Adelaide Festival of Architecture and Design 2015

Less than 12 months after the success of Adelaide’s first Festival of Architecture and Design (FAD) last year, the Festival has launched its program of over 40 events held from Thursday 8th until Tuesday 13th October.

The Festival proudly supported by major sponsor Architectural Window Systems (AWS) will deliver a fun, engaging and informative program of architecture and design talks, forums, exhibitions, performing arts, children’s activities, guided walking tours and the return of Open House Adelaide program.

Presented by the Australian Institute of Architects in partnership with the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, the Design Institute of Australia and the graduate of architecture network NAG – EmAGN, with the support of arts organisations, cultural institutions and local creative industries, events will be held across the city, inner metropolitan and regional areas and are suited to all ages.

The Festival explores the theme ‘Life on the Edge’ and how Adelaide’s geographic, economic and cultural position stimulates unique design approaches and outcomes. Events will focus on sharing stories about our small bar culture, waste in the built environment, women in design, the possibilities presented by the driverless car, links between wine, food and design, a heritage legacy of elegance and innovation, public spaces and placemaking, retaining our local graduates, and economic and social sustainability.

FAD Creative Directors Anthony Balsamo, Walter Brooke, Dino Vrynios, Grieve Gillett Andersen Architects and Leah Salamon, wiltshire + swain explain ‘the Festival is an opportunity for the community to discover how good design and architecture positively enriches our daily lives. The process of design is all around us; in our houses, on our commute, in our work environments. From where and how we socialise, to exercising, being entertained, from our clothing, to our medical treatment, and what we use to communicate with each other.’

The Festival Opening Party will be held on Wednesday 7 October as an open street party in Leigh Street, with its award-winning streetscape and densely populated bars and restaurants, providing an excellent example of the synergy between great design and liveability.

Event highlights include the Open House Adelaide program taking people through architecture and design studios, public buildings and residential projects; public talks by architecture’s gold medallist Peter Stutchbury and Droga Architect in Residence, Nick Wood (London, UK); exhibitions of up-and-coming furniture, lighting and homeware design, architectural photography and unbuilt works from the Architecture Museum.

Originally founded in Adelaide, one of the world’s largest international architectural practices, Woods Bagot will celebrate almost 150 years through a range of events. These include a walking tour by the National Trust of SA around city buildings designed by founding partner E J Woods, described as ‘one of the greatest architects in the Commonwealth’. In addition, there will be a guided tours behind the walls of the Z Ward at former Glenside Hospital (designed by Woods), the final public tour through multiple award-winning South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and exclusive access through Woods Bagot’s office in City Central Tower One, looking over Victoria Square / Tarntanyangga.

SA Chapter President David Homburg encourages everyone to get involved in the program, which commences as a lead into the 2016 National Architecture Conference held in Adelaide from 28 – 30 April, an event not seen in South Australia for 20 years.

The Festival’s long term goal is to become part of the fabric of Adelaide’s diverse and vibrant festival culture by contributing to the City’s liveliness all year round. “This is something Adelaide does well,” Balsamo says. “It’s also about leveraging off that process for the permanent improvement of Adelaide as a place to live in and enjoy.”

The Festival of Architecture and Design program of events is now available online at www.fad.org.au