1.0 ATTENDANCE
1.1 This meeting was held in person in Bucharest.
1.2 The following participated:
OISTAT Head Quarters:
nil
Members and Guests:
Janne Auvinen Finland
Roxi Balas Netherlands
Greg Cook USA
Tim Foster UK (vice-chair)
Peter Ruthven Hall UK (vice-chair)
Louis Janssen Netherlands
Peter McKinnon Canada
Anne Minors UK
Steven O’Brien UK
Markus Reisinger Austria
Mhora Samuel UK
Maaike Westinga Netherlands (chair)
Selma Goker Wilson USA
Apologies
Jean-Guy Lecat France
Jerome Maeckelbergh Belgium
Torsten Nobling Sweden (vice-chair)
Jeong-Sik Yoo Individual-Korea (vice-chair)
This meeting was held during our trip to Bucharest to discuss business items and share our thoughts.
1.0 Introduction
Maaike introduced the meeting and the topics for discussion. There was a lively discussion at a bar in Bucharest following a visit to Teatrul Nottara, Teatrul Ion Creanga and the Bucharest Scenography Biennale. Earlier in the day there had been presentations by AC members at the University Department of Architecture with a second session to follow the next day. Further visits included the extraordinary National Theatre and Teatrul Odeon as well as Peles Castle, country home to royalty. Time spent sharing stories over drinks and food are an important part of our meetings. These events were instigated in conjunction with the Costume Design Group and provided time with additional friends and colleagues from around the world and some exceptional displays of costumes.
(A more detailed report of this visit to Bucharest will follow separately)
2.0 Ceremony, Symposium and EC/GB meeting Kaohsiung – 22-28 August 2024
Maaike attended the meeting in Kaohsiung in August, organized around the official signing by the Minister of Culture of their subsidy for OISTAT HQ until 2030.
All EC (board) and GB (chairs) members were asked to give a presentation or join a panel during the 2 day symposium. The general themes were diversity, inclusivity and sustainability.
Several GB meetings were held to discuss things between the chairs, as well as EC/GB meetings in which the chairs were informed about the board’s policy.
Items discussed:
• Administration members
Each commission currently has its own administration of members. To line this up we’ve created a google form that has been circulated to each commission to gather information from our members and to ensure our lists are up-to-date.
All members are requested individually to fill in the form.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwnh0KWShYn0VJUfVArgqnMjV7z0MTalrT8n539tOXfFIyog/viewform
• Commission e-mail addresses
For improved communication, Commission Chairs asked HQ to create a general e-mail addresses for each commission. E-mails to that account will be forwarded to the chairs and vice-chairs. So, to contact the Architecture Commission the address will be AC@oistat.org.
• Basecamp
Many commissions use software ‘Basecamp’ as a platform to share information with each other. On Basecamp only members have access. Maaike and Selma will have a look at it, to see if Basecamp could be useful for us as well.
• OISTAT Website
We spoke about posting a calendar of events on the OISTAT website, so that we can easily find what all commissions are up to. Headquarters will work on it. In the meanwhile, commissions can fill in the form (link on website under the calendar) with their activities.
https://oistat.org/news_detail.php?id=1032&mode=&Page=1
• History Architecture Commission
AC is asked to write a short history about the Architecture Commission. Maaike asks Tim if he can help to make a start. Tim is willing to make a first draft.
3.0 Update WSD (World Stage Design) and TAC (Theatre Architecture Competition) in Sharjah 2025
• List of Architecture Schools for TAC
For TAC we’ve updated the list with schools in many countries. Thanks to everybody who helped finding the names and addresses.
• Update on TAC
TAC invitation has been published and schools are encouraging their students to participate. Jacqui George from the WSD team is doing well in promoting TAC.
In December we’ll have to answer the questions from participants.
Next we will invite people to the jury. Nominations are welcome.
• Scenofest
WSD team asked the commissions to come up with ideas for Scenofest, the side program at WSD. Maaike proposed to do the same interdisciplinary workshop as organized in Prague 2023, together with Torsten and Tim.
We’ll have to think about a theme and somebody who could do a provocative introduction, like Dorita Hannah did in Prague (Theatre has left the building).
• WSD Exhibition
Maaike has spoken about the wish from the Architecture Commission to have professional architectural work integrated in the exhibition. Unlike the other disciplines this is not about work that will be judged. The best way to make a start is to invite architects from the region to exhibit their work. Maaike will collaborate with WSD team and the architects in Sharjah. Hopefully it will happen.
• TIP (Technical Innovation Prize)
The Technical Commission is looking for jurors for the TIP. If anybody is interested please contact Maaike, or Loren Schreiber, chair of TC. TC@oistat.org - lschreib@mail.sdsu.edu
4.0 Finding new members
Maaike invites all members to bring new interested members to AC. We all need to introduce people so that they can learn about OISTAT and our activities and to help them to get in contact with us. For new people it’s unclear what’s happening and why we enjoy what we do.
Our OISTAT Centres are mainly associations for technicians and in most countries there aren’t many architects specialized in theatres.
Louis suggests we think about the few we know in our own country and maybe we can try to invite them personally.
Anne mentions an association in UK where members take turns giving a presentation about their work. Once in a few years it’s your turn. In that way we could create an opening for the more invisible members.
5.0 Elections
In Sharjah WSD 2025 elections will be held.
Elections will be for President, Architecture, Education, Technology, PCC and Space Design.
On April 10 a call will be send out by HQ.
Maaike says that she’s willing to stand for election again. The group is happy about that. It means a second term for Maaike, and therefor the last. That means that we’ll have to think about the future and succession.
For the elections it is good to have a look at the rules around voting rights and if there’s a quorum. It appears that a fair number of members have reservations about attending WSD in the Emirates, so we maybe have to arrange a separate election in advance.
Terms are recorded in an Appendix and not in the Statutes, so we can make a proposal for how we want to organize future elections. Louis offered to help with a first draft.
6.0 Future Meetings and Activities
The Architecture Commission needs to make plans for future activities and meetings. AC aims to meet at least once a year to provide an opportunity for anyone with an interest in theatre buildings to meet, to visit theatre buildings and to hold meetings and seminars with local practitioners. Besides that, a few digital meetings each year will be added to the program.
6.1 On-line Meetings through 2024 and 2025
Friday 13 December 15.00-17.00 Central European Time is the last one of this year. A schedule for next year will be made available in December.
6.2 In person Meetings and Tours
• 18-25 October 2025 Sharjah, Dubai
WSD 2025 and TAC 2025 will be held at Sharjah Performing Arts Academy (SPAA), United Arab Emirates.
Maaike is talking with WSD team about the Architecture Tour. There’s a lot of interesting things to visit. Update will follow later.
• Manchester/Liverpool, UK
Since there’s some reservation about travelling to the Emirates, we discussed whether a short additional meeting is desirable. A weekend in Manchester and Liverpool is suggested by our British members. If this is feasible the best time seems to be late June/early July.
• 2026 Greek and Roman Theatres in Turkey
Tim and Selma want to organize a tour in Turkey. Best time is probably October (2nd half) because of the weather conditions.
• 2027 Finland
Janne suggests a gathering in Finland, which would be great.
• 2028 Dutch Tour
There’s still a Dutch Tour that never happened. Maaike likes to reorganize this.
We thank our hosts from the new Romanian Centre for OISTAT and in particular Nic Ularu, who did a great job organizing everything for us.
Suggestions to increase participation are always welcomed so please assist by raising the profile of the AC in your own country. AC activities are open to anyone with an interest in theatre buildings.
Presentation of work is to be encouraged and should become a more prominent feature of on-line meetings. Please consider this in anticipation of when we next meet.
Notes compiled by Maaike Westinga with Peter Ruthven Hall.
For questions, suggestions or to schedule a presentation:
maaike@tenbraswestinga.nl / ruthvenh@gmail.com
