Talks at the Bartlett:

Global Cities

Mumbai is the most densley populated in the city has a powerful physical divide between rich and poor.

It is more sustainable to live in a highrise city environment than to live a twee life in the country. Manhattan was called a 'Green Machine?', just imagine how green it could be if everybody became more responsible for their existence.

Fractals

Image take from Bill Mollison's book 'Permaculture. A Designers Manual'

'Fractal geometry and cellular automata in urban design' lecture by Dr Michael Batty. The structure of everything, it is basically the repitition of a triangle overlapping itself. Natural forms like a leaf or the shore line and and why they work, they are not organic shapes, though on the human scale they may seem it. Batty suggested the same structural theory should be applied to town planning, to create forms that work and to look at natures complex system for inspiration. I now look at trees in totally different light!

Edaw on the Olympics

London a city on a string, a string of villages- what is their individual identity? It was refreshing to see some really creative conceptual work produced by such a big practice.

FAT Architects Fashion Art Taste

31st Jan 2008 at
interesting architecture! layering of space with large features, mirrors alike an infinity wall+ continue into floor. Surreal, architecture that is almost normal with a strange twist. Games of scale


click for FAT website

FAT is working alongside architects such as Will Alsop, Nigel Coates to design the CIAC 'Community in a Cube'! A brand new Minniture Town in Middlesborough containing everything and incorporating sustainability- its 350 car park spaces will be painted green! The project is made through a seried of 'Sugar Cubes' each one designed by a different architect/ practice, the FAT Cube has a terraced south facing garden space as an optional entrance to building.
I like their architecture as it is playful and entertainaing (however it seems only rich clients will do!)

Waterfront London+ NLA

30th Jan 2008

Mark Bensted , London Director of Canals gave a breakfast talk this morning as part of the Waterfront London Exhibition.

The canal system connects to the Thames in 4 places, a number of canal villages have sprung up around the water network, to name a few Kentish town, Camden, Kings cross etc. Once for Trade, now for leisure and recreation the canal villages are undergoing regeneration continuously. Within this regeneration Mark Bensted calls for quality integration, the residential apartments should connect to the river systems and people who live there should be involve the water and its many uses in everyday life, he is against developments which simply gaze over the water.


Argent are establishing an eight million sq ft mixed use development along Kings Cross Regents canal and have agreed to improve networks from Camden to Islington encouraging use of the towpaths. Linking the new development with locals and bringing everybody to the attention of the canal.

Interestingly transport for London operates and manages 8 piers on the Thames, there is a subsidised multi stop commuter service. The problem with this is that the 4mph speed limit in central London is a similar speed to walking, I know I would usually opt for the free exorcise!

Though Elephants were brought to London Zoo via Regents canal, the system is not currently adequate to transport large vessels continuously. However headway is being made with a new lock at The lower lea valley Olympic site.The Prescott Lock which will control water levels allowing 1.75m tonnes of construction materials to be brought via barge, potentially taking 170,000 lorry journeys off local roads. The Olympic site is surrounded by water and the event has catalyst for the development of a Major new park for London. The transformation of a working landscape into a new public realm. The park will finally be developed into a 26mile linear park between Hertfordshire and the River Thames at Blackwell! The park will reflect the areas provisioning identity whilst using sustainable cycles. It will be refreshing and is necessary as the next decade will see a new 20,000 dwellings being built in the area.

Climate Change- the challenge for Landscape architecture

The Landscape Institute held a Climate Change Conference in Regents Park 01-02 November 2007. I attended and focusses on current issues for my 1st Focus week. 29th Oct- 3rd Nov.

Regents Park in Autum colours

We are the make or break generation of designers, we can turn the world around for the future of the human race. This will take much testing, experimenting and innovation.......

There were some fabulous talkers, some not so fab talkers and here's my favorite points:

Tim Lang

main message Be Veggie! 2/3 of our seared food is fed to animals.

Well actually 'What is land for?

Housing? Transport? Recreation? Food Production? Biofuels?

The World Wild Life Fund states that 3 planets would be needed to sustain our current lifestyles,
however in food terms we are looking at 6 planets to sustain our greedy guts!

Britain is 63% self sufficient this is 15% less than three years ago therefore Britain is living off other peoples land.

Tim Lang also talked of the 'nutritional transition' which is facinating and is basically showing how less people are dying of infectious disease's & there are more deaths caused by none communicable illness. Which indicates an increased life style quality globally.

to read more about nutritional transition CLICK

He questioned if progress really meant spending less on food, cheap imports, having shops such as Primark! Where somebody else Is paying the price for our cheap goods through being forced into poor quality of life.

David Burnie on Edible new Middlesborough

A step towards self sufficiency of the urban. Food Soveriegnity.

Community allotments have been integrated into the public realm of the ASBO capital of the UK! Middlesborough has been voted by channel 4 to be the worst place in the UK to live- an amazing show of community involvement proved them wrong. Over 1000 participants worked on allotments which fed 3,500 people in a town Food Feast! This is to happen every year and the estimated upkeep cost is £70 per year
EAT That!

CLICK for more on Edible Middlesborough

Kim Wilkie Don't panic!

Possibly the most inspiring talker of the conference, here's some of his points:

Accross London 32 square kilometers of our green space being eaten up by 'modern' paving over front gardens, that's 22 times the size of Hyde Park & the City's Urban Drainage system is dramatically & negatively affected.


Farmers markets-- rejuvenation--bring good food for a good price into our conciousness

There is a new common agriculture policy since the 2nd world war when farmers were encouraged to produce as much as they could using pesticides and herbcides. Now we seek organically produced quality stamped food however many still opt for he cheaper option.

Map Ramble with Tim Waterman

Regents Park to Kings Cross

The: Future: Laboratory

See more of Future Lab click

Lecture on IN HOUSE TREND 30/10/07

The future Laboratory has been in practice for 7 years. They collect data about society and trends. They portray analyse it in exciting ways. They predict the future trends based on up-and-comming designers attitudes.

Here's some most of the interresting facts and takes on facts highlighted :::

Consumer Attitudes Audit

This seasons attitude is decency & fairness
'neither a lender or a borrower be' seems alien in a society that is based on borrowing. However we are becoming concerned and aware of our spending and it will be increasingly difficult to part us with our cash!

when asked 24% of people say a higher salary would make them happier, whereas 30% want to spend more time with friends and family.

(We live into whatever pocket we have, fill our homes to the brim whether a mud hut or a plalace- we value wat we have and beleive we need it all to get by, are more scared of loosing that than excited about getting more, lifesyle change to live simply is difficult transition)

Buying patterns will change. eolpe will be morelikely to only buy what is neccessary (perhaps this will combine well with leading more sustainable lifestyles- ie needing less wanting less- having more?)


SLOWTOPIA

34% o travellers claim to love travel but hate travelling
& 54% of the UK is concerned about flying

(In Alain de Botton's Art of travel he explained that travelling is marketed as pure crystl beechs- bliss- sereniy- until you get there and realise your still a part of the picture!)


We have a desire for authencity- to do places that are untouched, however this travelling experience has been trendy for a while and we will now seeking a deeper spiritual experience- which is about state of mind from the begginning of the journey to the end.

There is now a shift away wanting cheap flights with easyjet, to wanting luxuroious journies. Designer Patrick Blanc is making the most of the shift:

read more at:
http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,21706840-39535,00.html

There could be a rivalry between our desire for slowtopia and eco
However there is a definate shift towards cruises and away from flight so they may have some common ground.


By 2015 'work' will be a search for self actualisation and meaning! This shows we a a generation that has all the anemities.

(It also remins me of Kim Wilkies ideas of work being play- flexible working hours
and enjoyment & integrity in life)

The sales in male toiletry increased by 800% in the last 7 years! & in 3 years equal amounts of men and women will be booking in for spa treatments(my boyfriend disagreed!)

customised design is favoured over mainstream- men wearing fitted suits, Amazon has 6 million titles this is vast compared to the average bookshop & the main books bought from amazon are the quirky titles, the rare and unique, rather thean books other bookshos may stock.


Festivals are the thing to do now, not clubs

Recyling is down cycling- lets work with technology and upcycle. mixing organic with synthetic.
designers will need to look for solutions to how society is run- less chucking in the recycling bin. Products that arn't to be disposed of
ultra materials to repel dirt- so cotton towels don't need to be washed- much less emboddied energy in a products lifetime

to have fun in design we need to be scientists, chemists, illusionists and magiciens- the world of design will ned to collaborate massively.

poetry workshop

As part of the Kingston UNITY week 22nd-26th October 2007 I attended a workshop devised by Zena Edwards named 'Character development' in short:'an exploration of character from initial creation to a believable living, breathing character in live performance'
We began by discussing what makes a 'character', we also investigated effective describing words:

Smell- Aromas- rounded & full. STINKS- harsh-jagged. Senses and perfume

Touch- Texture & Temperature

Hear- Musical noises & the Soundtracks of our everyday environment

Sight- Movement, bright, vivid, pattern, colour, size/shape

Taste- Body- wines- cheeses, fine/not so fine

Organic- A person's awareness of heart beat, aches, breathing, digestion

kinaesthesia- weight, gravity, movement, balance


My experience of getting up

bang bang bang beep beep bleep bleep squeak goes the alarm dragging me into consciousness

bright light peers through the curtains, I am a heavy warm solid and hibernating

a pang of routine hunger encourages a stir, I clunk downstairs

I routinely munch through cereal and debate on toast, today its Marmite

I greedily gulp down half satisfying instant Kenco with its promising aroma

a splash in the refreshing shower

then I emerge into the day. Riding my bike speedily in the Bright fresh October morning

few cars emerge, a smooth ride with little negotiation

I start my day with the market it is squeaky full and brand new for another day.


Zena was wonderful & full of energy, she had to rework the workshop as only I and Kaori- another Landscape Student were present, she reworked the creative writing programme to fit in with our studies!

Describe a landscape
as male/female
with a name
in a coffee shop

My 2nd Poem:

The Dalyan mud baths lie heavily at the peak of many a mountain in Turkey

Bubbles and Groans of grumbles emerge the strain of tourist troops flouncing through

The mud is thick and slow alike chocolate milkshake,
swallowing what it can a belching a mask of mud
a surreal common identity for all visitors awaits

Barbara an artist, once brilliant and brimming with love, greeting those she meets
is broken, dried out and she waits,
she dresses to impress in her accumulated treasures
Maybe she can impress
once fluid and bubbling with excitement,
now reaped, a fag clinging to her wrinkling lips, a triple espresso fix shaking between her now delicate fingers
Barbara waits

Brent Cross Cricklewood- Breakfast Talk at nla

A new town centre for Brent Cross in North West London. The imperative for success is to integrate the local community in all aspects of the development. The schemes most prominent feature is a multi complex mall, incorporating residential, entertainment and commercial industries. How can something so massive and economy driven claim the hearts of local people? How can they feel integrated into something they could not possibly make a difference to due to its shear size? Can a commercial theme ever become nostalgic?
Jonathon Joseph, the development director of the scheme believes the existing mall conjures up fond memories for those familiar with it in its sepia old fashioned colour scheme, and that the mall is somewhere many locals go every day not only for amenities but for socialising. He believed the area around it is currently run down, he beleives it ill be a design respectful of nostalga with hope for a sustainable future

focus four

sustainable talk at Phenryn Road on 21st March 2007

Sustainable Homes and Cities was a discussion of how we can move fordward with sustainable movements, lifestyles and technologies, and why we need to. The panel consisted of: Nic Marks- The head of the centre for Well being, Rodger Wood- a chartered civil engineer Working for Arup, Ros M Taylor- tutor of earth Sciences and Geograhy, Munir Morad and Bernadette Valley- an Environmental campaigner.
Here's what they had to say:


Bernadette Valley:
Waste is our moral imperative
up until two years ago small bananas would be chucked, however now they ae huge profits being sold as 'kids' food!
The average amount of paper in Africa is not enough to allow everyone to learn to read. this shaming as with every print out at Kingston university you get an wasteful sheet teling you about what you printed- the system is disgusting!
statistically in Kingston alone there are £6 billion of unworn clothes in our draws and we produce 20,000 disposable cups each month Perhaps water fountains by law shoud not be placed nexto disposable cups- recycling bottles could be forced on everyone- i doubt it would lessen quality of life- would just make your drink bigger!

Cigerretes account for 50% of all litter, it takes the tidy Britain group to make up for the inconsiderance of others who just think its one little ciggerette! We need to be concious of our own actions as everthing counts and behaviour is infectious.

One thing Bernadette said that made me think was about not buying into slavery, paying a good price for something rather than going to Primark- and to do your research before you buy it, as looking trendy will gain you no respect if you got there by not repecting others and expepting them to have a bad quality of life so you can wear ridiculously cheap clothes.

'Never underestimate the power of a few people to change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has' Margrarette Mead.

She suggested watching Al Goré's 'Inconceivable truth'

Nick Marks
Nick informed us that happiness levels were the same in the 1970's as they are now, so technological progression does not make our lives any better. He also stated that happiness levels of those at home during the war were not low- they were penniless and had to use every last scap of food but pulled togeasther more as a community.
we need a range of things top be happy there's extrinsic things which is our need to be valued by society, and intrinsic values which includes doing what your best at, being love and having friends. Humans also need a level of autonomy- making our own mistakes. Our fundamental needs do not need to be changing materialistic goals. Infact Nick stated that the richer people are the less happy they are generally.

He predicts and fears that the costs of climate change will fall on the poor as the rich will look after themselves. The Eu and America could become fortresses. People in general are more scared of loosing money than appreciative of gaining it, it is difficult for people to part with what they have for the sake of others, and it is quite a challenge for people to give up parts of their life style to influence the lives of others, not neccessarily in their life time or in their region.

Nick's ideas for progression were 'pay to pollute' so organic and recycled should
be cheaper- however would that sacrifice its current 'trendy' reputation amongst the wealthy? Costa Rica Latin America is a sustainable area and people there have a full rich life minimising impact.

As far as happiness levels are concerned I know the expensive things in modern life don't usually help i.e. computers- I think most people would much rather be finger painting to clicking!

an interresting website to check out, for those who don't like mice is:
http://www.dontclick.it/

Munir Morad
We have enough wasted Energy in London to power 7 power plants! And 50% of our water supply goes to cool down coal, gas, nuclear power stations!
He beleives in tidal potential 'the Tsunami reminds us of how strong the sea can be'
Apparantly a tidal energy system accross the Seven would give the uk 80% of its energy. The technology's out there and people are increaingly experimenting and altrnatives are slowly becoming viable possibilities.
and the potential of geothermal heat pumps. However in the UK one would have to dig 20 m to collect the sustainable energy unlike Austrailia where it is possible to just dig 5m.
Described how sustainability relies on the three aspects working togeather-ecological/environmental, social wellbeing, and economically sustainable
By 2010 10% of energy in all new buildings should be renewable and this will have doubled by 2020
He mentioned concern for the Stem report and Russias example of an economy melt down. Giving Britain a predicted 40 years before economic downfall as the current economy is not increasing quality of life it is simply being ecologically negative and creating technical highrise
The Uk is one of the largest wind resources in the region
Neighbourhood community led solutions work well and a good Urban design project should encorporate visual quality, legibility in wayfinding, lively public space, encouraging sustainable lifestyles.
The Urban Population is to reach 1.12 billion by 2050, thats a shift of 600 million people from raural to urban.


Me and Sarah Bridger became next years SLIC reperesentatives i.e. 'Student Landscape Interface Commity', we had a meeting in Manchester, it also gave me a chance to show people around the regenerated areas of the city.

Manchester Art Gallery
CUBE the first time I have viseted thei funky little gallery and not the last. The work on show was an architectural competition, with some student submissions.

Green Modernism

Runs: 13.04.2007 to 26.05.2007
Green Modernism will provide an in-depth exploration into the future of sustainable living. As part of the renowned Look ’07 photography festival, CUBE presents an exhibition by British artist David Spero entitled Settlements in GALLERY 1. Visually documenting some of the most innovative and extreme examples of sustainable living in the UK, Spero presents us with an exciting collection of photographs tracing self-built dwellings of communities who have chosen to live off the land in a sustainable way.

GALLERY 2 will feature a sensory installation and using sound bytes taken from interviews with environmentalists, academics and members of the public CUBE hopes to foreground current debates on the future of sustainable living.

GALLERY 3 will host the interactive part of the exhibition and CUBE invites members of the public to contribute their thoughts on the debates raised via a feedback wall and an online “blogspot”. This section of the exhibition will also include case studies of local and international pioneering sustainable developments.

We are now at a time when it is important to suggest ecologically friendly ways of living as the effects of climate change are felt with increasing force. CUBE intends to confront this powerful issue by showcasing alternative and greener modes of existence.'
From:
http://www.cube.org.uk/exhibitions/detail.asp?id=133
I really want to see that exhibition!


URBIS- I went to see an amazing exhibition about Hongkong 'Arrivals and Departures: New Art Perspectives of Hong Kong', various artists had dipicted the cross cultural city and there was a huge range of stories to be found. currently there is an exhibition called 'PLAY: EXPERIENCE THE ADVENTURE OF OUR CITIES' which i will be going to!

Manchester City art gallery had a stunning and thoughtprovoking exhibition by artist Sophie MacCorquodale 'Waiting for the Day' on Rhyl.




I also went to Barcelona- brilliant city!

London, a place where currently 7172691 people live, a home to 12.5 % of the UK's population and with a vast economic, political, cultural and architectural history of power, its future could be sustained if we act effectively now or disastorously distroyed if we neglect the pressing presence and pressure to act now of global warming.

At current cities contribute 75% of the worlds c02 emmissions and use 75% of the planets resources whilst only occupying 2% of the planets surface area. Almost half the worlds population lives in our cities and NLA is addressing the need for a change in associated lifestyle and politics for those of us living in Cities.


Sustainable london is the new exhibition at the NLA. It follows on nicely from the NLA's Nov- Jan Londons Moving exhibition in which I learnd of the proposed £147m and 900km network of cycle paths proposed to run through London by 2010, by Ken Livingston. This should increase cycling in the city by 200% by 2020, making London much more fun and pleasant.Jan Gehl Spoke in the London's Moving exhibition of how London could follow in the footseps of Coppenhagen in Denmark for its successful and sustainable bike dominated travel network.

Charles Secrett

Began by talking of the Mayors climate Change action plan, and how climate change is at the forefront of all of the mayors plans. There is a need to reduce the average carbon footprints of Londoners and to change our lifestyle. Lots of energy is simply wasted. On a large scale 70% of the ouput energy for power stations is wasted, and each household on average looses £300 per year due to unsustainable choices for example turning computers off when not being used, and on a personal scale, we each use 155 litres of water a day- because we can it doesn't cost us individually any less to be vigilent. People waste the earths resources because its easy, 'safe', 'cheap' and legal, and political will can enforce changes.

Currently we are living on a planet and using resources beyond its limits but we have the technology and resources to turn this around and it will be cheaper to act strongly now than to repair the damage once the worlds cities have been destroyed by floods.

There are two possibilities for london- to move the city and allow the sea to prevail, which seems the only option if sea levels continue to rise, or to increase the flood barriers to the Thames. Areas in Essex are already being returned to the sea and salt marshes are being reintroduced. However the Chinas and Americas need to curb their emmissions for possible increased flood defences to be sufficient.

Charles Secrett emphasised that if the Co2 reduction targets laid out in the London Climate Change Action Plan are to be met community groups must lead the way. A copy of the plan can be dowloaded free at the mayor website:
http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/climate-change/ccap/index.jsp

Scientists have doubled our aim to cut carbon emmissions and it will take cooperation from all sectors to meet the mighty aims- they ARE viable. By 2025 we need a 60% reduction in c02 emmissions and by 2050 this needs to reach a 90%.

The government intends to offer grants for cut price loft and wall insulation for every home accross london which will be cost effective to the owners in one year, this will be totally free to those on benefits. There will also be a one stop green homes service to cater for those money rich, time poor londoners- of which there are many- who have the money and integrety to pay for a green home but want someone else to sort it out for them.

with the sustainable technologies and products in demand there will be new jobs created thus getting families and children out of poverty as london has a very high long term unemployment level. Therefore social, economic and environmental potential goes hand in hand.