I like watching classic films. One more to tick off on the list.
I watched this for the chase scene at the end; I like imagery in film and found this inspired me in third year. Long tunnels, different levels, UNDERGROUND, ooft.
A drawing of an old industrial building in Dundee.
I did this in second year but used it throughout third year as I feel it demonstrates several interesting points.
The original elevation of the building is still clear with its regular spacing of windows. Each of these however, is now different as they have been adapted over the years to fit the current uses.
For me this suggests flexibility as though this area is determined to survive, to constantly change to stay relevant and usable. I also enjoy the various layers; it looks rich with vivid, evident history.
For others, this area is dreary and damp and depressing. Things are done cheaply, aesthetics aren’t considered and non-essential repairs are ignored.
The original building is at least to be admired, still in use over 100 years after being built.
So are architects now too arrogant? Should all buildings be built flexibly with thought for the future? Or should a building have enough self confidence to be itself and know it will last?
I’ll go with arrogance.
The first drawing I did in third year. Scottish castles are one of my biggest sources of inspiration and this image represents the ideas of wonder and exploration I feel about castles.
There’s just so much history, so many layers, so much more to discover.
Castles are right up there with platypus on the cool stakes.
The diagrams for my archive read fairly simply. The contrast between the public and private halves of the building are clear. Fire escapes are clearly located in the corners. The environmental approach was different in each half.
I enjoy doing these drawings and use these most in my presentations. I prefer to have a few relevant diagrams which prompt me, rather than get distracted by details in the plans. I also like to make bold, clear statements of my intent which tie in with my diagrams and I feel this makes a more memorable presentation.
Wish I’d made this a more memorable blog entry. Bold statement? ADELE IS OVER-RATED.
I wanted my archive to follow a simple diagram. A series of public spaces (based on golden shapes) set along an axis in a public, explorable building, set next to as series of spaces that the public can see (but not explore freely) in the private archive storage building.
The public spaces in the private building are defined by the private spaces themselves.
This is the site for my main third year project. I was to design the masterplan for a city block in the industrial area of Dundee, and design an archive building on the block.
The archive was to store several local and national collections, with facilities for specialist studies, staff studies, limited public access to the collections but exhibitions showing the wealth of material stored in the collection.
I want my building to get people interested in the materials stored in the archive. The exhibitions will regularly change. I want people to feel as though there is always more to find within the building - both in terms of places in the building to explore, and materials. I want the building to be used as much as possible and for as many different purposes so that people always want to visit again.
I used a similar approach for my masterplan; teasing people through a series of alleys.
This is an approach I wish was taken in more cities. Alleys should be opened up, exploration should be encouraged, there should be different levels of networks through a city.
Or maybe this just me and the odd romantic feeling I have for back alleys.
Going to see this chap again in a couple of months. Excellent musician, beautiful lyricist. On stage reminds me of Amy Winehouse and Jack Sparrow’s upper class son.
I can say without any shadow of any doubt that once I can describe why this is so utterly appealing to me that I will be a far better architect.
Tadao Ando’s Ryotaro Shiba Memorial Museum. What an amazing museum. The walls are literally lined with knowledge, a light intrigues you round the curve which doesn’t quite reveal everything to you at once, and an apparently inaccessible level looms above you in the stacks which are so tall you have to crane your neck the see the top.
What more do you need to inspire you?
One of my very very favourite buildings in the world is the Sir John Soane Museum in London. He was a brilliant architect who was fascinated with death. This was his house and he made some incredible places within a relatively small space.
For me the appeal is the feeling that there is always more to explore. There are so many unseen light sources and intriguing shadows.
This works brilliantly as a museum - for me a museum should always leave the visitor wanting - but he lived in this as his house. Personally I would find this frustrating. I want my house to be comfortable and satisfying. Soane however built this as his legacy and always intended for it to be used as a museum.
Nice man.
The bottom drawing is of his Bank of England design. This ruin-like sectional drawing has so much romantic appeal for me I find it crazy.
The Name of the Rose. Sure, I’m not a huge Sean Connery fan (bloody tax evader) but the imagery in this film is brilliant.
The looming, forbidding library, the shut door, the further shut door, the way in, and the Piranesian wonder inside. I like to get lost (the loser I am) and I know that it’s not a desirable trait in many buildings (outside of medieval murder mysteries) but for me, this is a feeling that should be captured more often.
It is often imagery that inspires me more than a physical thing - and I love the freedom of film. I don’t want to recreate this library or murder monks but I think more buildings should create a sense of mystery.
Back, back, back again. I got side-tracked by other projects and was possibly losing interest trawling through second year work, so I am now going to update whatever seems relevant and not just chronologically.
This seems sensible - I need a new CV. I also need to follow my own advice and GET INSPIRED.
Tumblr actually really really does that for me.
As well as plans, sections and details, these were the two main images I used to present my Sitooterie.
I hope I succeeded in creating a comfortable, intriguing, wonderful, contemplative, flexible, sociable place.
They didn’t build it.
I was pretty inspired by this crazy dude and some of his madness, especially the Pantower.
I obviously know nothing about platypus or trees or evolution. I just really like platypus and think that they, like willow trees, probably get invited to all the cool parties. I was going to search online to see if there was a platypus fan club but the fact that it was even a Google suggestion made me so happy I thought I’d just link to Google.
