Inaugural Lecture: 'Three short stories about architecture and objects: waiting for you'

Three short stories about architecture and objects: waiting for you

How we relate to the world around us is often affected by our memories and experiences. This is especially true of older architecture and artefacts, where having any kind of understanding can be difficult due to a lack of points of personal connection. During this lecture, Professor Richard Laing will explore how buildings and objects can often represent a gateway into the subject of heritage and unveil unexpected insights. 

The lecture will take the form of three short stories:

• Uncle Sam and the Linotype Machine

• Missing the Beatles at the Two Red Shoes

• Buying a Mars Bar at the pictures

Such stories are waiting to be heard and might well encourage the audience to think of their own stories of buildings, streets, objects and people.

About the Speaker

Professor Richard Laing is Professor of Urban Collaboration at Northumbria University. He has been undertaking research concerning collaborative and participatory approaches to urban issues for over 20 years. His PhD concerned the ways in which we value the built heritage, which in turn led to many studies concerning urban greenspace, city centres and mobilities. Prior to joining Northumbria in 2022, he was a Professor at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.