South Bank

Love the trips to south bank, there is always such strong, and mostly good energy from around there. Always good music somewhere in the background, loads of lights, the edge with the view of the river. Not to mention the wide range of restaurant choice, as well as life changing exhibitions.. probably the all round number one top spot to take your date.

Zaha Hadid

Probably one of the most inspirational designers in my eyes. Always outstanding with the design, sometimes it may seem a slight bit over the top, but it always seems to tip in her favour. It turns out I know her niece. Small world.

Back to her designs.

Abu Dhabi Performing arts Centre. Such a subtle design, that seems to flow with both earth and water, but at the same time resembling a powerful force, like a speedboat..

Somerset House - February 18th 09

A journey to Somerset House, a space for the creative arts and cultural exchange of expression and talents.. Unfortunately we were there at around 9 in the morning, so all we saw was harsh wind and a cup of coffee. Still, a very productive trip as we learnt how to draw up a drainage plan, and analyzed the existing one there.

Few Pictures.

Thames Barrier Park

On a search for inspiration, Ed decided we should all travel the docklands rail, to pontoon dock, and board Thames Barrier Park. It was actually more exciting than I thought. Such a space deserved to be applauded, what with its curvaceous personality, mimicking its neighbouring waters, and providing you with shelter at the edge of the dock with a repetitive view.. lovely day out.

Here are a few pictures. Enjoy.

The Green Dock

"One of the most imaginative and attractive features is The Green Dock. Renowned international horticulturalist Alain Cousseran and Alain Provost selected colourful flowers and shrubs which reflect the river's ever changing spectrum of tints, shades and shapes creating a micro-climate where varieties of plants and butterflies abound."

http://www.thamesbarrierpark.org.uk/

Genocide in Gaza

15




days: 875 Palestinians killed in Gaza (236 children and 100 women) and 3695 injured

Israel's Failure to Learn - Nir Rosen

When George Bush, the US president, first entered the White House as the commander-in-chief in 2001, Palestinians were being killed in the al-Aqsa intifada.

Eight years later, as Bush prepares to leave office, Israel is carrying out one of the largest massacres in its 60-year occupation of Palestine.

The US, then and now, strongly backs Israel's offensive, justifying it as being, in fact, defensive.

An Israeli general recently threatened to use military force to set Gaza back decades in much the same language used before the invasion of Lebanon in 2006.

But despite the Israeli devastation of Lebanon, Hezbollah emerged victorious and the Shia resistance and social movement emerged a hero to the Arab world.

Israel is about to make the same mistake with Hamas.

Its notion of a truce with Hamas was that the Palestinians would quietly accept the siege. Israel would deny them the basic means of survival, let alone the basic means to create a functioning society.

If the Palestinians attempted to resist, they would be crushed.

As in Lebanon, Israel should have learned years ago that military might cannot crush Palestinian resistance movements.

http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2008/12/20081230122143645275.html

http://www.adl.org/images/arab_anti_semitism/gaza_cartoons/gaza_carrtoons5.jpg

http://msayed2004.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/western_logic_by_latuff2.jpg

(Cartoon in Arabic translates to: "Israeli holocaust in Gaza"

I find it disgraceful that a live extermination of a race of people can happen live on t.v as the rest of the world gets their popcorn ready to watch.

Experiments with Photoshop

Messing around on Photoshop, warping images together.

1. Reiki

2. Chinese Flame Dragon

Guildford Canal Boat Trip

A convoy of 14 canal boats, Landscape Architecture students across all levels, 4 days, 1 Canal... how long can they last? A test of our survival skills (even though there were shops and pubs alongside the canal), living the canal life wasn't as easy as it may have seemed, but nonetheless, still an experience. As we made our own way along the canals of Guildford, through the massive locks, at a terrifying speed of 2 miles an hour, we were in for a journey and a half. Beautiful scenery, fresh air, crystal clear water (lol), alcohol, and a viking from the far east. What better way to spend your time?