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Atelier[zero] launched in Manchester’s Piccadilly Basin

Date uploaded: July 25, 2012

Atelier[zero] - a worldwide premiere commission - is launched in Manchester’s Piccadilly Basin

A worldwide premiere commission has been launched in Manchester’s Piccadilly Basin. Atelier[zero] is public artwork that celebrates sport, culture and play. The commission, curated by Jane Anderson and directed by Karsten Huneck and Bernd Truempler of Office for Subversive Architecture (KHBT), took form as a design competition. This competitive process brought together architecture students from both Manchester School of Architecture (team Manchester) and École Spéciale d’Architecture (team Paris) in order to design and realise a project that embraces the International aspirations of the Olympic games while bringing a project to Manchester that would inspire play.

The outcome is a unique Olympic village situated in the heart of the basin. The project acts as a platform for social exchange and is an abstract interpretation of what the Olympic Games mean. Opportunities to take part in Atelier[zero] include rowing sessions on the basin, basketball, new sporting activities and a chance to occupy/take ownership of Olympic village accommodation.

Atelier[zero] launched on the 23rd June and will occupy the site until the 2nd September. Activities are available for all ages and all events are free.

The Olympic village will house International projects with workshops, educational activities and residencies all of which are playfully created to engage a wide audience to the spirit of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Atelier[zero] has been supported by The Arts Council of England and has been granted the Inspire Mark.

Professor Tom Jefferies, head of the Manchester School of Architecture said: “The idea of Atelier is to curate urban space, connecting leading edge artists with internationally recognised Schools of Architecture in a project that is a prototype for critical engagement with the city. This is a new model of multidisciplinary practice that directly affects how we use and understand space and place."

Jane Anderson, the project’s curator, said: “Atelier[zero] is a worldwide premiere bringing together partnerships for the first time. The project would not have been realised without the support from key stakeholders. This contemporary commission aims towards rethinking the way we engage with the urban environment by creating a playful intervention which we hope will inspire visitors to creatively occupy the site.”

Click here for information of how to get involved and to see the project taking shape.