Spoken Word – Museum of Brutalist Architecture

A HALL IN WAITING: A TESTAMENT TO TIME

In this first episodic architectural study, filmmaker Allan Sylvester brings his characteristic sensitivity to the brutalist vernacular, continuing the thoughtful documentation style that has distinguished his contributions to the Museum of Brutalist Architecture’s collection. This prequel focuses on the Acland Burghley School Assembly Hall, capturing not just the physical structure but the accumulated history of six decades of community life within its walls. Click below to watch the film Sylvester’s camera moves with deliberate purpose through the space, lingering on the interplay between raw concrete surfaces and warm timber elements that have witnessed countless assemblies, performances, and gatherings since the hall’s completion in the 1960s. As with his earlier studies of modernist architecture, Sylvester’s lens reveals how the materiality of brutalism can serve as a repository of collective memory, each architectural element bearing silent witness to the building’s rich history. Not surprising therefore is that Sylvester attended the school as…

WHAT IS BRUTALISM?

What is: Brutalism? | HENI Talks, Learn about some of the key facets and figures of Brutalist history with Professor Richard J. Williams. Click Below Visit us on Instagram

LIONHEART | THOUGHTS, POEMS, ARCHITECTURE

THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT Lionheart’s thoughts on architecture, poetry and our wellbeing. In this short film, a collaboration with architectural film maker Jim Stephenson, LionHeart discusses his route into architecture and poetry and the power of architecture to heal. LionHearts’ words are intertwined with a performance of his poem “The Absence of Light”

EXROTAPRINT: THE UNINTENDED BRUTALIST BUILDING

Allan Sylvester’s film explores the former printing press company Rotaprint‘s building, located in a suburb of Berlin. Rotaprint were pioneers in the production and export of printing press machines until 1989. The original site started as low rise building and in the 1950’s the company decided to give the company a new modern identity by redeveloping the site with a new administration corner building designed by the architect Klaus Kirtsen. The original plan for the corner building was for a 7 storey building but for some reason in 1958 construction was halted and the corner building remained as we see it today façade unfinished and 5 storeys. In 1991 the corner building and some of the associated site buildings was declared Monument status which is equivalent to the British listed buildings system. “ExRotaprint” started in 2004 as a tenant initiative initiated by artist Daniela Brahm and Les Schliesser who founded…

TENSED MUSCLES MAIDEN LANE ESTATE

Artist Steffi Klenz created an immersive interpretation of the Maiden Lane Estate and its residents. Prepared for Camden Alive the work manifested as an augmented reality representation and is included within the Camden People’s Museum. Click Below Steffi Klenz Artwork Visit us on Instagram

I HEAR YOU

Tomislav Latinovic’s practice explores the intersection of their queer identity and post-Yugoslav cultural heritage. Through language, movement, and research, they explore the complexities of this experience. It encompasses research into the erasure of queer histories from national archives, and the problematic importance of Western queer representation in media to global queer communities. Parts of Latinovic’s short film was located within the Brutalist Hall for All, the Home of the Museum of Brutalist Architecture at Acland Burghley School’s Assembly Hall. Click Below Visit us on Instagram