Observations: Intelligent anarchy for the UK

 

The Venice Biennale is the Olympics of architecture. But it's not just about the profession's heroes this year – those architects picked by the architectural grandee, Sir David Chipperfield, to exhibit in the vast Arsenale at the end of August. At the British Pavilion's concurrent Venice Takeaway exhibition, the great game of architecture will be about intelligent anarchy.

Here, in the Giardini, the British Council-curated Takeaway has been designed to help jolt British architects out of an apathy characterised by the recent uncontested “election” of Stephen Hodder as the new president of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

One of the Takeway's projects has been mounted by dRMM Architects, whose principal Alex de Rijke is also the new professor of architecture at the Royal College of Art. He's highlighting the 450 hectares of artificial lakes and islands at IJburg in Amsterdam (see below), and its estates of floating homes.

De Rijke and dRMM are one of the 10 sets of architectural “explorers” picked to exhibit at the Venice Takeaway. The other projects include a 1980s scheme that built 508 prefab primary schools in and around Rio de Janeiro; and Caochangdi, an alt-socialist village on Beijing's Fifth Ring Road.

De Rikje's offering, The Dutch Way, is about creating “waterhoods” – sets of floating buildings in the tidal and flood-risk areas of Britain. He's already in talks with Mike Luddy, managing director of London's Royal Docks, to explore the possibility of creating a series of waterhoods in London.

Britain knows relatively little about sophisticated waterside or floating architecture: the rash of flashy, quick-buck developments that have encrusted our coasts and estuaries in the last 20 years show just how witless our architects and planners can be when confronted with water.

However, Britain's first tidal floating home, on the Thames, was given planning permission this year. It was designed by a talented young practice, Baca Architects, one of the very few British designers with a specialised focus on water-margin architecture.

At IJburg, order and anarchy work together: floating gardens and sheds; motorboats and small yachts bob alongside the houses. There are no mothballed gin-palaces, and no trace of the grimly aspirational ennui radiated by Britain's “luxury” marina developments.

Venice Architecture Biennale, 29 August to 25 November (www.labiennale.org/en)

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Arts & Ents blogs

Review of Glee ‘Sweet Dreams’

The episode begins with Finn (Cory Monteith) at college, partying and accidentally participating in ...

Doctor Who ‘The Name of the Doctor’ – Series 7, episode 13

What a wonderful way to end this momentous series in the 50th year of Doctor Who. From the start of ...

Friday Book Design Blog: Blurb special

Let's talk book blurbs, those quotes you get, usually from other writers, that are meant to entice y...

       
Independent
Travel Shop
South Africa
15 nights from only £1,899pp Find out more
Paris and the Cote d’Azur city break
Seven nights from £579pp Find out more
Seville, Granada and Malaga break
Seven nights from £549pp Find out more

ES Rentals

    The price of pacifism: Refusing to go to war is finally being recognised as a brave act

    The price of pacifism

    From the Second World War refusenik to the 19-year-old Israeli, Holly Williams talks to five people who risked shame and suffering to take a stand as conscientious objector.
    'It was mass hysteria': Jason Isaacs on groupies, theatre bores and snogging James Bond

    Jason Isaacs: Groupies, theatre bores and James Bond

    To millions, Jason Isaacs is one of Harry Potter's arch enemies – but his wife prefers him as a Scottish TV detective.
    Notes from a small island: Is Sealand an independent 'micronation' or an illegal fortress?

    Sealand: 'Micronation' or illegal fortress?

    Thomas Hodgkinson spent a week at the tiny platform off the Suffolk coast to find out.
    Not a bad bone: Mark Hix cooks with cutlets and ribs

    Mark Hix cooks with cutlets and ribs

    If you ignore cutlets and ribs, you'll risk missing out on some delicious and easy meals, says our chef.
    The experts' guide to summer: From getting fit for the beach to recreating that Olympic buzz

    The experts' guide to summer

    From getting fit for the beach to recreating that Olympic buzz
    Sex, drugs and fast cars: The legend of James Hunt has set Hollywood hearts racing

    Legend of James Hunt has set Hollywood hearts racing

    Early glimpses of Ron Howard's film Rush suggest it will portray Hunt as a high-living lothario, with an insatiable appetite for partying.
    Macklemore: 'I don't have moderation when using drugs and alcohol. It was hurting my life'

    Macklemore: 'I don't have moderation'

    The next Vanilla Ice or the next Eminem? Macklemore doesn't have a record contract – but he does have the UK's biggest-selling single of the year.
    Don't be shy: Bill Granger's Sri Lankan recipes

    Don't be shy: Bill Granger's Sri Lankan recipes

    Sri Lankan cuisine is light, sunny, wonderfully spiced – and so easy to cook from scratch. Just as soon as you've broken into the coconut, that is.
    Sir James Dyson’s latest project: Cleaning up hospitals

    Sir James Dyson’s latest project: Cleaning up hospitals

    Doctors are hailing the revamp of a Bath neonatal unit, where babies sleep more and feed better, as the model for patient care
    One man returns to Argentina's town that drowned

    One man returns to Argentina's town that drowned

    Epecuen was submerged under 10 metres of water in 1985. Now the floods have gone – and 83-year-old Pablo Novak has moved back in
    The real thing? Historian publishes Coca Cola's 'secret formula'

    The real thing?

    Historian publishes Coca Cola's 'secret formula'
    Gordon Ramsey's worst nightmare: A restaurant he cannot save

    Gordon Ramsay's worst nightmare: A restaurant he cannot save

    The pugnacious chef finally met a shambolic restaurant he couldn't save. John Walsh on when TV makover refuseniks fight back
    Join Ryanair! See the world! But we're only paying you for nine months a year

    Join Ryanair! See the world! But we're only paying you for nine months a year

    Glamorous myth of the flight attendant lifestyle undermined by angry employee's claims of 'exploitation'
    Braising saddles: Did the recent furore scupper sales of horse meat? Neigh, far from it!

    Braising saddles: How to cook horse meat

    Did the recent furore scupper sales of horse meat? Neigh, far from it! Will Coldwell hoofs it to the kitchen.
    Why bitters are back on the bar: A few little drops pack a big punch in cocktails

    Why bitters are back on the bar

    A few little drops pack a big punch in cocktails. No wonder we're learning to love them again...