Towards the end of last year Whybrow Studio founder Ian attended a roundtable event – Spaces for: MAGIC – hosted by Perkins&Will London and Portland Design to discuss the topic of ‘the role of magic in the spaces we inhabit every day’. Designers, curators, business leaders and change-makers from across the built environment and beyond discussed the topic for over two hours. Professor Gem Barton, Spatial Futures Advisor to Perkins&Will, co-hosted and co-facilitated the event.
It was a thoroughly positive, inspirational and thought-provoking experience – one which Ian said he wished could have continued longer. The whole conversation was live-illustrated by artist Temujen Gunawardena, creating a fascinating conclusion to the event.
One of the big takeaways for Ian was the assertion by one of Portland Design’s creatives that it was the ‘demise of the demise’ when it comes to the design of spaces in urban areas… opening them up to bring life, interaction and inclusivity to the public realm. An aspiration not only for now but a necessary requirement for the future for design of spaces and the built environment.
Images courtesy of Portland Design and P&W London
