Salford Quays,
The tram from Manchester centre gets you to Salford Quays in ten minuets, guiding one past Piccidilli Gardens, through St Peters Square, and past the GMEX centre, and alongside the Bridgewater canal and Manchester Shipping canal at the Panoma viaduct. its a great trip.
Piccidilli Gardens- was a £10 million international competition, won collectively by Art2Architecture, EDAW, Tadeo Ando Architects, Ove Arup and was completed in 2001.
Work to make two popular Manchester public spaces more inviting starts in the next few days.
Quote from Neil Avatar on 12th Janurary www.skyscrapercity.com
'At award-winning Piccadilly Gardens work starts on 15 January to ensure the grass is greener – raising edges and widening paths slightly to discourage people from taking short cuts across the turf.
Figures show that more than 28 million people walk across the Gardens each year and the sheer volume of pedestrian traffic means the grass has become worn and muddy in places. The alterations should mean it keeps its green glory.
The City Council will also create an environmentally-friendly ‘green’ roof, consisting of wildlife-attracting plants, on top of the pavilion building which contains Caffe Nero and Rice.
It follows work last year to create a borehole using naturally-stored water from beneath the city centre to irrigate the gardens and keep the 180-jet fountain, one of the largest in Europe, topped up.'
Having vivited the area a few times in the past couple of weeks, the improvements are done, I can say it is a definate improvement if the newely laid astroturf remains looking as green! There has been much negative response to the improvements though, people questioning the title 'award winning gardens' It is nice to see Tado Ando's buildings actually occupied for years they have been empty, probably due to high rent.
However, the 28million people who experience the space every year are a reflection of its success, in the summer people cool off in the dominant fountain, in winter people are willling pay £7 per hour to ice skate.
'The principal aim is to explore how lighting can decisively contribute to a welcoming and stimulating night-time public realm and turns Piccadilly Gardens into a 24 hour space in a 24 hour city.'
Found on
www.art2architecture.co.uk/reconnected/piccadilly
Was a surprise to me, the area isn't well lit at night, one would not feel safe to pass through it alone. It surprised me that this was a design concept for the gardens!
The GMEX centre has been renamed Manchester Central. It will host the festival pavilion from the 28th June- 15th July, the pavilion was designed by Stephenson Bell. Festival city will when many perormance events, cheap tasty foos and drink events will be happining accross the city
for more information check out:
www.manchesterinternationalfestival.com
When at Salford Quays there is a vast contrast between high spec architecture and vast spaces of unused dockland, some areas have been refurbished, the promenade between running alondside the Lowry centre is pleasent with an avenue of trees, standard benced in pairs, litter bins and lamp posts all with the Salford council logo.
The Lowry centre designed by Michael Wilford and Buro Happold, (Wayfinding System and "Artworks at the Lowry Gallery" by Reich+Petch Design International)was completed in 2000 with the help for £21m of National Lottery funding.
There is a pleasent mingling of classes between the Lowry with its plays and art exhibitions, and the outlet mall opposite it, which houses high street stalls at knock off prices. The forms in the outlet maul are modelled on the forms of boats, it is a pleasant environment.
opposite the Lowry centre on the other side of the Manchester Shipping canal is the Imperial war museum Nprth designed by Daniel Libeskind. This has a viewing platform from which one can view the whole of Salford docks, the old Trafford stadium, Central manchester in the distance and even the Peak District.
The Lowry constantly houses LS Lowry's work, 'one of teh most popular and best loved 20th century artists' (quote from the lowry leaflet), however it is the changing exhibitions that keep the centre alive. However there was a new addition to the Lowry, an animation by 'Brown Bog' to Oasis's album 'Masterplan'. It shows the band walking trough Lowry's paintings, with some modern day ammendments to the landscapes.
from April - June the spectacular photographs of international photojournalist Ian Berry are being shown. There are two extremely moving exhibitions
'In the North' where he quotes 'though I wa born and grew up in the North of England, I was in the odd situation of being English and knowing very little about England, having spent most of my life abroard' It seems where ever he went people warmed to him, his pictures have masses of feeling. From this exhibition two photographs jumped out at me. I could see my reflection in the photograph watching an old chap who was spectating a wedding in 1973. The time and generation gaps were thought provoking. Also a photograph of two happy Indian immagrant children, in Leister 1976, standing infront of a white wall with the graffitti 'WHITES RULE' spawled accross it, was moving.
The legacy of the Independant group 23 March. Tate Britain.
In 1979 the Arts Council made a film ‘Fathers of Pop’, it reflects the 1960’s view of the Independent Group. A group from 1952-5 consisting of writers, thinkers and creative practitioners including Richard Hamilton, Eduardo Paolozzi, William Turnbull; architects Alison and Peter Smithson, James Stirling and Colin St John Wilson.
The group had a radical approach to looking at contemporary culture ‘as found’ and used a range of sources including science fiction magazines, Jackson Pollocks paintings, Hollywood film, helicopter design, the streets of London’s East End and Modernist Architecture.
I listened to Ben Highmore, Nigel Whiteley and Jeremy Hunt. They linked and discussed technology, architecture, mass culture, fine art and advertising.
Here’s what I enjoyed:
Sci Fi magasine cover
Jackson Pollock at Work
The following picture is from www.fao.org/docrep
Ben Highmore
‘A World Dusted with Strontium 90: Art Brutalism and the Independent group’
Ben Highmore talked about the Brutalism after the 2nd world war. The sickly common occurrence of half exposed interior of houses bombed in WW2 gave surrealism in the everyday landscape.
The effects of the war- were that man became machine. The memory of the enemy was machine, therefore all humans were seen as machines and this is where ideas of cybernetics begun.
Quotes ‘the Wreckage of Progress’, in disaster is opportunity and visa versa
Nigel Whiteley
‘Theory and Banham in the Fourth Machine Age’
Rayner Banham wrote of two machine ages, Nigel Whitely identifies five
The first was when the power of machines was revolutionarily replacing human muscle. The invent of technology brought on a qualitative decline.
The Second Machine age. Technology was everywhere, it was predictable. People did not love it they just had it. The Bauhaus for example acclaimed for providing chick mass produced inexpensive products was also responsible for intolerable inhumane light fittings, ergonomics had become a second to aesthetics. Terrance Conran in the 1960’s acknowledged a mass culture of greed- instead of needing, people began to want – designing was now about creating desire.
Out of this the 1960’s hippie revolution was born ‘the changing culture was breaking out of the shackles of machienary’
However this make/label/model obsession is still part of our culture, we have everything but want it be the best or at least the newest.
The Third Machine Age. Ben Highmore thought was an age of powerful remains where technology governed social relationships since technology has been about it has created the context and frame for creativity. Equipment became moulded to the individual user, identity was gained by the paint image on one’s car, the Greece lightning car and personality implications of it is a classic example.
Human values took a backseat to objects and the seventies and eighties were the individual eras, private stereos and TV’s allowed people to entertain themselves rather than to be sociable. People were all dressed up with nowhere to go which is an awful feeling.
The Fourth Machine Age. Inter'ness'. Interactive. Interface- we can reach out anywhere in the world, we have our lives in our pockets with mobile pones duplicated as computers, information is at our fingertips. We can make ourselves famous for fifteen minutes from our couch with a laptop on U-Tube.
The 5th Machine Age. The scary future! Some scientists envision a day when government surveillance systems are imbedded in our skin. Much like electronic tagging of those on bail. A life where we are part human and part robot, where and we work with machines as is shown in films such a I Robot, Casper and Wallace and Grommit- ironically things always go wrong! It is unlikely that technology will become this extreme, despite the occurrence of escalators leading up the small steps to gyms in America! However Nigel Whitely believes that technology will remain important. And that radical thinking will make some processes obsolete i.e. the generalised role of the landscape architect/ Urban designer. When one concept ceases to exist and another is developed.
The third speaker was Jeremy Hunt who is a multidisciplinary artist who believes in collaborating art and architecture, he pointed out that there is no individual activity in culture and that architecture is the relationship between people and institutions. He sees the future for life in urban planning as group play. He points out that magazine’s were an interface for people to get involved in the visual culture.
He praises radical designers, who think outside the box, like Cedric Price, and the Archigram collaboration of the 1960’s. He is interested in interactive architecture
www.noxarch.com
http://www.archigram.net/projects_pages/walking_city.html
Check out the camouflaged house by FAT Architects http://fashionarchitecturetaste.com/
Jeremy Hunt also commented on pavilions, they are being commissioned for lots of London’s parks at present and are a sign that urban planning of tomorrow will be about group activity.
His finishing note was that it is all our responsibility to choose the future culture.
The group had a radical approach to looking at contemporary culture ‘as found’ and used a range of sources including science fiction magazines, Jackson Pollocks paintings, Hollywood film, helicopter design, the streets of London’s East End and Modernist Architecture.
I listened to Ben Highmore, Nigel Whiteley and Jeremy Hunt. They linked and discussed technology, architecture, mass culture, fine art and advertising.
Here’s what I enjoyed:
Sci Fi magasine cover
Jackson Pollock at Work
The following picture is from www.fao.org/docrep
Ben Highmore
‘A World Dusted with Strontium 90: Art Brutalism and the Independent group’
Ben Highmore talked about the Brutalism after the 2nd world war. The sickly common occurrence of half exposed interior of houses bombed in WW2 gave surrealism in the everyday landscape.
The effects of the war- were that man became machine. The memory of the enemy was machine, therefore all humans were seen as machines and this is where ideas of cybernetics begun.
Quotes ‘the Wreckage of Progress’, in disaster is opportunity and visa versa
Nigel Whiteley
‘Theory and Banham in the Fourth Machine Age’
Rayner Banham wrote of two machine ages, Nigel Whitely identifies five
The first was when the power of machines was revolutionarily replacing human muscle. The invent of technology brought on a qualitative decline.
The Second Machine age. Technology was everywhere, it was predictable. People did not love it they just had it. The Bauhaus for example acclaimed for providing chick mass produced inexpensive products was also responsible for intolerable inhumane light fittings, ergonomics had become a second to aesthetics. Terrance Conran in the 1960’s acknowledged a mass culture of greed- instead of needing, people began to want – designing was now about creating desire.
Out of this the 1960’s hippie revolution was born ‘the changing culture was breaking out of the shackles of machienary’
However this make/label/model obsession is still part of our culture, we have everything but want it be the best or at least the newest.
The Third Machine Age. Ben Highmore thought was an age of powerful remains where technology governed social relationships since technology has been about it has created the context and frame for creativity. Equipment became moulded to the individual user, identity was gained by the paint image on one’s car, the Greece lightning car and personality implications of it is a classic example.
Human values took a backseat to objects and the seventies and eighties were the individual eras, private stereos and TV’s allowed people to entertain themselves rather than to be sociable. People were all dressed up with nowhere to go which is an awful feeling.
The Fourth Machine Age. Inter'ness'. Interactive. Interface- we can reach out anywhere in the world, we have our lives in our pockets with mobile pones duplicated as computers, information is at our fingertips. We can make ourselves famous for fifteen minutes from our couch with a laptop on U-Tube.
The 5th Machine Age. The scary future! Some scientists envision a day when government surveillance systems are imbedded in our skin. Much like electronic tagging of those on bail. A life where we are part human and part robot, where and we work with machines as is shown in films such a I Robot, Casper and Wallace and Grommit- ironically things always go wrong! It is unlikely that technology will become this extreme, despite the occurrence of escalators leading up the small steps to gyms in America! However Nigel Whitely believes that technology will remain important. And that radical thinking will make some processes obsolete i.e. the generalised role of the landscape architect/ Urban designer. When one concept ceases to exist and another is developed.
The third speaker was Jeremy Hunt who is a multidisciplinary artist who believes in collaborating art and architecture, he pointed out that there is no individual activity in culture and that architecture is the relationship between people and institutions. He sees the future for life in urban planning as group play. He points out that magazine’s were an interface for people to get involved in the visual culture.
He praises radical designers, who think outside the box, like Cedric Price, and the Archigram collaboration of the 1960’s. He is interested in interactive architecture
www.noxarch.com
http://www.archigram.net/projects_pages/walking_city.html
Check out the camouflaged house by FAT Architects http://fashionarchitecturetaste.com/
Jeremy Hunt also commented on pavilions, they are being commissioned for lots of London’s parks at present and are a sign that urban planning of tomorrow will be about group activity.
His finishing note was that it is all our responsibility to choose the future culture.
house Boats Shad Thames
click for Open Garden Squares weekend
'The Pheonix Garden Run as an ecological garden the planting is a mix of ornamental and native species to encourage a wide range of wildlife. The site is sheltered and almost frost free and half hardy plants thrive including bananas, Echium and shrubby Pelargoniums. Areas of the garden have been developed as habitats with log stacks, ponds and a wildflower bank. The garden supports a large population of common frogs, stag beetles live in the rotting logs and resident breeding birds: blue and great tits, blackbirds, robin and wrens can usually be seen. Flocks of house sparrow and greenfinch visit daily and occasional visitors include kestrel, sparrowhawk, woodpecker, mallard and wagtails. The Phoenix Garden has won first prize for Best Environmental Garden in the Camden in Bloom competition for the past five years.'
& all in the secret heart of London- Faboulous!
The house boats in Shad Thames are in an ideal location. We spoke to a resident who rocked up there 5 years ago when he ran out of fuel & hadn't budged since! However there is now a company renovating the old barges & renting them out at around £250 per month.
One of the boat roofs is dedicated to the communities bikes, the others are gardens, & it is possible to hop from one boat to another willy nilly.
'The Pheonix Garden Run as an ecological garden the planting is a mix of ornamental and native species to encourage a wide range of wildlife. The site is sheltered and almost frost free and half hardy plants thrive including bananas, Echium and shrubby Pelargoniums. Areas of the garden have been developed as habitats with log stacks, ponds and a wildflower bank. The garden supports a large population of common frogs, stag beetles live in the rotting logs and resident breeding birds: blue and great tits, blackbirds, robin and wrens can usually be seen. Flocks of house sparrow and greenfinch visit daily and occasional visitors include kestrel, sparrowhawk, woodpecker, mallard and wagtails. The Phoenix Garden has won first prize for Best Environmental Garden in the Camden in Bloom competition for the past five years.'
& all in the secret heart of London- Faboulous!
The house boats in Shad Thames are in an ideal location. We spoke to a resident who rocked up there 5 years ago when he ran out of fuel & hadn't budged since! However there is now a company renovating the old barges & renting them out at around £250 per month.
One of the boat roofs is dedicated to the communities bikes, the others are gardens, & it is possible to hop from one boat to another willy nilly.
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!
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!
Design Museum
The Design museum, Shad Thames in London makes for an indulgent and inspiring visit. The architecture and streetscape leading to the museum is intimate and niché. Garden balconies/bridges occassionally roof the row of niché shops, cafés, resturants galleries. Well angled narrow vein streets create interresting and luring lighting drawing ones attention to the sky. The extreeme wealth of the appartment dwellers is starkly contrasted near by on the thames with the container house boats. A resident let us in to have a look and we met someone who 'ran out of fuel four years ago and has been there ever since!'
Of al the quotes running up the staircase in the Design museum, this one I agree with the most!
Fletcher: fifty years of graphic work (and play) ran from 11 November 2006 – 18 February 2007, check out http://www.designmuseum.org/exhibitions/previous-exhibitions/alanfletcher for more details, heres some of my favorite images from th exhibition (which I absoluty loved!)
Of al the quotes running up the staircase in the Design museum, this one I agree with the most!
Fletcher: fifty years of graphic work (and play) ran from 11 November 2006 – 18 February 2007, check out http://www.designmuseum.org/exhibitions/previous-exhibitions/alanfletcher for more details, heres some of my favorite images from th exhibition (which I absoluty loved!)
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