Travel Itinerary

I will be in London at the absolute best time for an architecture fanatic. It is the London Festival of Architecture, where exhibits, pavilions, installations etc infest the city, its museums, storefronts, and parks. There are too many things to see and they are all free.


30 June - Depart Chicago 9:00 am, arrive London 10:45 pm
1 July - Daytime exploration of pavilions and exhibits from London Festival of Architecture, including Nest (finish wood), Moss (Norway), Keith Williams Open studio; Adam arrives in Evening
2 July - Barlett Open House, AA Open House, misc scattered pavilions, Buro Happold open studio
3 July - Morning bus to Oxford, celebratory afternoon tea with Simon + Mina at the Randolph
4 July - Oxford Street Festival, gorge on Ben's Cookies
5 July - Afternoon bus back to London, Adam departs, dinner / drinks with Iain (dance friend), Stompin' at the 100 Club (regular dance event)
6 July - Arch Fest exhibits (Parametric city for Cyprus), misc museums
7 July - Depart for Lebanon, arrive at 1am
8 July - Beirut Music Festival
9 July - recover from Beirut Music Festival
.... explore ....
21 July - Depart for Istanbul
22 July - Tourist stuff
23 July - Swing dancing with Swing Istanbul
24 July - Swing dancing with Swing Istanbul
.... explore ....
27 July - Depart for London [stay in airport]
28 July - Depart for Chicago, arrive at 4:10 pm

Summer Pursuits 3

Being silly at the June Bluetopia -- practicing the "duckface" seen here:


The Duckface - photo by Alex Buchalter


learning to do it





several more [ + ]

Summer Pursuits 2

Chicago Underground Blues Experience [CUBE] - during the Chicago Blues Festival
photos taken on a disposable camera, scanned, and then photoshopped







more [ + ]

Summer Pursuits

A fully home-made, 6 course bar-b-q at the beach to celebrate unemployment, graduation, and the excellent weather.
course 1: grilled cheese
course 2: summer salads
course 3: local sausages and portabella mushrooms
course 4: Grilled blue potatoes with olive oil, garlic, and chives
course 5: house-made black bean burgers, with heirloom tomato, on fresh baked french bread rolls
course 6: chewy almond sugar cookies

grow up!

I think I need to submit to the fact that I've accepted the Americorps Aurora position. While it's not quite the adventure I imagine Oregon to pose, it is still new, it is still exciting, it is still a challenge, it is still good. It offers a chance to really know this region, to maybe even come to see it as home.... while I doubt that, I've been finding a lot of comfort in the chance to stay here near people I know for just a little while longer.


Perhaps it is the new car, but I feel so suddenly grown up, free, and excited to "settle" for a little.
Though searching for affordable apartments is proving tricky...


Button, my 2009 gold Nissan Sentra, happily basking in the sun.


She is well outfitted, with all the cool gadgets I like.

$3500 to travel the world.

Starting to plan my summer travels and I'm running into some significant mental obstacles.

Other than being drawn to Turkey for it's architectural significance and Lebanon for it's exoticism, I need something stronger, a firmly burning question, to drive purpose into my July expedition.

I am both inspired and intimidated by Bas Princen's photos of Istanbul, Beirut, Amman, Cairo, and Dubai I recently found on bldgblog.


Beirut


Dubai

I would like to enjoy myself there, but also come away with: excellent photos, descriptive sketches, heritage souvenirs, and a richly educational experience.
So I have a lot of cultural reading to do, in addition to logistical planning.

$3500 is not a fortune and airfare is expensive. But fear not... this is NOT me complaining!! Only starting to get excited =)

Spring Swing at IIT

On the Saturday after the final crit, Dance101 and Vandercook College of Music hosted a party featuring the Jazz Ensembles and the Rhythm Rockets. I spent the entire semester planning the event, inspired by the previous jazz concert I played at, and worked closely with Tony (the Jazz director) to work everything all out. It was a great success, a lot of fun, and the perfect cap to my involvement with both organizations. Another student took these photos, but I figured I'd share a few.

The Final Crit

It went well. I had some excellent compliments, good commentary, and overall satisfactory review. My presentation, aesthetically, turned out really well... especially my boards... which I was able to show off in the open house the following week.


My panels, post crit. (the model is all taken apart)


Tim, Elena, Sophia, Andy, Lorena


Michael's perfect plotting and model


I have posted a few more photos of other student work on the picasa album

1:40 am

A few hours later than I would have hoped, but I am done. DONE DONE DONE DONE.

Sent to the plotter and all.

I'll pick them up tomorrow.
They even look good.

5:15 pm

This is yet another psuedo-blog post - tweet:

on a scale of 1 - 10, 10 being the most, how much like dying do i feel like right now?

8.

5:00 pm

dang it. These are taking too long.

Next section done at last.

1:00 pm

5.5 hours to go. I 'gave up' around 7:30 this morning and went home for 2 hours to nap and shower.
Back at it, and I've just about finished one section.

6:00 am

New goals. I have 12 hours to be finished with everything.

2 hr - South Section
2 hr - East Section
2 hr - South Elevation
2 hr - East Elevation
2 hr - Street view rendering and/or monk cell rendering
1 hr - Change trees on plans
1 hr - touch up diagrams

Plot.

4 am reflections

I know this is a little crazy, but as this is the last all nighter of my architectural degree, I am reveling in it... every freaking minute.
Sick of Gaga, Britney, and Justin because I've listened too long.... seen every episode of House, Glee, and Bewitched on Hulu.... teapot in hand, stacks of chip and food wrappers littering my desk.

We are going to Starbucks in an hour... a good stopping point. I would like to have my plans finished (new trees and whatever else) by then.
I finished the little last bits of my model that needed fixing.


It's a good night.

3:30 am

Chant Hall render complete... with yogis.



Despite it's seeming simplicity, remember that it is built entirely in photoshop, with only the lines gathered from a -screenshot- in rhino... not even a base rendering.
Just to impress you with my photoshopping skills. haha.