The Faculty of Built Environment (BE) has been heavily involved in the recent 2011 Sydney Architecture Festival, a contribution testament to the calibre and high standard of all concerned. BE events proved to be a great success with positive feedback received from visitors and exhibitors alike.

The Sydney Architecture Festival is presented by the Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) and the NSW Architects Registration Board and is Australia’s only Architecture Festival.  It offered international and local insights into the city’s built environment through a 10-day program of architecture talks, exhibitions, panel discussions, films, art installations, children’s activities, open day events and guided architectural tours on foot and bicycle.

The festivals broad, comprehensive and contemporary approach was mirrored by Faculty contributions which ranged from progressive exhibitions such as the Civic Interiorscapes - Visions of the Barangaroo Headland and Streetworks - Big Thinking Little Interventions to City Lunchtime talks saw academics give topical and insightful talks in the heart of the city at our O’Connell Street CDB campus

One particularly popular event saw the Sydney Convention Centre become the home of Grand Designs Australia Live. The Faculty of the Built Environment were once again represented through an innovative pavilion designed by BE Alumni at Sawtooth Design Co-operative, showcasing the work of Faculty design students in the Architecture, Architectural Computing, Interior Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Industrial Design programs.

The pavilions origins are outlined in the following design statement. “The UNSW ‘Chill Out’ pavilion was formulated with the aim of being symbolic of the Built Environment institution. The UNSW Faculty of the Built Environment is unique in that the division between Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture and Industrial Design are often blurred as a result of the highly collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to education. As a response to this we have proposed a pavilion that can be read as a piece of architecture, an interior, a piece of furniture and a landscape in the single moment.” Sawtooth Design Co-operative

Fittingly, the closing days of the festival featured an Archicareers day at the AIA Headquarters and BE representatives were on hand to answer queries and give advice on further study. The proceeding weeks and efforts of all involved encapsulated the dedication, diversity and successes of Built Environment, the 2011 festival demonstrating past achievements and future potential.

Congratulations to all involved for their commitment and successes.

For more information, see www.sydneyarchitecturefestival.org/