Tuesday 24 July 2012

The Power of Film

Recently, I have been finding that the films of the past are very interesting, and a great way to learn a little.
Design for Today (1965) was shown on Sky Arts recently, and since I cannot find a full length on the internet, I trust this snippet will suffice.
The final sentence has stayed with me since I watched it a few days ago:
It is a film without words, because good design speaks for itself.
 Which reminded me of a quote which was plastered around our uni building, which I can't remember exactly (nor find) but it went something like:
Good design does not shout in your face. Good design whispers in your ear and suggests possibility. 
Another film was William H. Whyte's 'The Social Life of Urban Spaces', which looks at the inhabitation of space, and how planners should relate to this. It is an philosophy that is strongly related to that of our school of architecture, so the film really appealed to me.

I've also been reading, obviously while sunbathing in the rare british sun.

Monday 16 July 2012

Working in Abu Dhabi


I have left this blog for a long time, which I do regret, but it is a cumulative problem – much like avoiding the gym or a library fine; the more you leave it the worse it gets.

Anyway, I recently had the pleasure of going to work in the Benoy architecture office in Abu Dhabi for a week, which involved meetings as well as designing and general practice.

It was a real shock for me. Firstly, the lifestyle change both shocked and compelled me; I can see why people stay to work there for years. The luxury is crazy. 










And the opportunities for architectural greatness are fantastic. There is so much money floating about, that everything is made possible. My work was awfully pedestrian, but I have never felt so lost before - designing an object rather than a space to be inhabited (on a budget). It was also the first time I had really got to design solely on a computer - no sketches, no models; not a scalpel cut or glue blob in sight.




All in all, fantastic trip, and it was an experience that will never leave me.