Gathering around the edges in the Blue Mountains

‘PERIPHERAL: Around the Edges of Creativity’ will take place from 19^th-21^st September in the Blue Mountains, a region recognised for its natural beauty and heritage significance. The main seminar, which offers 6 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points, will be held on the Friday at the Art Deco Everglades Gardens in Leura. This National Trust property provides a fitting backdrop for a day of discussions centred around the influence of regional architecture.

In addition to the main seminar, a fringe program on Thursday and Saturday will allow attendees to engage with the local area through a series of optional events designed to highlight the Blue Mountains’ unique character. This region, located on Darug and Gandangara land, is a popular tourist destination known for its dramatic landscape and collection of small villages that follow a continuous ridgeline.

PERIPHERAL aims to explore the contributions of those working on the margins of architecture, whose perspectives can reshape the way we experience built environments. Creative directors Tahlia Garland and Andrew Elia of IDG Architects, based in Springwood, are leading the event. They are committed to a relationship-based approach in their work, which includes community-oriented projects ranging from social housing to large-scale planning.

Elia highlights the importance of these peripheral perspectives: “There are some who work in and around the edges of our profession who bring a different perspective, insight and attention to the spaces we inhabit, and if you let them, they can change the way you see your own work and process. We look forward to PERIPHERAL being one of those moments.”

The event kicks off on Thursday 19^th September with a furniture-making workshop at Natural Brick’s Warrangamba factory, followed by a Welcome to Country ceremony and dinner in Katoomba. Friday’s seminar will feature a series of talks and panel discussions with architects, artists and academics, including Hannah Tribe of Tribe Studio Architects, photographer Brett Boardman, and sculptor-architect Juan Pablo Pinto of Cave Urban. The day will conclude with a sunset viewing over the Three Sisters at Echo Point Lookout and dinner at Bowery.

On the Saturday, attendees can join a morning walk to Elysium Lookout, followed by visits to two homes designed by renowned local architect James Stockwell. The event will wrap up with a social lunch at the Conservation Hut café in Wentworth Falls.

PERIPHERAL promises to be an insightful exploration of how regional architecture and peripheral perspectives shape the places we live in and visit.

Regional Architecture Association (RAA)
regionalarchitecture.net.au

Next up: On architecture tours with Anthony Burke