DS 2.5
Throughout its history, the Notting Hill Carnival has negotiated a delicate position between the festive and the subversive. Starting as a black Caribbean protest in 1966, even today, under the spectacle of an annual festival, the potential of resistance and protest lie hidden, in turn provoking efforts for containment, policing and control. Sited in, and learning from, the Notting Hill Carnival, DS(2)5 is reimagining what institutional assembly buildings could be in 2030, exploring a design language which is exuberant and temporary; one that intervenes with the everyday fabric of an area, revitalising and subverting existing streets and vacant buildings into gathering infrastructures accessible to all.
Semester One – Carnival Day
Students selected Golborne Road as a site for extending the Carnival Parade, with a unique individual programme and the spatial infrastructures required to support it. The event serves as a point of entry to understand a London neighbourhood with large income differences – affluent houses and embassies as well as post-war public housing and infrastructure.
Semester Two – Everyday Assemblies
While Semester One focused on the carnival event, an exception to the routine, Semester Two saw students investigate and intervene with the everyday urban fabric of Notting Hill. Drawing on the design unit’s sense of urgency, freedom, generosity and fun to transform the existing city fabric with subtle, or bold architectural interventions, students were asked to reimagine the physical and operational use of an existing block on Notting Hill Gate Road, critically approaching the proposed redevelopment to create something for the community.
Tutors
Nasios Varnavas is the cofounder of collaborative studio, Urban Radicals. UR was selected to design and curate the Cyprus Pavilion at the 17th Architecture Biennale in Venice, and in 2021 was named one of the Best New Architects by Archdaily. The studio was part of the Young Architects Residency 2021/22 at the Architecture Foundation.
Tadeas Riha is a registered architect and works at 6a architects in London. Most recently, he was project architect for the Holborn House Community Centre, Bloomsbury. Tadeas was one of the curators of the Estonian National Pavilion at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale.
Guest Critics
Dalia Amellal (WXY), Francesco Cavaliere (DCA), Derin Fadina (Barr Gazetas), Charlotte Grace, Amy Kempa (Nissen Richards Studio), Laurence Lumley, Matei Mitrarche (2XMA), Dylan Radcliffe Brown (6a Architects), Shukri Sultan (Afterparti), Anny Stefanou (Make Architects), Seb Tiew (Cream), Ming Teong (Erect Architecture), Perle Van De Wyngaert (AL_A), Paolo Zaide
Special Thanks
Giudi Di Gesaro (Coronet Theatre), James Pockson (IDK), Roland Reemaa (llrrllrr), Hackney School of Food, Czech Embassy London
DS 2.5
Throughout its history, the Notting Hill Carnival has negotiated a delicate position between the festive and the subversive. Starting as a black Caribbean protest in 1966, even today, under the spectacle of an annual festival, the potential of resistance and protest lie hidden, in turn provoking efforts for containment, policing and control. Sited in, and learning from, the Notting Hill Carnival, DS(2)5 is reimagining what institutional assembly buildings could be in 2030, exploring a design language which is exuberant and temporary; one that intervenes with the everyday fabric of an area, revitalising and subverting existing streets and vacant buildings into gathering infrastructures accessible to all.
Semester One – Carnival Day
Students selected Golborne Road as a site for extending the Carnival Parade, with a unique individual programme and the spatial infrastructures required to support it. The event serves as a point of entry to understand a London neighbourhood with large income differences – affluent houses and embassies as well as post-war public housing and infrastructure.
Semester Two – Everyday Assemblies
While Semester One focused on the carnival event, an exception to the routine, Semester Two saw students investigate and intervene with the everyday urban fabric of Notting Hill. Drawing on the design unit’s sense of urgency, freedom, generosity and fun to transform the existing city fabric with subtle, or bold architectural interventions, students were asked to reimagine the physical and operational use of an existing block on Notting Hill Gate Road, critically approaching the proposed redevelopment to create something for the community.
Tutors
Nasios Varnavas is the cofounder of collaborative studio, Urban Radicals. UR was selected to design and curate the Cyprus Pavilion at the 17th Architecture Biennale in Venice, and in 2021 was named one of the Best New Architects by Archdaily. The studio was part of the Young Architects Residency 2021/22 at the Architecture Foundation.
Tadeas Riha is a registered architect and works at 6a architects in London. Most recently, he was project architect for the Holborn House Community Centre, Bloomsbury. Tadeas was one of the curators of the Estonian National Pavilion at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale.
Guest Critics
Dalia Amellal (WXY), Francesco Cavaliere (DCA), Derin Fadina (Barr Gazetas), Charlotte Grace, Amy Kempa (Nissen Richards Studio), Laurence Lumley, Matei Mitrarche (2XMA), Dylan Radcliffe Brown (6a Architects), Shukri Sultan (Afterparti), Anny Stefanou (Make Architects), Seb Tiew (Cream), Ming Teong (Erect Architecture), Perle Van De Wyngaert (AL_A), Paolo Zaide
Special Thanks
Giudi Di Gesaro (Coronet Theatre), James Pockson (IDK), Roland Reemaa (llrrllrr), Hackney School of Food, Czech Embassy London
coming soon