They're Alive

Fiona came to visit this weekend and on Sunday morning we made a cultural trip to the Manchester Museum. It was literally stuffed with taxidermy (!) but also had a small collection of live creatures in the vivarium. Chameleons, bright orange frogs, snakes, iguanas! Well worth a visit!

Also check out Fiona's blog of her time at an orphanage in Cambodia - her photography is ace!

Film Fun

I got snapping away with my old Praktica film camera when we were away in Fez. Embarrassingly I'm still a complete novice when it come to old school technology. First I thought there was already a film in so some images dissolved into nothingness, next I couldn't work out why the camera wouldn't take with a new film in (the shutter lock was on) and lastly when the film was finished I forgot to wind it back and opened the back up and exposed the film. Phew! Nevertheless I got a few good snaps, most importantly the ones of site for our project. Here's a few of the others.

Funky Fez

For our studio study trip, last week we flew to Fez in Morocco. We've been studying the courtyard house typology and went to see it first hand. Fez has a dense urban fabric: it's like a labyrinth and many times we got lost, had no idea which direction we were going in and had to dive out of the way of the donkeys and carts flying down the narrow streets. Being in the medina is like stepping back in time - the historic architecture, being car free, the markets for shopping and the crafts people working on the street. It's the latter that intrigued me the most. There are silk weavers using the street as their workshop, men banging copper into shape in the square. 

Seeing Fez was an intriguing cultural experience, whether I could live there myself is doubtful - being back in the hustle and bustle of London was oddly calming!

Sheep Shack

I've been designing houses for people for the last year, and it's something that I am really keen on and want to do in the long term. Having watched The Secret Life of Buildings last night on C4, it got me thinking again about housing and whether what we're currently designing is up-to-scratch and how we can make it better. It's also about looking at the wider community and how we sustain ourselves. Through my web-wandering I came across this petting farm by 70f. They seem to do a few buildings for agricultural animals, and after all farming is something else I am interested in. So designing homes for creatures on all fours: this could be my calling!

Images by 70f

Dino Saurs

Today we went to the Natural History Museum. I have been since I was probably 4 years old but even now I enjoyed wandering around seeing the stuffed animals, the new Darwin Centre (which I have watched a lecture by the architect of) and most importantly the dinosaur in the main hall. We also came across London Fashion Week at Somerset House and took a few snaps feeling rather underdressed! It was great to catch up with friends and feel a bit touristy for the day!

Easter Crafts

I've just come across this blog and store, Purlbee, via ~>0<~ and it makes me more than ever to just make things. These bunnies are adorable! One of my oldest friends Lauren is going to New York this Easter with her family and I would love to hide in her suitcase and go too! Purlbee is in New York you see, just means I'll have to go there myself sometime soon...

Snaps

My films have been developed from our holiday in France, here are some of the best bits! I'm especially happy how the knitting needles came out!