Thinking Big in Bridgwater

80 delegates gathered in Bridgwater Arts Centre on 21 September 2017, to celebrate the past and future legacy of CIAM6.

Speakers included Brian Smedley (Bridgwater Town Council), Andreas Kalpakci (ETH Zurich), LIza Fior (muf architecture/art), Lucy Bullivant (urbanista.org), Naomi Griffith (The Onion Collective), Kyle Buchanan (Archio), Spatial Practices (Central St Martins) and Matthew Jones (UWE).

What is the value of CIAM’s cultural and design heritage today? Can the collective ambition and ethical drive of CIAM offer inspiration to place makers, communities, activists and social enterprises? Does thinking big necessarily lead to megalomania or equally can incremental bottom up projects led by communities be visionary?

How can the changes shaping places like Bridgwater be worked with or against to create environments that can inspire and meet people’s needs with dignity?