Taking a Sustainable Approach to The Bartlett Summer Show

Led by the school’s B-made Project Manager, David Shanks, and Director of Exhibitions, Chee-Kit Lai, students and tutors have worked to reduce waste and the impact on the environment throughout the design and build of this year’s Summer Show, which remains the largest student show of its kind. 

The Architecture BSc first-year area of the show this year will feature structures from drawing boards to shelving systems, re-used for the second or third time from previous shows. Undergraduate Architecture units have shown a particular interest in this challenge, and have taken a variety of approaches to re-use. 

UG1 (Elie Lakin and Mads Peterson) have used a charring treatment on last year’s display, UG3 (Daniel Wilkinson and Ifigeneia Liangi) incorporated their iconic arch and plaster tiles, UG8 (Greg Storrar and Thomas Pearce) resurrected bespoke steel crutches from two years ago to support a new structure, UG11 (Kostas Grigoriadis and Maren Klasing) redecorated their faceted plinths and slender lightboxes, and UG12 (Johan Hybschmann and Matthew Springett) reimagined steel drawing frames into a new model table.

A new modular system of plinths and walls is being used by Architectural & Interdisciplinary Studies students for the first year of many, with units that can be unmounted and reconfigured to accommodate smaller exhibitions through the academic calendar. These join larger modular walls from two years ago which are now being used for their seventh public exhibition.

This year, more items and materials than ever will not only be prepared and stored for internal reuse, but will also be donated to Parliament Hill School and STORE Store for a second, third or fourth use. 

Find out more

• B-made at The Bartlett
• The Bartlett Summer Show 2019

Image: The Bartlett Summer Show build 2019, Year 1 area. Photography by Richard Stonehouse.