July 29th 2017, Phytology, Bethnal Green Nature Reserve

with Kim Trogal, Ana Vilencia & Kathrin Böhm

Phytology is described by its users and keepers as a cultural institute, a bat paradise, a garden, a medicinal field, a community space, and much more.

Existing without a purpose built architecture (except the fence) Phytology is a great example for how users of a place construct and develop spaces which have multiple functions and complex spatial configurations.

This lunch time talk introduces three speakers who work with the concept of Social Architecture, one that primarily evolves from social and everyday uses, and manifests itself in a number of spatial outcomes, the built one being one of them.

Architect and researcher Kim Trogal is co-editor The Social Reproduction of Architecture, recently published by Routledge, and researcher Ana Vilencia and artist Kathrin Böhm are both contributors.

The book will be the starting point for this informal lunch time talk, with the three authors first introducing their ideas and concepts, to then make connections to the garden we’ll be sitting in, and how to read and articulate it’s spatial complexities.

Supported by Arts Council England