Pankof Bank Architects
2 - 10 June

The Architecture Foundation's Yard Gallery is set in the densest part of Britain's architectural community, the epicentre of where our cities, buildings and public spaces are designed. On June 1st a new architecture practice will take over the gallery for ten days, lead by Pankof Bank in collaboration with artist Sara Muzio.

Whilst the space uses the language and physical structure of a corporate architecture office housing all the usual facilities - internet, printers, photocopiers, coffee makers - this will be no ordinary architecture office. It will be open to the public and all facilities will be free for use by anyone, every day. Visitors will be invited to set up their own work-space using the wireless network, watch films from the office archive or eat lunch and read from the library. Rather than a private office domain, the space represents a new kind of productive public space; a place to examine today's city in the face of the rapid privatisation of the public realm.

For ten days, the 'architects' will cook, eat, sleep and shower in the office with self-made living constructions, they will also document the life of the office as a hive of human interaction in an increasingly sanitised and controlled city.

Events

Special free events will take place at the Pankof Bank Architects including:

Sunday 4th
“CPD”: SKILLS AND TOOLS TO SUBVERT THE CITY: Office for Subversive Architecture and Optimistic Productions. BBQ from 2pm, with film screenings from 4pm.

Monday 5th
MAPPING NOMADOLOGY: Workshop on ephemeral inhabitations of the city through images, texts, maps and personal accounts. 6.30pm

Tuesday 6th
‘HARRIET THE SPY’ ELEVEN YEAR OLD URBAN RENEGADE: film screening presented by Rae Fior Lowe. 4.15pm. Bring afternoon picnic snacks.

Wednesday 7th
BABIES AND BUILDINGS: “What is a woman’s place in a city designed by men?” Coffee morning for pregnant architects run by Women in Architecture. 11am.
To sign up email mail@pankofbank.com; places limited.

CITIES IN CONFLICT: “99% of our cities are not designed by architects”. Film screenings and discussion on extreme cities with Kasim Abid, Matthew Barac, Lefkos Kyriacou, and Sara Muzio. 6pm.

Thursday 8th
THE SPONTANEOUS ACADEMY: Artists McDowell and Dowler invite you to qualify from their one-night Academy for the Advancement of Spontaneous Academies. Includes drawing workshops and performances. 6.30 – 9pm.
To sign up email mail@pankofbank.com; places limited.

Friday 9th
PLAY-GROUND: “These walls were made for walking”. Play squash against billboards and tango on the roof. Wear comfortable clothing. 6pm.

Saturday 10th
EVERYTHING MUST GO
England vs Paraguay 3pm.
Catalogue launch and music 6-8pm.

About the artists

Pankof Bank’s constructions explore the relationship between imagination, physical matter and the world of representations, resulting in the production of functional spaces. The process of construction and the use of their installations are continuously documented to expose the complexity, energy and connections formed in the making of a place for functions as simple as dining, or bathing. Recent projects include Supper Market, a live installation as part of ‘Deptford X Ephemeral Cities’ (2005) and Another Fucking Meeting, performance in Berlin (2006).

Sara Muzio uses the medium of film to discuss political and social topics relating to architecture and the built environment. Recent projects include La Cancha, a film exploring the use of public space in the barrios of Caracas (screened at the Prague Biennale of Art and Architecture, 2005), and teaching workshops on ‘Filming the City’ at the Manchester School of Architecture, 2006.

Sponsors

Pankof Bank Architects has been generously supported by:
Perfect Colours
John Perkins Projects

Photography by CJ Clarke