Study Nature, Love Nature, Stay close to Nature... It will never fail you. - Frank Lloyd Wright

Christopher Leuder - Reading Detail

Christoph Leuder wasn't as easy to follow as the rest of the speakers, as he really steamed through his presentation.
He made us question how readable certain things are, and if detail would give you the blueprints to the design if you could read them.
Detail vs. Object/Ecosystem/Cultural Process
He then went on to question the readability of nature, and how fruits such as bananas and oranges guide you as to how to peel them, or disassemble them.
Anton Van Dalen
Manuel De Landa
He went on to analyze the detailing on the Parthenon (text and design) from 432 B.C
-Doric
-Ionic
-Corinthian orders
Which led to Greek temples, Mayans (Vedic Architecture) and Egyptian (Hieroglyphics) detailing.
Fritz Kahn (1888-1968)

He then showed us the swarm Assemblage of Picasso, which resembled a bulls head and horns, but was really a bike seat and handlebars. Deceiving appearances defined by relations of exteriority.
Lucia Costa, Brasilia, 1957.
Edward Francois - Appearances
Hotel Fourquets Barriere
Meydan shopping centre - Istanbul
University Library - Magdeburg



Kate Digney - Whitelaw Turkington



Kate Digney was more focused on context detailing, and supplying us with resources we need.
www.ESi.Info - Soft and Hard scaping manufacturers
CABE
GLA - Special Planning
CIRIA - Sustainable Drainage

Context - Detailing Walls/Steps/Staircases/Handrails/Tactile Paving
Water proofing Boundaries/Fencing/
Aesthetics Materials/Textures/Surfaces
Finishing Contours/Floor and site Levels/Topography/Hydrology
Geology/Land use.

Kate showed us some details from projects we have previously worked on - Gillett Square - Hackney
Detailing from the Gabian wall (Corten Edging)
Detailing from a project she has recently worked on - Peninsula Square at the O2 Arena

Lecture 3 - Ryan Frank - Product Designer





Ryan Frank, a product designer who may not have been able to relate to us in terms of planning and detailing as architects, but could definitely enlighten and inspire us about the processes of designs, and experimenting with not just your ideas, but smaller details within your design.

Ryan was all about the creative process, all the way from his hat down to his shoes.
He enjoys experimenting with natural things and natural processes, in mind that sustainability should already be accounted for.
He showed us how he documented his creative process, and what he started off with, and then ended up with.
He had a small stool that he had designed out of wood, that he put through a series of processes just to see what would happen, to create an urban, or weathered, or naturally stained effect.
First, he tried dragging it around the park on a bicycle.
He then tried throwing it around,
And finally put it in a barrel with some concrete blocks, spinach, beetroot and curry powder, for a spicy finishing touch.

Ryan introduced us to our own Material Library that existed beneath our noses and we had no idea about until the end of 3rd year. He told us how he had begun to put together materials and surfaces and textures and build his own material library, and suggested we do aswell.
Some materials:
Bamboo
Resin/Plants
Hemp
Willow
Bio Resin
Felt and Birch
Strawboard
Wool Felt
Fibres from bamboo or banana leaves/trees



Lecture 2 - Sam Johnston - Gustafson Porter

Sam Johnston's lecture was more focused on modern day detailing, and re instating the importance of detail, and the skill to pay attention, and be accurate and efficient when it comes to detail.

Pedant/Pedantry/Pedantric - From Italian Pedante - Teacher or Supervisor.

We need to question detail in real life, and Sam showed us how this was mimicked and recreated in designs and detail. What is there? Who does it consist of? Why? How do they interact?
These are all questions we need to ask ourselves when just beginning to enter the state of mind to analyze detail.

"There is a history and cultural understanding beneath parks that creates a collective memory in the mnd" - Sam Johnston

Sam also introduced us to detail within ourselves, and how we as beings interact with details using our senses.

Sight/Sound - Objects/Colours/Light/Symmetry/Patterns/Noises/vibrations
Smell - Fragrances - Memories - Brain impulses
Vegetation - Soil Preferences - Flowering times
Touch - Feel
Texture - Insulation - Wiring/Piping
Surface
Materials

Sam enlightened us on the machinery that was required to sculpt and carve the Diana Memorial - which used CNC technology, that can carve 3d into stone.

We then moved onto detailing with water, and how important it is to keep membranes intact for no mistakes, and revision of detailing. How surface tension can keep water/liquid flowing over curves and keep it stuck to the surface of the tile.
Types of Water management - UV. Filter / Chlorine tablets.


Special Project - DETAIL

For two weeks, we were introduced to a temporary project focusing on specific details of projects, and designs, with a technical mindset rather than a theoretical one.

During these two weeks a number of guest speakers were brought in especially to inspire Landscape students, from a wide range of establishments and practices alongside names like Hilliers, Gustafson Porter, and ARUP.



Lecture 1: Rhys Williams - Victoria University of Wellington, NZ.

Rhys gave us an insightful history of Japanese Architecture, Landscape and Urbanism.
He explained how due to the majority of vast mountainous area, there is limited external space, so strategies were created to maximise land use.
1919 land owning laws introduced
1920's - The Great Earthquake that devoured that land like it was an appetizer.

Historical Japanese architecture labelled the social status of its inhabitants, creating a social hierarchy determined by the design of your roof.
There was no or little concern for aesthetics and culture, and the priority was all about efficiency.
The Samurai's and upper class could be found in the upper city, and vice versa for those in the lower city.
'Machu' labelled the Merchants who got the most space at the front of the block, with less space for the lower your status goes.
Another great disaster burnt 39,000,000 sq metres to a crisp, hence inspiring a new design 'HIYOKECHI' which meant fire prevention lands.
Design started to work around natural disaster, and stone embankments were used to prevent fires travelling over water, as well as introducing fire resistant pine trees.
Vocabulary:
Kendo Tang
Confucian
Cho
Kyoto-Linear System
Kisho-Korikawa
Talibowow
Yeki
Machu
Hiyokechi
Supuroni




Light Experiments at Home - Beirut




Just a small project I put together at home for Christmas to brighten up our nights. This is the terrace of our house, located on the side of a mountain and gives us a beautiful view off into the sea. Just thought a bit of LED and Christmas spirit was needed.

60 Second Films - Process - Elements and Values





Our second video was around the same idea, or topic of restriction in everyday life.

How peoples values have changed towards security, and how that is expressed through signage and everyday elements throughout the site or area.

We already are under constant observation as the evil eye of big brother keeps us under constant surveillancctv...

Soon we will have our own personal bodyguards guiding us every step.. more like watching our every step. We wont be allowed to touch or try anything.. look where we aren't supposed to, or even sit where we want to... Soon..


60 Second Films - Process - Elements and Values



As a class, and divided into small groups, we were asked to make 2 short films on a Process, each group being given a different process. Ours was 'Elements and Values'. We spent alot more on the brainstorming process, then the actual filming process, as we remembered the sun went down, and it would get dark..

Our first film had to be a single motion shot, with no edits or cuts. At first we looked at how we assess and appreciate the elements and values on a site, how they are perceived, how we interact with them, and what it will be like in the future. It was filmed along Southbank and all the way down towards the London Dungeon.

We took our inspiration from this clip : Everything is Ok

If URL doesnt work :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAQrsA3m8Bg

Barcelona Beach Cross Sections



Some of the cross sections we spent one of the days doing on the beach getting the sand between our toes. Was the most enjoyable bit of work I did over there.

The first is from a building across the main road, down onto the beach, straight through the cube artwork in the middle of the beach, and down to the waters edge.

The second is from the overhang of the main road, down to where the pillars are holding it up, across through the showers, down the beach and to the waters edge aswell.


More of Barcelona.. It just keeps getting better.



















CCCB Exhibition - Cerda and the Barcelona of the Future







A reality vs plan exhibition full of different diagrams, plans, models, interactive features, and manifestations of the "Eixample" or city extension, envisaging the future of Barcelona. The project is by Ildefons Cerda, and it has been spaced out over a period of 150 years in order to create a "highly complex city that is rich in nuance."

"More than 200 documents, including plans, models, installations, statistics, audiovisuals and even artistic manifestations (Joan Fontcuberta, Maria Rubert) help to give us a better understanding of the functioning of Barcelona’s Eixample and discover similar urbanistic models around the world, such as New York’s Manhattan, which has a comparable urban layout to that of the Eixample, with some surprisingly similar urban characteristics."

http://www.cccb.org/en

Sunny Sand Sculptures on the Beautiful Beaches of Barcelona






Just some of the sand sculptures we saw whilst walking along the beach. You will be surprised at the accuracy to detail. The guy even made water pour through it..



Parc Josep Maria Serra Marti





Just across the street from Nou Barris, this one had less of a wow factor, much less visitor attraction, and much less to do really. A small area, 4.26 hectares, makes it just the right size to be a promenade park, a small square of light, vegetation and water.

Some of the trees found here are : California fan palms (Washingtonia filifera), most of them aligned, and a cluster of eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus globulus). Peruvian pepper trees (Schinus molle), silver lime trees (Tilia X europaea), jacarandas (Jacaranda mimosifolia) and Aleppo pines (Pinus pinea).

Ombu trees (Phytolacca dioica), Canadian poplars (Populus X canadensis), mimosas (Acacia dealbata), white poplars (Populus alba), Persian silk trees (Albizia julibrissin), Brachychiton populneum and European hackberries (Celtis australis). With respect to shrubs, there are blue jasmines (Plumbago auriculata) in the parterres delimiting the top of the park.

The Manuel de falla fountain (designed by Pedro barragan '94) consists of a light show, water and sound creating a magic fountain effect. There is another sculpture called Alegrias (happinness) by Naxo Ferreras Casanovas ('98). It expresses movement depicted a spinning flamenco dancer.. the one Josh is holding ever so dearly in his arms.

Parc Central de Nou Barris - The Triangle Park







Central de Nou Barris refers to the nine neighbourhoods (nou barris) that comprised it in 1984 when the last administrative subdivision of the city was made. Extending out sixteen hectares, park negotiates the distance and difference in levels between the Plaça Karl Marx and the old hospital using a series of terraces divided by retaining banks linked together using ramps. The terraces, full of fields, ponds and paved areas, the park creates a triangular patterns and areas in order to cross it to connect la Guineueta and Can Peguera. The gentle slopes of the retaining banks are paved and depict the urbanised elements of the park’s landscape. An old aqueduct that used to supply water to the hospital has now become a footbridge, joining the system of ramps and steps that create different levels and connect them together. The tree cover consists of pines, with palm, olive and eucalyptus trees. Beneath the park’s surface there is a large underground tank that accumulates rainwater and supplies the irrigation outlets as well as a fountain.

At the access points and the most obvious parts in the park, there are clusters of tall vertical elements with great iconic power, the leitmotif of the intervention. These structures are made up of two wooden arms deep in the ground connected at the base of the structure but, after a certain point open out as they move upwards. They define triangular-shaped palm trees interconnected with fiber glass creating a lattice. The arms of the structure follow a curved line that gives them the flexible appearance of stalks flowing in the wind. In some cases, the curved line is very gentle and the stalk is almost upright; in others, the curve is so pronounced that the stalk is bent over at an angle of almost ninety degrees.

http://www.publicspace.org/en/projects/e182-parc-central-de-nou-barris

Parc Guell






Designed by Antoni Gaudi, and named after Eusebi Guell, Parc Guell can only be described as a scene from Alice in wonderland. Beautifully designed structures full of colourful plants, and moulded supports and columns resembling nature, it is obvious Biomimicry was one of Gaudis passions. Everything towered above us as we made our way through, making us feel miniscule. It was built between 1900 and 1914, and acts as a historic landmark site for all of Barcelona and its citizens. Gaudi has earned a reputation for himself as an artistic hero, and creative saviour. There is an 'enchanting' factor that keeps you in wonder, and it really has captured the peace and calmness that a park of this size demands.