Richard England, 23.02.2019

Architecture Alive presents Richard England, 23.02.2019

• Venue: Palazzo de Piro, Imdina
• Date: Saturday 23 February 2019
• Doors: 6:30pm
• Talk: 7:00pm
• Drinks until: 9:00pm

RICHARD ENGLAND

Richard England was born in Malta and graduated in Architecture at the University of Malta continuing his studies in Italy at the Milan Polytechnic. He is also a sculptor, photographer, poet, artist and the author of several books.
Richard England is a Visiting Professor at the University of Malta, having acted as Dean of the Faculty of Architecture between 1987 and 1989. He is also the recipient of a number of Honoris Causa doctorates from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Institute of Advanced Studies at the University of New York, U.S.A., two Sofia Universities in Bulgaria and the Spiru Haret University in Romania. He is also an Hon. Visiting Fellow at the University of Bath, in England and a Professor, Academician and Vice President at the International Academy of Architecture. Richard England has lectured and exhibited his work in North and South America, the U.K., Europe, the Middle and Far East and ex-U.S.S.R. Among his best known works in Malta are the Church of St Joseph at Manikata, the Central Bank of Malta Annexe, the Millennium Chapel, the St. James Cavalier Centre for Creativity in Valletta and the White Shadows and LOVE sculptures.

A WORD FROM THE ARCHITECT

‘My business is to weave dreams’

Jorge Luis Borges

”Giving poetry to the pragmatic and producing an architecture of enchantment has always been my ultimate aim in the creation of my works. In the making of architecture, I have always attempted to mantle the rational and the functional with mythical, magical and poetic layers. If we reinstate poetry, myth and magic into architecture we will contribute to man re-awakening spiritually and emotionally from today’s soulless, damaged and depleted world. The job of the architect, I believe, is to make the ordinary extraordinary and to arouse one’s ecstasies of rapture. My belief and quest is for an architecture which arises not only from utility, function and practicality, but more so from the desire to sensualize and poeticise the human condition. My creed is for an architecture which provides a sensorial and magical experience, for as architects we are the makers of the environmental and ambient stage on which the drama of human life is enacted. It remains a truism that while we shape our buildings, they also shape us. The words of playwright Tennessee Williams ‘I don’t want reality, I want magic’, reflect my philosophy.”

PROJECTS/AWARDS 

His buildings and designs have earned him numerous awards, including eleven International Academy of Architecture Awards and two Commonwealth Association of Architects Regional awards. Others include the Gold Medal of the City of Toulouse in 1985, the International Committee of Architectural Critics Silver Medal in 1987, the 1988 Georgia, U.S.S.R. Biennale Laureate Prize and an IFRAA – AIA Award for Religious Architecture in 1991. In 1996 he was the winner of the International Prize at the III Architectural Biennale of Costa Rica and in 2000 he was the recipient of the Gold Medal of the Belgrade Architectural Triennale. He was also awarded the Grand Prix of the International Academy of Architecture in 2006 and 2015 and the 2012 International Academy of Architecture Annual Award. In 2016 he was one of the winners of the European Architectural Awards.

Office Branche

St. Julians, Malta

www.architectrichardengland.com