Holbeck Pavilion

Follies and pavilions in country parks

2007-08-03T03:11:00.000-07:00

The folly is often described as an extravagant building more for artistic expression than practicality. I remember a conversation with two architects where they maintained that the folly, due to it's diminished practical function has not generated the best architecture, perhaps adding fuel to the idea that the free space created by art might not in the end be that useful to the architectural discipline that is defined by its functional requirements. On one hand of course this is an interpretation what constitutes good/interesting or valid architecture, and I think part of the problem is that follies are associated with the classical, and gothic revival (and the odd georgian pyramid), seen as a frivolity that is out of touch with most peoples lives.

In the past the folly has reflected the value system of the landed elite, through the exterior classical, gothic symbols/motifs. The landscaped gardens of the large houses where like crafted Arcadias displaying man's control over nature and relatively small scale food production with often specialized crops such as pineapples or even tea, all for private consumption. The folly in it's surroundings expressed the importance of the individual and Laissez-faire economics through creating a stage for and reference point within the consumption of this controlled visual landscape. (Interestingly despite this predominantly private ownership it is a little known fact in the Georgian period that any member of the public could make an appointment with such a mansion to be shown around the picture galleries and gardens).

The private Folly is analogous with the small buildings of a similar nature in civic/state landscaped parks such as band stands, and also those in landscaped new towns and redevelopment projects - for instance the Apollo Pavilion in the initially landscaped grounds of Peterlee new town, or Bernard Tschumi's strucutres (below) in the public Parc de Villette in Paris, both place symbolic or intellectual function over practicalities.

It is interesting to explore how a contemporary folly could communicate and reflect the issues of private land development/ownership today, the commercialization of ideological space to a point where architecture and public space have become about consumerism.

Holbeck Pavilion concept sketch

2007-07-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

This is the latest version of the new pavilion. It has large illuminated advertising boards radiating around three central wooden cylinders/rooms clad in light tubes. Click images to enlarge.

Holbeck Gala

2007-07-15T03:20:00.000-07:00

Holbeck Gala on Holbeck Moor. We attempted to show our proposal at the Gala and managed about 1 hour before the rain beat us and the stalls were told to close up. Sad as we didn't even get the video's out, we look forward to another opportunity!

i-pod plug and play Pavilion

2007-07-05T02:38:00.000-07:00

A video sketch showing our basic idea of a plug and play Pavilion with DMX controlled lighting.

Why build a new Apollo Pavilion?

2007-07-05T01:42:00.000-07:00

- Why isn’t there new experimental architecture within large areas of UK housing, or artists working as collaborators with housing planning, where bog standard architectural approaches and solutions seem to be predominating.

- What should the new pavilion look like as a symbol within a housing estate today, and what has happened to the ideology of the original pavilion/ Peterlee new town.

- How can artists be involved in planning and development in relation to different approaches of regeneration - that rolled out by the state (as in Peterlee) and in the more unpredictable smaller private developments that are regenerating cities like Leeds.

- Are shops the predominant communal spaces for social interaction in our town and city centres. How can you be part of this civic life without any money?

- Can an architectural pavilion, or folly considerably add to a community even if it is only placed there on a temporary basis, communicating through it’s own outer form, hosting exhibitions, music events and as a locus for dialogue.

- Is it’s monolithic permanence one of the major problems or attractions of the original Peterlee pavilion?

- Are the questions that the pavilion brings to the surface consistent across other cities facing economic change and regeneration (such as Belgrade Serbia), and can a transportable pavilion help to make these connections relevant to different audiences in different countries.

- What does Pasmores formal language of concrete abstraction mean in today’s contexts of complex economic and media created realities. How can a reworking of the PAV create a new visual language to communicate a purchase on these shifts of meaning, political, social and public spaces.

- What are potential ways for monolithic sculpture of this sort to engage with their localities, and what is the use of the cultural tourism that goes along with them?

Tom Watson's Print Shop

2007-06-12T00:49:00.000-07:00

Exhibition shots of the Tom's art instalation 'Print Shop' in the old conservative club opposite the holbeck flats. Part of the Holbeck Pavilion project.

Your Arms! Blog

2007-06-10T03:48:00.000-07:00

Andy Abbott and Yvonne Carmichael have been involved in the project since summer 2006 when they were selected by Artist House to attended the Unidee residency at Cittadellarte-Foundation Pistoletto, Italy funded by Arts Council England. Their project Your Arms! has developed beyond the residency and was shown in the Holbeck Pavilion exhibition.

Holbeck Pavilion - in progress

2007-05-31T01:23:00.000-07:00

16 May - 9 June 2007, Holbeck Pavilion exhibition is open at Artist House, 7 Saw Mill Yard, Leeds.
Images of proposed sculpture and buildings for Holbeck (on blue plinth and wall) by Bryan and Laura Davies.

RIBA

2007-05-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

On our invitation letter for the present exhibition we referred to Architect Max Hutchinson's comment that Leeds is building the slums of the future. We also referred to him as 'RIBA president' - this didn't convey accurately that he is in fact a former president - from 1989-1991. Our apologies to RIBA and to Professor Hutchinson.

Here is a picture of Max Hutchinson we found on the BBC website: www.bbc.co.uk/london/yourlondon/maxfiles/index.shtml

Video sketches

2007-05-30T02:07:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 videos proposals for the exhibition:
1. Apollo Pavilion reworking
2. Vasari Corridor for Holbeck

Tom in residents meeting

2007-05-09T02:39:00.000-07:00

'Terrorism, terrorism, terrorism' was described to Tom as all the media say about Holbeck and Beeston. Then there is the prostitution, the drugs, and last but not least the Holbeck Urban Village, 'we will never be like them!' - the yuppies that is. More soon...

New Belgrade

2007-04-30T02:52:00.000-07:00

I have just been on a research trip to New Belgrade in Serbia. The area was built across the river from Belgrade by Tito after 1950, and now houses 500,000 people (about the same population as Leeds). Envisaged as the city of 'light, sun and future' there are some extraordinary architectural buildings made in the modern 'international style' exemplifying the benefits and disadvantages of this type of concrete architecture and city planning. Similar to some of the high rise buildings and monolithic structures being built in Leeds (although not clad in so much render or glass!), it reminded me of what happens when a dominant ideology in this case socialism, or in Leeds - the free market, transforms a city in a short period of time. I imagine this is what the former president of RIBA meant when he described Leeds as currently building 'the slums of the future'. It is too easy to dismiss the New Belgrade project as failed, there did seem to be an association amongst some people I spoke with between it and drug dealing/criminality, but many of the buildings are now being lived in very well, with a mix of rich and poor and low crime levels. Serbia's free market doesn't really seemed to have touched this area of the city that much yet, although NATO bombing 'redesigned' some of the key buildings in 1999.

Vasari Corridor proposal

2007-04-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

Proposal for a walkway from a park-and-ride in Holbeck into the city for commuters. The idea is taken from the Vasari corridor, Florence (1564) commissioned by Cosimo 1 de'Medici. An overhead covered walkway almost a kilometre long that connected his home (Pitti Palace) and the Uffizi where he worked. He used the corridor to get to and from work with protection from his enemies, avoiding the masses and it provided a viewing platfrom from which he could spy on his subjects.

Apollo Pavilion visit

2007-04-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

A visit to Victor Pasmore's pavilion seemed necessary after knowing it only as an image but referring regularly. It looks quite odd at first, like something ancient that has time-travelled. I think it's because it is in such a bad state of repair (it reminded me of the Parthenon) and all the houses and grass around are maintained. We imagined the utopia and like it, however the balcony entrance has been walled up and the steps taken away. It might have still worked if it had been looked after. We both agreed about the obviously vantage point for youths to hang out etc but thought it would still be a good space to use if opened up for special occasions/fete days...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Pavilion

Pavilions in development

2007-04-11T10:26:00.000-07:00

Window Blow-Out

2007-04-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

We have noticed that the youth of Holbeck have used a local derilict building to create a contemporary tribute to Gordon Matta-Clark's 1976 action 'Window Blow-Out'.

"...But later in the process of installting the show, he arrived armed-literally-with another conception... In each avaliable window casement of the Institute he placed a photograph of a building in the South Bronx... in which the windowns had been broken out... Looking to avoid the trap of merely aestheticized representaition, he secured the anxious permission of the organizer to break a few of the windows that were already cracked. But after a late party at Horace and Holly Solomon's, between one and two in the morning, he returned to the exhibition space and shot holes in each of the windows with an air rifle borrowed from his old mentor Dennis Oppenheim."

description of 'Window Blow-Out' by Thomas Crow

1 Shafton Lane

2007-04-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

2007-03-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

Tom's hideout: Tom has rented a space for seven weeks in which to make his art work. An ex-butcher shop/conservative club come cleaning company, it provides the perfect backdrop for him and his sculpture. The street front premises is located bang in the centre of proper Holbeck, none of this 'urban village' malarkey. He can be found lurking there by day, and sometimes at night, although there is no electricity there after 5.00pm, lets hope the evenings get lighter.

Holbeck Pavilion

2007-03-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

This blog has been set up to document the development of a visual art project in the Holbeck area of Leeds, UK. Artists Bryan and Laura Davies should emerge from this process with a new sculpture, two events relevant to the residential community whilst having facilited new work by artists Tom Watson, Andy Abbott and Yvonne Carmichael. The project is supported by Arts Council England and arts@leeds.