The V&A Friday Late ANIMATE

The V&A galleries were animated with workshops, performances and screenings celebrating the art of moving images. Hundreds of visitors took part in exploring several animation techniques including hand-drawn frames and the latest computer technologies.

Urbanism

"A good Urban Design solution can rescue a bad building, but a great building will rarely rescue poor urban design." PAUL FINCH ['Re:urbanism' by Kelvin Campbell and Robert Cowan]

Streets are Essential

"Good streets create good urbanism. Great streets make great cities. Streets are the vital essence of public life, too important to be surrendered to those who manipulate them in the interests of solving specific problems with single solutions. The street must be the focus for decisions about remaking cities." ['Re:urbanism' by Kelvin Campbell and Robert Cowan]

FOCUS WEEK 26.02.07

Monday 26.02.07

Borough Market & Pottersfield Park by Gross Max

After my second visit to Borough Market researching market space use, i walked along the southbank to check the development of Pottersfield Park situated next to Tower Bridge. I took pictures of the areas still under construction to help me in my 'Streetlife' theoretical module.

Tuesday 27.02.07

CityScape Seminars, Earls Court

- Refurbished Buildings Notes:

Seminar taken by Nicholas C Thompson from COLE THOMPSON ANDERS ARCHITECTS. Aiming for low-key architecture with a high environmental impact. There needs to be 450,000 homes to be refurbished each year to be sustainable and reduce carbon emissions by 60%. Challenges for refurbishing existing buildings (i) not perceived as glamorous (ii) subtle intervention (iii) listed building exemptions (iv) The Governments investment programme of building new ‘decent homes’ (social housing) is a wasted opportunity. Refurbishment depends on building type, for example - Historical buildings require certain things such as thermal board, secondary glazing and heat recovery - High-rise buildings: refurbishment vs. demolition.Successful Refurbishments (i) Titanic Mill 1911- conservation of a Grade II Listed building (ii) Kingsdale School 1959- the modern refurbishment by DRMM Architects improved truancy and teacher numbers. (iii) Kynance Café, Cornwall- Owned by the National Trust, a community project, which enhanced the tourist site and increased visitor numbers by 1000 per year. (iv) Cambridge Federation of Women’s Institute- refurbishment of a former pig shed by EllisMiller Architects. (v) Beaufort Court designed by Studio E- the UK’s 1st Public Carbon neutral energy self-sufficient building, including Bio mass cropping using elephant grass and an underground winter heat store. (vi) Conservation of 1950’s office building by REID Architecture (vii) Glastonbury House, London by Cole Thompson Anders Architects http://www.colethompson.co.uk/w_glast_sust.html - Renovation of a block of flats. They managed to renovate all flats with minimum disruption to residents by moving them into temporary vacant flats. The biggest achievement was the environmental impact.

- Sustainable Public Building Notes:

Seminar taken by David Lloyd Jones from STUDIO E. Covered areas in health, sports, recreation, learning, retail, government and culture. Sustainable Public Buildings (i) Portcullis House by Michael Hopkins and Partners 2001 provides Select Committee, conference and meeting facilities for all MPs. (ii) Palestra House, Southwark by SMC ALSOP Architects- The LCCA and the London Development Agency are based in Palestra House, where solar PV and 14 micro-wind turbines have been installed on the roof to provide renewable energy for its operations. (iii) Larmenier and Sacred Heart Primary School by Studio E Architects preserved two 150 year old plane tress. The two-story building responds to its environment, incorporating the Fibonacci "golden mean" as a symbol for its young community - the mathematics of nature within the structure of their building. (iv) GLA by Foster and Partners- The building has poor public access and doesn’t fit in with the surrounding environment. (v) Scottish Parliament Building (vi) Welsh Assembly Building by Richard Rogers Partnership (vii) Jubilee Library by Bennetts Associates http://www.bennettsassociates.com/ – a good example of a sustainable building, utilising natural ventilation and daylight. (vii) National Memorial Arboretum by Architype- “The buildings which constitute the National Memorial Arboretum draw on architectural ideas from the past, whilst demonstrating an ecologically sustainable future. They express an intimate relationship with the trees of the Arboretum and the National Forest, being constructed largely of timber from sustainable sources in the UK.” Source http://www.architype.co.uk/arboretum.html (viii) Evelina Children’s Hospital by Hopkins Architects- Designed around the needs of the whole family. There are no conventional wards, children are operated in the ‘forest’ and nursed on the ‘beach’. Each department is themed. The hospital has fresh air, sunshine and boasts fantastic views over the River Thames.

Wednesday 28.02.07

NLA Public City

-‘How Movement Makes Places’ Notes:

Lecture taken by Bill Hiller. Ideas of urban networks using ‘Space Syntax’ theory for small and large-scale areas. Self organisation- Movement is the heart of the place, movement is the attraction. Tokyo City was looked at as an example. All cities are made up of small numbers of long lines and large numbers of short lines (fractural quality). Longer lines are more likely to meet in a straight join. The background space is usually a patchwork of small lines (streets). Central routes are more likely to be used as well as the central area (the focus of accessibility). The smaller degree of angle is the most successful path people take. Projects which solved the problem of public movement (i) The redesigned Trafalgar Square. The steps on the north of the square provide a shortcut across the square instead of people walking around the whole interchange crossing several roads to travel south of the site. (ii) Millenium Bridge- creates heart to heart area connection from either side of the Thames River. (iii) Covent Garden- The successful mixed use of space for vehicles and pedestrians. Movement can be affected by tourism, local city workers- each creating different movement. The London Southbank is aiming to bring the different movement together to try and use the space in the same way. (iv) The conversion of a Parisian freeway into a boulevard creates a transition from no activity to multiple activity e.g. The Champs Elysees. (v) The Barbican, London- Its signature culture is the yellow lines- There should be no need for signs if a city is designed well for the public- signs should be the last resort.

Albion Gallery

Architect David Adjaye created a Pavillion called Horizon, inspired by the landscape, terrain and the ancient Aswan stone of Egypt.

TATE Modern

Artist Fiona Rae

A few months ago i visited the TATE and was drawn to a vivacious painting called 'Night Vision' by Fiona Rae. The painting uses acrylic and oil paint to create a contrast in texture, abstract colourful rectangles bleeding organic paintstrokes against a matt black background. She describes it as a machine breaking and the ink running from the blocks. I related the composition to buildings in a landscape, which led me to develop my own painting, which reflects my interests in the London Docklands.

Thursday 01.03.07

(...continued) Using a map i created previously of the Docklands, i have zoomed in to a section of the map including the Isle of Dogs and Surrey Quays, which in one sense represents my university life living in Surrey. The River Thames will flow accross the canvas using the bleeding ink concept from Fiona Rae's artpiece and will also run from the docks to show their relationship to the river when they played the main part in forming the shipping industry throughtout the 1800's until the mid 1900's. This link shows you Fiona Rae's 'Night Vision': http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=999999961&workid=26392&searchid=9112 This is the vision of my painting when it is completed:

Friday 02.03.07

RIBA

NLA

Great London Authority City Hall & Southbank Walk

Another walk along the Southbank took me to the Scoop and City Hall. I went to the top of the GLA to observe the city from a different perspective. It also gave me a chance to get a birds eye view of Pottersfield Park. You can get a clear understanding of the spaces and layout of the park when viewed from above, shown in my following pictures.

FOCUS WEEK 13.11.06

Area of Focus: Contemporary Practice

Monday 13.11.06

Southbank Walk
Late Monday evening I walked along the southbank of the Thames from the London Eye to Tower Bridge. I wanted to explore this stretch of space at night to see how the experience is different from in the day. I began at 20:30 at the Eye. The eye was lit up in blue as well as the landscape around it. The avenue of trees leading to the eye, adorned with blue fairy lights created a vivacious and captivating isle, a unique space on its own. I felt excited in this intimate and magical atmosphere!

I also wanted to see how far the Gross Max Pottersfield Park development had come along since i last saw it earlier this year. It is situated next to Tower bridge on the southabank, however, fences surrounding the site prevented me from seeing the site at this stage.

Tuesday 14.11.06

Cardinal Place Roof Garden by Derek Lovejoy & Partners


Swiss Cottage Park by Gustafdon Porter

Wednesday 15.11.06

Broadgate Development by Peter Foggo. Arup
- Finsbury avenue
- Broadgate Arena
- Exchange Square

Architecture Practice visit 'Squire & Partners'
http://www.squireandpartners.com/introframe.php

Architecture Assciation & Blue Triangle Book Shop, Bedford Square

New London Architecture

Thursday 16.11.06

Personal Development plan review in studio

Friday 17.11.06

Royal Victoria Docks

Royal Victoria Square by EDAW & Patel Taylor

Saturday 18.11.06

Gillett Square, Hackney

One of the 100 new public squares for london commissioned by the Mayor of London.

Heritage Open Day 9th September 2006

On 9th September I visited a 14th century church called All Saints, located in Horndon on the Hill, Essex. It was open to the public to allow them to explore the church and its grounds and to talk to the church historian. I was really interested in the structure as it was so old.

There are still the original wooden beams dating back to the 1300's as well as the red bricks, stone floors and the steep wooden staircases. Some original features have been changed inside at many stages, but have always been retained by either reusing them or burying them so nothing has been lost from the historical building.

The Victorians had restored the plastered walls inside, which formed the nave. The wooden banaster surrounding the Alter had also been moved to the 1st floor to form the balcony, where the local bigwigs sat high up for the 3-4 hour long service away from the common locals.

The first week of my work experience is complete. I have been taken to several sites in Brentwood that need to be deveoped. An 'Open Space Stratagy' needs to be drawn up in order to aid the development of the sites. This past week I have drawn up plans for an unused piece of ground bordering a block of flats. Residents wanted this area to be transformed into a space that could be used by everyone, such as a small garden.

Clements Park is another site I am working on. The site was previously the grounds of Warley Hospital however, most of it has now been developed into residential homes. I am currently drawing plans for a grassed area situated between the large baseball pitch and the new appartments set in the 1819 red brick Hospital. I have realised that when designing for a Council, I have to design open spaces that will encourage the minimum amount of anti-social behaviour as possible. Since spending a year at university proposing imaginative and innovative designs, I have realised that the reality of these fun designs may not work in the real world, depending on the location.

Work Experience at Brentwood Borough Council

In April 2006 i wrote to my local council in Essex to ask if it was possible to work with them over the summer to gain work experience relevant to my Landscape Architecture degree. I met with the manager of the Outdoor Communal areas later in June, who set me a trial in re-developing Copperfield Park In Brentwood, shown in the photograph above. I spent the next few weeks developing my ideas, which resulted in the following plans below. After presenting my plans to the planning department, I was told that some of my ideas would not be possible to build. However, my overal design concepts proved to show individuality that would bring fresh images into the future project.

In August i will begin a months work experience with with the outdoor communal area team, proposing several design ideas for the many Brentwood parks in need of a 'face lift'. I'm really looking forward to this oportunity of working in a proffessional environment, which will allow me to build upon my skills and knowledge as well as allowing me to show off the best of my design capabilities...watch this space!

Click on the following link to view Brentwood Borough Council's website:

http://www.brentwood-council.gov.uk/index.php

This image is a collaged plan of my new design for Copperfield Park. I have indicated where the new play area will be located along the path and where the woodland will be situated to the right of the park perameter. The woodland flower beds will be covered in wood chip to prevent weed growth and the loss of soil.

This image illustrates the woodland I have enhanced. I have decided to keep the oak trees for shelter and to run a sweeping path up the centre. Branching off of the path will be bays with picnic benches in, creating a space for visitors to eat and socialize. The plants I have chosen to add to the flowerbeds are very well suited to shade and require low maintenance, which is required for this park.

This image shows where the inground lights would be positioned along the top of the brick path. There will be 6 in total stretching accross the football pitch steps . They will illumine the brick path in the evening for visitors and will also be an attractive feature in the park.

Open Garden Squares Weekend

On the 11th June all private London Gardens became open to the public. I decided to visit some including the boat gardens (above), a short walk East from Tower Bridge. The boats are joined with planks of wood and small foot bridges. As the boats are private, everyone knows each other and they always seemed to be saying hello to each other. One man I spoke to said that he bought his boat in Amsterdam and one day decided to sail it down the Thames. That evening it had become very dark so he said he decided to moor it temporarily in the spot it is in today, and subsequently he has been living there since! When I was walking across the tops of the boats I had forgotten I was even on the Thames. The plants had grown high and become so dense like a small wood. The experience felt so magical as it was such a different place to be, the summer sun was setting and the smell of BBQs were in the air!

I took this photograph so i could view my chosen site in context. The site is situated to the right of the Yacht Club, which is currently an area used to keep small boats and yachts. I chose to design a bathhouse in this area because it would create diversity in the very traditional fishing town of Hastings.

One of many caves in the cliffs at Hastings. This image went on to influence my ideas of designing rock pools in the cliff, represented in a model below.

I made this model from clay so i could dig out and also add to the form when needed. However, I moved away from this idea as i wanted to considder the ground level site as well.

This is a sketch that carried on the idea of rock pools, however i wanted to extend them over the site, which sat infront of the cliff. I went on to sketch more baths that stretched to the ground floor, which is where i established the main base for my design.

This is a collage I drew at scale 1:100 of the beach platforms and pools. The blue area represents the seawater and the cream area represents the shingle. These platforms may move around over time and can fill with sand, shingle or water. I want these objects to blend in with the environment and to establish their own positions across the beach. They may be filled with plants or sea creatures, which will then provide a unique place for people to learn about coastal habitats and observe their development over time.

A model photograph looking towards the cliff and the bathhouse. The scattered beach platforms and pools were an extention of my proposal from its original site. I wanted to allow visitors and locals to be involved with my intervension even if they didn't want to bathe at the bathhouse. The sandstone platforms provide a place for people to sunbathe, read a book, talk to friends and even dip their feet in the water pools while observing the sealife that inhabbits them.

This picture shows how over time the tide has deposited shingle over the stone boulders. As a result of weathering from sub-aerial processes and action from the sea, the edges of the sandstone have become rounded and smooth. This is the result I aim to have with the beach platforms and pools, which will contrast with the more angular edges of the groundfloor steps at the bathhouse.

This image was taken during the making of my final model. It exposes the different levels of the ground floor, which would be shaped round the bases of the water columns. The steps offer a place for visitors to sit and socialise, as well as providing a varied topography from which the organic columns sprout from.

A front elevation showing the bathhouse in context.

A plan of the second floor showing three private treatment rooms, accessed by the staircase on the left. The windows carved out from the cliff are angled inwards to frame the view and also provide a natural source of light. The windows are positioned at two levels, one at eye level when standing and the other, when lying down.