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One of the great suggestions we got in the SN.com postbag lately was a guide to all the exhibitions going on around the country so here it is, a brief guide to skyscraper shows in the U.K. If you visit one let us know what you thought of it, and do send us some pictures of the models if you've taken any. If there's a show you know of that isn't here, whether you're a p.r or an enthusiast drop us a line and we'll put something up.

Brighton Marina -
There is a planned exhibition in Brighton and Hove with regards to the proposals for the Marina there plus a question and answer session. There will be two models, boards, representatives of Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Brunswick Developments and other key members of our team will be at hand to listen to your views and answer your questions. As usual entry is free

Brighton Town Hall, Wednesday 24th November, 2004 2.30pm - 5.30pm

Hove Town Hall, Thursday, 25th November, 2004 8.30am - 1.30pm

Hotel Seattle, Brighton Marina Friday, 26th November, 2004 3.00pm - 8.00pm

Hotel Seattle, Brighton Marina Saturday, 27th November, 2004 8.30am - Midday

V&A The Architecture Gallery -
"Drawing from the unparalleled collections of the RIBA and the V&A, the new Architecture gallery explores this amazing subject through original drawings, models, photographs and building fragments. From Classical Rome to the 21st century, from East to West, and from the everyday 'semi' to the landmark building, some 180 exhibits survey over 2,500 years of architecture."

This is the first permanent architecture exhibition in the U.K. Entry is free.
V&A South Kensington
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL
+44 (0)20 7942 2000

http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/architecture/arch_gall/index.html

Open House -
Open House is the annual architecture event that sees tours of literally hundreds of top properties around the U.K, many led by the architects themselves. Carried out nationwide it's at its largest in London where this year a record number of buildings are opening their doors to the public.
Amongst those we'd recommend are Swiss RE, Lloyds of London, Plantation Place, More London and Tower Place. For us though the highlight is St Pancras Chambers which will be open for the last time before work is carried out on Gilbert Scott's masterpiece. This one is a book in advance though so tickets will be few and far between.
For all skyscraper fans the good news is that you'll be able to go to the top of Swiss RE, Plantation Place and Lloyds of London. Heavy queueing for these is expected except at Plantation Place which we recommend you check out if you don't want to spend hours waiting around.

Naturally, as usual Canary Wharf won't be opening it's doors for the usual excuses of security but it should certainly provide an exciting opportunity to poke around the City. Best of all it's entirely free!!!

http://www.londonopenhouse.org/london/search/showall.asp

Royal Institute Lecture -
"The Swiss Re building, or as it is more affectionately known 'the gherkin', is the latest striking addition to the London skyline, and the city's first environmentally progressive tall building. The building reduces the need for artificial lighting and ventilation due to a unique building design. The shape of the building has been optimised to maximise internal and external space, and to minimise visual obstruction and wind speeds around the building. A sophisticated modelling system was used to design and construct the structure and cladding of this building. It is the latest example in a series of projects by Foster and Partners working in metropolitan environments, both in the UK and abroad. Paul will give an insight into the design process of the Swiss Re building from concept to completion.

This event is part of the Talking point series and is open to all. Tickets cost £8, £5 for Ri Members and concessions."

http://www.rigb.org/

Architecture Foundation Talks -
"The City - Machine or Work of Art? Wednesday 2nd June 2004.
The City is an astonishingly effective and enduring financial machine, supported by a unique political system. It is in a permanent state of market-driven construction. Yet it is also a major historic centre, with a UNESCO World Heritage site, and unique urban qualities. What matters more: architecture or money? What is the connection between these contradictory aspects? How should new architecture respond? The speakers will offer personal insights into how we relate to the buildings and spaces found in and around the Square Mile.

The City Looks East. Wednesday 9th June 2004
The City’s need for space is causing development beyond its boundaries to the east, into Spitalfields, Bishopsgate Goods Yard and Whitechapel. These areas, with their complex, diverse and often deprived residential communities, and their small scale architecture, are utterly different from the City. The City’s expansion will bring wealth to these areas, but will it also destroy their character?

The Tower Builders. Wednesday 23rd June 2004
In association with the City of London Festival

The City of London is growing upwards as a new wave of towers are being planned and built. Public opinion is divided on whether this is an appropriate solution for the City and while we continue to question when to build tall and where, we must also ask what makes a well designed tall building. ‘The Tower Builders’ offers people the chance to hear the architects behind the biggest projects in town discuss their designs and ambitions.

The City's Best Buildings? Wednesday 30th June 2004
Which modern buildings in the City of London do people love and hate? Four experts advocate a building they believe is the best in the City, and the audience will choose which has the best case."

A wide-range of industry players and media pundits will be there to debate these points including the likes of Griff Rhys Jones, Renzo Piano, Jonathan Glancey and Jim Eyre. All these events are free but tickets are expected to go fast so book now if you can to avoid disappointment.

http://www.newcityarchitecture.com/talks/talks.html

Height Matters?
Participative Exhibition.

Proposals for tall buildings in Bristol are coming forward in greater numbers particularly in the City Centre’s main regeneration areas: Broadmead, Harbourside and Temple. The last significant era of building high (1950s-70s), has generally left a legacy of poor quality examples often unloved by their occupants and too dominant in the urban landscape. However, a new generation of tall buildings as a component of ‘compact city’ thinking is attracting new admirers. One thing is very clear - schemes for tall buildings prove to be controversial, polarising views on their relative merits.

‘Height Matters?’ is a series of events being jointly promoted by Bristol City Council and the Architecture Centre that seek to encourage the public to feed into the debate on the future of tall buildings in Bristol. Events are planned to coincide with Bristol City Council publishing its draft supplementary planning guidance on tall buildings.

Presentations and Discussion: Wednesday 12 May, 12:30 – 14:00
Concluding debate: Wednesday 9 June, 12:30 – 14:00
All are free, but pre-register for lunchtime events.

http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/Fuguri/frame.html?A+AMM08500+BG+F+AMM00106+AMM01709

Hayward Gallery Fantasy Architecture Exhibition -
"The built landscape which we inhabit is the residue of a much larger world which was never constructed - of visions of the future which remained on paper due to lack of funds, political change or because technically they were ahead of their time. How might the world look today had the politics, the economics and the tastes of our predecessors been different? And how closely might a world of the future resemble that which is already familiar from science fiction films and the fantastic virtual environments of computer games?

Organised in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects Gallery and Drawings Collection, Fantasy Architecture is an exhibition of imagined buildings, structures and schemes from 17th century masques to 21st century master plans which aims to propose answers to these questions.

Including: Robert Adam; Archigram; Sir Charles Barry; Etienne Louis Boullée; Santiago Calatrava; Sir Hugh Maxwell Casson; Sir William Chambers; Serge Chermayeff; Charles Cockerell; Peter Cook; Poster and Partners; Galli Bibiena Family; Joseph Michael Gandy; Erno Goldfinger; Eileen Gray; Inigo Jones; Louis Kahn; Sir Edwin Lutyens; Erich Mendelsohn; John Nash; Paolo Soleri; Tecton; Clough Williams Ellis.

TOUR DATES

30 April - 3 July, 2004
Sunderland, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art

17 July - 19 September, 2004
Salford, The Lowry

1 October - 21 November, 2004
Walsall, New Art Gallery

29 January - 9 April, 2005
Preston, Harris Museum and Art Gallery"

http://www.hayward.org.uk/exhibitions/nte/fantasy.html

London Mayor's 3rd Public Conference-
"The Mayor's third London Conference will be held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster on Saturday 29 November 2003, from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free, but you will need to register in advance. Bookings can be made by telephone or using the online registration form.

The conference is an opportunity for Londoners to put their views to the Mayor and take part in informed discussion and debate with key policy-makers. The programme will include an opening plenary session led by the Mayor and sessions on a wide range of topics, ranging from housing and transport to tourism and the Olympics."

020 7983 4100
http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/lond...rence/index.jsp

Wood Wharf -
A public exhibition will be held at Lower Pier Head, adjacent the blue bridge, preston road E14, from may 22 to june 2, with the ambitious masterplan by British Waterways for Wood Wharf on display. You'll also be able to give feedback with what you think. To get there the nearest tube station is Canary Wharf and there is no entrance charge.
020 7861 3128
www.woodwharf.com

London Arena -
Ballymore are hosting an exhibition of the new plans at the Docklands Arena in the Isle of Dogs from the 29th-31st of May, so go along and see just what the new ideas of the area will look like close up. To get there the closest station is the DLR Docklands Arena stop. This exhbition is free.

The Royal Academy in London is to have its annual exhibtion on architecture, this year called "Sky High - Vertical Architecture". It will be featuring works from a number of leading architects including Richard Rogers and Norman Foster who is also the curator this year. The Richard Rogers contributions will be

Summer Exhibition:
4th Grace, Liverpool, UK
Cultural complex, Sabadell, Spain
Elementary School, Minami-Yamashiro, Kyoto, Japan
Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney, London, UK
Bullring, Barcelona, Spain

'Sky High' Exhibition:
Canary Riverside South, Canary Wharf, London, UK
Leadenhall St, City of London, UK

Tickets are £7 for adults, and £5 for students. Kids get in for £3. You can book tickets by calling +44 (0)870 8488484.
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/?lid=104