During a first sights visit to London I went to view the latest exhibition at New London Architecture- 'Digital Cities'. The exhibition looks at the way in which digital media is now influencing planning and building within cities. The computer age has built up a huge resource of e-materials and data. The exhibition includes data that has been used to create large scale models of areas of the City of London. Also displayed are maps showing pollution data movements of people and traffic.
Also displayed were several proposals for working cities displayed in new and inovative ways through the field of digital media.
The exhibit which interested me most was the 'London City Model' by GMJ Design (http://www.gmj.net/) which has built a comprehensive model of 40km of the city. This model can be used to test the contexts and locations of new archtectural projects throught London. In particular large buildings can be tested for sight lines and modifications can then be proposed easily.
The exhibition finishes on the 17th January (so you don't have a lot of time left to visit). Details of it and future exhibitions can be found at http://www.newlondonarchitecture.org/exhibitions.php.
Monday, 12 January 2009
Tree Walk- Kew Gardens
A cold, dull and misty winters day is perhaps not the ideal weather to explore the new 'Tree Walk' erected this year at Kew Gardens. Yet despite the grim weather there is something rather beautiful about this structure. MarksBarfield Architects have created a structure within the breathtaking setting of Kew Gardens that seems to sit just right. The materials have a resounding feel of quality and fit in with the landscape beautifully. The pylons in their 'weathered' finish do not look at all out of place amongst the tree trunks in this area. The walkway structure itself plays homage to nat
ure being constructed with reference to the Fibonacci sequence which supports many natural growth patterns.By winter the structure is fully revealed, while by summer tree branches will reach out over and onto the walkway giving the treetop experience it was intended for.
While the installation could perhaps be longer it is certainly fit for purpose and well worth a visit.
Focus directions and Blog tagging
Visitors to this blog will notice that I am not using tagging to categorise the topics I have covered on this page. This will make it easier for everyone to find any particular entries and filter down the topics that interest them.
These tagged categories also reveal the particular directions that I am aiming to look at and cover in particular detail on this blog.
As is already the case I intend to continue to build up an array of case studies from landscape architecture sites which I have personally visited, hopefully these will include some of my own views on the project and some photographs. While these will largely be from within the London area I do also aim to focus on any other project sites I do happen to stumble across.
Another priority, and closely linking with that discussed above is to look at and monitor some of the implications of 'Private Public Space'- that is spaces which are privately owned but claim to be open for public use. Sometimes the extent of being public spaces can vary, one which I commonly note as a photographer are the occasions where, for no apparent reason, photographs are not allowed on certain pieces of land. There are of course management and maintenance issues also connected with the ownership of land. As a general rule privately owned spaces tend to receive better maintenance and contain increased security.
The final area I will be looking at in more detail is the use of digital media in landscape architecture work. I have experimented with several types of software and aim to continually broaden my use of different packages- experience of this should be detailed on this blog.
Hopefully these changes and the newly created corridors to focus my attention on should make this blog even more exciting (yes... I think it is possible!).
These tagged categories also reveal the particular directions that I am aiming to look at and cover in particular detail on this blog.
As is already the case I intend to continue to build up an array of case studies from landscape architecture sites which I have personally visited, hopefully these will include some of my own views on the project and some photographs. While these will largely be from within the London area I do also aim to focus on any other project sites I do happen to stumble across.
Another priority, and closely linking with that discussed above is to look at and monitor some of the implications of 'Private Public Space'- that is spaces which are privately owned but claim to be open for public use. Sometimes the extent of being public spaces can vary, one which I commonly note as a photographer are the occasions where, for no apparent reason, photographs are not allowed on certain pieces of land. There are of course management and maintenance issues also connected with the ownership of land. As a general rule privately owned spaces tend to receive better maintenance and contain increased security.
The final area I will be looking at in more detail is the use of digital media in landscape architecture work. I have experimented with several types of software and aim to continually broaden my use of different packages- experience of this should be detailed on this blog.
Hopefully these changes and the newly created corridors to focus my attention on should make this blog even more exciting (yes... I think it is possible!).
Digital Media in Presentation
This post may seem slightly unusual in that it does not relate directly to any site with significant landscape architecture. However when working in this field one of the most important decisions to get right is how to present a project- and the correct media to use. The expectation seems to have moved dramatically over a short period from the majority of work being done by hand to a majority instead being digitalised.
These changes can be reflected in much of the work I do. I am far more likely to turn to my copy of Adobe Photoshop than to pick up a pen and start sketching. Of course there is a balance and one must not become complement with computers, however some of the recent work I have produced does show what an impact they can have.
One project recently involved building a short animation series using Adobe Flash. While this programme is initially very difficult to master it does, once the basic commands are understood, become a simple case of matching the correct codes with the correct functions in the files. After a lot of hard work I had an interactive document which I was very pleased with, and which will be far more accessible to a client or indeed anyone with an interest than the paper copies I tried to present previously.
These changes can be reflected in much of the work I do. I am far more likely to turn to my copy of Adobe Photoshop than to pick up a pen and start sketching. Of course there is a balance and one must not become complement with computers, however some of the recent work I have produced does show what an impact they can have.
One project recently involved building a short animation series using Adobe Flash. While this programme is initially very difficult to master it does, once the basic commands are understood, become a simple case of matching the correct codes with the correct functions in the files. After a lot of hard work I had an interactive document which I was very pleased with, and which will be far more accessible to a client or indeed anyone with an interest than the paper copies I tried to present previously.
Friday, 9 January 2009
Chiswick Buisiness Park
Chiswick Buisiness Park is an intersting new development in south west London. The philosophy of the site is to increase workers productivity by producing a pleasant environment in which to work and thus making office workers enjoy work. The site represents a major landscape architecture project as the 12 office buildings are set amongst a newly landscaped park complete with a major water feature. This site is open to the public as a park although there is little encoragement for the public to actually cross the security threshold into the site itself. Although the park has been aranged to be a tranquil retreat from the working day- and does inde
ed have many well thought out features- it seems very much a 'false' environment. For example the scale of the waterfall would be quite unheard of in this part of the country. That said the finish of materials appears very high and I am sure this space represents a vast improvement over the traditional office environment and is well used by those who work there. However the very buisiness nature of the site together with the high security prescense must hugely limit it's use as a public ameinity. It is also worth noteing that very little information is given about the site as a park on the website- despite it's heavy appearance in photographs.Chiswick Park Website
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Paddington to the Kings Road- Focus Week
November brought about another of Kingston University Landscape department's 'Focus Week Walks'- this time from Paddington to the Kings Road.
We began the walk at Paddington Basin- an area I know well having proposed alterations to a site here the previous year. That said it is always interesting to return to
an area you know to see what has changed. Development is rapid in this area and there are always new things to see. One of the most noticeable differences was the disappearance of Thomas Heatherwick's rolling bridge. It was removed during the summer of 2008 as it stopped working, initially it was intended to be returned but since this has not happened it's future is now somewhat unsure.
The next stop on the days itinerary was Hyde Park, one of London's magnificent Royal Parks. Our particular interest here was the Diana Memorial Fountain, but Gustafson Porter. Unfortunately we chose the wrong time to visit as the work was closed for repairs! Clearly this is one project I will have to come back to.
The next port of call was the John Madejski courtyard garden at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The design was by Kim Wilkie who one an international design competition. The space is described as being 'based on the traditional simplicity of a garden courtyard with the drama and flexibility of a stage set'. This space is very popular during the summer but was not shown to it's prime on this dull November day. The design features a series of fountains around a central flooded depression- this area can also be drained for event uses. The area surrounding this is grassed with traditional pots and grass areas (also 
closed for maintenance). Once again I feel I would need to visit this site on a day with more promising weather to judge its success.
Just down the road from the V&A is the Natural History museum. For the winter season an area in front of the museums entrance has been converted to an ice rink- this really shows the transformation that can be achieved by activating a space. The area which is usual little used was bustling with people skating,
watching the action or just enjoying
a hot drink in the temporary cafe on the site.
Our final port of call for the day was the Duke of York Square outside the new Sacchi Gallery on the Kings Road. By this point in the day the light was drawing in and the rain falling with increasing menace. Once again this location employs quality materials which give a resilient and pleasing finish. There are concrete ledges across the site acting as benches without the usually expected defined bench shape. Again a site which would have strong attraction when the weather permitted it!
We began the walk at Paddington Basin- an area I know well having proposed alterations to a site here the previous year. That said it is always interesting to return to
an area you know to see what has changed. Development is rapid in this area and there are always new things to see. One of the most noticeable differences was the disappearance of Thomas Heatherwick's rolling bridge. It was removed during the summer of 2008 as it stopped working, initially it was intended to be returned but since this has not happened it's future is now somewhat unsure.The next stop on the days itinerary was Hyde Park, one of London's magnificent Royal Parks. Our particular interest here was the Diana Memorial Fountain, but Gustafson Porter. Unfortunately we chose the wrong time to visit as the work was closed for repairs! Clearly this is one project I will have to come back to.
The next port of call was the John Madejski courtyard garden at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The design was by Kim Wilkie who one an international design competition. The space is described as being 'based on the traditional simplicity of a garden courtyard with the drama and flexibility of a stage set'. This space is very popular during the summer but was not shown to it's prime on this dull November day. The design features a series of fountains around a central flooded depression- this area can also be drained for event uses. The area surrounding this is grassed with traditional pots and grass areas (also 
closed for maintenance). Once again I feel I would need to visit this site on a day with more promising weather to judge its success.Just down the road from the V&A is the Natural History museum. For the winter season an area in front of the museums entrance has been converted to an ice rink- this really shows the transformation that can be achieved by activating a space. The area which is usual little used was bustling with people skating,
watching the action or just enjoying
a hot drink in the temporary cafe on the site.Our final port of call for the day was the Duke of York Square outside the new Sacchi Gallery on the Kings Road. By this point in the day the light was drawing in and the rain falling with increasing menace. Once again this location employs quality materials which give a resilient and pleasing finish. There are concrete ledges across the site acting as benches without the usually expected defined bench shape. Again a site which would have strong attraction when the weather permitted it!
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