Royal Institute of British Architects to open Clore Learning Centre in London in October
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) will be opening an inspiring new learning space within its central London landmark building on 29 October 2019.
The RIBA Clore Learning Centre, designed by architects Hayhurst & Co, will be a new destination for people of all ages to engage with architecture. It will be a setting for hands-on, creative activities for a range of audiences, from children and families to lifelong learners. The centre has been made possible by a generous grant from the Clore Duffield Foundation.
Speaking about the new centre, RIBA President Ben Derbyshire said: “The RIBA has long understood the importance of helping everyone to engage with architecture and the built environment and the role they can play in shaping it. It’s great that our established learning programme, including workshops for children and adults, will be enhanced with this new dedicated learning space. We are enormously grateful to the Clore Duffield Foundation for their vision and generous grant which are making this possible.”
Gillian Wolfe CBE, Chair of the RIBA Public Education Committee: “The new Clore Learning Centre marks a radical enhancement in the RIBA’s ability to deliver learning activities to general public. It will enable a huge expansion of its existing programmes of active creative design-based education to intrigue and enrich the understanding of our built environment”
The new 365m² space is being created on the 4th floor of RIBA’s Grade II Art Deco building. Including an outside learning terrace, it features a studio, showcase space and study, designed as a series of adaptable areas that can be used in different ways for the RIBA’s diverse audiences. It is designed to enable an active learning experience through creative making and sharing.
The RIBA learning programme offers opportunities for people to explore, question and celebrate the built environment. It supports learners of all ages and experiences in understanding how the spaces and places in which they live, learn, work and play come to be. Inspired by architects past and present and by RIBA’s world-class collection of more than four million items, the programmes encourage learners to think critically and test the bounds of their creativity.
RIBA currently delivers approximately 320 learning events each year, including the RIBA National Schools Programme that has engaged over 18,000 primary and secondary school children since its launch in 2015. This new centre will increase RIBA’s capacity to host learning activities.
