7 days in the life of Stuart MacDonald. The magical mystify tour ends

0 Comments | Sunday Herald, The, Jun 30, 2002

... Stuart MacDonald, director of The Lighthouse, a host of Architecture Week Monday Contrary to what some might think, Architecture Week is not only an annual fest for the black linen suit brigade. It is also about demystification. For us it began last Wednesday in London at the British Museum, discussing the value of architecture centres with people from all over the world.

The upshot is that today I am welcoming architecture centre directors from the US and Australia who were impressed with our programme. Finally, I head to Glasgow airport to fly to Walesas I am external examinerfor art and design students at Cardiff University.

Tuesday Architecture Week seems to have passed Cardiff (a City of Culture hopeful along with Belfast and Inverness) by. One lecture, and that's it. It says a lot for the vibrancy of visual culture in Scotland that architectural events are happening all over, despite no funding as it's actually organised by the Arts Council of England who only fund the programme down south. Still, Welsh students are great.

Wednesday Go to another big launch tonight - scottisharchitecture.com, our Virtual Architecture Centre (VAC). However, lots to do in between as this is also degree exhibition season. The great thing about student architecture is that it is gloriously free of brain-numbing video installations, the curse of art school degree shows. Strathclyde have every year on show which gives a tremendous insight into how students develop. By year five the students are thinking about architecture socially, culturally, economically and politically, and have real ideas about urban planning, better designed cities and tomorrow's primary schools.

Thursday Now from big to "wee" architecture - product design. Easy TV, this morning's event, is an initiative involving the ITC, the Consumers' Association and the Design Council, aimed at making digital TV equipment easier to use. The issue is that by the year 2020, 50% of the population will be over 50, which means half of the population will be unable to set the timer on the video. So, with research and a student design competition, the initiative hopes to put the user at the centre.

Friday Head for breakfast at the Hilton for the Confederation of British Industry's national debate on education. Only architectural connection is Cathy Jamieson's re-announcement of the Executive's recent billion pound-plus investment in school buildings, which is good news for everyone including architects.

Saturday My turn to be duty manager, so back to The Lighthouse. Time to catch up with paperwork shelved because of the excitement of the week.

Sunday Officially the end of the week. Perhaps I'll go out and try to find some demystified punters.