Located on a site opposite the new Matthew Boulton College the Festival of Xtreme Building (FXB), aims to shine an international spotlight on the £6bn regeneration of Eastside in Birmingham.
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Internationally renowned architects, professional building developers and designers will be showing off their work at the festival, and attempting to engage the public in the regeneration project. Over a period of four months, a ‘parallel artist-led city’ will be constructed in Eastside. Ten artists will be creating ten structures, mimicking the real-life regeneration activities that surround the site. The m-ch The highlight of the launch will be Professor Richard Horden’s micro-compact home (m-ch). The 2.65m2 aluminium cube is a light weight, low energy dwelling designed for short-stay, smart living. During the festival members of the public will have the opportunity to win a night in the tiny building. Fashion House
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In September a 12m2 ‘Fashion House’ designed by celebrity artist Will Alsop will be exhibited. Fashion students from Matthew Boulton College will be given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with him. Together they'll be hosting a catwalk show with a difference. The T and Paper houses The T-House by Colin Pearce and Ranbir Lal, a deconstruction of the Japanese tea house and the English garden pavilion will be on show, as will Peter Hadfield’s Paper House, a building inspired by junk mail. International Shopping Connection Also, Norbert Brunner’s’ International Shopping Connection’ building will be on display. This structure shows live streaming images from a number of European retail centres, allowing people to shop interactively across national boundaries. So a person trying on a pair of jeans in Birmingham can ask someone in Moscow how they look! Dave Pollard
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Dave Pollard, curator of FXB, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for designers, constructors and members of the public to design and make amazing, extreme structures that will be exhibited in a highly visible location. "I am genuinely excited to see how the project develops and to be a part of the many wonderful structures that will appear as a part of the festival. “Most talk these days refers to sustainability in terms of energy and low carbon footprints. I say, if people are disconnected from buildings, they (the buildings) won’t survive. There’s a need to give people a sense of pride and ownership of their surroundings.” More information Price: Entry to the festival is free.
Dates: Launches Friday 8 June 2007, on for four months.
Location: Opposite the new Matthew Boulton College, Digbeth. Visitors to the site will be able to explore the buildings on display. For more information see:
Xtreme Building >
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