2025 Architecture Commission Online Meeting, June 20

1.0    ATTENDANCE

The following participated:

OISTAT Head Quarters:
    Hsi-Lun Tai    Taiwan
    Yi Shan Lai    Taiwan

Members and Guests:
    Valentino Bertone    Italy (European Festival of Ancient Greece)
    Johannes Böhner    Austria
    Kate Burnett    UK
    Clark    UK
    Reinhold Daberto    Germany
    Bert Determann    Netherlands
    Jerome Maeckelbergh    Belgium
    Peter McKinnon    Canada
    Maaike Westinga    Netherlands (chair)
    Selma Goker Wilson    USA
    Jeong-Sik Yoo    Individual-Korea (vice-chair) ‘Ghost’
    Marcello Zagaria    Italy
    Todd Hensley    USA

Apologies:
    Tim Foster    UK (vice-chair)
    Peter Ruthven Hall    UK (vice-chair)
    Torsten Nobling    Sweden (vice-chair)




1.0    Introduction

Maaike introduced the meeting and the topics for discussion, and welcomed new members Johannes Böhner and Brad Kisicki (not present). Valentino Bertone was invited by Marcello today.


2.0    UK Meeting in Manchester and Liverpool, 2-6 July 2025

Maaike confirmed Tim Foster’s forthcoming visit with the Association of British Theatre Technicians, organsied by David Evans for ABTT. 15 members have signed up to attend.

Salford Lowry: Lyric and Quary Theatres
Manchester Home
Manchester Royal Exchange
Manchester Aviva Studios
Liverpool Everyman
Prescot ‘Shakespeare North’ Playhouse


3.0    Update on TAC, Sharjah

The Jury has met and made its selection for the price winners and for the exhibitions. These have now been announced. Models are being prepared, and the videos will be presented alongside flatwork displays.
Reinhold wants ALL entries to be published and available as this was the approach in previous TACs. Maaike will check with the competition organisers and HQ Oistat if the on-line submissions can be made public.
[Answer: this is not possible, all names will be announced and only the selected projects will be exhibited and published in the catalogue]


4.0    Sharjah World Stage Design, October 2025 - Two-day Tour of theatres in Sharjah and Dubai


The tour has been confirmed for Sunday 19 and Monday 20 October. Places have been booked. A charge of around €200 will be made.

5.0     Sharjah World Stage Design, October 2025 - Interdisciplinary Workshop
Please download the app and book direct if you plan to attend WSD.
 

The provocation for the design charette will be from Jenny Hall, an architect and artist based in the UK.


6.0    OISTAT Use of Basecamp

Selma has uploaded three instructional videos explaining how to use basecamp.
Please accept the invitation to join, sign in, and create a password.
Please set up your own page and add a photo under personal profile and save.
Under ‘notifications’ choose the frequency of e-mails and info you receive.

‘Home’: will lead you to Architecture Commission activities and ‘Projects’
-    Message board – communicate with your choice of commission members
-    To dos – reminder
-    Docs  & Files – Minutes of meetings – and discussions about these
-    Chat
-    Schedule
‘Knowledge Sharing’
-    Resources – submit a paper for sharing, create a link and share
Lineup – timeline
Ping – private conversation with one individual
Hey! – wider OISTAT communications
Activities – explains who did what when
My Stuff – reminders and things you did
Find – search
Button ‘XJ’ = jump to other pages (a shortcut menu)
When you upload an item make sure its title is clear so it can be searched. Add your name, date of origin (may be different from the date uploaded) and what is included.



7.0    Turkey – Antique Theatres, 16-21 OR 23-28 September 2026, to be confirmed

Selma introduced preliminary proposals for the tour which she is planning with Tim Foster. She is working with travel agents to coordinate the trip which will start with a dinner on Wednesday and conclude with a performance on the final day. Arrive Izmir airport (Wednesday) and depart Antalya airport (Sunday). The hope is to include diverse examples of Roman and Hellenistic theatres across Turkey including:

Ephesus
Priene
Hierapolis / Pamukkale
(stop at Tim Foster’s House)
Phaselis
Perge
Aspendos including a festival performance at the festival (programme yet to be announced)

See the map, outline costs and details on OISTAT Basecamp. Please show your interest on the Excel matrix! 27 places are available. Participants would fund their own travel to and from Turkey with a charge made for guide, coach, hotels and entry tickets, likely to be under €1500.


8.0    Ancient Theatres for Modern Education, Bergamo

Marcello introduced theatre project ‘Tuo Carmine’ in Bergamo and invited Valentino Bertone, president of the European Festival of Ancient Greece to speak too. Valentino works with students visiting ancient theatres in Greece and Turkey, and Marcello operates the Teatro Tasabile Project ‘TTP’ in Bergamo. They explored how both initiatives connect students with historical spaces, with Valentino's project focusing on educational performances at archaeological sites and Marcello's project offering a public space for cultural work. The discussion highlighted how both approaches bring life to ancient architectural spaces by involving performers and audiences, with Reinhold emphasizing the importance of making theatres accessible for public use beyond just performance times.
European Festiva of Ancient Greece - https://www.efae.eu/

9.0    Future Online Meetings and Presentations

Friday 19 September 2025 15.00-17.00 Central European Time – online voting for commission chair (Maaike is willing to stand for a second term).
    •    Presentation by Marcello Zagaria on TTB Bergamo renovation
    •    Presentation by Brad Kiziki from Apparel on Pearl Project (rescheduled from today due to a family emergency)
    •    Presentation by Johannes Böhner on the new Frankfurt opera house and theatre.

Friday 12 December 2025 15.00-17.00 Central European Time
Maaike requested new presentations of work.

10.0    OISTAT Executive (not discussed, but still going)

Please note the following actions are important for your continued participation in the Architecture Commission:

•    Commission Members
All members are requested individually to fill in the form.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwnh0KWShYn0VJUfVArgqnMjV7z0MTalrT8n539tOXfFIyog/viewform

•    History of Architecture Commission
AC has been asked to write a short history about the Architecture Commission. Long standing member and past chair, Tim Foster will begin the process and others can then contribute.

•    2025 Elections
Election of AC chair will take place during our September on-line Meeting.
Maaike is willing to stand for a second term as chair.
To be able to hand-over to a future chair a period of handover is thought to be desirable.
A member contributing as a vice-chair would be in a good position to take up the role of chair. If you are interested, please put yourself forward as a vice-chair.


11.0    Finding new AC members

Please continue to spread the word and invite colleagues and other interested individuals to participate in the online meetings and AC activities. Also, when joining a theatre visit, please invite younger colleagues to join you. Proposed theatre visits should be popular with a wider community.


12.0    Future Meetings and Activities

•    2026 Greek and Classical Antique Theatres in Turkey

•    2027 Finland
Janne hopes to offer a meeting in Finland.

•    2027 Bergamo
Marcello hopes to offer a meeting in Bergamo.

•    2028 Dutch Tour
Maaike would like to reorganize this tour postponed from 2020.

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 (from the recording).
For questions, suggestions or to schedule a presentation
maaike@tenbraswestinga.nl / ruthvenh@gmail.com