Cuba: Cienfuegos & El Nicho

Cienfuegos was a more fleeting stop-off on route between Playa Gíron and Trinidad. Following almost a week in the countryside and on the coast, the French colonial architecture of this south coast city was another distinctive side to Cuba. The drive was only an hour and a half and once we arrived, we dropped our bags in the casa and headed out into the city. First we wandered around the city centre, a highlight of which was the Palacio Ferrer, a grand building currently under renovation - great for architecture geeks! Then we walked out to Punta Gorda, the city's peninsula with large and elaborate houses and park at the end, where locals were swimming and we enjoyed a good ol' piña colada.

Food-wise, we had two very good dinners in Cienfuegos: at Restaurant Bouyón 1825 we enjoyed a BBQ or parrillada in the back dining room of the restaurant for a very reasonable price, and at Finca del Mar I enjoyed a delicious and beautifully presented octopus carpaccio starter with great views out over the bay. It was certainly a more touristy and pricey affair, but a nice treat that should be booked in advance.

Most reviews recommended Cienfuegos as a day trip or for a single night stay, as it really doesn't take long to explore in itself, however it's a useful base for excursions in the surrounding area. We decided on two nights and spent our full day on the beach at Playa Rancho Luna (though quality wise it's probably not worth the trip if you're heading on to Varadero).

Cienfuegos is the start of an excursion to the El Nicho waterfalls organised by Cubanacán, the state run tourist agency. It had been high on my list of to-dos shortly after starting research our trip, and even better since after the trip we would be dropped off in the next city, Trinidad. Early in the morning we were picked up by our private jeep and drove the two hours through the citrus fields in convoy with two other jeeps up into the mountains. Our tour guide Ray was a real character ("I have 3 sons by 3 different women!!") with a clear passion for his job and country and told us so much about everything we saw throughout the day, about the nature, agriculture, society and culture in the region.

The waterfalls themselves were a sight to behold, and we donned our swimming gear and took a dip! Of course, little did I know, around the corner as we about to head off for lunch (and still drying off from our swim!) Ray the guide took us off to a quiet viewpoint, and Dan proposed!!! So our pictures are pre-engagement, but hey, who cares! Needless to say, with the last stop Trinidad in our sights, this was the best bit of the trip!

Twelve Things: September's New Job

As the year is drawing to a close, I am quite impressed with myself that I have been able to keep up with doing something new each month. Sometime it's planned, other times I think "oh that fits the bill quite well" and September would adhere to the latter.

After a number of years on and off at my old practice I decided it was time for pastures new. When you've made friends and learned a great deal, it's a hard decision to go, but career wise it was time for a change. So in September I started at a new, much smaller architecture studio, both excited and nervous, but definitely ready to learn, learn, learn.

For me the most exciting thing is getting to go on site to see what you have designed and worked on come to life, off the page or computer screen, and become a living, breathing building that people are going to occupy. Every day I'm learning something new, and well as bringing parcels of my existing knowledge to the equation, and really enjoying the challenge everyday.

Looking back: in January I started to learn to swing.

In February we learned how to make pasta.

In March I sewed some curtains.

In April I planted herbs.

In May I started running.

In June I learnt to knit Fair Isle.

In July I planned a party.

In August I experimented with chocolate.

Sensing Spaces

Sometimes you just need to be inspired or reminded about the reason you are doing what you chose to do. Last weekend Helen and I visited the Sensing Spaces exhibition at the Royal Academy, a collection of architect design installations. Having been given one brief, each exhibit was so different from the next, clearly indicating the architects' distinctive influences and inspirations be that culture, Japanese woods and smells, or social collectiveness, through participatory hands on building. Hearing the architects speak about their work was motivating, to see that they are able to design according to their beliefs. All the more, the exhibition was exciting and interactive; it was great seeing kids of all ages running around and getting exposed to architecture and art.

Best of Britain

Last weekend a gaggle of us girlies headed on a packed train to Bath (the same that took me to Bristol) for Rachel’s hen weekend… and what a weekend we had! Bath is a beautiful city and we had lunch in a hotel on the world famous Royal Crescent, a must see in the city especially for a former architecture student! Over the past few months I’ve come across some of the greatest buildings in the country, from the contrasting details at St Pancras station, the hotel possibly being my favourite building in London, to the Royal Naval College in Greenwich and across the river gazing upon the city. Further north my dear friend Jess visited Edinburgh and I can’t wait to check out her Bath snaps on her blog here. So with all these British beauties… where will we visit next…?

Brutal Balfron

On Sunday the school girls had dinner round at Fran's place, a flat in the iconic Balfron Tower. For an archi-geek, which you inevitably become after over 6 years of studying, seeing one of these dilapidated yet well-designed flats in the flesh was fantastic. The flat is shabby chic especially with the hand-made furniture and painted murals on the walls. We enjoyed the feast and a light post-dinner competition in the form of Linkee - great game, we'll be playing that again for sure!

Dog House

Last night there was an incredible programme on The Secret Life of Dogs. For a dog lover like me the moral of the story was that dogs are amazing, from their ability to guide the blind, to lowering blood pressure with a stroke and a cuddle and even having the capability of sniffing out cancer. Even if Puck hasn't shown any of these skills, he's still my favourite!

At work this website Architecture for Dogs was sent around. Well known architects have design play pieces for dogs of different shapes and sizes and anyone can download the blueprint and make it - what a great idea! From top: MVRDV, atelier bowwow and Toyo Ito. Like the pallet furniture of Studiomama, it's design for sharing. Maybe our plan for designing a chicken coop to take the same ethos...

Images from Architecture for Dogs

Design Education

Here is another inspiring TED lecture from Emily Pilloton of Studio H, a not-for-profit organisation in the US, which runs programmes at schools in rural areas to teach the pupils design skills and thinking. I first saw their chicken coops a year or so ago, and I wish we had something similar at my secondary school. Is there something similar in the UK?

Super Inspired

Last night we went to a lecture by David Zahle of BIG. As the title explains, it was a highly inspiring two hours, showing their work. BIG's work is fun, imaginative yet simple, with one element which makes each project unique. I've loved their Mountain Housing for years, but it was great to see a selection of their projects, a cycling pavilion, a marine museum in an former ship dock. The way BIG communicate their work is key, their office ethos looks so fun and it's got me re-enthused for the last couple of months of MArch.

Images from BIG

Little Huts

Over the Christmas break I was blogging about everything and anything, except architecture. I just didn't want to be doing it. Since getting back up to Manchester I have got back in the zone and reinspired! My Architecture and Housing boards on Pinterest are busier than ever, and as a collaborative group our unit is sharing ideas and precedents we've seen. Although they look like little houses this is the Red Bull Music Academy in Madrid by langarita-navarro arquitectos, who are speaking this week in London at the ar+d Emerging Architecture Lecture Series. In an old warehouse, pavilions contain workspaces, recording studios, conference areas and all are temporarial constructed so they can be moved away and reused. I love the use of materials and the green landscape within - inspired!!

Images by Luis Diaz Diaz and Miguel de Guzman via designboom