gravity0zero

Sunset

2011-10-29T11:39:00.000+01:00

Evening the river. Cloud creeps in from behind, mysterious sight.. Nature in autumn has its amazing beauty, preparing for winter colds, changes colours day by day, and then rids of them completely.

Wall painting

2011-09-08T09:24:00.000+01:00

Empty garage wall in my backyard. It's a real shame to waste this much space, plus it simply screamed for some action.
So here is the wall that required some work:

So what's the next thing? A long discussion with my family, regarding the theme and subject for the wall. Conclusion was picture some animals, but nothing too simple nor too bright.
Visualisation of the concept:

Draw pencil outlines and ready for the next stage.
What i do: grab few various colour buckets of paint, a brushes and ready for action.
Hours of painting aaand job is done:

the End. (or not)

Homes

2011-06-05T01:38:00.002+01:00

home on the Wheels and Staitionary home

Same function - serves as a shelter, a secure personal place. With one major difference one is bound to its given location and surroundings the other is never in one place, it is here but could be anywhere else.

always sunny

2011-06-05T01:31:00.000+01:00

Continue playing with lights.
Was reading the book, when noticed the sparkling edge.

summer time, sunny time

2011-06-04T00:07:00.001+01:00

the warmth of the sun and some photo experimentation

[a bit of play with highlights, contrast and overlays]

[originals and photoshop altered]

chair design (2)

2011-06-01T15:34:00.000+01:00

chair design (1)

2011-06-01T15:31:00.000+01:00

chair design

2011-06-01T14:57:00.000+01:00

Metropol Parasol

2011-05-03T21:13:00.000+01:00

Restoration design of Plaza de la Encarnación, Seville, Spain, by Jurgen Mayer H Architects.

This Plaza in the past housed a marketplace (picture below, 1940s) [a bit more history]

The Market was later demolished and the empty space became a parking lot.

Fast forward to today. In 2004 Metropol Parasol project started here.
Plaza connects various tourist destinations across the city. Since it was such a major focal point, the dead space (which was this plaza) could not be overlooked anylonger. Then with the discovery of the Roman remains the previously simple structure had to be erected on fewer supports, and this resulted in a more complicated long spanning building.
In 2004 economy was still booming, therefore, conditions were quite favourable for construction of this structure. But despite the downturn, this piece of construction came into being.

The Parasol contains a market, shops, and a podium for concerts and events. In its basement are the ruins of a Roman district, with mosaics and enough bits of wall to get a sense of what the houses were like. On the roof there is a restaurant, a viewing gallery, and a winding, undulating walkway – a sort of pedestrian rollercoaster – from which to appreciate the views gained by rising slightly above the general roofline of the city.

[REFERENCE]

I appreciate the innovative and stunning design.
According to J. Mayer (architect) he was inspired by the vaults of the towns cathedrals and trees. His interpretation results in what one can see today, textured mass, combination of a tree/mushroom/cloud. Complete overhaul of the place.

Personally I have never been there (in Seville), so my viewpoint is very subjective.
Nevertheless.. Aerial photographs of the town shows its density (as most old European towns). The new Plaza is opposite, not a parking lot but still very open. I know most plazas and square are often paved empty spaces but still. I believe this place would show a better character if it had a more forest-like feeling about it. Roman remains would in the way to make it happen, but really what is more important now or a bunch of old stones from the long gone past.

The BRIDGE

2011-04-24T00:34:00.000+01:00

One Bridge, different experiences.
Various places we visit and pass through everyday, but each single space is everchanging. It might seem that the physical appearance is all the same, but there are no two experiences of that space that are different.
Man's perception has too many variables, and surrounding environment never stops its turbulent life.
This little introduction touches to some extent the meaning behind the following images.

[I don't see much reason in explaining what i believe have captured in these photographs. It should be more or less self-explanatory. Physical appearance is blurred when it comes to our (human) cognition (image formed in the eye of our brain is superimposed on the physical 'it')]

Space Flight

2011-04-22T11:28:00.000+01:00

When we ask ourselves why we wish to leave the safety of the Earth to venture into Space, we can conclude that it is human nature to be curious about the unknown.

After all, the story of the human race through exploration and expansion into new territories and environments, and the eventual establishment of cities, is the essence of civilization.

And although strange places may hold risks, there can also be huge unforseen benifits.

[Space Architecture, Maggie Toy et al., March 2000]

(Drawing of Space Station MIR + edit in Photoshop)

Japan reconstruction

2011-04-14T11:48:00.001+01:00

It is great to know that rebuilding process that is starting in Japan is looking into new possibilities in these disaster struck regions.

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has asked a panel of advisors to come up with creative plans to rebuild areas devastated by the March 11th disaster that hit eastern Japan.

Kan called the disaster Japan's worst crisis since World War Two, and said the panel will start discussions on how to overcome the crisis and rebuild Japan. He said he wants the panel to present a plan for creative reconstruction rather than restoration of affected regions to their original state.

NHK World, Thursday, April 14, 2011
Obviously a lot of the work will be directed towards preventing any similar disasters. Nevertheless it will be exciting to see the way these areas will be shaped in the near future.
Regeneration of the earthquake and tsunami struck prefectures means bringing back people. Certainly it is necessary for these people to be confident in their safety, chances of finding permanent work and a place to stay. Not to mention many other amenities required today (ie schools, hospitals, etc).

Now

Tommorow (image from japanese animation movie Iblard Jiken)

UPDATE

Came across the video on REUTERS

Construction is moving but slowly unfortunately. They justify it by the lack of building materials. Which is fair, but I still believe that they should encourage use of what is left after the earthquake. Then again this requires some qualified/semi-qualified labour, which is scarce, from what I read, at the moment.

Temporary homes

2011-04-09T00:13:00.003+01:00

Less than a month ago Japan took a disastrous blow from the earthquake and following tsunami. Several towns were swept away by the massive wave, a lot of buildings across the northeast region were damaged by the earthquake. It was definitely a tragedy, but i am interested in the aftermath.
The aftermath is tens of thousands of refugees who have lost or can't reach (due to nuclear contamination) their homes. And most of them seek refuge in avaliable temporary shelters.

Japanese architectural practice Shigeru Ban (famous for carboard structures) has already sent cardboard partitions to the worst struck area.

The shelters provide large open spaces for refugees but lack privacy. Cardboard screens allow some privacy and with this reduce unwanted stress.

It is simple construction wise and concept wise and therefore very useful.

(edit)

||found some more detailed information on Shigeru Ban structures. [full article]

Tubes measuring 10 centimeters in diameter and two meters long are erected as pillars, while narrower tubes are placed horizontally as beams.
With safety pins, Ban has strung up curtains that can be closed at night to create privacy, and opened in the day to allow in light and encourage interaction with neighbors.
The cardboard pipes can be cut easily into desired sizes, and a 4-meter-by-4-meter space to house one family can be erected in just 10 minutes. Total set-up costs are roughly 20,000 yen ($236), all of which will be covered by donations. ||

Numerous building Co.'s are currently constructing and supplying homes for refugees. One of the companys is Viceroy Homes, which is based in Canada. Canadian timber is well known in Japan, in any case, the situation requires the use of all avaliable resources, and sourcing from outside Japan is obvious because of avaliability of building materials.

The last thing to say:

As recovery works continues, will they try to reuse huge amount of avaliable materials from other ruined houses. It is not easy to suggest this taking into account the current situation, but should nevertheless be considered.

Godspeed Japan.

UPDATE:

MOLADI which is known for its cheap low labor construction, posted on it's website that they would help rebuild Japan.

But really, I must question suitability of their techniques in Japan. I believe that in the current situation what Japan requires are temporary homes, that could be later dismantled and possibly used elsewhere.

Now what MOLADI offers is slightly different. They have been building houses mainly in Africa, but not temporary ones, these are solid concrete homes, most likely a good solution for poverty stricken countries. Now building these houses in Japan would be a waste of material, cause they would be used for a limited period before proper accommodation is avaliable, and then turned to rubble.

Of course don't forget, the cultural differences (vernacular building materials) - Africa had cob while Japan mostly relied on timber.

here is MOLADI house

Jeongok Prehistory Museum

2011-04-08T20:58:00.000+01:00

France based X-Tu architects were the ones who designed this slithering creature.

According to the official Jeongok Prehistory Museum website the concept for the building was drawn in from the surrounding landscape (river and hills), and snake skins and Korean dragons.
It would be a great experience to witness this in person, nevertheless, even the images give the feeling of some creature slithering over the hills. Another thing to note is the relationship between the buildings futuristic looks and the prehistoric contents, a definite point there.

The choice of materials is very supportive as well.

"The Living City"

2011-04-05T17:56:00.001+01:00

Have recently started reading this book by Frank Lloyd Wright. Great architect and good thinker.
(few phrases that caught my attention)

Organic architecture is architecture of democracy. (...) Because it is intrinsically based on Nature-law: law for man not over man. So understood, so applied. It is simply the material structure of every man's life on earth now seen by him as various forms of structure - in short organic.

He (man) is educated only by being conditioned, not by being enlightened.

Intelligence of life would not allow buildings as ignorant expedients.

All fine architectural values are human values, else not valuable.

The waste is ugliness itself and the ugliness that is itself waste.

Randomly picked out sentences, but they should still make some sense. Very much support his man directed approach, and 'dreaming' of a more humane way of life.
(below is his Broadacre City sketch)

2011-03-04T14:06:00.001Z

Occasionally I take photos of the sky, but, for some reason, i felt there was something absent... So i played a little with photoshop and came up with the flaming bird. This was my attempt to show the wind through the flames.
[edit]
Wonder if that was good enough.. maybe not
probably simply the perspective.

or the layers

2011-01-23T07:55:00.001Z

I had a dream the other night. The usual fragmented and often unrelated stuff, but there was something that seemed interesting for me. So i tried to put it together, here is the photoshoped version that's very close to what i saw then.

What happened in my dream: i was standing in some place i don't remember seeing before, not the one on the image, and was holding my camera; i looked at the screen and saw the same place but decades back in time.
Reality was no longer the now, instead the past was taking over, and moment later i was in the past running through a maze of interconnected streets and courtyards.
So here it is this spacetime camera.

Now that i think of it: reminds me of new phone apps, augmented reality ones. does make you wonder stuff..

2010-12-30T02:17:00.000Z

The video was first an attempt to loop the filmed bit. After playing around with it i decided shift it around instead.
It is in a sequence, but everytime video is rotated or mirrored, my visual perception needed to readjust - some kind of mental markings that got formed had to be rotated with the picture, but then the rotation again and repeat the process again.

[I wonder if only visual perception was involved here, the soundtrack on the background was probably supporting that sequence on some level as well.]

2010-12-18T09:31:00.000Z

Vertical Team Project [a CINEMATIC Plan]

Project Introduction-

Studying film as an architect cannot help but learn the unique aspects of place created by the protagonist’s journey. The precisions of light, sound, colour, texture, movement of camera and actor are choreographed to give a very specific definition of place.

1 week to create a new CINEMATIC PLAN of Plymouth. Through the medium of film, you will create many more dimensions of existences and layers of identities for this place and for people coming to be here.

team 22 CONCEPT

There are multiple centres in Plymouth. Our team identified 4 main centres (based on student experience of the city) and the 5th one (sundial on Armada Way), which has the capacity to connect all the centres together.

After this we highlighted the main human senses used in these centres. Using these senses we made our way from each of the 4 centres to the 5th.

The video above explores the loss of the sense of sight, and the use of the sense of touch, smell and hearing to get to the sundial.

2010-11-22T00:30:00.000Z

Poetical concept ('power plant') is evolving into something physical. I have started exploring relation between the roots, that supply nutrition and water to the stem, and the mechanical core, that charges from the roots.

Mechanism - Nature, these two parts (often set against one another) as a single lifeform.

Order is an organic process, it should not be mistaken for organization which is a mechanical one. Order deals with life as well as with the forms and means of life, organization, merely with figures. (New Regional Pattern, Hilberseimer, Chicago, 1949)

2010-11-20T00:31:00.010Z

A living system is a system capable of self-production and self-maintenance through a regenerative network of processes which take place within a boundary of its own making and regenerates itself though cognitive or adaptive interactions with the medium. (Damiano and Luisi, 2000, p149)

The project is about reframing and restructuring the train station and nearby surroundings. It is a contextual response that has to improve the connection or create new ones where necessary. The main structure or a sequence of objects will reflect the face of the city and will act as a gateway into the city, and ensure that different scales (local, national, global) will intersect and work together.

The concept is the 'Power Plant' not in its standard meaning of a power station but 'power' (strength) and 'plant' (life) combined become 'the strength to bring life' (life to the site and its surroundings).