A UNIQUE new art space will soon be unveiled at the University of Reading.

Talented artists and architects will come together as part of a project being launched this summer, which will showcase work from second-year students from the university’s School of Architecture have planned, designed and built an Urban Room.

The temporary wooden structure, which carries the potential for enabling conversation and encounters between people and communities across Reading as a town as well as the university, was built as part of the students’ coursework, and will be based at the university’s London Road campus.

The Urban Room, which has been supported by The Shanly Group, will host a programme of events asking the question: ‘How can arts practice help create a ‘door’ between the town and the university?’.

Professor Lorraine Farrelly, head of architecture, said: "As part of the university’s arts strategy, we will be inviting Reading artists, university students and staff, community organisations and the public to discover and rediscover the Urban Room during a series of interventions, invitations and events throughout May and June."

Working in collaboration with local arts organisation jelly, the Urban Room will host six artist micro-residencies, where artists will be invited to occupy the space for two days at a time, providing specific moments for the general public to encounter their practice and exchange ideas.

Miranda Laurence, arts development Officer, said: "Working in collaboration with local arts organisation jelly, the Urban Room will host six artist micro-residencies, where Reading artists will be invited to occupy the space for two days at a time, providing specific moments for the general public to encounter their practice and exchange ideas."

Reading International and the university’s School of Art have also been invited to host reflective events on their recent community-facing programmes.

Finally, the School of Architecture will celebrate ‘Hybrid Practices’ through an architecture-artist lens, inviting public, artists and university researchers to explore what happens when different expertise come together to explore one set of problems.

Following the Urban Room arts programme, the space will become an exhibition venue for architecture students to show the outcome of their work.

After dismantling, the Urban Room will have a further life at a nearby primary school as an outdoor learning space for children.

For more information on the Urban Room visit www.reading.ac.uk/architecture.