PechaKucha Returns To Tampa April 30, 8 Take Mike To Chit-Chat

Described as a rapid-fire, creative show-and-tell, PechaKucha 20x20 returns to Tampa on Friday, April 30, at the Armature building (the historic trolley barn in Tampa Heights) from 7-10pm.

PechaKucha (pronounced: peh chak cha) is a Japanese word for "chit-chat." The event, which originated in 2003 in Tokyo, was created by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture. The goal is to provide a forum for young designers to meet, network and quickly show their work to the public.

The "quick" part involves the format, which requires presenters to show 20 images for 20 seconds. The reasoning is simple, according to the website: "Because architects talk too much! Give a microphone and some images to an architect - or most creative people for that matter - and they'll go on forever! Give powerpoint to anyone else and they have the same problem.''

PechaKucha was launched in Tampa in 2009 by organizer Kenneth Cowart, an architect with ASD. Cowart says the rapid-fire format makes it a bit less formal. "Everyone has to be on their toes and it makes for awkward pauses and moments that are generally filled with humor, and it keeps the presentations lively and active."

The eight presenters at PechaKucha Tampa Bay V5:

-- Alfred Goldberg, mobile technology evangelist
-- Mark Hebert, design anthropology
-- Megan Hildebrandt, performance artist
-- Lauren Alyssa Howard, visual artist
-- L.A. Moore, photographer
-- Randy Van Duinen, photographer
-- Brandon Wagner, creative stylist
-- Brian Willis, local politics

The event will also be a fundraiser for Haiti relief. Proceeds will go to Architecture for Humanity 501(c) and will be used to build buildings.



Writer: Nancy Vaughn
Source: Kenneth Cowart, ASD