In attendance of the RIBA Summer Social, the practice gained insight into various professional perspectives on architecture and heritage. With talks from Purcell, Bristol City Council, as well as a guided tour of Grade II* Listed St George’s by Ben Neil, from the Chair of Trustee’s. Originally built as a parish church in the 1820’s, St George’s was re-established in 2017 as a concert hall, comprising the conversion and extension of the original church to cater for a transformed performance space and dressing rooms, including innovative storage solutions with fantastic acoustic qualities.
A talk from Simon Birch from the Civic Society brought significance to the value of women in architecture, symbolising the construction and design of housing projects such as Hillfields Homes for Heroes designed by Bristol’s first female architect, Evelyn Blacker. Blacker is still an inspiration and pioneer for many women pursuing a role in architecture and design.
It is important to come together and collaborate with like-minded professionals in the south west and to celebrate their achievements to improve our understanding of heritage and the built environment.
