Sole practitioners Lisa Raynes and Jane Leach are organising a Treasure Hunt as part of the RIBA North West Sole Practitioners Group (SPG)’s contribution to this year’s Architecture Festival. Designed to raise awareness of the city’s proud architectural history and legacy for the future, the hunt will take place around Manchester City Centre on 21st June.
Racing against the clock and following a series of cryptic clues, the treasure-hunters will uncover Manchester’s hidden gems and gain a better understanding of some of the city’s iconic and best-loved buildings. Participants can choose to register as individuals or in teams and the registration fee of £10.00 per head will be used to finance ‘prizes, surprises and pitstops’ along the way.
The idea behind the event was to create something fun but informative which would showcase the built environment as a thing of beauty and acknowledge the valuable contribution made by architecture to the changing urban landscape. “Manchester’s International Festival is now firmly on the map as one of the UK’s leading showcases for the arts,” explains Lisa Raynes, “and as architecture is ‘the mother of the arts’, we really wanted to do something alongside the Festival to remind people of the importance of good architecture to the life of the city. A treasure hunt seemed like a fun way to do that and it’s open to absolutely everyone. So we hope that lots of non-architects will enter and find out for themselves just how rich Manchester is in architectural heritage and innovation.”
“What we’re really saying to the business community,” adds Jane Leach, “is ‘so, you think you know Manchester ?’ Then it’s time to step up to the plate and see how in depth that knowledge really is. We’ve already had a great deal of interest and it’d be great to make this one of the Festival’s most popular events. We would encourage anyone with an interest in architecture and a secret passion for hidden treasures to join us in the hunt, which promises to be a blast !”
The RIBA NW SPG Treasure Hunt will begin at 5.30 pm with drinks and introductions at Bem Brazil on Great King Street. Expected to take up to two hours, the hunt itself will be followed by an informal reception and prize-giving back at Bem Brazil at around 8.00 pm.
Those interested in registering should contact Lisa at lisa@raynesarchitecture.co.uk to book a place.