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Ed Frith

Ed Frith

London, GB

 

About 

Biography

MA Course Leader for new MArch (ARBPart2) in focusing on architecture & performativity at AUB, the Arts University Bournemouth. Educated at Bristol, Cambridge, Princeton and Columbia Universities and has taught at Bath Birmingham and Greenwich Universities. As a director and architect at Moving Architecture he has developed performance pieces and buildings in the UK, China, US and across Europe. His Greyfriars Surgery Project, in Hereford has been exhibited at the Royal Academy and won an AJ small projects award. He has a number of publications and articles on architecture and the humanities. He has written and reviewed for Building Design, Architects Journal, Architectural Design and the Guardian newspaper.

Professional practice

Director Moving Architecture 1990 responsible for running, office and design projects that have included performance and building projects from a series of residential projects across north London from Hampstead to Hackney as well as a prize winning doctors surgery at Greyfriars on the city wall in Hereford and competitions and performances from Spain to China. Previous practice 1982-1990 – Diller + Scofidio Architects, New York; 1990-1991, Raoul Bunschoten, London; 1990 – Assisted on ‘Skin of the Earth’ Project for House of Architect’s, Moscow. – Julian Harrap Architects, London E8; 1989-1990 – Specialist restoration practice. Hugh Cullum & Nightingale Architects, London; 1989 – - DEGW Architects, London; 1987-1989 -MacCormac, Jamieson and Prichard, London E1; 1985-1986 – Form Structures, King St., Bristol; 1985 Teaching: Programme Leader & Principal Lecturer, School of Architecture, Design & Construction, Greenwich University. 1998- 2012 Principal Lecturer from 2007. Programme Leader for Diploma Architecture since 2007. Responsible for running, admissions and management of the programme. Course coordinator for design courses. Teaching focused through Diploma and Research Unit 11 – Thinkers and Makers – Gateway Games. Students achieving many prizes such as RIBA Serjeant Drawing Prize, BD Top Ten Students & 3DReid Architecture Prizes plus RIBA Presidents medals commendations. Previously Programme Leader for Degree Architecture 2002-5, Developed emphasis on part-time students crossing with full-time and integration of technology with design. RIBA Visiting Board Co-ordinator 2012. UCE Birmingham School of Architecture, 1991-8, Lecturer. Visiting tutor at Bath School of Architecture during this time. External Examining, Independent Examiner for Architects Registration Board (ARB), Part1 & Part2 2005-2012, Oxford Brookes University School of Arch BA Hons 2003-7, UCE Birmingham BIAD School of 3D Design and Interior Design 2002-6. Visiting Fellow Princeton University / Visiting Scholar – Columbia University, Received Fulbright Scholarship in 1990-1 to research architecture and movement performance project (more below). Visiting Critic/Lecturer & Workshops: Alvar Aalto Symposium, Finland; Shenyang Architecture University, China; La Villette School of Architecture Paris; Konstanz School of Architecture, Germany; Columbia University, New York; Princeton University, New Jersey, Sarah Lawrence College New York; New York Institute of Technology School of Architecture; New Jersey Institute of Technology School of Architecture; Bath University School of Architecture; Canterbury School of Architecture, Architectural Association, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL; Bath University School of Architecture; Oxford Brookes University School of Architecture; Newcastle University School of Architecture; Scott Sutherland School of Architecture Aberdeen.

Professional memberships

  • Independent Examiner for Architects Registration Board (2004–2014)
  • On Register of Architects Registration Board (1990)

Grants

  • Design Work Awards, Shenyang Exhibition Centre Competition and Mies’ Hoo House’ Lecture 10th October 2008, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang, China c/o of Peng Xiaolie, Vice Professor, Project Publication, Exhibition and Review with Atkins 2009 (£20,000) (2008–2009)
  • Moving Architecture, House and Studio. TV Programme - Houses from around the World, Chukyo TV (CTV Japan) presented by Tosin Housing Corporation, November 2008 and published in Homes from Around the World Vol 29 Tosin Housing Corporation, Japan October 2008. (2000–2014)
  • Moving Architecture, Greyfriars Surgery, Extension on Grade2* building and Scheduled Ancient Monument, Published and received Award in Architects Journal’s Smarojects Awards. Exhibited at Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. (1991–2012)
  • Fulbright Award to study in the States - Visiting Fellow at Priceton University and Visiting Scholar at Columbia Universities. (£10,000) (1990–1991)

Research Specialism

Ed Frith, architect & academic, researches and practices in the moving area between the body and architecture. He has worked with choreographer Caroline Salem for over thirty years in a wide variety of architecture, body and movement projects. Projects and presentations have taken place in Finland at the Aalto Symposium, in Spain with the Ballet de Zaragoza, in New York at the Dia Centre and in China with a large convention centre competition. Their house and studio in Hackney has been published and broadcast in many countries and project for to extend a listed Surgery in Hereford won an AJ Small Projects award and its model was in the Royal Academy. At present they are bringing together the strands of their practice and research through the Choreographic House a publication and performance. Their researches and practice work is used extensively in their teaching.

 

Practice and Research with Choreographer Caroline Salem – The Rite to Play, Place Theatre London; Blind Spot/Tache Aveugle, New York [1990] – Installation & Performance; Princeton & Columbia Universities, Dia Arts, New York; Piering on Foot at the Horizon [1991], New York, Battery Park & Beverley Brown Studios; Vista Divisivas [1992] Ballet de Zaragoza, Spain; Greyfriars Surgery Hereford– Healing the Wall; House and Studio 40 Clarence Mews London; The Ramp [2005] Stephen Lawrence Gallery, Greenwich Maritime, Inside Outside events [2006/2007/2009] 40 Clarence Mews London; Music Box, Brooke Road, Hackney [2010], International Competition for Exhibition Centre, Shenyang, China [2010]; Gorilla Scores [Queens House: 2010], Hedge House, Hampton London [2011], Gateway Games Exhibition Stephen Lawrence Gallery [2012], Hearts and Lines Research [2010-13]

Ed's Featured Articles on Archinect

One, Two Three Swing & #ILikeEverything; Installations from the Tate Turbine Hall and the Hestercombe Estate, Tue, Oct 3 '17

The first Tate Turbine Hall installation seventeen years ago featured the work of the surrealist Louise Bourgeois, since then, there have been many popular, bodily engaged installations such as Olafur Eliasson’s, Weather Project, and Carsten Holler’s polished stainless steel slides. With this ...

One, Two Three Swing & #ILikeEverything; Installations from the Tate Turbine Hall and the Hestercombe Estate
 

Uniting the peripheral and the central at the 2016 Venice Biennale, Sat, Jun 18 '16

How architects are educated, and the role they play in society, are key questions of today. As an architecture teacher, I ask my students how they see their role; are they makers, choreographers, gardeners, enablers, artists? This year’s Venice Biennale asks, and tries to answer, the same ...

Uniting the peripheral and the central at the 2016 Venice Biennale