Google Sketchup, Learning

The google sketchup program is one of a number of

3D modeling programs capable of create walk around

models to explore the designs that you envision.

I recently been recomended to use this program by

a colleague who said that if you want to use a programwhich

is quick to learn and create you design this is it.

the program offered my the ability to create a model of

a design site and create a measured model which I can

walk around and see exactly where my design would and

would'nt work.

The only drawback that I have encountered with the Sketchup

program is that the graphics of the finished designed model

tend to be very cartoon like give a sense of serealism to the design.

I have definately gained a great deal from learning the use of this

program and would recomend it myself but would again remind

anyone who uses it, that it is not a perfectly refined modeling

tool but as the name suggests is very good at offering the means

to create simple sketch models.

Victoria Embankment Gardens

Victoria Embankment Park could best be described as a

space which offer people a little respite in the middle of a busy

day I stumbled across the Park while navigating London

on foot and was rather glad for this quite people frienly space.

Most people who use the park are either on there jouney to the

local train station or taking a break from there busy day to have

lunch or just simply sit relax and recharge, I certainly did.

The Park itself is just wide enough so that if you enter from

either the north or the south entrances you are in the centre of

the park. What the park lacks in width it makes up for in length,

adding to the illusion of its size. There are same elements in the

design which could be improved such as the broken tarmac

pathways even flages would look better and the rows of benchs

often mismatching make the furniture look confused and thrown

together.

The park serves its patrons well by providing a space to relax and

reach ones destination in comfort and openess in a part of London

which can feel castrophobic at best.

Improving the quality of the build of installations and furniture

would go a long way to making this space stand out from the

traditional standard park it is.

Tate Modern, The Crack exhibition

This is one of my favourite exhibitions of a single installation

at the Tate Modern. To simply use the vast space of the

Turbine Hall to create a peace of art with the very fabric of the

building itself is bold, original and very pertinent to the space.

The way people interact with a feature such as this is what most

interests me, the way they walk the edge of it afraid to jump or

are the bold type who jump across it. The important thing here

is that they can interact with the featured installation and possibly

imagine other processes in nature such as an earthquake, which is

a foreign entity to most people in the UK.

This is a good exhibition for thinking of what we take for granted in

the world to consider other things outside our world and to investigate

what is an option when it comes to a metaphorical canvas.

Cityscape exhibition, London

The cityscape exhibition is a very interesting

and varied show. The main premise is to explore

the development of new spaces along Londons River

Thames, highlighting a series of projects which have

been undertaken on the River Thames.

The best elements of this show was the way information

is presented, there are a number of cubicles on stilts

which each display information about the river in

different styles.

There is a seperate room with individual projects

which is very informative because they show projects

which have been successful and achieved contracts

from these documents.

There is a final room which is rather disappointing with

mirrors and walls covered in a woodland photo.

Overall this is a good exhibition to view the projects

current to the changing London Landscape and the

information is presented boldly and in a fun way.

Eden Project, Visit

The Eden Project is fabulous site with lots of education

designed at educating people and creating a sustainable

future.

The attraction here is really the dynamic between the

architecture and the Landscape Architecture bcause without

the landforms the architecture would be misplaced and without

the architecture the landscape wouldn't be appreciated.

There are lots of installations of interest throughout the site

designed for all ages but the way the routes and planting in the

larger greenhouse biome has been designed with such care to the

development of the story unfolding as you walk through is amazing.

There is so much information here that it is sometimes hard to just

enjoy the space, but there is always something new to enjoy.

The Eden Project is a great inspirational space and place. Eden is

incredibly well planned and run, there is always someone doing

something to maintain the space and help anwser questions at the

same time, its an absolutely great space.

Sommerset House courtyard

This space is within a very traditional historic

setting so the renewal of the courtyard turning it into

a waterfeature and rmoving the old fabric is brave

but it also takes away the character of the space.

This space does look better from the point of view that

it is clean and crisp, but it is somewhat still after its new

additions a blank slate almost lost for function.

NLA, Building Centre London

The exhibits of the olympic park and the new facilities

were very interesting there was a wide range of proposals

and with this different approaches of how to sell these designs.

The model of London is eye catching as one walks into the building

giving a full perspective of London space.

The most appealing aspect to me about the whole

experience herewas, the material section in the basement.

There were cutting edge materials presented in all uses

of construction which helps to visualise what you could use in

a design.

The major aspects I took away from this experience were

the enormous ranges of presenting styles some better than

others, but overall worth looking at just to see the processes

in use in current practice.