A New Chapter hosted an ‘Un-Convention’ in Glasgow in June 2018. It formed a participant-led discussion to debate the fundamental role of an architectural professional institution at this moment in the 21st century. It supplemented the very good work that the EAA and GIA strategy meetings had initiated in 2018, but the intended audience was much wider.
The Un-Convention was an important event, allowing the debate to be opened to a wider network of architects and academics who were not all necessarily RIAS members, but whose voices were important and needed to be captured. The event was part of the very successful Architecture Fringe programme and Andy Summers (Archi- fringe co-producer) was greatly supportive in the coordination of the event. The venue of Drygate brewery provided a formal meeting space large enough for the 50 – 60 attendees – practitioners, academics, and students within the architecture community in Scotland. After the formal debate, the venue provided spill out space to allow conversations to continue more informally. The event was free to attend with the venue costs shared between ESALA and GSA.