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.

My Brand

Starting the last few months of my MArch gets me thinking about what I'm going to do after. Get a job is the simple answer! However in the last few months we have had somewhat demoralising lectures about the state of the architectural profession which has confirmed to me that I'm not going to go for a traditional post-degree route. Yet speakers who've come in have highlighted that we have a great skill set and so I'm not worried, more excited as to what the future will hold.

A key thing is to have a brand, I think, and to define myself as a designer. Above these pictures have given me some great ideas - a stamped cv! Not only is this how I will present my work at exhibition but also developing my online presence. This blog allows me to capture all my personal interests but I want to have a more professional portfolio as well as continuing maud... and then actually making stuff when not attached to my laptop! It's going to be a busy time, but an exciting one.

Images by Emmadime

East End

I'm back at work for a few weeks to earn some monies over the summer holidays. The project I'm working on is in Hackey next to Hackney City Farm and the other day I went down to take some snaps when there was a consultation on. The hospital has been empty for 20 years odd, although Goldsmith's Row alongside it has become a constant route for cyclists and others have made their mark in a different way.

Drawing Architecture

I've been neglectful. Over the past few weeks, I've finished my dissertation (on Participation in Urban Agriculture) and then been thinking about my plans for summer, so the blog has taken a back seat. I need to get together a cv and have been thinking about the best way to produce something snappy for some work over the summer that can be updated when I finish for good next year (!). I came across Drawing Architecture this morning and it's a feed of beautiful architectural drawings that spark some great ideas for my final year, next year. These, above, are too beautiful examples.

Images by Neuronville and Draftworks via Drawing Architecture

In Pictures

Quinoa, chicken and veg . Sandbar workspace . Card collage . Monoprinting . Double chocolate cupcakes . Family lunch . Flowers in a book . Sunday morning in London . My workspace

Middle Name

Working to ethereal, folky tunes is the way we like to do it at the moment. Sat at the drawing board with pen and ink and charcoal there is nothing better. Benjamin Francis Leftwich, James Vincent McMorrow and Ben Howard (...he doesn't have a known middlename!) are well worth a listen.

Image from Benjamin Francis Leftwich

Food Futures

So I'm supposed to be packing. After work tomorrow, I'm heading back up to Manchester for the next semester of study. I really need to get back into my dissertation reading, so this distraction is valid. I've just received the current issue of Icon magazine and it's called 'The Future of Food'. Just up my street and they have an article on my favourite architects, Work AC. I must keep packing, but I'm looking forward to sitting down and having a read of this when I get back up north!

Image from Icon

Hand Bound

Work work work work work work! We have a portfolio submission on Friday, and therefore I have started dreaming architecture, sections, people, walls... standard pre-deadline sleep pattern! Another part is our environmental report so yesterday Helen and I printed and hand-bound our book, and we're really pleased how it has turned out. Of course when the going gets tough, the tough eat a raspberry tartlet from Patisserie Valerie!

Something New

Last week was my last at work. It was my first "proper" job so I guess it'll stay pretty special in my mind. I feel as though I have grown in confidence in many ways, having gradually gained more responsibility and knowledge. I have met some incredible people from all over the world, hopefully friends for life.

Last week we went for Japanese, enjoyed jazz, played softball, went to the Eagle, but the epitome was our leaving party on a London roof terrace. Evening sun, take-away pizza, Pimms and wine, friends and the most incredible panoramic view of the city over the chimney pots. Will remain with me long time!

Prune Conserve

Today we popped along to the car boot sale at Epsom Hospital where Ben Smithers was selling his childhood for a bargain. I was enticed into buying an old Kodak camera for £1, which I've given to Brother Dowle to add to his collection, and bought these sweet jars of homemade jams. It's such a beautiful day, fingers crossed that it'll last for my last week at work!

Archaeological Resuscitation

In May we entered the RIBA Forgotten Spaces competition, to present a proposal to improve a forgotten space in a London borough. We chose Croydon and above is our idea to excavate the ugly underpass which links two sides of the town cut apart by a major through road and create a meeting place, an amphitheatre. Next to the community hub of the parish church and representing the uncovering of a buried river, our proposal provides an urban space to meet, sit, contemplate or simply to pass through.

Here is the AJ article!

Many Hands

Whether it's seeing where people live, or where they work, I like having a gander at these blogs which give a sneak peek into the lives of others:
The Makers; House of Commons; Freunde von Freunden; The Selby

Images from The Makers

Food Facts

I don't often post up my work (although that was the original idea behind the blog!) but I have been working on my portfolio for university applications for the past few months. I've been thinking of ways in which to improve it, having learnt a lot at work.

Also I have become more and more interested in graphical presentation. I read my cousin's copy of Information is Beautiful and it gave me some further ideas of how to present information. Below is an improved version of a visualisation I originally did with pen and watercolour. Having populated the drawing a bit more, I drew it with ink on trace, scanned it in and converted the lines. To further improve, I'll get me a graphics tablet so it's easier to colour in!

Sources: wrap.org.uk, lovefoodhatewaste.com, meinfo.com, wasteonline.org.uk

White Stuff

It arrived over night on Tuesday and for the first time I saw the bad side of snow - commuting! Delayed and cancelled trains, stranded on freezing platforms, bus and tube combinations... but today I could just enjoy it taking le chien out for a walk. It's all melting now and a work out for the calves but Puck enjoyed it! Now to keeping warm...

Primrose Treats

Having planned it yesterday, at lunchtime today we walked along the canal to Primrose Hill to visit the Primrose Bakery. I've heard of it, having seen the cookbook, but visiting it's very cute and sells a plethora of delicious cupcakes. Aaron had lemon, I had ginger fudge and Emma had carrot cake. I think it's going to be a regular destination on our lunchtime jaunts!
Images from Primrose Bakery

Pumpkin Pacman

On Thursday at work we had the grand unveiling of the entries to the HTA Pumpkin Carving Competition. Here's our team's entry of Pacman with ghosts and power pellets - and we came third! Other entries included ET, gravity defying structures, a  glowing globe and many more. Check them out here!

Image from HTA Graphics blog

Ta daaa

Today I had the crit for my chair. Having enjoyed the process of designing and making it I wasn't too nervous. The aspects of reuse, make do and mend and nostalgia in design I hope came across, and it received very good feedback. The design ethics is to change people's views of design and to see whether they are game to reuse what is already in circulation, rather than take the easy waay out and buy new. The next idea from my critique panel is to use the leaflets that I produced to see whether anyone could make a deck chair - sort of like a day challenge, build a chair in 12 hours or something.

Doing this module has been a great break from more architectural work, in fact I think I have enjoyed doing this far more. Could their be a future in this? Who knows, we'll see!

The Chair

So after almost a year of researching, designing and making, I have my final creation. On Thursday is the crit for the module, so I'll be presenting the chair to panel and being questioned on it! To go along with it have designed a poster, and here is the illustration for it. The book Naive has some really great inspiration, especially Spikepress, and I always love Ben's work too. So in the next couple of days I'll be posting my presentation set up and a picture of the chair itself!

Little Distractions

I am very prone to blog wandering when I'm bored of my work, which is no bad thing doing a design degree. I've been given some great inspiration when I've stumbled apon certain designers. Although architecture and fashion are often linked for this forms and structure and I am indeed designing a textiles museum, the New York magazine Look Book, is just good distraction! I love looking at street style - I really liked this from Fashion Bits and Bobs today. I also like to here where people get there clothes from!

Work is coming along slowly but surely. Yesterday we had our first offer from Freecycle taken away, the two beds in my room. So I'm just sleeping on a mattress on the floor, poor love! I do have a new (double) bed on way to me soon though...

Carpenter Girl

I've been exploring my inner carpenter today, finishing the prototype chair for my interdisciplinary project. Sawing, chiseling and drilling is a tiring business, I'm pooped! It has definitely been worth making the mock-up, as there are a number of changes that need to be made in the 'real thing'. Been having a gander at the work by Greg Hatton, as pointed out by fine little day. Inspiration for a future furniture project maybe?

The weather at the moment is beautiful, not a cloud in the sky, not even an Icelandic volcanic ash cloud! Yesterday I went to a lovely pub near by for my primary school friend's 21st. As parentals were invited too it was like being back in the playground all those years ago. In the evening my cousin, my brother and I went for drinks in London and even saw George Michael (we had a vouchers for a posh hotel bar!)

Chicken's roasting in the kettle BBQ for Sunday dinner... smells deliiiicious!