Inner city Christchurch lights up this weekend with the launch of the new nine-day Festival of Transitional Architecture (FESTA).

The opening night event is LUXCITY on Saturday (postponed to Sunday should the weather prove inclement), designed and fabricated by 350 architecture and design students from around the country. The 16 projects use light as their principle medium to create a space for a variety of urban functions: cafes, bars, live music and performance, a fashion event and a night market.

It is a sign of the passion behind this new event that, despite a major setback, one studio from the University of Auckland is determined that the show will go on. Studio ‘Etch-a-Sketch’, who has been collaborating with local Christchurch business Black Betty, had some of their installation materials stolen from a car in Auckland on Wednesday night. They put their shock and fear aside and set about a plan that would give them the best chance at replacing the stolen gear. Students changed their flights and worked through the night to get their project to Christchurch this afternoon.

Project member Nathan Hayes says, “We are very proud and honoured to be part of such an important event for the Christchurch community. We won’t quit”.

Etch-a-sketch is one of 16 projects in LUXCITY that together create the illusion of an urban scene against a backdrop of half demolished or vacant buildings. An urban scale is achieved by the use of nine large pieces of demolition machine, on loan from Smiths Crane and Construction, Leighs Construction and Ceres Environmental. The cranes roll on site later this afternoon, ready to support and suspend the students’ light architecture.

Besides Black Betty, other local partners filling the light installations include Cassels Brewery, The Darkroom, Richard Till, White Elephant Trust, Volstead, Pure Pulp, Fledge, Infinite Definite, The Twisted Hop, Beach Bar, Lyttelton Coffee Company, Southern Espresso Rescue and P.O.D. Some venues are licensed so parental guidance is required in those areas.

LUXCITY takes place in between Gloucester, Manchester and Worchester Streets with pedestrian access available from Latimer Square. 6.30pm-midnight; lights on 8.30pm. LUXCITY is held on vacant demolition sites: ground may be uneven, sensible shoes are advised and caution should be exercised at all times.

The first event in the FESTA programme started today with the NZIA Canterbury Branch Pavilion Design Competition Exhibition now on in the foyer of the Civic Building at 53 Hereford St. Other FESTA events over the weekend include a tour of Re:START (Saturday 10.30 – 11.30am) with the architect, Anton Tritt of the Buchan Group and a pizzeria earth building workshop at the old Crowne Plaza site, corner of Kilmore and Durham Streets (Saturday, 12-5pm) with CPIT.

On Sunday at the DL Lecture Theatre at CPIT between 1.30 and 3pm thesis students from The University of Auckland give a presentation on transitional approaches to planning Christchurch. Later, from 4-6pm, come dance on the Dance-O-Mat for a speed dancing session and listen to Gap Filler director Coralie Winn and F3 Design’s Pippin Wright-Stow talk about the city’s most popular urban installation at 136 Oxford St.

Hear about and then reconfigure the Christchurch City Council’s modular, temporary furniture outside Central Library Tuam at 121 Tuam St at 3pm on Labour Day.

All events are free unless otherwise specified.

More information:
www.festa.org.nz
www.facebook.com/FestivalofTransitionalArchitecture

ENDS

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