Warwick and Community - main thrust of interview

• Little communication with immediate community regarding the development of the university.
• Ruth a child in Canley when Warwick was being built, remebers the uni being a representation of their 'playground destruction', built over orchards and fields which were play sites for the local children.
• Warwick seen as a self contained  and separate entity to the outside world, no bus links initially, locals tended to take bus into Coventry and use social facilities at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University). Ruth commented on the kudos of having a 'student boyfriend', but it was the Lanchester, not the Warwick students that were sought after.
• Some community links with teacher training college (now Westwood teaching centre) that existed prior to the university's construction, use of their swimming pool and teachers taught at nearby schools. Ironic that this is one of the only community links that Warwick maintains today, yet this tradition did not originate within the uni itself!
• Uni physically closed off from community in recent years, i.e the blocking of paths from Canley estate to central campus, seemed symbolic for Ruth, reason why many children in the area see uni as something beyond them or not for them, despite living so close to one.
• Despite this, Ruth saw Warwick as ASPIRATIONAL; iconic white buildings and striking architecture shown to her by her brother in teen years became a symbol for what she could achieve through higher education, even though she did not attend Warwick as a student. Should the uni be trying to encourage this now?
• Mentions Butterworth's visits to working men's clubs when uni was first opened to establish community links and support (this was from Ruth's own research - recommended we get in touch with Coventry telegraph to look into community relations with Warwick).

Warwick and Teaching Space

• Ruth a lecturer here in the past, showed photos of first lecture, Gibbet Hill classrooms and science lecture theatre.
• Criticised small, airless, windowless, power centred (teacher as oracle at the front of the room) classrooms characteristic of most of Warwick's teaching spaces.
• Commented on her own attempts to 'break the mould' in teaching, set up local projects with nearby Westwood school (although with no formal backing of the uni), and insisted on changing around seminar rooms to create a more open, social space for learning focused on the needs of the students, not the dictates of the lecturer.
• Excellent quote to sum this up; 'open them (classrooms) up and set the students free.' Praised the new spaces at Warwick such as the Reinvention Centre and the learning grid.

Notes by Laura Evans

  1.      Story at Warwick – Curator of the University

Mead GalleryIn charge of art collection, 800 works across campus, also part of TEACHING LEARNING AND RESEARCH.1993 start date – stalled career, period of longevity, know the history of the university, what it STANDS for and what the university NEEDS in terms of reflecting its values as an institution and what is demanded by and of students. 

2.      History of art at Warwick – change, phases of development etc No idea that it wanted or needed art as part of its university 

PHASE 1 - Eugene Rosenberg – key architect in early design of the university, style = designing large institutional buildings – always had an art collection in each building design, furniture chosen = modernist chairs, mass produced Scandinavian design, large abstract art paintings, pop work e.g ‘Special K’, commercial imagery – new consumption of university students etc – university as MODERN, CUTTING EDGE, new ideas and ideals.Discourse of abstract paintings – existentialism ‘BUYING INTELLECTUAL PAINTINGS FOR AN INTELLECTUAL PLACE’ (4:58)Seven unis founded at the same time – opening of H.E to working class = new wave of student grants, new ‘people’ becoming intellectuals, anxiety towards this new conception of university education, art used to respond to the MODERN needs of the new students. 

PHASE 2 – Syrill Barret? Member of philosophy department late 60s-70s. £200 a year for art – prints, wanted to continue the ‘modern’ art feel, bought on secondary market rather than from artists themselves as Rosenberg did. Continuing the vibrant, intellectual, forward thinking, and dynamic ‘Warwick environment’. 

PHASE 3 – First uni curator, catalogued uni art, ‘past is past, stories of art history are an ARTIFICIAL CONSTRUCT ANYWAY’ – so is this the role of art at Warwick, to artificially construct an intellectual environment with modern ideals and approaches using its architecture/art?Small budget for art – could only afford young and new art pieces – again does this reflect what Warwick stands for?? ‘Young’ and revolutionary thinking regarding education and teaching, research, the clientele of students, learning environment etc?? 

PHASE 4 – Sarah Shalgosky and Brian Follett, new vice chancellor, ‘HOW ART COULD ANIMATE THE SPACES’, budget increased to £10, 000, were able to buy significant art pieces by significant artists, then won lottery, £150,000 on art then, installed 4 major works of art 1. Cosmic Wallpaper – Ramphal 2. Maths institute 3. Business School4. David Bachelor for uni house. NEW BUILDINGS GIVEN NEW ART – is this significant? Forward thinking university? Imposing ideals of student and uni from the beginning of a space’s life?Spaces important for work, e,g uni house 3 storey art… ART part of PUBLIC ART, Warwick is NOT a museum, what is public art? ‘IT ADDRESSES THE PLACE IT’S IN’.Input of students informs the art e.g sociology and cosmic art, Deep Purple history – studying systems, map of life, this is how sociologists make sense of the world etc. ART REFLECTS SUBJECT DISCIPLINE, central to reflecting the intellectual world that the art is placed in. 

PHASE 5 – Nigel thrift - Changing perception of art as interior decoration, wanted art to make an ‘INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTION’ to the university itself, art representative of academic pursuit, form of RESEARCH, art reflective of Warwick’s commitment to research based learning perhaps??Artists put into research collectives here at Warwick now, working with departments etc e.g Olivia Plender? Art not secondary to academic research but more complimentary. 

3.      Curriculum and Art 1960s – Art separate from the ‘business’ of the teaching of the university, more indicative of the ideals of the institution, freedom, access, modern approach to learning, opportunity etcNOW – Central to the academic work itself, art as a process of idea generation and research = ideal of teaching and learning at Warwick, what the university student should STRIVE TO BE – a researcher!  Importance of FUNDING – artists have similar ownership of ideas as intellectuals, but disseminate these ideals in a different way to academics = architecture wider illustration of this, different way of disseminating ideals? Funding bodies encouraging this use of art. ‘FUNDING FOLLOWS FORM OR FORM FOLLOWS FUNDING’ – true of architecture, pedagogy, and spaces throughout history??  Labour government policies at beginning of millennium regarding art in educational institutions = ‘ART WAS A UTILITARIAN DEVICE TO DELIVER SOCIAL COHESION,’ Warwick attempting to distance itself from this idea, wants art to actually contribute to academia – Warwick always been quite REBELLIOUS?? Link back to student riots etc. Art is people working through ideas and putting their findings into the public arena – exactly the same as academics!  

4.      In one statement what does art mean to Warwick University 

‘DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS’ – new ideals of teaching, learning, the student, challenging government policy, and this has been the case from the 1960s to today!

Notes by Laura Evans

Introduction The Design Council is has funded a team within the Centre for Learning and Teaching at Newcastle University for the period June 2004- March 2006 to evaluate the impact of Schools Renaissance and to explore the context of school environmental design. The literature review, jointly funded by CfBT, was led by Steve Higgins and Elaine Hall and has been completed and published (Higgins et al 2005). The empirical project is working with up to 12 schools over three years to explore how school procurement processes can be aligned with a clearly-defined educational vision and is led by Kate Wall and Elaine Hall. The project has aimed to refocus schools’ thinking about environmental design through a process of ‘design immersion’ which allows context-specific problem identification and solution generation. Particular innovations have been implemented in each school and the effects on teacher and student engagement, motivation and affect monitored. Research paradigm Our work draws on traditional evaluative approaches, including the use of cross-project research tools, as well as incorporating some elements of practitioner enquiry, in partnership with the teams of teachers in the project schools. Research methodology Pupil questionnaires and staff interviews have been completed by all project schools. In addition, video of students and teachers using the newly designed areas of the schools has been collected. Individual schools have used a range of questionnaire, object-focused analysis, pupil views, interview and monitoring data to explore the experience and impacts of change. Publications Higgins, S., Hall, E., Wall, K., Woolner, P. and McCaughey, C. (2005) The impact of school environments: a literature review. London: Design Council/ CfBT.

UWA/F/PP/4A/9 - Architectural Design, Dec 1958, Vol. XXVIII Coventry Rebuilds

Pg 502-University as part of Coventry rebuilds

• Idea for uni in 1958, University of Coventry name used here, link to Ruth interviews and Lanchester Polytechnic.
• Association of Uni Teachers, needed to be 63% increase in no. of student places at unis by 1966, Coventry could be part of this.
• Existing unis had reached full capacity, Association recommended 5 new unis.
• Arthur Ling and Stewart Johnston, architects with possible uni vision, emphasis on technology and humanities. 

Pg 506 - High Schools Today and Tomorrow, book review

• Advocating a new pedagogy implemented through 'free architecture'.
• Mentions A.S Neill and progressive school
• 'The state schools grow anually more gargantuan and more remote from the individual pupil, and academic requirements imposed from above entangle staff and pupils ever more inextricably.' Could this be applied to Warwick today?
• Book by Dr Bursch, specialist in school design and John Lyon Reid (school architect), on alternative school design to empower pupil and to express individuality. So how new is the 'new' pedagogy of social learning.

UWA/F/PUB/1 - The University of Warwick: A New University in a Modern City

• Intended to admit 300 students by 1965 - continuous process of expansion, reason for rural location? Ruth mentioned this in interview.
• 200 acres acquired initially but, 'the city has been asked whether it would be possible to earmark further land.'
• Interesting community links; '[...] it is our intention not only to plan the university comprehensively but also to consider its relation with the county and the city.'
• Students - encouragement of common rooms, dining rooms, to promote 'full identity with the university' = architecture and identity creation.
• PHOTOCOPY (see Laura E's file) of University of Warwick Academic planning Board, possible interview leads.
• Lanchester College of Technology opened in 1960.
• PHOTOCOPY (L.E file) view of Gibbet Hill farm and Warwick site plan, idea of what existed prior to the university.

UWA/F/PP/4A/10 - University of Warwick, Coventry: The University and The City, by Arthur Ling (City Architect and Planning Officer for Coventry), Nov 1962

• Report examining the size and content of the university, as well as impact on the city.
• Uni starting population of 3000, proposed expansion to 7000; this would generate a further 3800 and 7900 people resident in the area with families etc.
• Warwick wished to provide 80% of accomodation for students on campus to reduce road congestion - this was unheard of in early 60s for universities as most students lived in lodgings, Warwick intent on creating a strong sense of belonging, affiliation and INTERNAL IDENTITY?
• Uni's relationship with Coventry, argued for a link between the city's institutions and local people through extra mural departments in city centre, University Institute of Education in city centre, and possible links with Lanchester via shared social facilities.
• 'It seems most desirable in any case that the isolation of the university within the city should be AVOIDED and this could be achieved by linking the Gibbet Hill site with the city centre by means of university buildings on a lineal basis.'
• PHOTOCOPY (L.E file) of extension map.

Notes by Laura Evans

Yorke, Rosenburg & Mardall (YRM) were the initial architects for Warwick.

www.yrm.co.uk

YRM- ‘innovative approach’ and ‘create timeless building’

Offer architectural, interior design and urban planning services to many sectors.

Ethos- ‘work within the evolving modernist tradition’

 

Clients include 11 Universities. UK Universities:

University College London, University of Cambridge, University of Liverpool, University of Oxford and University of Warwick