performing the space 2009/10

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

Back in studio

beth maori dance inspiration

A couple of weeks seem a long time away and all of a sudden, spring has sprung. Now there is a new urgency, energy and focus - the project work is being polished, evaluated and reflected upon.

Tutorials took place on Monday 19th April. This, I feel, overall, was a very good session. A lot of thinking and reflecting had taken place over the holiday, clearly, together with development of new work. I also noticed, and discussed with many, how easy it can be to lose track of what one is working on, if that regular focus is not maintained throughout the absence from studio. Regular feedback, discussion and sharing news and ideas with others is so very important for anyone working on new concepts, projects, solutions..

Thursday 22nd April will continue to form part of preparations for submission. There will be a session in the morning with an over view of requirements, what to think about and how best to get ready for the final critique and submission. The date for this is Tuesday 4th May. This will be confirmed via studynet.

Please make sure that you read all briefs for all projects and parts of projects and that you fully understand all requirements and deadlines. Also, please remember the deadline for 2DES0064 is 29th April. You know this.. but no harm with a little reminder here and there..

Friday, 2 April 2010

Breaking up for Easter

We are back in studio Monday 19th April

Happy Easter

You may be interested in this exhibition at RIBA

The Lives of Spaces

9-28 April 2010

image source: riba website

Tuesday, 30 March 2010

pre-Easter critique - reflecting

kathak dance rinaben

That was a long day with a lot of thinking, coming up with ideas, concepts and methodologies.. It was a refreshing and, considering the essay hand-in and other group project work etc., very well delivered set of presentations. I am sure Nancy and Polly will agree 100%. This was great - and exactly what a pre-break crit is all about - getting you to a place from where you can work and develop ideas further, freely, with feedback and new perspectives. A springboard.

Without this, it is a hard task to manage - and anyway - you should be there - taking part, commenting, seeing, hearing, interacting and learning from each other. Every bit of feedback and discussion is going to be relevant in some way, at some stage for every one of you. That is the importance and beauty of the 'dreaded' crit. It is a positive thing - turn it around to become that - what you want it to be - remember, you're in charge of your work, after all - a way of opening new doors and letting some light in. Thanks everyone for being there today - keep going. Get a bit obsessed (get very obsessed), but maybe not to the extent of the student who stayed in the box in the square (ha ha) - those that were there will know - but it's a totally valid reminder of how passionate a project can - and should - become.

Looking forward to seeing mirrored disco suits, smashed plates, forests, balancing acts, reactive walls, gestured messages, navigated interiors, spatial landscapes, trees, roots, playgrounds, cartwheels, morphed cricket games, embedded messages..... and all the rest of it. Just don't stop. yet.

Now, let's go dancing..

audience chris o'shea inspired nikita

nikita unexpected views mini mirrors in the ladies' loo

jubilee gardens, london southbank jodiann cartwheeling ideas..

jodiann the acrobat

station opera house drunken madness

inspired katerina

balancing act katerina (nina)

ellie

natalie - navigation systems

james

emma - stair studies

ellie

beth - instructions - inspired by yoko ono

bahwi - broken and then put together again - time heals

unknown source

ellie

power napping, go for it

Monday, 29 March 2010

preparing for presenting / pre-easter crit

sakina

Some images sent to me by some students - many thanks - your interaction is absolutely necessary - keep images, film etc coming this way..

Tomorrow - 30th March 2010 - we will look at all work to date, evaluate and feedback - you need to be able to completely immerse yourself in this work over the holidays

keywords: maquettes, place on site, brief/what/how/who, materials, collage (for further ideas and conceptual visuals)...

jasvinder

ellie

"The idea of the house has roots in our deep mental space, and we cannot prescribe what will be successful. But we architects must begin by making a full account of our own spatial history - individual, communal and historical - before we can be sure that we are not unconsciously visiting our unconscious preferences onto others".

Leon van Schaik

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

action for now

heidi saarinen - collision - corridors & other journeys 2010

Dear all - end of this week we will look at the exhibition / modular system for 2DES0064.

We will also be allowing time for preparing for Crit Week - self managed - 2DES0065 - go over all that you have done so far - what is the initial idea - process - where has it moved to - stage of process - where do you take it next - programme - why / how / who / when / what ..... / continue to ask and answer questions. You must be clear about the project you are proposing. TITLE? A title (can be a working title for now) will help you focus, as will key words and themes. Narrow your thinking down and allow you to focus on the main theme, and build a stronger project. Do not keep looking for new ideas - carry on with the idea / concept you have and develop this.

Check and re-read briefs and task sheets (1-4), read the article I gave you (Architecture in Motion). IF you haven't got this (..?) get it copied from another student or if this fails, let me know Thursday. You are required to read, evaluate and discuss the contents of the text. It is relevant to your project and will give clues to ways of working, tracing movement and light, for example, within a spatial environment.

So - this week is all about preparing for Crit Week. You all have plenty to do, develop and make ready for next week. Please allow sufficient time for all this. Do come prepared next week. You need this so that you can work over the Easter break without interruptions.

I am around for brief tutorials but most of you should now be developing work, guided by previous tutorials and feedback from recent presentations. Can I strongly recommend that you research and check out the links I have attached here - further links can be found via these ones. The more you search, the more you will find...

Deborah Jinza Thayer (source: http://www.movementarchitecture.com/press/skyway_1.pdf)

some useful links connecting movement / architecture/ spatial design:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts-performance_in_profile-2009-british_council-carol_brown_dances.htm - carol brown choreographer collaborates with architects

http://www.carolbrowndances.com/index.php carol brown, choreographer

http://www.scenofest.org/Scenography/Strange_Encounters.htm - dorita hannah, architect dealing with spatial design through choreography and performance

http://traumwerk.stanford.edu:3455/43/29 - buildings, culture and the body

http://humanitieslab.stanford.edu/49/75 - as above

http://www.swarch.co.uk/ sarah wigglesworth architects - collaborating with choreography

http://www.siobhandavies.com/ siobhan davies collaborating with arcghitecture

http://www.interactivearchitecture.org/some-thoughts-on-responsive-kinetic-architecture.html

http://www.subtletechnologies.com/2006/symposium/Bonnmaison-Macy.html

http://www.movementarchitecture.com/press/skyway_1.pdf

"We now have at our disposal moving image technology which includes video capture, animations and computer generated graphics. As this technology continues to put more tools at our disposal, we as architects can begin to conceive of new design processes that take advantage of what is on offer. The association of Indian classical dance and temple architecture can be more thoroughly explored using motion capture technology to analyse the spatial qualities of dance. At the same time, the ‘dance’ of the architecture itself can be better understood through animation technology combined with video footage."

Devdutt Shastri, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff

source: http://humanitieslab.stanford.edu/49/75

Monday, 22 March 2010

Performing Topology

Today I attended the Performing Topology colloquium at Goldsmiths, University of London. This final part to the Topological Approach to Cultural Dynamics series "explored the use of concepts from the mathematical field of topology, as they might be relevant for understanding performance space, embodiment and the sensation of changing space".

This is all relevant to our discipline - Spatial Design - where mathematical formula and categories from topological theories can be applied for testing spatial compositions, through the body in space; gestures, movements and occupying environments - applying categories of objects (people, things etc) and testing these. For our project, this is useful, when we work out ways of mapping movement and experiences within these environments.