Geometries & Topologies

Last week we had a separate brief from the current design projects: to create as a group, two 60sec films demonstrating our given key words.

We met at the BFI on the Southbank, and our group was given an interesting topic for the location.

Geometry: the pure mathematics of points and lines and curves and surfaces

Topology: topographic study of a given place
Both definitions from the freedictionary.com

Film one was to be uncut, and played at the speed it was filmed.....First site was the skate park found under the Purcell Rooms. Unfortunately the film size is too large to upload but I will get onto resizing this for upload soon.

Film two was to demonstrate more, the key words given. It could be cut with sound and other media. We decided to take a walk along the Southbank from the BFI to the Tate Modern, recording images of all the geometries and related typologies along the route.

Focus 1 - Teach-In: 2012 Imperative - Day 2 Workshops

Day 2 of the Teach-in was an organised day of workshops at the participating universities and colleges. All of the students were to work together on various schemes and initiatives suggested by their tutors or themselves which will create awareness or change for their local community/ies in adapting to climate change.

The group I worked in looked at creating a community supported vertical urban farm. We had a lot of good input from various Kingston tutors who joined the workshop, as well as sustainability rep's and also local residents who are involved in various schemes in and around Kingston.

Below is a flow chart I created with the help of a group member, which using the context of the a south facing building of our campus - Knight's Park - describes the processes involved in creatinf this vertical farm, supported by students and supplying produce to the canteen.

Focus 1 - Teach-In: 2012 Imperative

The first Focus Week of this year and we were invited to take part in a one day set of presentations by pretty influential folk, aimed at invoking changes in the way University and College curriculums adapt teachings to climate change, through ecological literacy.

It took place at the Lecture room at the V&A on Monday 12 October. Organised by Jody Boehnert (established EcoLabs in 2006 and also co-founded Transition town Brixton) the various presenters each had some really interesting things to say, and an enthusiatic outlook in changing they way we and future students are taught.

I think the most important lesson to be learned from the day, was about changes happening from the bottom up. Curriculums and the issues surrounding changing these are swamped in beauracracy and red-tape......we cannot rely on governments to adapt at the speeds we need them to.

Below are some of the websites of associated peoples who spoke at the Teach-in:

+ Teach-in

+ Eco-labs

+ Climate Safety

+ New Economics Foundation

+ Doors of Perception

+ Tactical Technology Collective

Tavistock Road Garden Project

July 2006

My partner in crime (!) bought a gorgeous basement apartment in Westbourne Park who's garden had sadly suffered the concrete finger.....With a nasty oversized fountain right in the middle which did absolutely nothing for the space. So £300 post E-bay sale and some new soil and grass......I got stuck in. On the rainiest bank holiday weekend possible.

Over a year on and the garden is amazing. We learn as we go by. Sadly the grass doesn't have enough drainage so we will probably dig it up in the next few weeks and re-lay it. And since removing the 2 fir trees and a very large overhanging Eucalyptus, the surrounding plants are growing beautifully.

And the friendly red-breasted robin seems to agree.

Parklife - Thames Barrier visit

October 2008 - Part of our technical & theory module - a visit to Thames Barrier Park to select and survey an area of the site and build a scaled contour model in studio.

On previous visits to the park I have always found it to be empty, quite possibly because it's been mid-week but the days have been sunny and clear.....since it is so far out of my zone, I do wonder if it attracts the local families, mums and babes and other outside adventurers that the website makes a delightful appeal to:

''Set within 22 acres of lawns, trees and uniquely contoured Yew and Maygreen hedges you can discover the delights of this urban oasis. An excellent children's play area, 5 a side football/basketball court, great places to picnic and play, the Thames path, with magnificent views of the barrier, and a fountain plaza where 32 jets spring from the ground to provide a cooling and entertaining delight for children to splash and play.'' http://www.thamesbarrierpark.org.uk/