27/06/2014

Khan Discusses Emotional Potential of Materials and Construction in ESARQ Forums

On Wednesday, 20 March 2013, English architect Adam Khan, the winner of two RIBA medals and former associate at Caruso St. John Architects, gave the lecture «The Feeling of Structure». The talk was part of the conference cycle of the 2013 ESARQ Forums «Atmospheres: The Sense of Things».

During the lecture, Adam Khan presented a series of recent projects in the United Kingdom that explore the emotional potential of materials and construction. Rigorous craftsmanship, an intensive engineering process and material design integration form the basis of his architecture, which encourages emotional attachment through the physical presence and flexibility of use. Adam Khan combines his career as an architect with his passion for music by bringing feeling to architectural structures. Across all the projects, there is a consistent commitment to beauty and sociability, to collaboration and engagement across disciplines and social boundaries.

Adam Khan was an associate at Caruso St. John Architects and in 2006 he created his own architecture studio. Two of his projects were awarded the RIBA medal: the New Horizon Youth Centre in 2010 and the Brockholes Visitor Centre in 2012. In 2012, he won an Architect of the Year Award (AYA) from Building Design Online in the category of Public Building Architect of the Year. He is a member of the Design Review Panel and has taught at Kingston University, London Metropolitan University and Brighton University. Before working as an architect and professor, Adam Khan spent eight years as a carpenter and builder, two careers than formed part of his training as an architect. He currently gives classes at the Royal College of Art School of Architecture in London.