Alan Vallance OKS opens RIBA North

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Steve Downey, Head of the Faculty of Creative Arts and PE and Anthony Hopkinson, Director of Development were delighted to join Alan Vallance OKS for the official opening of RIBA North yesterday evening.

RIBA North, on the Liverpool Waterfront, is the Royal Institute of British Architects’ first centre for architecture outside of London.

Designed by Broadway Malyan, RIBA North is intended as a place for everyone to discover more about architecture with exhibitions, talks and tours as well as a café and shop.

Alan became RIBA’s Chief Executive in September 2016 following his seven month tenure as Interim Chief Executive.

Trained as a chartered accountant, Alan has a background in finance, consulting, strategic planning and general management across a wide variety of roles in Europe and Australasia.

To celebrate the opening, an immersive display called Un-veiled by KHBT Architects welcomes visitors in the winter garden. The public can walk through multiple layers of red mesh cut in the shape of iconic northern buildings including Imperial War Museum North and Liverpool Catholic Cathedral. Guests can also join free architectural city tours.

The centre also includes the City Gallery, a space for visitors to learn more about Liverpool’s architectural story, as well as the processes involved in urban development.

Alongside this permanent display, RIBA North is hosting a programme of temporary exhibitions and offering the opportunity to view the RIBA Collections, the nation’s richest resource of architecture drawings, photographs and prints, dating from the late 15th century onwards.

Jane Duncan, RIBA President, said: “We are particularly proud to strengthen our cultural and creative offering in the north of England, and to enable many more people to explore and understand the enormous impact that architecture and design has on all our lives. At RIBA North, we have a building with museum conditions which will offer a magnificent opportunity to view RIBA’s world-renowned historic collections showing hundreds of years of the UK’s extraordinary architectural history.”