On Empathy - Recap & Upcoming Events

On Empathy is entering its 7th week of events!

For this weeks conversation we have decided to do things a little bit differently. We are going to keep an element of surprise, but the plan is to meet in the loft at 6pm Friday, October 24. We are going to organize a series of conversations that will occur first with the whole group, before splitting off into smaller groups for a period of the evening. The hope is to foster meaningful discussions where everyone will have equal opportunity to speak and contribute. Focusing on the idea of consideration in communication rather than debate.

As always we invite you to speak about personal work or texts that have recently had an effect on approach and perspective to architecture and design. The variety of backgrounds and interests are vital in developing a prosperous group.

On Monday October 27th at 7pm on the 2nd floor of Monigram, Andrew Levitt will be presenting the next orientation session, a talk entitled “Problems”.

If you’re not on our mailing list and would like to join, contact us at on.empathy@gmail.com to receive information on the who, where, and what of these events. These details are arranged week to week and we disseminate them through this mailing list, so if you are interested in these events please shoot us a message!

Here is what we’ve been up to:

Donald Mckay took us to Paris in the reading of his historical fiction, also sharing with us his sculptural work and photography.

Robert Jan Van Pelt has shared material from his upcoming publication and helped us to understand a world where ‘the building looks back’ in his lecture “Architecture and the Reversed Gaze”.

Ryszard Sliwka has engaged us in the cultural evolution of the ethics, nature and landscape design in the garden, particularly in relation to the senses, in his lecture entitled “The Scent of Orange Blossom”.

Phillip Beesley has helped us to explore how building materials, both static and responsive, can be exemplify empathy and mimic human behaviours and needs in his talk “Mechanized Empathy” — we also played Tibetan bowls and explored sound with water and wine glasses.

Together, we’ve watched a lecture on culture and perspective, snippets from The Matrix, and a Peter Zumthor lecture. As well as some spirited discussions on how to do good work, fuelled by all the On Empathy events, the Arriscraft lectures, and each of our lived experiences.