Glasgow 1999 isn't just about
architecture and design, says its director DEYAN SUDJIC. Ifsabout tapping into a city's sense of style.
.‘.;~-::«. Susanna Beaumont DO YOU KNOW YOUR Mies van der Rohe from your Alyar Aalto'.’ ()r are you hell—bent on chint/ rather than Philippe Starck's slick contemporary house- hold l'urnishings‘.’ No matter. I)eyan Sudjic is clear about one thing. (ilasgow 1999 is not about spoon-feeding the nation with worthy lines on architecture and design. Sudjic wants to serve up fun. not a style code. ‘11 is not a case of giying out cod liyer oil to the country: is his opinion.
Sudjic is director of (ilasgow I999: l'K (‘in o1~ .»\rchitecture and Design. In the post since 1996. The Guardian‘s l'ormer architecture critic has the task of putting together and manoeuyring the year—long £34111 festival. which is described as the most ambitious celebration architecture and design eyer attempted. ‘lior too long.~ he says. ‘architecture has employed a private language. It is not an isolated ghetto. (ilasgow I999 is about a range of eyents to engage a wide audience.’
And there is no better place for this than (ilasgow. according to Sudjic. The city was selected by the former :\I'ls (‘ouncil oi (ireat Britain to host the l'cstiyal as part of its :\t'ts 2()()() initiatiye. ()yercoming still competition from 26 other hopefuls. including a bid from lidinburgh. (ilasgow is ripe for such an eyent. ‘lt is not a case ol'just paracliuting it into the city. (ilasgow has long made a contribution to architecture and design] says Sudjic. who belieyes (ilasgow 1999 will add further muscle to this tradition.
But what about the legacy? l‘estiyals come and go these days with big promises and often eyen bigger budgets. \Vill (ilasgow 1999 really rey up the city‘s creatiye scene'.’ Sudjic is confident. This is no flabby al'l'air. he belieyes. ‘it will be a case of all peaks no troughs.‘
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From top clockwise: The Lighthouse extension; Bop Light , Pup furniture, ‘Skins' digital handdrum- from the Glasgow Collection; and Formula One driver's protection at Winning
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EK City at Architectuce and Desrgn