THE
BIG DRAWING – ARCHITECTURE WEEK 2005
Every year as part of national Architecture Week, the Architecture Centre, Bristol delivers a range of fun and engaging education and community events. From gingerbread house building to designing homes for local birdlife, the events are ‘hands-on’ and encourage families to explore the built environment collaboratively.
In 2005 the centre worked with local artist Shani Ali to deliver the Big Drawing event. This activity encouraged drawers of all ages and levels to observe, discuss, and engage with this unique local built environment of the Bristol Harbourside.
A range of unusual and creative viewing tools and drawing materials, from ink and quills to chalks on a stick, were used to stimulate even the most reluctant of drawers!
Both local people and visitors, young and old, were asked to consider how a city with water at its heart, influences its sense of space. They were also encouraged to examine the unique nature of the rural views of hills surrounding Bristol from the city centre, and to consider how new building developments will affect the access to these views in the future.
All the drawings were collated by Shani and built up in to an unusual collage of the Bristol cityscape, throughout the course of the afternoon and this was then exhibited at the centre.
‘The connection people have with their city is an important
one, and what better way to express it than through drawing it! The
range of viewing tools and creative drawing equipment aimed to inspire
all, even those who didn’t feel tremendously confident about their
drawing skills! The finished collage reflected how people view their
city, and the buildings and views which hold particular significance
to them’.
Amy Harrison - Education Officer, Architecture Centre
Quotes from attendees:
‘An innovative approach to drawing – I felt inspired to pick up a tool’
‘It provided so many different ways/tools to approach and interpret freely and individually’
‘It’s great that Bristol has this kind of activity for young kids’