The Lift, London, United Kingdom

Lift Festival announce 3-year collaboration with London Thames Gateway Development Corporation
Lift have announced the commencement of a three-year commitment to partnership with the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) in a bid to regenerate the area through the arts. LTGDC are said to have contributed one of the largest grants between a regeneration agency and an arts organisation in the UK for the project.

John Middleton, Head of Economic Development at LTGDC said: “The partnership between LTGDC and The Lift provides a platform for local residents to come together as a community and engage with their changing environment. Cultural activities such as this festival challenge our perception of places and also boost investor confidence – driving the economic development of the area and creating a strong sense of place.”

Lift Festival (London International Festival of Theatre) also added an architectural centrepiece, designed by AOC, to its event this year. 'The Lift', which will stand at the Stratford, Southbank and Shoreditch areas of London, is a temporary mobile structure standing four-storeys high and representing a 'visionary mobile meeting place'.

The trapezoid shaped venue is covered with a translucent colourful skin that when illuminated, becomes a giant beacon that can be seen from miles away. The building is a theatre, discussion room and festival hub all in one. It will be used, among other things, to house debates about 'how we live and how we may live in the future'.

Lift and The Architecture Foundation launched an open international competition to design The Lift. The competition for the design and fit-out of the £400,000 project was open to any design discipline and design teams were invited to suggest inspiring and innovative yet realistic designs for the structure. It was awarded in 2006 to architects AOC who are involved in a number of regeneration projects throughout London.

The newly completed Lift can be seen in East London's Stratford between 12-21st June, London's Southbank between 26-6 July and at Shoreditch Festival between 16-24 August.

Niki May Young
News Editor
source : www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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