Prides Rest - St Croix - U.S Virgin Isles

Designed by Lindsay Brown, inspiration was drawn from the clients passion for water, and sailing, hence trying to integrate the design with the landscape, and its interaction with water. The design carefully "utilizes the site’s climatic conditions to drive many design elements such as breezeways, pools, covered areas and orientation."

With materials specifically chosen to mimic the rock and earth textures that are found in the surroundings, as well walls carefully placed to withstand hurricane force winds, and design methods that allow water to be self sufficient (Leach field, power production, and potable water storage) this is a good example of biomimicry.

http://www.archdaily.com

Thames Project - Brentford Regeneration

Current project we are working on, includes several sites along the whole of the River Thames. Brentford and Kew, Chelsea and Battersea, Gravesend and Tilbury. My chosen site was the Brentford Dock Marina, and I am currently in the process of developing my masterplan for regenerating the area. I have opted to recreate the lost link between Brentford and Kew by re introducing the long lost Brentford Ferry. I am also using a series of floating boardwalks that interact with the users, and the tide, to create a series of connectable public spaces, that link onto a new Thames path, creating structure and flow, something that is missing, and has been for too long.


Ghaziri Thames Project

Camley Street Nature Reserve

Our first semester project, focused on the area around King's Cross railway, St. Pancreas and the Euro star. A hidden nature reserve, Camley can be found nearby, however it suffers from noise pollution, as well as actual pollution. It is currently under development, as a class we proposed sustainable masterplans to help with this process.

Ghaziri Camley Project

World's First Double Helix Bridge - Singapore

The worlds first 'Double Helix' bridge, surely will have taken inspiration from the previous first helix bridge. It is a 3.5 kilometer pedestrian path that creates a link around the new development 'Marina Bay' in Singapore. 'Inspired by the helicoidal structure of DNA, the pedestrian bridge stretches 280 meters over the bay and includes a computer-controlled lighting system to set the mood'. It is designed by Cox Group (Australian), Arup (UK/World), and Singaporean based, Architects 61. The opening is set for Saturday April the 24th, and is due to be wondrous.

http://inhabitat.com/2010/04/23/worlds-first-double-helix-pedestrian-bridge-opens-in-singapore/

World's First Helix Bridge - Vlaardingse Vaart

The worlds first helix bridge, built in Vlaardingen, Netherlands from 05-09. It is a pedestrian bicycle bridge, designed by West 8 urban architects.

'The bridge was prefabricated on site in a specially erected temporary shed of stacked containers. Its construction comprises 400 steel tubes that were welded together and then galvanized and painted red to create a unique and dynamic structure. The three-dimensional truss of the bridge twists on its horizontal axis. This twisted space frame construction absorbs the user in a continually changing experience of perspective. The rectangular frame at the bridge entrance evolves into a double-height diamond form in the middle. A transparent cathedral of steel becomes a new rest and meeting place along the footpaths and bicycle network.'

As different as it may be, for some reason it seems to create a flow, or that connection we are looking for. As it is a bridge at the end of the day, it is fulfilling its purpose of creating a link or connection, as well as representing the connection within us. Design that makes you think.

http://www.west8.nl/

Richmond Park - Management Plan

As part of our module, we were required to pick a space, and create a Management plan of the site, how the site is managed, what is included through the site, and how it is maintained. Types of species of wildlife and plantlife, as well as necessary precautions taken to ensure proper management.(Deer culling). Methods and techniques that are used, such as Pruning and coppicing, and exploration of Gantt Charts.

Ghaziri Richy Park Final

Focus Week 4 (01/03/10) - Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Whilst up north, we decided to take a trip to Blackpool pleasure beach, and luckily enough, I stumbled upon a couple of sculptures by David Harber.
I found 8 of his sculptures, that create an inviting and welcoming green space, designed to create a peaceful haven for people to sit and rest. Some water features, some sculptures, and others sun dials, David Harber tries to create an interaction between the sculptures, and the nature that surrounds them. He uses a wide range of metals and alloys mixed with granite, and water, pebbles and grass, to create a distortion of the nature that surrounds it, somewhat creating a desert mirage.. "each combining reflective mixed metal surfaces with the magic of surface tension to create a range of intriguing visual effects."

http://www.davidharbersundials.co.uk/news/blackpool.html