-----------------Lectures-----------------
This morning was the "Architectural Machines" symposium, so I sat through several lectures about advanced technology in design this morning. Most were interesting; a few projects were absolutely incredible [Memory Cloud] and some left more to be desired [Spoorg. Krets was ok]
I was most interested to hear about the level of focus towards augmenting beautiful human experiences. The sole purpose for things like Memory Cloud, Spoorg, and SplineGraft is to create something fun, silly, and techy. I often get caught up in the 'dangers' and 'inhumanity' of the mechanical tools we use and are crafting for people. I see projects occasionally gaming about control and manipulation: all fairly dark and disturbing; and it makes me a bit terrified, to be honest, of the world envisioned by those in academia. [This is a complete fallacy, however, as few people are actually in architecture to NOT do 'good.']
As most of the lecturers were quite uncharismatic, I spent most of the time drifting off and thinking about studio.
I did miss several excellent lectures this week, due to tutorial and personal choices for life outside of architecture. Somewhat unbelievably, I do try for that.
-----------------Seams-----------------
Nothing new here. We are supposed to start fabricating our final piece. I would show images of what it looks like, but I don't have the files. I've actually not done anything for this class except watch Mike, openmouthed, as he flies around Rhino. My usual question is "What command was that?"
-----------------The-Deep-End-----------------
Sunday night, 11 pm. Actually I left at 10 and got there at 10:30, thinking the sketchy night bus I had to take would last an hour due to construction difficulties.
Anyways, I found myself in a not-so-nice part of town in a very loud, kitch Turkish restaurant where 2 birthday parties were raging to deafening live folk music. Prompt, as always, the rest of the class filtered in by around midnight. We got food, some enjoyed bevvies, and a little after 1 we decided that it was time to go photograph.
Donning ridiculous costumes, the group of crazies (my whole class, mind you) started running around and climbing on equipment in a closed-down meat market. The place was eerie, with bits of trash and flesh littering the streets. It smelled like dead fish and old things. The night was cool and damp. Shortly there after, before we could set up any photos, a pair of cops crept by in their car andstarted orering us, in very harsh tones, the get the HELL out before they arrested us all and confiscated our cameras. 5 minutes later we had bribed the ONE shop keeper that was still around to let us photograph ourselves in front of the stall. There was a trolley of cow legs in front, a picture of Obama in back, and eventually a drunk woman on her way home to decorate our photoshoot.
It took a good hour for the one shot, so sometime around 2 we packed up to look for the next place. About 5 yards away, in a covered area, a strange lineup of dirty shipping containers laid an eerie backdrop for individual shots.
Yasmina and I left them there at 2:30, still goofing off, because she had work to do, and she was the only one I really knew.
I really didn't get into the whole experience like I would have wanted. I didn't know what to expect at all, and was not dressed properly, nor prepared for the absolute silliness that ran the night. I was dressed in very serious, sensible clothes, while the others were either cross-dressing in lingerie, wearing silver space suits, or a throwback to disheveled Edwardian grace.
Supposed to meet with the tutor this week, but now it's Saturday and he never returned my email. Awesome.
-----------------Studio-----------------
Working hard, as always. After my tutorial on Wednesday, I now have to work out some insane model. Insane in process, not appearance. Many many layers of divided lines stacked to create an undulating, artificial landscape. I'm working on how to 1) get Flash, AI, Cad, and Rhino to do the hard work for me and 2) how to make something that doesn't look like a lame pile of boring things.
Tricky... all very tricky...
I've been working on a Plate of degenerative paving patterns: Though this is not complete, this is how it's going. There will be a section with loads of veg inserted in... I have a few printouts testing various options, but I will probably opt for the scripted vegetation over a hand drawing so it fits with the language of the rest of my work.
If I get a rendering out sometime today, I'll post it. I've got to get my files ready for hours at the lasercutter, but I want to make sure I know what's going to happen before I commit. It's expensive to make mistakes.
-----------------Other-Life-----------------
Dance was incredible on Monday... best so far! The band was wonderful and ... I've already posted about this.
Went to dinner with Iain the Scotsman on Wednesday, whom I met dancing. He's about my age and is very good at giving me tips on what NOT to do when I go to Scotland, unique British turns of phrase, and insight into the fallacies of UK reporting.
It was so refreshing to go out with someone outside of the school of architecture. For 3 hours, I did not speak a word or think about architecture. So needed.
Again on Thursday, Mike, myself, and Elora (from Norway) went to the pub and ISH bar for karaoke after tutorial. This going out on Thursday thing has been really nice- I take a night off when I really really need it, so that I'm recharged for Friday and can spend the whole weekend alternating between working hard and resting hard without feeling guilty either way. Though it's impossible to not talk about architecture wen you go out with other architects, we at least managed to keep it kind of light, and spent a good portion of it commenting on our schools or drilling Mike for all of his theoretical insight.
I'm planning on going to the Barbican today, and then possibly to an Evensong at St. Paul's, and then to a blues dance in the evening. I, unfortunately, do not know anyone going to the blues thing, so I have another dance back up, just in case I need to escape.
I'm going to the market on Sunday (maybe with my roommate Hellen) and then.... oh, well, lots of work again.
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