WCCA Annual Lecture - Architecture and Nature

Anna Liu Director ARB RIBA FRSA Anna is a qualified architect with over 18 years experience in architecture, art, and landscape. Her experience has encompassed practice and teaching in the UK, China, Japan, in the US where she grew up and in Taiwan where she was born. 

She founded Tonkin Liu with Mike Tonkin in 2002 and leads the studio’s public landscape and sculpture projects. Alongside practice, Anna has been a tutor, examiner and juror for leading architecture schools and awards, including the Architectural Association, the University of Westminster and the RIAS Building of the Year.

Anna's lecture will be focused on harnessing nature in the role of Architect.

"Step up, imagine, act and call on nature as your mentor in architecture 

We learn from nature how to design responsively, iteratively, holistically, and inventively, to use the least to achieve the most.

Nature connects to architecture at three scales, as symbols, as experiences and as design exemplars.

• Powerful symbols: mountain, river, flower, ocean, have through enduring myths connected our land to our identity. 
• Weather elements: sunlight, rainfall, wind - that nature offers generously for free - bring architecture to life.  
• Form, structural ingenuity, integrated systems.

These are Nature’s design exemplars."

During her lecture Anna will show how Tonkin Liu's projects, from an airway stent to a cluster of towers in China, engage with nature on different levels and at vastly different scales.

Anna will also be hosting a practice visit after the lockdown easing to extend her theme of Architecture and Nature - https://www.architectscompany.net/events/236-climate-action-week-practice-open-house-tonkin-liu. The "Practice Visit" ticket price for the Annual Lecture includes an automatic place at this physical event, including wine and canapés (30 places available - 10 student places available). 

Ticket proceeds will be divided equally and donated to The Charitable Trust, The Temple Bar Trust and the Lord Mayor's Appeal.