The exhibit! team would like to make a special recognition to the designer of the poster of the s.p.a.c.e. odissey event: Dr Sergio Altomonte.
Many thanks Sergio and look forward to your next creative contribution!
The exhibit team
Friday, January 30, 2009
Blueprint
In what proved to be a fascinating talk, Blueprint magazine’s Robin Wilson and Gian Luca Amadei came in to talk to the Journalism group, plus any interested parties, at lunchtime on Thursday. Wilson spoke first, followed by Amadei and both began by explaining their educational background and how they came to work in architectural journalism. Robin Wilson started as a Fine Art graduate, went on to do an MA in Art Criticism & Theory, and then worked as an art critic for a while, making contacts and writing reviews, meanwhile becoming increasingly interested in architecture and ultimately undertaking a PhD in Architectural Theory at the Bartlett where he now teaches when he is not writing for journals. Gian Luca Amadei’s background was different again, beginning as an accountant in Italy, but becoming interested in design and as a result, studying interior design. He found that his written work was doing better than his concept designs, and so decided to follow this path! He began as an intern at Blueprint, on a 5 week placement where he made tea, coffee and photocopies before moving on to working on preview pages, and three years later, is now Product Editor.
Robin Wilson talked through some of his own past work, including articles written for the great bastions of the architectural journal world, the AR and AJ. Along the way, he offered insights into the life of a freelance architectural journalist (often barely breaking even once a site visit to Norway has been taken into account, for example) and of the traditions upheld by many journals. He was critical of some of these traditions, such as the incessant use of the 'pun title' (‘Dante’s Drive-in’, ‘Making the Earth Move’, ‘Plant Life’... the list is virtually endless) which he feels banalise the content of the article before one even reads it, and the ubiquitous ‘blue-sky and corrected perspective’ architectural photojournalists who work strictly inside the box. He explained various types of piece he had written, such as The Building Report, The Exhibition Review and The Book Review and the depth of research required for each. He also spoke enthusiastically about the angle he writes from, involving looking at the urban landscape and thinking about how we can design for processes and territories rather than just the single object.
Next, Gian Luca Amadei spoke about the history of Blueprint magazine which celebrated its quarter century last October. Showing examples, and talking through different sections of the magazine, he shared his experiences of working as both editor and writer, explaining the main issues a person in those roles must face. The challenges of never having enough space or time were discussed, as was the problem of editing someone else’s work, be it text or photography, whilst trying at all times to keep the essence of what the author was trying to say. Word counts and the nerves of a writer submitting a piece to the editor were also discussed. Amadei spoke animatedly about the process of compiling a monthly magazine and also his personal resentment of the mass consumption of the Metro and London Lite by commuters! Both men talked about layouts in some detail, addressing the content of a page, how much space images are given, the positioning of advertisements and text and they illustrated their talks well.
I think plenty more students could have got a lot out of hearing these two speakers, but to take a more selfish view of it, I felt the compactness of the group in attendance gave the talk a more intimate atmosphere, and this certainly became apparent during the relaxed and informative discussion which unfolded afterward. A definite highlight of day four!
Robin Wilson talked through some of his own past work, including articles written for the great bastions of the architectural journal world, the AR and AJ. Along the way, he offered insights into the life of a freelance architectural journalist (often barely breaking even once a site visit to Norway has been taken into account, for example) and of the traditions upheld by many journals. He was critical of some of these traditions, such as the incessant use of the 'pun title' (‘Dante’s Drive-in’, ‘Making the Earth Move’, ‘Plant Life’... the list is virtually endless) which he feels banalise the content of the article before one even reads it, and the ubiquitous ‘blue-sky and corrected perspective’ architectural photojournalists who work strictly inside the box. He explained various types of piece he had written, such as The Building Report, The Exhibition Review and The Book Review and the depth of research required for each. He also spoke enthusiastically about the angle he writes from, involving looking at the urban landscape and thinking about how we can design for processes and territories rather than just the single object.
Next, Gian Luca Amadei spoke about the history of Blueprint magazine which celebrated its quarter century last October. Showing examples, and talking through different sections of the magazine, he shared his experiences of working as both editor and writer, explaining the main issues a person in those roles must face. The challenges of never having enough space or time were discussed, as was the problem of editing someone else’s work, be it text or photography, whilst trying at all times to keep the essence of what the author was trying to say. Word counts and the nerves of a writer submitting a piece to the editor were also discussed. Amadei spoke animatedly about the process of compiling a monthly magazine and also his personal resentment of the mass consumption of the Metro and London Lite by commuters! Both men talked about layouts in some detail, addressing the content of a page, how much space images are given, the positioning of advertisements and text and they illustrated their talks well.
I think plenty more students could have got a lot out of hearing these two speakers, but to take a more selfish view of it, I felt the compactness of the group in attendance gave the talk a more intimate atmosphere, and this certainly became apparent during the relaxed and informative discussion which unfolded afterward. A definite highlight of day four!
the thin line...
After the presentation about "Architecture and Media" I was left with a mixed feeling...In one hand, you get a clear message that life has to be lived intensely and passionately... on the other, you wonder how much you have to give up to pursue your aspirations...
The answer to a final question to the audience was revealing: Would the reputation of Architects be improved by getting involved in light TV programs?
The audience was divided, and this is quite worrying...
The TV is a powerful weapon...
Our profession is not a position of privilege but a responsibility!
There's a lot to think about, considering recent events happening in our society...
There's a lot to do...
NOW!!!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
George Clarke Architecture and the Media
It has taken me a while to get my thoughts together on the Geroge Clarke 'Architecture and the Media' debate yesterday afternoon. It had a very different style to the debate between Dean Hawkes and Ted Cullinan.
The format was totally different. George Clarke gave a brief introduction to himself and how he bacme involved in Television. He talked passionately about Architecture and building and his early experiences of both. He also shared his own misgiving about his involvement in these TV shows and his worries about the depict, or lack of in the popular media.
This lead to an interesting, if slightly disjointed discussion of Architecture and the media. In fact, the whole talk would probably have been a bit more insightful if there was a little more focus. However, whilst this was not a heated debate as such, it was a very inclusive and critical discussion.
Mr Clarke really encouraged the audience to be critical of the subject and even of him. I think this and the more relaxed atmosphere of the debate lead to a more successful debate than Mondays event.
The format was totally different. George Clarke gave a brief introduction to himself and how he bacme involved in Television. He talked passionately about Architecture and building and his early experiences of both. He also shared his own misgiving about his involvement in these TV shows and his worries about the depict, or lack of in the popular media.
This lead to an interesting, if slightly disjointed discussion of Architecture and the media. In fact, the whole talk would probably have been a bit more insightful if there was a little more focus. However, whilst this was not a heated debate as such, it was a very inclusive and critical discussion.
Mr Clarke really encouraged the audience to be critical of the subject and even of him. I think this and the more relaxed atmosphere of the debate lead to a more successful debate than Mondays event.
Point of view
I caught up with Liz Bromley Smith on wednesday evening, and we talked about her overall feeling regarding the success of the 2009 S.P.A.C.E Odyssey week so far. What really came across was that her feelings were mixed, on the one hand she empathised with some students who had not signed up for events due to either still having semester 1 deadlines to complete, or simply those feeling the effects of autumn semester exhaustion, but, understandably, she was also incredibly frustrated by low turnouts after all the effort that went into the organisation of this special week. It was the students who had signed up to workshops and then simply failed to turn up who had caused the greatest disappointment.
In order to summarise the points Liz raised without hopefully being too verbose or downbeat, I thought I would attempt to communicate them through a more interesting medium, in the tradition of the many 'webcomics' out there in cyberspace. So here goes...
Click on the image to see a larger version
Update: If you're getting a window that only displays the filename when you click on the image (as I do) then try right clicking on the filename and selecting view image, and you should then be able to see it and click to zoom in and zoom out...
In order to summarise the points Liz raised without hopefully being too verbose or downbeat, I thought I would attempt to communicate them through a more interesting medium, in the tradition of the many 'webcomics' out there in cyberspace. So here goes...
Click on the image to see a larger versionUpdate: If you're getting a window that only displays the filename when you click on the image (as I do) then try right clicking on the filename and selecting view image, and you should then be able to see it and click to zoom in and zoom out...
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
WHAT'S ON THURSDAY
Headlines for Thursday 29th February:
12:00 @ EEC Lecture theatre
Lecture about Blueprint Magazine by Gian Luca Amadei and Robin Wilson,
This is part of the Journalism workshop but its open to everyone!!!!
19:00 @ SRB
First IBSTOCK Lecture by Peter Clegg and Max Fordham
After lecture drinks and nibbles at the SBE Coffee shop
Undergrads v Postgrads v Staff v Practitioners...
Well I have just returned from the football and my fingers and toes are still thawing, but I was there for about an hour and 20mins and a good time was had by all! The staff team's shirts read: UoN B.E.S.T [built environment staff team] Beat us & we will... The end of the sentence was left to the imagination, but apparently they were originally going to read Beat us and we will fail you!I won't go into any technicalities about the games (mainly because my incredible lack of sporting knowledge will become painfully obvious) but the scores I managed to record are below. For the games I missed, I asked whoever was hanging around the sidelines for the score, and this included some team members, so if there are any *wink* mistakes ...blame bias!
Undergrads 4 - 0 Practitioners
Undergrads 2 - 0 Tutors
Undergrads 2 - 1 Postgrads
Practitioners 2 - 0 Postgrads
Tutors 1 - 1 Postgrads
Practitioners 4 - 1 Tutors
(Let me know if corrections are necessary!)
Undergrads 2 - 0 Tutors
Undergrads 2 - 1 Postgrads
Practitioners 2 - 0 Postgrads
Tutors 1 - 1 Postgrads
Practitioners 4 - 1 Tutors
(Let me know if corrections are necessary!)
The final 18-a-side game (!) was still going on as I left...
BREAKING News
The Special Professors Week has just had it's first casualty.TWO window panes at the entrance of Paton House have been smashed by the football currently in use at the staff/student football tournament. We here at blog headquarters have heard rumours of who has been involved in the act of destruction, but the courts have gagged us, so as yet their identity remains secret.
It's never too late!
Just a quick post to say - if you're reading this and you haven't come along to the S.P.A.C.E Odyssey events yet this week, there is still time! Some workshops are just beginning and others still have spaces. After talking to a few workshop leaders and students partaking in the workshops yesterday, it is clear that the people from all years who are here are having a good time, and learning something new! There are still wonderful workshops and talks to come, so why not pop along to the EEC foyer 'information point', have a look what's happening and join in.
WHAT'S ON WEDNESDAY
Highlights for Wednesday 28th January 2009:
Lecture at Angela Marmont Lecture theatre at 2 PM
"Architecture and Media" by Architect George Clarke (TV presenter/celebrity)
World class FOOTBALL at the sport's centre astro turf...
From 4PM onwards come and see interesting confrontations between the staff, practitioners, UG and PG students.
Come and support them!!!!!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Creative Energy Homes... The Tour
At noon today, an insightful tour around the Creative Energy Homes Project in the SBE began with a talk by Ian Gray, technical manager for Tarmac Homes. Along with Lovells, the build partner, Tarmac Homes are responsible for the construction of a pair of semi-detached homes, built to Code 4 and Code 6 (more information here) within the school's Green Close area.
Gray explained that the purpose of these semi-detached homes went further than to just act as a one-off demonstration project, showcasing the technology available. Instead they are being built to show that homes built to these environmental standards can be affordable, practical, and repeatable. When challenged on the point of affordability, he replied that whilst the cost for the technology used in one home is currently around £30,000, by demonstrating their repeatability, the level of affordability would rise.
Whilst the two semi-detached dwellings are built to different Code levels, the floor plans will be the same, mirrored, but there will be some external aesthetic differences. Due to the fact that the Code 6 house will employ a solid wall with external insulation (providing a U-Value of 0.15), it will be closer to the nearby BASF house in appearance. The Code 6 house also has a south-facing sunspace, for the benefit of solar gain. The Code 4 house will look more traditional externally, with brick walls. Both houses will have asymmetrical pitched roofs, to maximise the south-facing potential, and the angle of their pitch will also help the effectiveness of PV panels. A wood pellet boiler on the northern side will service both houses as a back-up heat supply.
Our group was then lucky enough to get a look inside the Code 4 BASF house (pictured). 30 or so pairs of abandoned shoes in the hallway later, we squeezed into the living room and were given a rundown on the house's technology by Lucelia Rodrigues. Interesting nuggets included the possibility of 'controlling' your house remotely via a mobile phone. As Ben later pointed out, if you're at work and have an argument with your partner at home, you could switch all the lights out on them...
We then took it in turns to take a look upstairs, where the stack effect ventilation method meant the first floor landing proved to be a high-ceilinged airy and light space and imaginative use was made of the sunspace - the bedrooms facing south had internal balconies large enough to sit on, which bridged the space between the room and the external glazed leaf, with openable windows.
Back downstairs, there was time for a quick peek into the biomass boiler room - pellets condensed from rapeseed crop detritus are used as a back-up heating method. In the 'buffer zone' entrance porch, one wall displays the house's 'brain' ... a complex-looking computer which controls the various technologies. This house, and the two semi-detached Tarmac Homes currently under construction display more monitoring equipment, at least more overtly, than any future dwelling built to similar standards would, but this is simply because these houses are being closely monitored as research projects.
The aim is for the Tarmac Homes semi-detached houses to dispel the myth that the only way to reach the higher Code levels is to use timber construction, by employing masonry construction in both examples. Work levelling the site began on January 5th, and the project is expected to be completed within a 35 week timescale. We will soon be able to closely follow the progress via a webcam connection.
Mario Cucinella Lecture
The Mario Cucinella Lecture, finished just a while ago. It was really good. The CSET building on the Ningbo Campus looks beautiful. Emma is going to write a proper review, but I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed it.
I gave a quick review of the debate last night. Its taken a little while to get the quotes for this blog, and I hope it’s worthwhile.
First of all, a bit of further evaluation. The debate had a high turnout last night. In fact In five years at Nottingham, I don’t think I’ve been at such a well-attended evening lecture. As I said previously both Dean Hawkes and Ted Cullinan gave very eloquent talks. Between that we can look at the past to offer solutions to energy conservation. Both men packed their talks full of great examples. For me these talks were not only informative, but stand in opposition to the often technical discussions of zero-carbon technology.
Having said this, these talks were billed as a debate, which was clearly not the case. As Ted Cullinan told us before the event, both men were simply splitting hairs. Also I think that the arguments that both Dean and Ted put forward were slightly confused. Dean Hawkes effectively argued for some level of traditionalism, whereas Ted Cullinan essentially argued against conservatism. This lack of debate seemed to seep into the rest of the evening. Like the two speakers, most of these comments seemed to be in agreement, and there was an element of backslapping. All of the comments from the audience were from members of staff, despite the fact that there was a decent turnout across all years in the school, which I think was really a lost opportunity.
Ted Cullinan
‘In our incredibly conservative country it is essential that architects take up a radical position!’
‘We claim to be leaders in green energy . . . . but quietly and wilfully prevent it from happening.’
On the Villa Savoye the Farnsworth House ‘As we talk about becoming ecololigical, they become less and less possible.’
‘We should invent as hard as we know how and work like billy-o!’
Dean Hawkes
‘I’m endlessly looking at buildings I love on Google Earth, because Google earth has north on it.’
‘I discovered . . that in every house, bar one le corbs. designed there is a fireplace!’
‘Le Corbusier actually said we will build one house for all climates, but he never practised that.’
First of all, a bit of further evaluation. The debate had a high turnout last night. In fact In five years at Nottingham, I don’t think I’ve been at such a well-attended evening lecture. As I said previously both Dean Hawkes and Ted Cullinan gave very eloquent talks. Between that we can look at the past to offer solutions to energy conservation. Both men packed their talks full of great examples. For me these talks were not only informative, but stand in opposition to the often technical discussions of zero-carbon technology.
Having said this, these talks were billed as a debate, which was clearly not the case. As Ted Cullinan told us before the event, both men were simply splitting hairs. Also I think that the arguments that both Dean and Ted put forward were slightly confused. Dean Hawkes effectively argued for some level of traditionalism, whereas Ted Cullinan essentially argued against conservatism. This lack of debate seemed to seep into the rest of the evening. Like the two speakers, most of these comments seemed to be in agreement, and there was an element of backslapping. All of the comments from the audience were from members of staff, despite the fact that there was a decent turnout across all years in the school, which I think was really a lost opportunity.
Ted Cullinan
‘In our incredibly conservative country it is essential that architects take up a radical position!’
‘We claim to be leaders in green energy . . . . but quietly and wilfully prevent it from happening.’
On the Villa Savoye the Farnsworth House ‘As we talk about becoming ecololigical, they become less and less possible.’
‘We should invent as hard as we know how and work like billy-o!’
Dean Hawkes
‘I’m endlessly looking at buildings I love on Google Earth, because Google earth has north on it.’
‘I discovered . . that in every house, bar one le corbs. designed there is a fireplace!’
‘Le Corbusier actually said we will build one house for all climates, but he never practised that.’
My first ever blog!
Hey, well this is my first blog of the week, thought I should put one up as before we know it, it'll be the end of the week!
Yesterday was a pretty stressful day, running around everywhere and just trying to think about too many things but all in all I reckon the first day went down pretty well. The launch had a tentative start but the day ended well with the debate. From asking opinions of the students who took part is yesterday's activities everybody seemed to have fun but there were mixed reviews on the organisation and length of some of the workshops. Some students have suggested that if the school were to do this event next year, that workshops should be shorter, maybe just last the day, for a quicker, more exciting learning experience. Let's wait for next year and see if the school takes on any of the feedback!
Today is again another action packed day with the Journalism team attempting to cover all workshops going on. This morning I have already interviewed Ted Cullinan. Let's just say I think he is one of the most interesting people I have ever spoken to and could have talked for hours if it wasn't for the planned start of his workshop. In the interviews we are conducting this week we are trying to find out more about the person that makes the architect. We're trying to find out where these amazing architects have come from and what it is that has made them who they are. Ted Cullinan didn't disappoint! From tales of travelling across the Atlantic age 12 on a ship, sailing back to the UK after being evacuated, to dreams of if he did ever retire from architecture that he would become a pig farmer in the Peak district, it was joy to talk to such a great man. I will write up the full interview soon and hopefully it will be posted either on here or in the yearbook but got to get on with some studio work first.
I hope everyone has a great day and is looking forward to the rest of the week.
H x
WHAT'S ON TUESDAY?
Highly reccomended for today:
1:00 PM - Lecture by Mario Cucinella @ SRB
2:00 PM - Heliodon Workshop by Benson Lau @ Z BLock
1:00 PM - Lecture by Mario Cucinella @ SRB
2:00 PM - Heliodon Workshop by Benson Lau @ Z BLock
A Detail From Day One
Tucked away in the attic of the Lenton Firs building, students partaking in the Camera Obscura workshop were working on pin-hole cameras.
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Debate?
The Debate between Dean Hawkes and Ted Cullinan has just finished. Dean and Ted both gave very eloquent talks, but neither seemed to touch particulary on their supposed arguements, and there wasn't much of a debate. Both seemed to be in agreement that traditionalism offered some solutions for energy conservation. Unfortunately there was little debate from students. More tomorrow . . .
...Where is everybody?
As day one of the S.P.A.C.E Odyssey workshops comes to a close, I thought I would also add my thoughts on their initial success. The general consensus amongst tutors and students so far seems to be that the day has been somewhat of a disappointment. Whilst some workshop sign up sheets in the EEC foyer are labelled 'full', others still have rather a lot of free spaces. But the evidence when you take a walk around the studios suggests that many of the students who signed up did not turn up and if they did, they didn't stick around.
There is no doubt that with all the organisation that has gone into this week and considering all the activities available, this is a disappointment to those who worked hard putting the programme together. As for us students, we need to ask ourselves - how often do we really get the chance to work with the special professors, fellow SBE'ers from other year groups, and do something where we can let our imaginations run wild and have a lot of fun without worrying about whether we're getting a good pass mark at the end of it? We really ought to be grabbing this opportunity with both hands and getting stuck in.
So why has the S.P.A.C.E Odyssey thus far gone off with more of a feeble pop than a Big Bang? It's a combination of factors. There is the general laziness that descends after the end of Semester 1, everyone a bit miffed that they spent their Christmas doing coursework and finding it hard to get fired up about anything new ('I've only just finished all the work!!') whilst looking forward to spending an entire week in a comatose state, catching up on sleep. In the cold dark month of January even a fairly keen student may opt for more time hiding under a duvet when the alternative is 'non-compulsory', no matter how interesting it may actually be. But it could also be that there was not a long enough build up to the event - most of the information began arriving less than a week before the launch, by which point many students would have decided, rightly or wrongly, that they had a 'week off' coming up, and already planned visits here there and everywhere. By the time they knew what was going on, it was already too late. So, despite everything that has in fact been organised, is the school's reputation for disorganisation to blame?
I think we have to realise this is a two way thing. Without enthusiasm, few are going to gain anything meaningful from this week. So let's make an effort to come to the studio, brush away the memories of last semester's crit, immerse ourselves in the events taking place, and take this week for what it is - something different - after all, a change is as good as a rest!
There is no doubt that with all the organisation that has gone into this week and considering all the activities available, this is a disappointment to those who worked hard putting the programme together. As for us students, we need to ask ourselves - how often do we really get the chance to work with the special professors, fellow SBE'ers from other year groups, and do something where we can let our imaginations run wild and have a lot of fun without worrying about whether we're getting a good pass mark at the end of it? We really ought to be grabbing this opportunity with both hands and getting stuck in.
So why has the S.P.A.C.E Odyssey thus far gone off with more of a feeble pop than a Big Bang? It's a combination of factors. There is the general laziness that descends after the end of Semester 1, everyone a bit miffed that they spent their Christmas doing coursework and finding it hard to get fired up about anything new ('I've only just finished all the work!!') whilst looking forward to spending an entire week in a comatose state, catching up on sleep. In the cold dark month of January even a fairly keen student may opt for more time hiding under a duvet when the alternative is 'non-compulsory', no matter how interesting it may actually be. But it could also be that there was not a long enough build up to the event - most of the information began arriving less than a week before the launch, by which point many students would have decided, rightly or wrongly, that they had a 'week off' coming up, and already planned visits here there and everywhere. By the time they knew what was going on, it was already too late. So, despite everything that has in fact been organised, is the school's reputation for disorganisation to blame?
I think we have to realise this is a two way thing. Without enthusiasm, few are going to gain anything meaningful from this week. So let's make an effort to come to the studio, brush away the memories of last semester's crit, immerse ourselves in the events taking place, and take this week for what it is - something different - after all, a change is as good as a rest!
Creative Energy Homes
Today's lunchtime lecture given by Dr. Mark Gillott began with a fairly empty room and a few minor technological hitches, but as the hitches were smoothed out, the room soon filled up to a more respectable level, helped undoubtedly by the promise of a free lunch afterward!
The lecture opened with an introduction to arguably the biggest architectural challenge of our time - the need to strive for zero carbon homes. Pie charts, percentages and government targets were bandied about, but the statistics became more comprehensible with the use of lasting mental images such as ‘the average annual carbon dioxide emission per household in the UK would fill 6 hot air balloons’, followed by the comparison of two lists of ‘energy using products’ found in the average household - one from the 1970s, and alongside it, a list virtually triple in length from today.
The various houses along Green Close (the new road behind the SBE’s Eco-house) were discussed. Each employing different construction methods, materials and technology, they provided interesting case studies which structured the talk. Many of the houses are designed to be affordable – ecohouses on a budget - an important issue given the growing awareness and demand from all types of people on the property ladder for energy efficient homes.
One key question ran throughout the talk; Can a code level 6 house really be zero carbon if it has code 1 occupants? This issue was touched on during the lecture with talk of energy locks, making it easier to be ‘green’ without entirely relinquishing user control and letting your house make decisions for you like some kind of futuristic nightmare. But it is clear that there was much more that could have been discussed without the constraint of the allocated time slot.
A concise but informative lecture, and a good precursor to tonight’s debate:
The lecture opened with an introduction to arguably the biggest architectural challenge of our time - the need to strive for zero carbon homes. Pie charts, percentages and government targets were bandied about, but the statistics became more comprehensible with the use of lasting mental images such as ‘the average annual carbon dioxide emission per household in the UK would fill 6 hot air balloons’, followed by the comparison of two lists of ‘energy using products’ found in the average household - one from the 1970s, and alongside it, a list virtually triple in length from today.
The various houses along Green Close (the new road behind the SBE’s Eco-house) were discussed. Each employing different construction methods, materials and technology, they provided interesting case studies which structured the talk. Many of the houses are designed to be affordable – ecohouses on a budget - an important issue given the growing awareness and demand from all types of people on the property ladder for energy efficient homes.
One key question ran throughout the talk; Can a code level 6 house really be zero carbon if it has code 1 occupants? This issue was touched on during the lecture with talk of energy locks, making it easier to be ‘green’ without entirely relinquishing user control and letting your house make decisions for you like some kind of futuristic nightmare. But it is clear that there was much more that could have been discussed without the constraint of the allocated time slot.
A concise but informative lecture, and a good precursor to tonight’s debate:
Ted Cullinan vs. Dean Hawkes –
Will future houses need to be radically reshaped to conserve energy, or can energy conservation be achieved within the great tradition of housing design? 6.30pm, SRB.
Will future houses need to be radically reshaped to conserve energy, or can energy conservation be achieved within the great tradition of housing design? 6.30pm, SRB.
Thoughts so far...
Since the opening at 10am this morning, I've been visiting the various workshops and talks that we have scheduled for today.
So far, I feel that the event doesn't seem that special. This time last year, we (1st Year) had a series of workshops teaching the basics of using Photoshop and Illustrator and starting us off using Sketchup and Rhino. The workshops weren't compulsory so most people spent the week sleeping at home and partying at night to celebrate the end of exams.
I think the same has happened this year. Although we have some great Architects and some well organised and interesting workshops, most students will use this week as a rest before lectures start next Monday.
We could blame this on the bad communication; neither I nor anyone in 1st or 2nd year got emails explaining what was going on until Thursday last week. However, I think it's more likely to be the result of student laziness. It's a shame but it's true.
I'll try and post my photos from today's events later tonight. That way you'll be able to see for yourselves the turnout for each workshop and some of the activities that have taken place. My negativity might be the result of viewing but not involving myself with any of the workshops. Watch this space.
So far, I feel that the event doesn't seem that special. This time last year, we (1st Year) had a series of workshops teaching the basics of using Photoshop and Illustrator and starting us off using Sketchup and Rhino. The workshops weren't compulsory so most people spent the week sleeping at home and partying at night to celebrate the end of exams.
I think the same has happened this year. Although we have some great Architects and some well organised and interesting workshops, most students will use this week as a rest before lectures start next Monday.
We could blame this on the bad communication; neither I nor anyone in 1st or 2nd year got emails explaining what was going on until Thursday last week. However, I think it's more likely to be the result of student laziness. It's a shame but it's true.
I'll try and post my photos from today's events later tonight. That way you'll be able to see for yourselves the turnout for each workshop and some of the activities that have taken place. My negativity might be the result of viewing but not involving myself with any of the workshops. Watch this space.
And so it begins . .
So, the 2009 S.P.A.C.E. Odyssey just kicked off in the EEC, with some atmospheric (if slightly predictable) 2001 Space Odyssey theme music and introduction from Professor Michael (messed up the joke) Stacey and the effervescent Liz Bromley-Smith. Sounds like it's going to be a really packed week , but there are still quite a lot of spaces on The Big Draw; The Art Pavillion Competition; The Urban Design Living Street and the Sustainable Sculpture Park. Also the latecomer, Urban Grip Workshop has loads of space.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
its all about getting together...
This is the initial entry of this Blog about the Special Professors' week.
During this week the blog will deliver the impressions that a team of students will capture through the various events. The style is completely free and intends to be as creative as possible. There will be some accurate reviews, some reflective ones, some controversial opinions...? we don't know!!!!
It's all about getting together..
This event is aimed to gather staff and students with our special professors, worldwide recognised experts.... so we can have them closer for a week and be able to learn from them.
But also is an event tailored to break the traditional barriers in which our courses are organised: in a linear sequence of years, modules and subjects.
These contents are now open to everyone in the school to participate, in the shape of very attractive workshops.
So, let's hope we all take this opportunity.
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