Mindmapped concept diagram

Other tasks from last Monday's studio session were a series of groupwork mindmapping exercises based on the following words: 'alternative', 'connective' and 'educational'. Using these words, we then had to select an additional three words; after much discussion, my group chose 'personal', 'creative' and 'fun'.

Alternative

 Connective

 Educational

The final task was to develop a concept diagram for a park or installation, based on these words.  My group chose to design a sensory deprivation garden based across a series of rooftops with one sense suppressed during each phase (but only in that phase) in order to heighten the other senses and to temporarily experience the world as people without that sense would do so.

Sensory Deprivation Garden

(Concept Diagram)

I had the task of presenting our design to the rest of the class; not sure I did it justice but it was probably good practice (just need to control the shaking!).

Demographics ... the final solution

Well, not really, but it sounded suitably menacing and sadly the novelty (and unexpected drama) of producing slightly fiddly charts has now well and truly worn off.

Still, on a positive note, I've had a reason to play about with Microsoft's (no booing or hissing, please) charting tools for almost the first time in my (current) career.  On the few occasions I've had to produce charts (and only in my present position), I've used an elderly bit of software called 'Harvard Graphics' - glad to see that MS has at last caught up at last ... and even surpassed it.  Actually, I think the last time I really had to chart anything was at uni first time around, and that nearly always seemed to be 'scattergrams' for 'Cognitive Psychology 101' and whatever the other courses were.  Sadly, still feel the urge to snigger at that course title, it seemed such an American cliché, especially in England.

Comparison park

Several weeks ago we were asked to research a park of a similar size to the one we were studying (Calverley Grounds, in my case) and compare them.

Calverley Grounds is approximately 11 acres in area with multiple slopes, whilst my comparison park, Coulsdon Memorial Ground (better known to most people as 'Marlpit Lane park') is 10 acres and generally slopes in one direction.  Despite the slight difference in areas, I chose this park as it seemed similar in many ways to Calverley Grounds (including the architectural style of its buildings).  It was originally part of the Byron estate (not to be confused with the later council estate of the same name!), was purchased by the local council in 1920 and opened to the public in 1921 as a living memorial to those who fell during the Great War.

The site of a former quarry, the topography is less dramatic than Calverley Grounds, rising no more than 7metres in height, although I remember it feeling like a long climb from the road to the tennis courts at the top (another locational similarity) on a hot summer's day.

Although this park wasn't my nearest park when growing up (ironically, that is 11acres but virtually flat with few features and mentally I just couldn't compare the space with Calverley Grounds), it was one I spent some time in during my teens.  Not the usual teenage fun(?) stuff but mainly during termtime, bunking off school and reading dreadful novels in the childrens' playground ... moving away to a convenient bench on the hillside when the rightful users of the space came to play.  Admittedly, this was just during the summer months - there are few less fun experiences than having to skulk around your local churchyard during the winter, in the snow, 'cos you've decided to stage your first real act of rebellion on day when your father's working from home and your brother's got a day off work!  Oddly enough, I didn't think that through properly, enjoy it much or even get away with it!  Remember: always ensure that you have sufficient (return) bus fare with you ... at least shops are generally warm.  Damn, I knew I'd end up posting up some rambling old nostalgic stuff here.

Anyway, one (lazy) image of Marlpit Lane park (still marginally rebellious), my concept diagram of it and a photo of Calverley Grounds.  Possibly the main similarities are simply in my mind ...

Calverley Grounds, Kent

Coulsdon Memorial Ground, Surrey

(aka Marlpit Lane park)

Coulsdon Memorial Ground: Concept Diagram

Structure & organisation

Some of my doodlings from last week's studio exercises.

Current influences

Am currently enjoying this piece of music as background accompaniment when working.  Even though I don't relate this directly to Calverley Grounds (18th & 20th centuries bear most influence there), it's 'ish' in the right timeframe (17th century) for Tunbridge Wells' conception.  And hey, my musical tastes are nothing if not eclectic - who knows, maybe I'll post some Johnny Panic or Apocalyptica up next ... (I'm assuming that as it's my blog then I can post what I like).

 

Demographics ... grr

Hopefully, this is last time I have to re-edit these files ... still working on converting Excel tables into InDesign for additional exciting appendices.  So far the table structure either disappears completely or, if converted into a PDF or image file, becomes hugely pixellated.  For anything other than unformatted data, these two programmes really aren't that compatible.  Wish I'd known that at the outset.

Anyway, I seem to vaguely remember threatening promising to upload some of my enthralling charts - be prepared to be .... underwhelmed?

Whoo-hoo!  And to think that I very nearly went to bed at a reasonable hour ... my, I would have missed so much.  Sorry, slight touch of sarcasm now coming to the fore.

Random word compositions

Finally got around to opening up my Oxford English Dictionary and creating compositions from random words.  Some of these worked slightly better before I got out the glue ... need to work on placement.

 Convivial

 Goal

 Interrogatory

Monstrous

Rhythm & sequence

Belated posting of the 'rhythm and sequence' exercise; I think they comply but perhaps a bit rigidly.

Calamari Union

Harking back to the list of words (and do-it-yourself definitions search) that Jamie sent round during the summer, is this an example of 'chiaroscuro'? [21.11.10: And the answer is: 'No']  But it was a good opportunity to look up the definition again.  This is also fabulously catchy and has some marvellous facial expressions.



I love Aki Kaurismäki's seemingly inexplicable musical interludes spliced into his films ... and of course the stray dog motif thingy.

Demographics

Over the past few weeks I’ve been ploughing away determining the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘how’ and (taking a stab at) the ‘why’ of the demographics of the area surrounding Calverley Grounds in Tunbridge Wells.

So far, so unexciting and oddly enough the results were fairly predictable, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  Depending upon how slated my work is, I may post a couple of charts up to thrill you all.  On a positive note, during my research I discovered a much more tasteful way of presenting data (see below).

Chocolate Pie Chart

I’m now wishing that I’d picked a different subject for my dissertation: Chocolate and its use in landscape design – is there enough?  Surely this is a critical, yet overlooked and possibly undervalued, area of investigation?

Really must get in the habit of posting at more sensible hours or when I’m not tired … damn you ‘This Week’ (BBC1, Thursdays) and my inexplicable addiction to you (although it’s not as much fun without Diane Abbott sitting uncomfortably close to Michael Portillo – that sofa was way too small).  Now off to bed with a pint of Blue Nun (can you still buy that?).

Extreme crochet

Found this during a long, long week whilst typing random words into a search engine (and rebelliously avoiding finishing some work).

At first glance nothing terribly odd but the handcrafted flowers cable-tied to this mesh fence are the work of “an underground society of street-artist crocheters” who practice surreptitious “yarn bombing” to create urban art; although this installation in Denver, Colorado was commissioned to screen a large mound of spoil.  After initially laughing (a bit too much – obviously need more sleep) at the whole concept, I like the instant cheeriness the design and colours invoke.

Not sure what happens to it when it rains, never mind the local dogs.

Merry November

As from today, Microsoft and Adobe are definitely off my Christmas card list and they've only themselves to blame.

Paper sculptures

I hope Jamie isn't expecting this standard of 'quick models' in future!

All by Jeff Nishinaka

One for the Modernists

As we all know, it's always good to experiment with different media; check out Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye in cake (yum):

Possibly inspired by this lovely Lego model:

I quite like this version of Frank Lloyd-Wright's 'Falling Water', also courtesy of the ubiquitous Danish blocks:

And as I'm in a silly mood ...

Still working on converting fiddly demographic Excel charts into InDesign via PDFs (trust me, it seems to be the best option) and waiting for an answer from Microsoft as to why my data tables keep jumping about.  The sensible thing would be to go bed (especially now I've run out of TV and radio programmes to catch up on ... thanks BBC iPlayer and whatever Channel 4's online thing is called) bet I don't though ...

Anyway, is this deconstructivist enough?

'Dog (Naked)' by Richard Slee

And you have to respect the honesty of this:  No?  Well, it amused me ...

'Pointless Tunnel' by Richard Slee

Micro worlds

Frilly-looking lichen spotted on a wall where I work; a tiny little community flourishing almost unnoticed in the car park.  It's amazing what goes on all around us ... 

Thanks for the idea of adding people Joey; not too sure whether the scale & perspective are right but it's a start.  Welcome to my Duisburg-Nord inspired micro park.

Even the moss looks large in comparison.