Casework Tuesdays: Derby Assembly Rooms
01/12/2020
Please join us for the first event in our Casework Tuesdays Series where we will discuss our recent and ongoing campaigns. Casework is at the heart of C20 Society's work so we are delighted to be expanding our virtual event programme to bring you more details of buildings we are campaigning for and how we do so.
On Tuesday 1st December at 6.30pm we will be joined by the architect Robert Evans to discuss the current campaign to save the remarkable Brutalist Derby Assemby Rooms as well as the building's history and future.
About the building:
The Derby Assembly Rooms was built in 1971-6 to designs by Casson, Conder & Partners in association with the Borough Architect’s Department. The building opened as a venue in 1977, containing two concert halls and a variety of other spaces. Sir Hugh Casson was a founding partner of the practice and a major figure in post-war British architecture, perhaps best known for his role as the Director of Architecture for the Festival of Britain. Casson, Conder & Partners specialised in the design of adaptable auditorium spaces and venues, like the Derby Assembly Rooms.
The Assembly Rooms was commissioned by Derby City Council following a national architectural competition. It was intended to be the centre of a grand civic scheme in Derby city centre which was never realised. Constructed from an exposed concrete frame, it is composed of staggered levels and bold sculptural forms which offer spatial interest and draw people in from the market place.
The Assembly Rooms have been empty since 2014 when a fire engulfed the adjacent carpark. Earlier this year, Derby City Council announced their plans for its demolition. The Twentieth Century Society objected to the council’s proposals, along with Historic England, the Theatres Trust and Derby Civic Society. Furthermore, the C20 Society has argued that the Assembly Rooms should be Grade II listed as an important piece of 1970s Brutalist architecture by a major 20th-century architectural practice.
About the speaker:
Robert Evans, an architect and founding director of the Derbyshire practice Evans Vettori, has launched an online petition to save the Derby Assembly Rooms which has been signed by over 1,200 people. Robert continues to raise awareness for the building and you can follow the campaign on Twitter for updates.
This online event will finish at approximately 7.15pm. There will be an opportunity for questions at the end of the session.
We’ll send you a Zoom link by email after you book, which will enable you to “join” the event, and we’ll be using the Q&A function to take questions. If you’ve not used Zoom before, clicking on the Zoom link will take you through the set up process, hopefully simply and smoothly! You should receive an automated link within an hour of booking so please check your spam/junk emails if you haven't received this. Any further problems please contact coordinator@c20society.org.uk
The event is free but we welcome donations towards C20’s campaigning here.
The Twentieth Century Society is a registered charity, no 1110244.
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