landscape.is nyten

Urban Nature Reserves

2009-05-06T22:31:00.014+01:00

Visited 2 urban nature reserves to get inspiration for our current projects. Went to Middlesex Filter Beds and Camley Street Nature Reserve. They are both similar in size to the main part of the site at Tannery Basin that we work on along the Wey and Arun Canal. Both quite different - the filter beds have a strong industrial heritage and the management is not very obvious on site and Camley street feels very cosy and the management of the site is what makes the site successful.

In these comparing diagrams you get a good understanding of the land use of the 3 sites and especially the relationship between the water and the open space. The filter beds are especially relevant to look at in comparison to Tannery Basin - the both have a natural river and a canal adjacent. The filter beds are made up of semi natural habitats where the filter beds previously used to provide the surrounding areas with purified water. The beds were active for 100 years before they were shut in 1969. Since then nature and wildlife has colonised the space. It is part of a network of spaces in the Lee Valley. Walking down from Lee Bridge Road you can spot the north end of the site. Nature is contained in the former beds and along the edges of the space. You are very much a spectator in this space, taking in the nature, history and sounds from the reed beds. The space is managed to stay wild and management is not obvious, even a regular management and volunteer programme exists.
Nature was very beautiful when I visited in early April. Even though it wasn't very green, the reeds created a very special feeling in the space. The image on the right show the difference to the space in the summer. The seasonal changes not only changes the site, but also the relationship with the surroundings. This is also the case at Tannery Basin.
Camley Street is a community project which involves nature conservation (this is how reserve is described in the management report). The space has a range of habitats including secondary woodland, wetland, marsh and grassland. It is run mainly by volunteers. There is also a strong events programme, which includes education sessions. The challenge at Camley Street is to encourage a greater diversity if volunteers and visitors.

The space encourages learning and this is evident in the details across the site - with lots of habitat creations. All cut wood on site is re used on site. In edging, on paths or left to create habitats. It shows a range of easy measurements to habitat creation and doesn't undermine the beauty of the space. I really like the tree trunk edging and to see how different natural materials is used across the space.

In conclusion both these sites show the importance of management - but in different ways. There is a strong relationship with the adjacent water which is reflected in the habitats and use of space. Seasonal changes alters the legibility and relationship with the surroundings. One site encourages you take part and the other one to be a spectator - both very successful and well used spaces.

Keep learning!

2009-05-01T09:51:00.006+01:00

I think it is important to keep pushing yourself in your year out. When you are studying it can be hard to find time to develop further knowledge in areas that interest you. Therefore I am planning to take a course in either horticulture or an ecology based course. This is something I am interested in and that I would like to increase my knowledge in.

I have looked at courses at Chapel Manor College (which has got course at Crystal Palace, which would be perfect for me as I live here). I would prefer to do an evening course, but might consider a day time course once a week, if my work are ok with it. I will also take advantage of the experience at my work and ask for their advice in helping me to choose a course. What I want out the course is a large knowledge of plants and to understand them in relation to the bigger picture.

I also plan to make a video for the LI video competition which asks you to: outline how landscape architects, managers or scientists can fight climate change. My idea for this is to go simple and take photos of my vegetable garden every day and then put that together into a video using a technique where you use still images to create moving image.

I think the result could be very cool and it would symbolise the importance of little things can help to fight climate change. It would illustrate directly the cycle of growing your own food and it would show the result of something that you can plan into your designs and how this affects people on a small scale. I like to think that to help fight climate change it is as important to think on a small scale as on a large.

Both of these are things that will help you to become better and enjoy your profession more. I think it is just as important to consider this kind of promotion - as how you format your work and send it out to future employers. At the stage where we are at the moment at the beginning of our careers a lot of employers will look for potential in people and I think it is important that you show this through commitment to the profession.

I also intend to keep this blog going to sum up lectures, exhibitions and other things related to landscape architecture that I experience. I think that the blog can be a great way to promote yourselves and for employers to learn some more about you and your interests.

How to present my work

2009-05-01T09:48:00.006+01:00

Presenting my work in the degree show and the on my website will follow a similar digital format. It will have built in navigation and flash animation built into the presentations.

I will also produce additional elements both for my website and for the degree show. They will include business cards (in a less traditional format), animated logo on my website and I will also prepare books in A3 format with A2 foldouts to show extra details of my projects and that can be added to my portfolio.

I will also prepare a creative CV which will have thumbnails and short descriptions of my work included. (watch this space).

Logo mock up

Business card mock up - the ides coming from a magic tree. It being a tree and that is growing and that is 'fresh'.

Editing work for website

2009-04-27T19:03:00.009+01:00

I have prepared a timeline to go on my website. I thought it would work well to give an overview over my work and studies experience over the last ten years. I will then give an option to download a full CV for people that might want to read more.

The CV I have prepared it mostly text based, but with a few thumbnails of examples of my work. This to give a bit of a insight into my work without having to look through my portfolio. You can download my CV on my website.

On my website you can also wee edited and short version of work that I did in my first two years. I am not categorising my work by year, so it will all appear on the same page but further down on the bottom. This to highlight the progress.

Tate Modern

2009-03-03T15:43:00.007Z

Popped into Tate modern the other day (I love the fact that you can just pop in when are around the southbank). Looked mostly at level three at the 'Poet and dreams' and 'Material Gestures' exhibitions. It has got a nice mixtures of sculptures and paintings. It is interesting to see the different teqniches and elements used in paintings.

www.artandabsinthe.com/tag/mark-bradford/

The map above is by Mark Bradford called Los Moscos. It is aerial map of an urban area - using materials found on the streets of Los Angeles. He uses soaking, bleaching, tearing and sanding the paper, to emphasise its physicality. I like this piece of mapping - it creates layers which is important in mapping. It would be interesting to try maybe for a project.

I am also a big fan of Cornelia Parker. I remember seeing her piece - Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View - a few years ago. She is interested in how everyday objects can be changed by (often violent) processes and change into something new. The light from one light bulb in the middle of the piece is casting shadows across the room. I haven't really incorporated light very much in my projects and I think by placing light in unusual positions you can get playful and dramatic effects. It has inspired me to try to incorporate some lighting effects in my play project.

http://blog.tate.org.uk/tate-tales/?p=36

30 pieces of silver is involves symbolically killing off one set of values (class pretension, personal possession) to reveal another. It gives out a surprisingly calm feel. The way the silver is just hoovering above the floor.

flickr.com/photos/95443147@N00/23727938

Another idea

2009-03-03T14:37:00.005Z

This is the first layout visuals for my website. It has got an expandable side bar hiding text. Large images going horizontally across the screen. It is alos showing the sections I am planning to incorporate in my portfolio.

My website

2009-03-03T10:35:00.020Z

I have chosen not go with the moonfruit site for creating my website. I have bought my own domain (www.hannamarie.co.uk) and plan to create the site from scratch. The benefits with this is that I keep the website for the future and update and do work to. It also gives me an opportunity to learn more about web design and gives me more freedom to create actually what I want.

I have chosen to call my site my first name and middle name, as I am getting married this summer and my sir name will change, this avoids confusion. I wanted to still use my name, cause I think that works best for an on line portfolio. It is not a business or a blog, so I think it needs to be linked to my name.

Below is a navigation mock up. It is designed to float over the background image. It also outlines ho I am going to sort my content on my site. I am not planning to sort my work by years, but by category.

In designing my site I mocking up layouts in indesign and illustrator and when I come to a desicion on a design I will start to put it together in dreamveaver. This is a different approach then using the tools and templates that you can find in moonfruit. There you are working from existing elements and makes changes. My approach works the other way - where I decide what it should look like and work and then putting it together. I believe this is a more creative and focused approach that suits me better.

Portfolio thoughts...

2009-03-03T10:35:00.016Z

It is getting closer to finishing my course. As well as getting my portfolio ready I need to set up my own website. This is an opportunity to create something that shows off your work and at the same time gives clues of what you are as a person and what are important for you as a designer. It is an opportunity to create something that looks really cool graphically. This will be interesting and I am looking forward to it as I am interested in graphics and like to discover further possibilities with what you can achieve with graphics. One of the most important things to consider when creating your own website is to make sure that it runs smoothly and is easy to to navigate. In our busy lives we don't have time to sit and wait for wed pages to load and if they are hard to navigate it is easy to give up.

When creating my blog I used one of the templates on blogger - but changed headers, colours and added photo elements along the right hand side to give it more personality. I choose to go with light colours in the background and with a bright spot colour in header texts. I choose a strong header image and decided a name for my blog that said something about myself.

On line portfolio considerations:

Target your market - Are you trying to get a job or showcasing your work, trying to get business?

Text - Short and precise I think is good. Get the attention fast and then keep it by keeping it short.

Simplicity - It is a portfolio site. Your work should stand out - draw attention to it.

http://www.simonhoegsberg.com/we_are_all_gonna_die/slider.html

The image above is from a website that shows projects from photographer Simon Hoegsberg. I really like the large horizontal image that you can navigate by scrolling along the smaller image below. It is simple and looks very cool. It is a cool peice of photography - but I think it can work for one of my projects as well. Where I have used a long layout that you scroll along.

I also think that the images you upload have to be large enough for you to some of the details. Of course you can also add a download pdf button - where you can view the work at the right size, but there is no point in putting up work that doesn't view properly.

http://www.grant-associates.uk.com/

Above is the website of landscape practice Grant Associates. They have a clean and simples website. At the moment the site is under construction. It used to have have sketchbook part - where you could flick through some of their sketches for projects. That is a feature gives you a little insight into the practice. Other Landscape and architecture practices some times have parts where you can see research that they are carring out about eveything to green roofs and to energy saving structures. On some of the students that graduated last year you can see photography or video. I think it is very important to have a section like this.

http://www.deep.co.uk/

These are looking at navigation. I like sites where you can scroll through a project - without the rest of the page scrolling as well.

http://pentagramarchitects.com/portfolio/architecture/

Pentagram is multi design agency, who also has a architects part. I like the way they have utilised their work to make the website and as the same time use it as navigation. Where you click on the images and it will take you to that project.

I choose to look at website examples from across the design field for inspiration. I think you can learn a lot from other professional fields. Below are some thoughts on a couple of the websites from last years graduates.

The website I like the most is the one by Tom Ginnett. It is simple, works really well and showcase his work really well. His personality comes across in his use of the illustartions for the different sections. The only thing I think he has overlooked is an opportunity to get a bit more his personality across. Maybe an about or interests page could have done this.

Paul Bratton 's website is not as nice in terms of layout and design, but he uses two extra sections - photography and artwork to show a bit of his interests. It shows addititional talents and I think it os important to show that off if you got it.

To sum up;

I like to make a simple, graphic site which uses cool navigation features and which really shows off my work. I will include a photography part and also a part about future apsirations.

Extended essay - oppurtunity

2009-01-11T09:30:00.005Z

The subject of my extended essay is an important decision as this is an opportunity to learn and get deeper knowledge about a certain area that is close to my interests as a landscape architect.

My initial thought was to look into food production / growing in an urban environment, not calling it Urban agriculture - but more interested in smaller scale solutions that can make a big difference.

My other thought is to look into the planting element that is used in urban environments today. In a lot of urban schemes a lot of block / mono cultural planting is used and I wanted to investigate what benefits a more naturalistic solution could have. Also looking at other ecological solutions that can be applied in different spaces to change the way a process works.

I think it is important that the subject of the essay is a something that will increase my knowledge in area that will benefit me when I start to work in a practice. I think both these subjects are close to heart and is valuable knowledge that I can use in projects.

Interesting diverse projects

2009-01-10T02:18:00.012Z

In this post I am looking at some of the most interesting projects done by Landscape Architects over th last years.

The reason why I like these ones are that the are very current and are addressing concerns that are very important today. I also looked at the range of different projects that a Landscape Architect may be undertaking - everything from master plans to landscape character assessments, large landscape design projects to food growing projects. I think it is interesting and important to understand that there are a number of different areas you can work in as a landscape architect.

By looking at different projects and identifying skills needed for the different projects I hope to find out areas where it would benefit me to get better knowledge in.

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Landscape character maps for Wales

Landuse Consultants

Landscape Institute Strategic Landscape Planning Award 2008

Landuse consultants has produced a new map of Wales - based on its changing landscape character. The map describes 48 different landscape areas, but what makes the map unique is that it doesn't just describe the geology, land form and biodiversity. It describes each areas distinctive sense of place.

The work is on going and the next step is public consultation in spring.

Not all landscape practices takes on this kind of work, but I think it add another dimension to the design work that a landscape architect does. It is important to understand the bigger picture when designing a space and I would like to have the opportunity to work on projects like these in the future.

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http://www.offshoots.org.uk/gallery.html

Offshots, Burnley - Permaculture project

Managed by Groundwork Penine Lancashire

Is a permaculture project in Burnley. It is a great example of sustainable food growing - but is also exemplar when it come to community engagement. It is located on a former site of the walled kitchen gardens of Townley Hall. It is managed

by Groundwork Penine Lancashire - they work principally as an organiser and facilitator. They help to get funding and has provided a master plan which has given a structure to work to and to allow a plan for development.

The Production gardens are the heart of the project. The produce is part of Burnley food link. There is also other ecological elements on site such as a cob building, community compost scheme, tree nursery, beekeeping initiative, reed beds and a sensory garden.

Offshoots involves people from the whole community, either through the composting project, as visitors to the site, as volunteers, or through colleges and schools running training courses - Offshoots is for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.

Offshoots was one of the first of schemes like these that are now becoming more usual and popular. I think it is great. It provides a sense of community and is a response to threat of climate change. Some people might not think it is beautiful and does schemes like these need landscape architects involved? I think landscape architects can play an important role in making sure that the space works as best as it can in turns of layout and the the way different spaces work together. A lot of the methods of processes in the projects - such as reed beds, composting, green roofs. etc is something that we as landscape architects should be experts in and we can also help to bring new ecological and sustainable processes to a project.

A well designed space should be well used, bring a sense of place and community and I think we can learn a lot from projects like these.

http://www.offshoots.org.uk/gallery.html

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Daniaoarken, Western Harbour in Malmo

Sweco

The park was created as part of a residential development in the harbour of Malmo Sweden. The park has no spatial boundaries part from the residential blocks at the back edge and is in a wind swept and open landscape. The elements of exposure and openness in the park make a strong contrast to the adjacent city district with its small, narrow alleys and squares. There are a few sheltered spots in the perennial terraces - but part from that you are really open to the elements here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aodland/461105587/

The platforms out to the sea are playful and kids love jumping off them in the summer time. There are also tall climbing walls to get back up again.

I like the simplicity and swedishness of this project. Being from Sweden I have always had a strong connection to the water - because of the many lakes and growing up spending my summers by the sea. I think the material use and openness is great.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elsamu/1117696475/

I choose to look at this project cause it uses clean modern and playful design that work with the natural elements and responds and makes them stronger in the setting. I think that is another way of responding to nature and it brings attention to the sea and the possibilities of water. It brings out and connects with water without intruding.

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To sum up;

To find out more about what I need to do and what I need to learn to make myself emplyable when I finish univeristy I choose to look at some interesting and different projects in the landscape profession instead of looking at a particular practice. I think by looking at projects that I like and the principles of these projects I can identify what I like to learn more about and methods to try out in mys last projects this year.

In the play project we are working on at the moment I am interested in trying to combine a sensory hearing garden with play and food production to bring together a community in a playful way.

In the canal restoration project we just finished working on I will add some more management princilpes and really describe the ecolgical processes I use in the scheme. I will also try to describe how this can be used to create a sense of place and character that fits in the existing landscape.

My Priorities

2008-12-21T13:45:00.007Z

In my design work I like to work with clean and simple designs that are interactive and playful as well. I like to use as much of natural and ecological processes as possible using a holistic approach. I realise looking back at my projects through my previous years that I also incorporate contrasting elements in most of my designs. Since my first year sustainability and ecology has had a strong presence in my work. I think the challenge can sometimes be combining these priorities with an end result that is contemporary and innovative.

Proposal for community allotments on a back street in Waterloo.

In the last project in my second year I designed a Street scheme incorporating suds and water collecting structures and community allotments. There is a lot of talk at the moment about the housing estates and their landscapes (it was the subject of the Landscape Institute conference in November - see previous posts). I think a good safe surrounding street will help and community allotments would transform spaces that mostly consists of short mown grass into a productive and beautiful space.

This year when working on a canal restoration project I struggled at first to justify the restoration of something man made. After researching and looking into the subject more I realised it was a challenge to work on schemes that you might not like the look at at first. Through research I came up with the solution of growing short rotation willow coppice along the restored canal - then canal could then be utilised to transport the wood chips from the willow and machinery and staff could be shared between farmers. The willow coppice also act as a filter of the runoff from the agricultural nitrogen water and cleans it before entering the canal.

Image showing the cycle of Short Rotation Willow Coppice.

I think this project shows that you can make a productive landscape interesting and beautiful - at the same time as being multifunctional. I like designing landscapes that use natural processes whilst responding to climate change.

In the next project we will be given the opportunity to work with the public and other partners. This is something I am very interested in and am looking forward to. I think sometimes too many designs are thought up in the office and in the future I would like to have the opportunity to work with people and practices that work with the public and also design schemes for management of spaces and just not the space. As this is something that is very important.

I like the idea of working for a local authority or government organisation - I know that the get good and interesting projects to work on. I wrote my management report on Sutcliffe park which was designed by landscape architects working for the environment agency.

In terms of practices I am a big fan of Latz and Partner in Germany - in the UK my favourite practice is Land Use Consultants. I would love to have the opportunity to work for a practice that has other departments as welll as landscape architects - such as ecologists. As this is something I am interested in learning more about.

Eden Project

http://www.landuse.co.uk/portfolio/project.php?pageNum_RSpages=6&totalRows_RSpages=18&id=22

Photography

2008-12-20T22:37:00.014Z

Went to a lecture held by the head of photography at Kingston, Vince Wade to inspire us to be more playful with our photography. The advice was to challenge the 'of' of a photo - to consider what you are capturing in the rectangle. To make your photos visually interesting and to represent the world in way that it really exists. To take photos in a non perspective way as well - to convey and provoke more feelings in your photos. We were introduced to some very cool photographers. My favourites were Georges Rousse and Stephen Gill.

http://www.actuphoto.com/pronews/ton_dossier/news_7308_3.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lorfiot/2701695412/

Georges Rousses says that he likes the empty canvas and that it inspires him. His art is supposed to be viewed from certain viewpoints to achieve the wanted affect. He always photographs his art as well. I think his photos and art are playful, simple and great. It makes you look twice or more!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/87555150@N00/1778593498/

Stephen Gill is a photographer who has learnt to haunt the places that haunt him (quote from his website). In his collection Hackney flowers he collected flowers, berries and seeds from around hackney and then pressed and layered photos from hackney and took photographs from. The photos are beautiful and the the feeling he gets from doing his work this way is very different from what you can do in photoshop. His work is holistic and beautiful!

http://www.stephengill.co.uk/index.php?/project/portfolio/

Kew Gardens

2008-12-16T21:19:00.008Z

Compost and Waste Management

I have been to Kew several times – but this time I was given the chance to see a bit of the behind the scene of the running and management. As part of our theoretical module on the course we met David Barnes, the Manager of Horticultural Support at Kew.

Kew Garden has a responsibility to protect and take care of its collections of plants and seeds. With this comes a responsibility to its surroundings and setting as well. Kew is located on flat, dry and free draining gravely and sandy soil. The soil gets very dry in the summer – with nutrients draining away. Kew is also located on the Heathrow fly path and the emissions and pollution also affects the garden and its species.

Irrigation is a must for Kew. The irrigation system has recently been updated. The water comes from the mains and fills up a 70 000 litre storage tank – from there it leads to water ring circulating the whole site and from there feeding directly to the plants. This reduces the leaks and makes it easier to control which areas you water.

Rainwater is collected from the main buildings and fills up tanks. The rainwater collecting system is not as developed as they would like – but is something they are looking on improving for the future.

The composting system is well developed at Kew. All the plant material from the maintenance on site is broken down to compost on site. It is all a natural and organic process with only stable manoeuvre added to the other ingredients of water and CO2. The manoeuvre comes from the stables at St John’s Wood.

The compost yard has been there for 10 years and is built on concrete with a moat surrounding and collecting the runoff water from the compost heaps. This is to protect the Thames from runoff water which has very high levels of nutrients. The runoff water is instead collected and lead into a tank where it is filtered and then used to water the compost heaps.

The materials are sorted on the yard by heaps of: herbaceous, manoeuvre and woody materials. The woody materials are shredded and screened. Whilst the herbaceous materials only need shredding. The wood chips are mixed 4:1 with the manoeuvre. Water is added and the heap is turned once to further speed up the process. It takes about 8 weeks before it is ready to go back out in the gardens to be used as surface mulch.

Close up look at the wood chips mixed with manoeuvre and to the right the wood chips are completely broken down into surface mulch.

The herbaceous materials are mixed on a 1:1 with manoeuvre. No water is added to this process as the herbaceous materials already have a high level of water. The compost is ready after 6 weeks and is used as soil conditioner which is dug down to mix with the soil on a deeper level.

Herbaceous material starting to break down into compost.

The gardens are saving half million pounds every year by producing their own compost and it is obviously the most sustainable alternative as well.

An interesting fact about the compost heaps are the high levels of energy that they generate. David Barnes mentioned that pipes could be lead underneath the heaps to help with possible water heating for an example. This is something I am surprised that Kew has not investigated further yet.

The talk also reached a point of discussion the waste generated by the public and if this is recycled. At the moment there is no recycling in place for this. David Barnes said that most of the waste from the public is high level of low weight plastics. Which is costly and complicated to recycle and there is issues with storing that amount of waste on site. But he said that he would like to put some systems in place.

I think the clue for this may lay in the management of the visitors. Waste is something that is hard to control – cause even if the food and products sold on site are being controlled and more sustainable – you can’t keep people from bringing in their own food and waste to the site.

The issue of carbon footprint was also discussed and I think that David Barnes answered the questions very well. He said how do measure the carbon footprint for a site for Kew. There is obviously the energy the site uses and the carbon that it emits. There is also certain inherited carbon in the buildings and also all the people visiting Kew.

The later can be put done to trying to manage your visitors and the way you can encourage them to think about the way the travel to the site for an example. Like the Eden Project gives discounts to everyone that arrives by cycle or foot. This could be tried at Kew by maybe give discounts to everyone that produce a travel card or people showing that they live locally and can show that they walked to the site.

The visit was interesting and it was good to see the composting process which is surprisingly simple and organic. I think I site like Kew still has a long way to go in sustainable management processes – but by listening to David Barnes you realise that the interest is there and it comes downs to costs and procedures.

Medium

2008-12-06T16:44:00.007Z

Medium is a creative design studio in Sweden. They do projects related to public space, architecture, visual art and graphic design. Their work concentrate on everyday life.

They have been trying to set up an exhibition called Bouncing Buildings - where they invite architects to design bouncy buildings. I think it is a great idea! Not sure if the exhibition ever got off the ground though...

The have also curated an exhibition creating an art museum for kids. Think the art museum for kids could have been taken a lot further. A lot of 'grown up' art I think that kids will like. Interactive art mainly.

http://www.mediumism.com/happiness.html

http://www.mediumism.com/museum.html

http://www.mediumism.com/bouncy.html

Moving media

2008-11-11T08:18:00.006Z

This is the the last and third year on the BA course and I wanted to try to explore new ways of presenting my work. The project that we are currently working on is all about how the landscape changes through the cycles of growing. Based on a crop that grows on a cycle of 3 years instead of a usual agricultural circle of 1 year.

I am using the cycles of the crop to design the landscape. This is my first attempt on an animation to show this. Thought it was important to show the change in the landscape that the concept is built on and that a productive landscape can bring a an interesting and playfulness to a space.

I will now try to get it a bit interesting and show a larger part of the site and maybe try to get the leaves and the 3d dimensions of the space a bit more.

Kew Garden

2008-11-06T16:22:00.004Z

Went to Kew Gardens on a great autumns day. Never been during the autumn before and it was quite different. Also the opportunity to go up the tree top walkway. It was very cool, but actually when you were there my first impression was that it was quite short. I thought that it would have been a lot longer (even though I realise that it would have been quite impractical, expensive and too disturbing for surrounding trees roots).

It is still very successful. The different feeling you get when you are up there and I like the fact that the walkway is not very wide - which makes you feel apart of the surroundings a lot more. The material use is great as well. It is very rustic and I love the soft mesh on the railings. The rusty colour compliments the autumn colours on the trees great.

Marks Barfield Architects are the architects behind it. The design is based on the Fibonacci sequence- which is simple mathematical sequence that lies at the heart of the growth of many plant structures. The ratio provides a perfectly proportioned growth pattern. This sequence is used for the spacing of the connection points for the diagonals of the walkway trusses. The legs are based on a simple historical tree. I think as a designer it is fun to read and see where other designs that you see come from. Sometimes the idea is good and it is looks good - but like in this case I think that the idea doesn't really come across in the design.

When reading on Kew Gardens website it says that the walkway: "gives visitors the opportunity to journey from the fascinating root system, learning about a tree's life underground, to the top of the tree canopy to explore biodiversity from above." I think a lot more could have been done to let us investigate the roots of the trees.

When walking round the gardens I realise the importance of trees and deciduous plants and a more naturalistic landscape. It is great to see so many different colours and bare trees as well. A lot of urban and designed landscaped have a lot of evergreen low maintenance planting. In the introduction of the 'Dynamic Landscape' by James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett they talk about ' blocks of evergreen shrubs, mechanically cut on a regular basis to maintain an artificial geometric shape'.

I usually go for a lot of evergreen species when I incorporate planting in my designs and I think I can be a bit more brave and get more interesting and good designs. Using a more a ecological process for plants to grow together and let the site be developed by the process.

Integrated River Basin Managment

2008-11-06T15:35:00.004Z

- managing land and water in integrated way

There is currently a free lecture series on at Birkbeck University hosted by the Ecology and Conservation Studies Society.

As the title of the lecture says there is a close relationship between land and water and there is a lot of pressure on both of these and their environments today.

The lecture was held by Pam Gilder from the Environment Agency. She introduced the new Water Framework Directive that has been created to held the water bodies of the UK to improve.

The lecture was quite technical but still interesting. For me as a Landscape Architecture student I am very interested in improving my knowledge about the natural environment both in rural and urban areas. This to help me to combine and introduce natural processes in design and to see people interact with them.

The main thing talked about in the lecture was the importance that land use has on the adjacent water bodies and how we can create a good relationship between landuse and water. And of course the importance that management has in this. What can be positive landuse management solutions?

20% of UK's rivers are today in good ecological status according to the new document. Some of the main issues are:

- Nutrients
- Ammonia
- Abstraction (irrigation)
- Chemicals
- Morphological change
- Alien species
- Sediments

All of these are related to landuse.

Some of the big scale solutions to these are: paid landuse change, advice, farm assurance, licenses and registrations, water protection zones, NVZ areas.

The future shortage of water was also talked about. How we are going to have periods of very heavy rainfall and then periods of very dry weather and how these will not balance. How we in the UK have a very high use / capita of water. How we have maniputaled our water bodies a lot. The problem with water resevoirs - which stops water going into the groundwater. What are the solutions to this?

The answer to that is obviously not easy and at the moment I think we need to start by just consider these facts in our everyday life as well as in our designs.

On our current project I am trying to propose something that might have a positive effect - even on just a small scale.

LI conference

2008-10-17T19:58:00.004+01:00

The subject of the conference this year was 'housing, land use and community'. It was a lot of talk about the role of a Landscape Architect and the recognition of the role of the Landscape Architect. Or the lack of recognition of the Landscape Architect. How small amount of landscape architects are involved in housing and street design. Partly down to the developer - but also down to Landscape Architecture. Housing is not a good interesting project for a lot Landscape Architects.

For me personally I am not bothered about recognition for the Landscape Architect, as long as what we do affects people and places in a positive way. I do agree with the fact that we need new innovative landscape around housing in this country and landscape that works with housing and not against it.

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Good housing that has been around for while - The Lane, Blackheath.

Swedish cool housing in Stockholm - Hammarby Sjostad (Go Sweden - it has been around for years!)

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(Below is list of challenges and questions that came up in the conference or things that I think might relate to it.)

Challenges and Questions to consider

Can good landscape help the life time costs of estates?

Promoting trees in urban landscape - see them as an asset and not a liability

Community spirit linked to good proud landscape

Density - Intensity and landscape

Space before architecture and landscape

Giving residents confidence in managing / taking charge of their space - challenges of jealousy, increase of costs?

Gated developments - good or bad?

Pushing the boundary of the estate

View onto the landscape from the buildings instead of looking in - can create a new angle of landscape

Managing a housing landscape - increase in costs, giving tenants a share - promoting a proudness in the surroundings

Food growing - allotments - keeping chickens etc.

Importance of infrastructure relating to landscape

Importance of landforms and natural environment to be considered more in landscape

The importance of playing fields for kids to play

Opportunities to promote and teach kids about local biodiversity in the landscape

The importance of bringing the natural environment back into peoples life

Housing and the natural environment

Natural estates??

Link between an increase in green space and a decrease in vandalism and violence

Active - Natural - Interacting Landscapes

What if food growing

2008-10-17T19:49:00.005+01:00

I think a lot of people have heard of the what if - project. Where food is grown in big grow bags on a vacant lot in Shoreditch. This is new way of bringing a housing estate together and helping to bring a sense of community. It is interesting to compare to the well established allotments at the Crown estate.

A good way of temporally testing out the idea of food growing without large scale investment in allotments. It would be interesting to see if anyone dares to give hens a go as well?

Crown estate

2008-10-17T18:50:00.007+01:00

As part of the LI conference I went on a site visit to the Crown Estate allotments by Regents Park. In terms of estates it was quite a posh one (if there are posh estates?). The allotments were sunken down in the middle of of a courtyard with apartment blocks on the sides. It was fenced off, but still looked ok on a sunny, bright autumn day. Underneath the allotments is a disused basin and it also has got an underground river running below it.

The allotments have been there since 1940's and are very well established. There are no problems with vandalism on the allotments (there are minor problems on the estate landscape).

It was interesting to hear that the allotments are managed by the RHS - the land given over by the housing association. Since management is something that I think a lot of housing associations are concerned about when starting to consider allotments and urban food growing on their estates. Basically the RHS rents out the allotments and a few RHS members with allotments on the estate manages it for free. This is an option more housing association could consider.

There is no water collecting on the site and no promotion of Eco friendly running of the allotments - this is something that should be promoted.

I thought the allotments were great - but this was on an estate that is well managed and secure. With relatively good landscaping. It is more interesting to see how allotments and good landscaping can provide a sense of community on a run down estate? Then the challenge would be on.

serpentine pavillion

2008-10-17T17:25:00.012+01:00

The temporary pavilions in Hyde Park have been very cool the last summers and I was really looking forward to seeing the one done by Frank Gehry. I like the materials and the way timber was used in different combinations. The positioning and the angling of the materials. The pavilion works well in the sunlight casting shadows and providing shade or sun - depending on what you feel like.

It would have been interesting to see how it worked in the rain. How the rain flows on the planes on the roofs.

It was busy with people relaxing - steps and balconies done and positioned to where people feel comfortable sitting. I think the balconies were less successful - I wouldn't feel relaxed sitting there and I felt like I disturbed the girl sitting on one of them when I went to have a look at the view from one.

Overall I thought it was cool - quite natural and organic in a sharp way.

Gelitin

2008-08-15T12:50:00.003+01:00

Link to the hamster wheel exhibition.

Looks cool. I like artists who doesn't take themselves to serious. And I like the concept of us moving at the spot a lot and not getting anywhere. Seems like the world today in some aspects.

Psycho Buildings at the Hayward Gallery

2008-08-15T11:56:00.003+01:00

The exhibition at the Hayward gallery shows works of artists who combine habitat like structures with architecture. It is all about big installations which can you can walk in, smell, see and interact with. They are atmospehric, spatial and ulitmatley want people to experience.

My favorite is the boating lake at the top by artist group Gelitin.

The lake contrasts against the surrounding concrete building and creates a different view of the Southbank. It is meant to be fun and playful.

I am all for art to interact with.

My goal for Landscape as well. Interacting Landscape.

Manufactured Landscapes

2008-05-10T10:10:00.012+01:00

Active granite quarry in Vermont, Canada (http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/index.html)

Abounded marble quarry, Vermont, Canada (http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/index.html)

Went to see Manufactured Landscapes at the BFI. It is the documentary about Edward Burtynsky's work from the last 10 years when he has been photographing the way industrialisation has changed the natural landscapes and the environment.

The photos above is how he started by looking at quarries in his native Canada, photographing how our life and industries are changing the landscape for good. The why he photographs it making it beautiful, until you actually start looking closer and realising what the photo is showing.

In the film he travels to China and is looking at the how industrialisation has changed the landscapes and nature in China. I like the why the documentary is made, not blaming China for the industries and the change in the landscape, but recognising our role in west as a major part in this. The industries in China are supporting our lifestyle in the west and ultimately it is our fault for the why China now are trying to cope with industries and the results and backlashes of this.

Showing an electronical factory in China. (http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/index.htm)

Some of the parts in the film is like another world. There are these images of what should be a green landscape and you can't see any plants or texture anywhere... It is incredible.

The Three Gorges dam (http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/index.htm)

The film shows the making of the Three Gorges dam along the Yangtze river. It is the largest engineering and construction site in the world, which has caused displacement of 1.2 million people and destroyed 11 cities. What is incredible is the the people in the villages are being paid to take down their own houses and the way it is done by hand is unbelievable.

(http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/index.htm)

(http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/index.htm)

But they are building the dam to cope with the huge amounts of energy that the industries take. The say that the dam will take 17 years in total to build and should be finished in 2009.

The film also shows us about recycling and ewaste. A large amount of our waste in the west end up in China where it is recycled and the process for this is mostly done by hand and especially the ewaste recycling is not good for people and it is whole images of ewaste villages and it is a terrible site of what of world might be like if we don't stop with the way we live now. It is like some kind of Scifi film! Scary stuff...

We also see photos from Shanghai and ship breaking down in Bangladesh. You come out from watching the film feeling a bit scared and ashamed of yourselves that we are the cause of those images that at first seem very beautiful - because of the why they are photographed by Edward Burtynski, then draw you in and then you are starting to see the details and start thinking and wondering. Edward Burtynski has said that he thought of making his photos political , but then thought that showing then without a messages, will cause an element of surprise and the viewer has to find out about the details in the photo himself and in the end he thought this was far more effective.

I love his photos and the message. I think it is very inspiring and also very scary. It tears you apart a bit, case we all want to keep living the way we do, but at the same time we realise that we can't.

Shipbreaking in Bangladesh (http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/index.htm)

Veggie patch

2008-05-09T14:20:00.004+01:00

Thought I should update on how my veggie patch is doing. The potatoes are coming on great, can't see much of the carrots yet, which is a bit disappointing - since I love eating home grown carrots they taste much better than carrots bought in the supermarket. The peas are also coming on well and I need to put up some sticks for them to climb on. I love having a veggie patch, it makes you feel like a little kid again and there is no question that home grown vegetables taste a lot better than supermarket ones! I am gonna get some tomatoe plants during the weekend as well.

I obviously know that my veggie patch is far too small to even make a difference in the amount of vegetables that I buy at the supermarket. But it is a start. I also think that large communal allotments could be a great solution to large estates and work as a social and environmental benefits and at the same time give a forgotten neighborhood a great sense of place. This is something I am investigating and suggesting for a back street in Waterloo.

Readings

2008-05-09T12:34:00.004+01:00

I have always been interested in sustainable design and decided to try to read up a bit more about the subject. I come across a book called 'Residential Landscape Sustainability - a checklist tool' by Carl Smith, Andy Clayden and Nigel Dunnett. As in the title it talks mainly about residential design, but the principles can be applied across different projects.

The issue with hard materials and landscape architecture is obviously a main concern when talking about sustainability. It is hard to be sustainable with hard landscaping material. Both if you combine sustainable methods with local materials this can be done. When choosing your material you should look at the embedded energy a material has, the process where it is made, the transport length and the life length and the maintenance of the material. For an example timber has low embedded energy, is a renewable material and is grown properly a very good hard material with a lot longer lifespan than clay and brick. The issue with timber is that only a small part of timber production can be described as sustainable. With a large part causing large scale clear felling, the introduction of fast-growing mono culture and removal of mixed old-growth forests.

To be sustainable timber production must consider the preservation of biological resources of the forest, conserve and manage watershed and soils, recognise people's rights and be economically viable. As designers we need to make sure that the wood we use have been produced in these processes. FSC is an international, independent, nongovernmental orrgnaistation which provides certification to forest owners who require authenticity for their timber production. This common knowledge to most people.

I also come across a few points that I hadn't considered before when I was reading the book. The book suggests using crushed waste from a site to provide hardcore for a new project. Which is reusing material already on site and reduces impacts of removing waste from site. I dound this simple and interesting. Other more obvious things are to make sure that if you use concrete, reduce the transport of the concrete and make sure that recycled aggregates are used in the process.

It also talks about simple solutions, like green roofs, brown and grey waste water collection, trees and their positioning to help energy efficiency of buildings, suds and much more. I can recommend reading the book. I will definitely get a copy to keep and use when I am thinking about materials I use in my projects.

The TCPA- the town and country planning association have a lot of interesting publications all download able on their website. The Climate change design by adaption is a good document. One of the most interesting points in there are talking about vernacular design. Which is a design that suits local climates and is a reflection of the customs and surrounding natural landscapes. Since a vernacular design has evolved to suit local conditions in place it is not entirely transferable to other places. But it provides a useful look at how other places and cultures have evolved to deal with the challenges of the current climate. And design in the UK can definitely benefit from this.

The document also talks about the adaptations that we are going to have start to design for immediately and not just in the future. It is good just to remind you what we always need to keep in the back of minds when designing and looking at new places.

Tree Lecture

2008-04-11T17:04:00.004+01:00

We are just about to start to work on open spaces around Waterloo and I thought as a preparation for my site which is a street and will almost certainly involve trees it would be good to try to learn more about what you need to consider when designing with trees.
Trees are the new black

Went to one of the breakfast talks at the NLA. The subject was trees and held by Martin Kelly from Lovejoy and Jim Smith from the Forestry commission. Both are involved in the Trees and Design Action Group TDAG. The main points they emphasized were:

Trees need space and need to be managed right.

Right Tree Right Location - to ensure future tree planting in London is appropriate, sustainable, considered and permits the long term survival of those trees planted so that they fulfill their growth potential and make the maximum contribution possible without causing many of the problems traditionally associated with planting trees in urban areas.

The importance of putting an actual value to a tree, to make other professions understand their value

Promoting an understanding of trees

The cost of manging the tree in relation to the value of the tree. A high value tree might cost more to maintain, but there are solutions to avoid and help management issues for the future.

At the moment there are more trees being planted in London than ever before. The problem is that it is not always the right kind of trees and the way and space where they are planted are not right.

Trees are identified as playing a major part in the climate change scenario. Trees can help to decrease the Urban heat island effect. They are also important to health and wellbeing. They provide shade, but you also need to consider where trees are planted in relation to buildings, not to shade too much sun, that is valuable for the building to absorb heat from the sun to heat the buildings. But at the same time you would want the tree to provide shade in the summer to keep the building from getting too hot.

Trees also absorb CO2 from the atmosphere (but CO2 are also released during deforestation). There is also research supporting trees role in absorbing NO2 from the atmosphere to reduce pollution.

The average value of a tree in London is £8000 - £10 000. The total value of all street trees in London are £2.9 billion. And that is not including the parks. The value of a tree is done by the CAVAT system which can be read more about on the London tree officer website.

For me this has left me with a lot of reading and a better understanding of trees and some of the things that you need to consider when consider planting trees in designs especially in an urban site. I think it will be really important to provide management plans for trees in your designs, so that councils know how to look after the trees and to avoid future problems that the trees could occur. But also trying to sort out existing problems and provide solutions, for example root pruning and extension of existing tree grills. Even though you will probably work with a tree officer on your schemes in the real world I think a good understanding of the basics is very important.

Also promoting new developments to include trees in their schemes and to work with architects to change the building foundations to work with trees.

At another level there is also the opportunities of promoting fruit tree orchards to come to the UK, since a lot have disappeared over past years. I would love to have the opportunity to promote an urban orchard to highlight the issue of the future importance of local food production.

London Open City exhibition

2008-03-16T17:29:00.010Z

View of the courtyard at Somerset House

Somerset House is beautiful and the courtyard is as well. I have been to a concert here during the summer and it is a great place for an outside concert. Next year I am hoping to get to the ice rink which is here during the Christmas period. Since we have been talking a lot about paving and drainage lately in University I couldn't help to look at it. The stone setts are beautiful and probably been here for a long time. I am guessing they are granite, since most of the paving in London is. The drainage is a little bit special. The high point is in the middle of the courtyard. Draining off to the sides, where there is a slot drain placed in an oval. Then there is another slot drain going in another oval between the buildings and the first slot drain. With the levels draining down to it. I think it is good solution to the drainage here. As it keeps the courtyard clean. The middle point is quite high though and possibly there might have been a better solution to the middle.

The proposed new city to sea path

The reason I went to Somerset house was to see the London Open City Exhibition. The exhibition does what the name says, it looks at London and its open spaces. Green and hard spaces. It talks about the challenges London faces as a city at the moment and in the future. The growing population of London and how do you accommodate this growth within the boundaries of London. Talking about the careful planning that this will take, to keep existing open spaces and to create new ones. One solution being higher density developments. Of course all this needs to done at the same time as tackling the issue of Climate change. Making transport efficient and public space a pleasure to use, well managed and easily accessible.

The points about making public space accessible I think is very important. Cause there a lot of areas across London which are missing an important close open space to them.

Design for London who has curated the exhibition also talks about blending new and old, respecting London's heritage and creating places for a diverse population. This is also very important since London is a very multi cultural city and spaces need to support this.

The exhibtion looks at some of the spaces that are either going through a change at the moment or have designs planned for the space. It is concentrating on 4 big ones, the Victoria Embankment - the potential of a great promenade along the waterfront, with less traffic and more pedestrian space - Bankside Urban Forest proposal - by Witherford Watson Mann Architects, the proposal aims to highlight the relationship between the less intensively developed urban interior and its active, increasingly corporate, edges - Barking and the Riverside - Potters Field Park by Gross Maxx - which has been done so you can go and check it out.

Some of the people and organisations that shape London's urban fabric.

In the three rooms of the exhibition there are tear off 1 page A3 essays by Alan Powers, Gillian Darley and Edwin Heathcote. Which is a great idea. Sometimes you like to read more around the subject of the exhibition, but no necessarily when you are there and this essays you can take away with you and read on your way home. The essays talk about how London has changed over the years, about greening the grey and a city of surprises. They are all good and worth reading. Some things you will agree with and some not.

I like the greening the grey, talking about simple little things we can do to improve ecology, habitats and local food productions. About blending private and public responsibilities in terms of these areas. Which I think is a very exciting and new possibility, that I might try to investigate in my next project.

The other thing I really take from the exhibition are a few words and sentences. Don't dictate use. Which I find interesting and definitively worth investigating in your designs. It also talks a lot about security streetscape and the need to find other ways to achieve the security that bollards, anti climb paint, skate boards stoppers on street furniture and much more.

It leaves you thinking and it is both exciting and scary to think about the challenges ahead.

New Garden Plan

2008-03-14T12:45:00.005Z

This is the new garden plan. The basic layout is the same, but there are rectangles of plants filled in. The garden has fencing on both sides and the main concern was to try to cover the fencing, to create a different feel. The planting is placed in flower beds in shapes of rectangles. This to create a contrast between soft planting and hard shape.

All the plants are chosen for their suitability and are all fully hardy. They are all plants that can cope with clay soil. The plants vary in shades of green and the highlighting colours (flowers and berries) range from red to orange to white and black.

Some of the plants were chosen for the smell as well. The climbers will be along the fence behind the seating area and they should give out a slight chocolate smell.

The right side has a wall of bamboos, which will give greenness and structure and dramatic effect blowing in the wind. The left side is a mix of shrubs, grasses and bamboos. Different heights and different feel. Making this an interesting and varying border. All plants are evergreen, but a few of the might be cut down in the autumn if they have had a hard summer.

Next step is trying to source the plants and cost up and count out how many of each plant I need, this will make it a real planting plan.

Existing garden layout

2008-03-14T10:02:00.003Z

Soil test

2008-03-13T17:05:00.007Z

View out to the garden
Looking a bit sad at the moment, but getting more and more green.

Views back toward the house.
Here I have started with some planting, but was done without much thought.

Tried to do a soil test to measure Ph level, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash level in the soil. Unfortunalety I don't think it worked very well. There were supposped to develop colour with different strengths... they all look pretty much they same to me. I think that the soil in garden is clay. Which can mean poor drainage. Tomorrow I will do a drainage test and get another soil test.

The colour chart showing what you should have seen, then my tests. As you can see I didn't have much luck.

Prague

2008-02-08T15:30:00.000Z

These are my favourite shots of Prague.

Just spent the weekend in Prague. We just walked around and took in the city. Enjoyed lots of good food, architecture, landscape and paving!

Paving in crazy pattern, circling around corners, angels out from buildings and straight lines.

Most of the streets, pavements and squares in Prague are cut stone setts in different colours, sizes and patterns. Some of it is very beautiful and you can not even start to image how long it must have taken for all of the cut stone setts to be laid.

Close up of some of the paving. I think most of it is quite old and you can see how well it has aged and that the quality is very good.

The paving goes very well with the old architecture of Prague. There are mostly old buildings, which are rendered, this explains how the buildings are in such good conditions. They are easier to look after than if they would have the brick work exposed.

One of the few modern buildings in Prague is the Theatre. It fits in very successfully with the surrounding buildings and I like it the simplicity of the building. The Charles bridge is a wonderful bridge. The walk over the bridge at night is quite special. It gives out such a atmosphere and sense of history.

When looking at the architecture around Prague you can't help to wonder what people will say about architecture from today in 100 years time?

The landscape architecture around Prague mostly consist of squares and streets. The Wenceslas Square is the most famous, where all the seating is on one end of the square leaving the entire square as one open space. This quite interesting and it was the one place in Prague where my boyfriend's little niece absolutely loved to run around.

Pertin Hill is a great open space just outside the town centre. The hills create a great view to look on and a great view to look out from.

Finishing with a bit of cliche. Prague will always be a special place for me, not just because it is a beautiful city, but more because my boyfriend proposed here!

Just behind the main square we walked past this empty street. It was amazing to see the empty street surrounded by all the other busy streets. I love this image of Prague.

NLA - Waterfront London

2008-01-25T14:45:00.000Z

The new exhibition at the NLA is called Waterfront London - rediscovering the rivers and canals of the capital.
The exhibition has great models and interesting facts about the the Thames and other rivers around London. It shows examples of developments that have been carried out or will happen in the future along the riverfront.

One of the most important things that the exhibition brings to light is the importance of the Thames and riverfront as public open space and how today it is not as beautiful or active as it used to be. And that this is something that has huge potential and should be fulfilled.

As an landscape architect student this is interesting and great. I love the opportunity to work along any kind of water and the Thames is obviously a fantastic resource of water.

The challenge is today greater than ever, with increasing flooding and climate change to consider. The Thames barrier has over the last few years been used a lot more than thought when it was built in 1982 and we all know that the Thames barrier will not be enough for the future.

So future developments need to consider flooding and try to find solutions for this.

The other challenge is to protect the Thames for its biodiversity. It is the largest continuous natural habitat in greater London. The heavy rainfall and flooding is causing the sewer system to discharge into the Thames and the Lea river when it becomes overloaded to save properties. This has severe consequences for ecology.

Some of the developments that i am looking forward to is Battersea Reach, King Cross and Venture Xtreme Surf Centre.

Model of Buro Happold and Grant Associates bid for one of the Olympic sites.

College Roundabout - Kingston

2008-01-25T14:32:00.001Z

The first project this semester was to create a temporal installation / sculpture at one of the gateways to Kingston.

I immediately knew that I wanted to do something that involved the whole roundabout and not just a sculpture placed in the middle of the roundabout.

I looked at the shapes of the roundabout and thought of simplifying and making it more natural and soft. But also wanted to bring some kind of sustainable aspect to it. Since this is something I am really trying to bring across to all designs this year.

The end result is green, bold and subtle at the same time. And would look great and is achievable!

Walk on cold Winters day in Sweden

2008-01-03T10:29:00.000Z

Went for morning walk around where I grew up in Sweden. It is called Norrviken and is located north of Stockholm (twenty minutes train ride from central Stockholm). Even if that is about the same distance as I live outside London now, it is very different. I guess since Stockholm is not as big, you actually get further out in the country quicker.

About 10 minutes walk from my house where my dad still lives there is a nature reserve, with a lake and a forest and fields. It s great for walking, mountain biking, running and maybe some cross country skiing in winter if you are lucky.

The photos are showing kind of a wetland walk through reeds at the edges of the lake. It has got a simple timber walk way through it and you feel really good walking trough the reeds. It shows how simple landscape can work.

Vasa parken - Stockholm

2008-01-03T09:40:00.000Z

When I went home to Sweden for an early Christmas, I took the opportunity to visit a park in central Stockholm. The park is called Vasa parken and has had some updating over the past years and there is still some work going on. What I knew before I went was that they have these very cool trampolines for kids to play on. I thought they looked great when I saw photos of them and I wasn't disappointed. They were great and we had to try them of course.

I thought maybe they would stand out to much and break up the traditional park too much. But I actually think they were great and the colour looked perfect on a very cold winters day. There some kids in quite different ages playing on them when we were there. The rest of the park is very traditional and very Swedish. It is surrounded by old beautiful houses. You could see that some parts have been done up, but there are also a lot of elements kept in the park, which retains the character of a very old park with a history.

I like the ice rink, with the seating platforms on one end. Which probably is used for football during the summer and spring. There were kids skating on it. It is all free and the kids just bring their own skates. That is something I used to do when I was growing up and I love the fact that you can still go out and do that. And in central Stockholm all for free. It really encourages kids to play outside, even if it is cold and dark outside. It is still safe as well.

I really like the fact that the park is so Swedish and that the character of the park has been kept through regeneration. If the park looked great on a cold winters day, I think it will look beautiful on a summers day.

Playing in photoshop

2007-12-13T11:04:00.000Z

Matthew Williamson at the Design Museum

2007-12-12T20:15:00.000Z

The second exhibition I saw at the design museum was the Matthew Williamson's. The exhibtion looked great. The colourfulness of his designs looked great suspended from the ceiling in the white museum. In terms of exhibition I didn't think it was my thing. I did find the colours and the patterns very cool, but part from that I didn't find it too interesting.

The text on the walls was the most interesting thing - where Matthew Williamson's design process was described and where you can read quotes from him. I liked how he says that ' combing the natural with the man made - the contrast between design, fabric and decoration is the strongest inspiration of all'.

Jean Prouve at the Design Museum

2007-12-12T18:47:00.000Z

This is the 2nd Focus week this year. Took the chance today to go to the Design Museum to check out the Jean Prouve exhibition.

They say that Jean Prouve was the man who invented high-tech. He worked in architecture, but wasn't an architect. He was a designer and an engineer. He designed unique furniture and moved on to buildings. Some of the models on show are amazing. Some are surprisingly organic and ecological and feel very contemporary at the same time

This model is of a youth center proposal for Ermot done in 1967.

His use of material and inventive ideas make him inspiring. In a house he designed for his brother he had vents in the roof to naturally ventilate the house.

Model showing the structure of the Grenoble exhibition hall, done in aluminium and brass in 1968.

His sketches are cool and his furniture very nice. He designed a lot for schools, and government institutions. They got to have a very cool furniture in those days!

Jean Prouves sketches are very good. I love the way he has worked with line thickness to give his sketches some depth.

It was a nice exhibition and I took the chance to try to do some sketching of some of the models and structures. I found Jean Prouves work inspiring and he seemed like a designer with a systematic approach and order. Which is what I am in a way. It is good to see that you can be organised and a good designer at the same time. Since for me the go hand in hand.

Water Nest - Phase 2

2007-11-05T14:24:00.000Z

Introduction: Continuing on from the first phase, we now found out that we are to work on a site in Paddington Basin. The site is quite complex with clean materials and a lot of angles and a 11 story building. It has got a basin cutting into the site with the rolling bridge.

The site is surprisingly very windy and there are not a lot of oppurtunities to sit along the canal actually facing the water. The landscaping is very simple and clean on site at the moment. It doesn't encourage people to stay here.

I started to try my concept on the site, by looking at the way the site is used at the moment and then look at areas where i might be able intervene with the site or change the landforms of the site, but keeping the way people walk through the site.

Identifying the flow of pedestrians on the site at the moment.

Looking at the different areas which are not used at the moment.

Concept Development: Then I looked at possible shapes and levels that might work with the site. Using my concept on the site using quite sharp forms, but soften it with lines of planting.

Lines of vertical and structural planting. Allowing some of the planting to be cut down into the site to place the reed beds for collecting and cleaning the water before it runs off into the canal. Playing with the planting to create views that you can see through and some you can't.

Working my way through different shapes and forms trying out what might work on site. I started at thinking of creating one kind of big seating platform of a shape in the open area on the east side of the site. The platform broken up by lines of vertical planting. Thinking this was to be where my nest where supposed to be. Also increasing the usage of the site for other people by creating platforms along the canal side for people to be able to sit in the water. This would blur the treshold between the water and land by allowing people sitting in the water. And it would also allow the towpath along the side of the canal to be kept free from people sitting there.

Moved on from the platform idea, since it didn't really connect across the whole site. I started to think of using vertical elements possibly a mix of hard material and planting to create the different views and define different areas as my possible nest sites. Tried to mix the planting with hard materials such as bamboo. Considering the height, materials and layout of the verticals.

Sketch showing bamboo verticals and reed planting.

Also developed the idea of the plaforms in the water to floating footstools. So you can sit along the canal with you legs down without actually getting wet. Possible the footstool could be bigger and still allow for people to sit on.

Footstool concept close up

Working through sketches and models trying to find the one design of verticals that work on site.

Sketch showing cluster of verticals in the basin space.

Did a diagram of the different kind of possibilities to consider when working out the positioning of the verticals. The dimension between the verticals, dimensions of lines between the lines of verticals, the different patterns of the verticals, the height, general layout and the mix between hard and soft materials. The varieties are numerous.

After that I tried a few of those of the model, first the circle and kind of cluster shapes made up of verticals. Didn't really like it with the very angular site and sharp building. And it doesn't work quite as well to play with the views and directing the usage of the site.

Then I tried to follow the angles and lines of the building to create lines and pattern that would interfere with the way people walk through the site at the moment. Changing the dimensions of the distance in between the verticals to either allow people to walk in between or not. Allowing the views to define possible spaces for the nests.

Started to think it was a bit boring, so started to think that possibly the wind could move the vertical elements around on site, creating different views from above and create a different feel for when you are walking through the site. Also possibly the movements could allow the patterns to change to create little protected spaces throughout the site.

New layout, applying circles and lines following the angles of the building. Working with 3 primary nests and letting the reeds and the columns gather there and the rest of the columns are guiding people through the site.

At this point I decided to go back to my story and original concept to resolve the design. I realised that some of the important elements of my original design had disappeared. I like the fact of having the reed beds sunken down in the site and collecting and cleaning the water. Also realised that it would be good to think of where the reeds might gather and where the best possibilities for the nests are. All this would blur the threshold between water and land. Working with the floating footstools in the design.

Close up of one of the nests, with seating platforms with movable columns so you create your own nest.

Realised that the idea of the wind moving the colums might not work, so started thinking of having columns that could be moved by people to create your own little nest. Taking the idea of creating a nest very literal. The design is working better, following the original story and concept again. The layout looks better and works better across the site.

Sketch showing the bit underneath the overhang, where a bit is cut out to just let the water overflow onto the site. A more protected nest.

Below showing section through the circle seating platforms.

Sketch showing new and final layout.

Decided to change the layout slightly, since one of the nests were too close to the rolling bridge. In the new layout the bridge is left clear and still has got a view by itself. The reed bed by the circle is slightly smaller and the cut out area underneath the overhang is changed in shape to go with the rest of the site.

The red circles marking out the nesting sites and the red lines explaining the angles of the lines of columns.

Conclusion: The finished design has changed and reduced the hardness, shapes and feel of the site without changing the actual landforms. The reeds and columns leading you through the site. The verticals matching the tall buildings on the surrounding canal. The threshold between land and water is blurred by letting some of the columns and reeds come out into the water and also by the floating footstools allowing you to come closer to the water. The character of the site is playful, sustainable and creating an urban nesting site in the city to give you a feeling of being somewhere else.

Water Nest - Phase 1

2007-11-05T13:02:00.000Z

Introduction: At the beginning of the new project we were told to work to an imaginary site, to develop a concept and love story for 2 people meeting for lunch everyday. We were to create a water nest for our lovebirds, investigating the threshold between water and land.

In my research I came across a couple of images that really stood out to me - of a blackbirds nest in the reeds and one of a nesting site of flamingos. In the book 'The poetics of space' by Gaston Bachelard (Beacon Press, 1969) I read the line 'the green in the greenness'. I liked the idea of that line and how it hinted at sometimes you know don't see things unless you know that they are there. I used all this to start to think about my story and to form the concept further.

Story summary: My two lovebirds are travelling people, who are aware of nature and their surroundings. They appreciate the small things in life. They want a space for their lunch meetings which will remind them of somewhere else than London. They also want a functional space and a beautiful space that has a sense of sustainability.

Click on image below to read whole story.

Sketches showing different layouts.

Concept Development: Started by looking at the levels of the site and trying the concept on the site. Using the topography of the flamingos nesting site to create small seating platforms and then these lines of reed beds going through the site. Playing with the views. When someone is sitting down in the nest you won't be able to see them until they stand up. Using the reed beds to collect and clean the water from the site until it runs off to the canal. Bluring the threshold between land and water by letting some of the reeds grow out into the water and some platforms in the water, which you can walk out to.

Trying out the concept of the reeds hiding the person in the nest when you sit down and when you stand up you can see them.

Sketch showing how the seating platforms sit on the different levels.

In the end I decided for round platforms to match the flamingos nests and to let them drape over different levels and go out to the water. Together with some of the reeds in the water to communicate the land and the water more as one on the site and to make the step less obvious.

Sketch showing the reeds leading you out to the seating platform in the water.

Along with sketches I also worked on a model trying out different levels, how the platforms sit on site and the layout of the reed beds and how much of the site that will be in low water.

Section of the finished concept - showing the reed beds, the 'hidden nest' and how the reed beds clean the water before it joins the canal.

Below are the images of the finished concept. With seating platforms and reeds extending into the canal. A playful and adventures site with a sense of sustainability and greenness.

Inspiration

2007-11-01T19:08:00.000Z

This week has been a week off Uni, dedicated to go out an learn and look at things. Wasn't quite sure at the beginning of the week what I wanted to do. I wanted to some inspiration for my project at the moment, which I had come to a bit of a stand still on, but I also wanted to take the time to go out and do something more practical.

In the end I am pretty happy with what I have done this week. The climate change lecture on Monday was interesting, even though it left me feel a bit like the small sustainable things I do in my projects are small and insignificant.

I found the geometry and playfulness of the Serpentine Pavilion interesting and inspirational.

The vertical elements and the playing with views that the birch trees do outside the Tate Modern made me feel more confident about my proposal for Paddington Basin. Where I use vertical elements and views. I never noticed that the birch trees outside the Tate do that in a way before.

It felt good to go out and do something practical with the BTCV and I look forward to doing some more.

The Matthew Barney exhibition was good for me to see, since I am not that great at drawing. It was inspirational to see good simple drawings and looked really good. It made me want to practice my drawing a lot more.

It has been nice to have a week without lectures and studio to give you time to go out and do and learn things that it sometimes is hard to have time for otherwise. I think during the focus weeks this semester I kind just want to see different things to help me realise what I think are important things to me in my design. Hopefully next semester I can then concentrate on a few things and learn them properly.

BTCV Lewisham

2007-11-01T17:49:00.000Z

Went out for the day today to do some volunteer conservation work with BTCV in Lewisham. We met up in Hilly fields in Ladywell in south London. The task for the day was clearing out bramble in the entrance bit to the park and the wildlife area of the park. It was great to be doing some practical work and get some fresh air. I really enjoyed getting stung by the needles of the brambles. It was the first time I have done any work with the BTCV and it was a good experience. I was the only one under 50 I think, but everyone were really nice and very enthusiastic.

My intention is to do some more days before Christmas and try to get involved. They work across a lot of different parks in south London and it will be a good chance to see the difference in landscape and parks and space. In terms of maintenance, bad and good examples and what kind of values BTCV have. Hopefully I will learn some about trees and planting as I do along. I think it will benefit my aim in becoming a landscape architect.

Tate Modern

2007-11-01T16:56:00.000Z

Outside Tate Modern at the moment stands Louise Bourgeois's monumental spider sculpture Maman from 1999. It is quite a scary sculpture when you get closer and think of what it really is and it gives you a very different feeling standing underneath the spider's legs. A different feeling of space and nature.

Inside in the Turbine Hall you can see Doris Salcedo's work Shibboleth. It is a huge crack in the floor reaching the length of the hall. It is the first installation in the turbine hall to intervene directly with the floor in the space.

When I was looking around in the hall, I didn't know what Doris Salcedo's aim and thought with the installation was. I was thinking it had to do with fragility of society, space and built world. Maybe to make people experience the space differently. When I got home I decided to find out what her intentions with the work was. The crack according to her asks questions about the interaction of sculpture and space, about architecture and its values ans symbolises the ideological foundations on which western modernity are built. It draws our eye to the floor and shifting our perception of the turbine hall. For me the crack made the hall feel bigger and was fun to see everyone looking and interacting with it in the hall. It was a bit weird to see the amount of people trying to get their feet and hands in the crack!

What I didn't know is that Doris Salcedo also is trying to address the issue of racism and colonism with the crack. Which I have a harder time to see and maybe not connecting so much to that idea. But in general it is an alright installation, it takes great photos, but maybe not so much more.

Matthew Barney

2007-10-31T19:34:00.000Z

http://www.serpentinegallery.org/MB283_L3_small%20NO%20CAPTION.jpg

At the serpentine gallery there is a exhibition on at the moment of Matthew Barney. I didn't quite know what to expect when I walked in. The exhibition has films, drawings and sculptures. I didn't really like the films (but I have to admit I didn't really give them a chance) . I did like some of the drawings, they reminded me of landforms and some were really simple. The sculptures were made from industrial materials such as petroleum jelly, expanded polystyrene and poly - carproactone thermoplastic. The 'Holographic Entry Point' (the photo above) reminded me of oil covered beach and the forms and shape made it interesting. I guess everyone experiences the exhibition differently and I went away feeling inspired in terms of drawing and landforms.

Climate change lecture - The Royal Society

2007-10-30T21:45:00.004Z

Went to the Royal Society on Monday evening to listen to a public lecture. The title was Climate Change on Living Earth by Professor James Lovelock. I remember hearing about James Lovelock in the Sustainability lectures and about he created the Gaia concept. He also created the theory of thinking about Earth as living system and how this should be the way you see earth to research and respond to climate change.

He started the lecture about talking about he has an apocalyptic view of the future and how we are already running out of time to respond to the increasing problem of climate change. We are not acting fast enough at the moment. He also said that implementing the Kyoto protocol is not going to be enough. I guess these are things we might have already known or started to realise. He went on to say that the most important thing at the moment is to find ways to extend the time we have to act to climate change. This could be by finding technological solutions to help slowing up climate change.

He spoke of the division in the scientific field and how this has a negative effect on research. He discussed the IPPC report which has just come out and called it conservative. He doesn't think it has a realistic view on climate change and that the targets are not enough.

The next thing which can up was the concept of global dimming and how this actually cools the earth and the fact that if reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere goes too fast this might raise the temperature of the earth instead. If this is done to quickly the temperature might increase by that crucial 2 - 3 degrees which would wipe out big parts of wildlife and ecosystems. James Lovelock said: 'We are damned if we keep burning fossil fuels and damned if we stop too fast'.

Other things mentioned were the fact that most climate change models only account for atmospheric changes and not on the living earth system and the fact that even if the level of CO2 goes down, it might already be too late.

So, what is James Lovelock's solution to this? He talked about what has already been mentioned the importance of thinking of earth as a living system. About stimulating the earth to cure itself and restoring the balance in nature. About reducing emissions and protecting natural forest (instead of planting new).

But the real thing that he said was the world needs a climate catastrophe to wake up. (I thought that there already have been a lot of them over the past years.) He mentioned climate refugees and mass migration and that the northern countries need to start to prepare for this and said that a similar response as in wartime is needed. Human rights require human obligations.

I learned a few new things in the lecture, but what mostly surprised me was how kind of negative James Lovelock's view of the future and the climate change is. It was good to hear in a way, cause it does seem realistic at this point, changes are not coming fast enough, even though climate change will affect all of us in our daily lives. You need to be prepared for big changes and be prepared to commit to them . Starting with increasing with what you might already be doing. And it is a fact that no one really knows what the effects of climate change will have on our lives, but I think everyone will admit that it is happening and you can't ignore research, even though it might be a lot more negative and scary even than you would like. So, I agree we need to wake up. Not just Europe but the whole world. Climate changes is a global issue.

Serpentine Pavilion

2007-10-30T21:43:00.000Z

Took a last chance to see the Serpentine Pavilion in Hyde Park - designed by Olafur Eliasson (the guy who did the weather project at Tate Modern in 2003) and architect Kjetil Thorsen. The two has collaborated on a few projects in the past few years - the National Opera House in Oslo and they have recently submitted a competition proposal for the new Museum of Contemporary Art in Warsaw.

Olafur Eliasson has a laboratory for spatial research in Berlin, his work deals with the relationship between people and their surroundings. Kjetil Thorsen is co funder of architectural practice Snohetta.

At first I didn't think it looked that great seeing from a distance, but as I got closer I started to really like it. It was just before 5 o'clock and it was starting to get dark, it was a beautiful light to see the pavilion in between daylight and nighttime. The yellowness of the leaves contrasted the bronzy colour of the pavilion.

The pavilion is a timberclad structure with levels in contrast traditional single level pavilions. You can walk up and around the building and then view the surrounding park and into the dome. When I was there there were some kids running up and down the pavilion and it was interesting to see how they responded to the building, bouncing off the walls and loving to run up to the top and down again. Also fascinated by the lights and the views, which are slightly interrupted by the vertical elements. On the way up they are the shape as in the photos below and on the way down they look like on the last photo below. It was interesting to see and I didn't realise it until I was walking back down again.

The Serpentine Pavilion is a beautiful building and it is a bit if shame it is going to be taken down. It plays with views, geometry and shapes. I really liked how it appealed to both adults and kids and I liked the fact that they let the kids run around it. It makes you realise things about the building that you might not have otherwise. If you got a chance to go and see it before the it is taken down on the 5th, I can highly recommend it.

Rolling Bridge

2007-10-27T22:16:00.000+01:00

ROLLING BRIDGE by Thomas Heatherwick

At the moment we are working on a site in Paddington Basin in front of the Marks and Spencer building. It is a challenging and interesting site. The landscape and the rolling bridge design was carried out in 2005.

The Bridge is very cool. It is a beautiful, steel and timber structure, who in its normal conventional condition still is just a bridge, but a very nice one. When you see it being rolled up it becomes more. It is a kind of organic structure and the finished oxtagon fits perfectecly on site. As it curls up the hydraulics rams makes the process very quite and smooth and actually very fast.

If anyone wants to go see it curl up, this happens every Friday at noon (unless it is too windy). I can recommend it! If not just to get some cool photos and I think it helps you take your design concept a bit further.

Kingston Gateways

2007-10-07T20:30:00.000+01:00

The first project this semester was on the Kingston Gateways. We were to choose one gateway into Kingston and make an intervention. This is my design proposal.

National Theatre

2007-09-18T20:24:00.000+01:00

When walking along the Thames on our way to London Bridge we passed Waterloo bridge and the National Theatre. What we see was all these sculptors of people high up on the roofs of surrounding buildings. The buildings looked interesting and it really attracted the eye to the sky and the horizont.

The National Theatre is quite a beautiful and interesting building in its own way. The architecture and the landscape around and on the building goes well together. I liked the ads on the buidling at this time, the bright orange really contrasting with the conrete. Very simple and clever - suitable for the summer time.

Latz & Partner

2007-05-08T20:58:00.000+01:00

Kew Garden

2007-04-23T17:56:00.000+01:00