The Boys Are Back In Town

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Or is it the Goodies?
Either way the inter tutor banter was alive and well. So we all met for the first time as a large group (40+) and Tom, Robert and Benz took us around the Embankment, South Bank, Grays Inn and back to Somerset House. Stopping occasionally for some observations about the good, the bad and ugly practice of previous designers.




Some points that I picked up


Noise
The issue of noise pollution and its effect on humans emotionally. Ways of screening ie the building next to the railway line blocking out the noise from the railway line to the South Bank. Effective use of the space for commercial enterprise, similar ideas in Holland ie the large car showroom that spans the edge of a motorway in glass and steel.


Space
Human scale and were to use appropriate width of path ,ie high footfall 11m but would be wasted and feel like an urban desert in an area that that does not have the density of population to justify such a scheme.


Long Term vision
300 years? or at least the provision for evolution over that period. Careful positioning of trees with the long term view. Creating a web of open space. Analysis of land use.


Gabriels Wharf
Village feel due to human scale of shops to open space felt a bit like the set from the 60’s series ,The Prisoner ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zalndXdxriI&feature=related ). Spooky.


Boza Bikes
Tom talked about Forum Magnum Square and why its a disaster.


5 Elements in Design
Buildings
Landforms
Paving
Vegetation
Water


Urban Theory


1)Jane Jacobs
2)Holly Whyte ( a particular favorite of mine, Mr Placemaker ‘ in my opinion)
http://felixfatfunk.blogspot.com/2011/02/its-about-peoplestupid.html
3)Billy Hillier
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_syntax


Is it about  DESIGN or URBAN THEORY? or is there a third way (heard that somewhere before Mr Blair)?   =  THEME DESIGN


IE
Urban food production
Urban Forestry
SUDS ie a swamp
Quiet Space…(white noise Paley park NY, a brilliant study of human activity in a small space)
Specialised Space ( ie south bank skate area)


some pictures including, south bank skate park with some err colour, an interesting small landscaped space, not sure. Turbine hall Tate, never bored of theis space and building. An old Datum mark, always interesting when you find them. Finally the griil over the stones below at the rear of Somerset House.



Wandered away to the Thames never to be seen again…..


9/11 Memorial

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A Twilight Zone moment

Gassing away on Tom turners blog (Garden Design And Landscape Architecture Blog – Gardenvisit.com ) and going through the process of flushing out idea’s and arguments it struck me that a Chinese proverb i suggested fitted the site with an eery and ironic note.

“He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself”
-Chinese proverb

I suspect the designer did not have this proverb in mind, but……..




I will now be on the Pentagons ‘one to watch list’ Its nice to be appreciated.

I love Photoshop……

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Kiss, Kiss, Kiss


Sad i know but I am always amazed what can be done with photoshop and just ‘playing’, not following any instructions 

Any way a couple of bits Photo’s played with and as usual i seem to love the Atmosphere that can be created, even though its a bit dark….

Original






A silhouette of cranes

A bit more moody

The sunset on another age

You can smell the thick tar like smoke

Enough i hear you cry, your Favourite and why???

Now back to work!!!!







Sussex Praires Visit

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Visit


Poped over to the Sussex Prairies with my friend Whit. An interesting visit, rather surreal walking into the space a real non Genius loci moment. The Gardens are there as an example rather than trying to fit in to the surrounding country side.

The planting and effect is stunning, though as designers one always has a critical eye or at least an opinion.  


Worth a visit. 

http://www.sussexprairies.co.uk/




Isle of Dogs, first visit.

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My Site


Well once confirmed by Robert. I had a good look round the Isle of dogs and my good friend Natalie was right, it has changed a lot (and for the better in a lot of cases). So found my self riding round talking to people about the Isle and what changes have taken place since 1983 (when i left).


Still a good potential site as the middle is still relatively undeveloped since the 60’s, with pockets of development here and there, but no real big pig picture strategy, thus islands and no joined up communities.


On talking to a Joiner who had lived on the Isle for 40+ years, it was interesting to here the wax and wain of relations between the incomers and natives (so to speak).


Overall the gentrification of certain area’s has led to the mixing of social/financial classes and once the barriers of communication are broken down, ie people making the effort to invite each other round their homes/gardens or meeting in one of the many pubs around the island (still quite a few, but not as many during the times of the docks, which had special licensing hours).


Also struck by the comment that area feels ‘Safe and Clean’ like a giant Cul-De-Sac. Even when i was living there it was relatively quiet and all the stories about the East End were highly exaggerated (i used to go running at 10pm before it was fashionable, never a problem).

Thanks Steve and Mr Newton for your input

My Old House 
My old house with the first ever bit of garden design (at the tender age of 17)
Three different level planters in second hand yellow stock bricks, flemish bond, all one brick thick.
Very stained due the fact that i did not seal the inside with sythaproof. Thus the wall was alway damp thus algae. The final and highest cube is to hide the dustbin (though not a wheelie bin,not invented in 81). Cleaned (with acid) the brickwork on the house and re-pointed (weather struck).
                        The original side of the street ‘Coldharbour’

The pub at the end of the road (The Gun), plus new development (very pastiche) which is the standard 1980’s yellow brick slightly in context though garish.













White lines, Black lines

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Ink.


Well still trying to get the shading and distance sorted in ink. Pencil is easier, but ink is immediate/permanent, so worth persevering with for the quick sketch situations that arise.


Found an old cartoon that shows brilliantly the effective simple shading of ink

Added some more sketches, some work, others ruined by not leaving alone.

Started out ok, then gradually ruined it by adding more, lesson almost learnt.

Hadlow in the Rain, all ok until i tried to improve the Hornbeam hedge…idiot!
Distant tree’s messy.


Out of my head, blotches care of my usual clumsiness (ie TEA). 

Another doodle, Kent field scene.





The Gaddafi fist, change of use.

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Some idea’s from Toms Blog


Idea’s for the change of use for the Gaddafi fist.


all rather silly, but the idea to difuse the negative message and show there is no longer any need for fear.

The Orange squeezer, change the plane to an orange replica, an orange smoothy bar below.




Turn it into a green tower of planting, showing nature taking over, all within a large pond.
A helter-skelter = FUN!!
Clothe it within a sleeve

Holding a lolli-pop (sleeve and beads), microphone (about freedom of speech).

Holding a giant mug, with water flowing out for fun. 



Another Year, Another Hat

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Hats R Us


Well onward and forward. I will try and keep this blog for the MA for anybody is in the slightest bit intersted. Hopefuly some improvements on the Ba. 


At present trying to get my sketching up to speed, as i have left it for a while and boy am i rusty, lost how to do people, so the 10,000 hour rule (done about 20 a long way to go) applies and thus not get to upset if my drawings are below the Genius bar..




0.3 pen, no pencil to stop rubbing out etc, general issues distance not apparent (possibly shading?). Draw what i see or out of my head.


View from a 3 ton digger (Hadlow college)

Some perspective bits are ok. have to be carfull not to fill the space up to much, no real graduation of hatching

Flattened Oriental Garden Hadlow College


Yew and hornbeam hedges, columnar oaks and the ever present pylon.
Basic hatching on the oak seems to work quite well, plus the less is more approach to the other planting. bubbly clouds and shadow add some 
atmosphere.

Versailles from memory and artist licence


Some of the perspective are out, but more of a doodle that evolved into something.

Out for a run to clear my head from yesterdays meeting at Greenwich with my former and presents student friends, plus a late meal with friends…..