Join CAT students for a free lecture by Takuya Oura titled: ‘Community not Commodity’ Runs Thursday 23 April at 7pm.
We are delighted to welcome guest lecturer Takuya Ourato CAT during our Sustainable Architecture postgraduate teaching week.
Most buildings are shared, but sharing does not automatically create comfort. For people to truly inhabit and thrive in communal environments, they need a sense of agency and the ability to step back without isolating. Drawing on co-design processes and close observation of user behaviour, this lecture by Takuya, Associate Director of Manalo & White Architecture Studio will explore how subtle spatial cues can enable people to coexist within the public space without the pressure of connection.
Key information
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Date: Thursday 23 April 2026
Start and finish times: 7pm-8:30pm
Location: Sheppard Theatre, WISE building
Free entry but limited spaces so please sign up in advance
Book an evening meal in CAT’s café and join our students to discuss and debate before the lecture begins.
This can be prebooked for £10 alongside your public lecture booking below.
Will be served at 6:00pm before the lecture begins.
This can only be prebooked before the event and cannot be purchased onsite.
Donnelly’s bar open from 8.30pm.
Lecture is recorded for student learning purposes only and won’t be available publicly online. Book to join us in person.
If you have any questions about this event please direct them to gsmo@cat.org.uk.
Speaker bio
Having wandered through Japan, Australia, the Netherlands and UK, Takuya draws creative inspiration from his travels and stays alert to new opportunities.
He loves accentuating the character of each space while making it easy for people to find their way around. Working on heritage projects has taught him the value of thoughtful details and materials, and he enjoys creating a collaborative environment where everyone on the team can bring their ideas to life.
