Trip to Lille

Well it seems to have been a while since my last entry.  Time has flown and alot has happened.  But most significantly was our trip to Lille.  So my first bit of catching up is about what I discovered on this trip and what I learned about myself and design.  Working with a group of about 40 or so, half being the french students, we had been set the site of the Porte d'Pyres an area around the northern part of the city.

The brief was slightly daunting, but very exciting at this point.  Although I have only just got to grips with the fact I am more of a landscape architect these days rather than a garden designer........but this....this was city planning!  Road infrastructures, transport infrastructures commercial buildings, residential buildings, leisure facilities....oh and habitat!  We were given an opening speach by ????????? who explained the history of the city, the difficulties with the site and how the collapsing industries over the years had left many parts of the city disjointed with residential and old commercial/industrial properties mixed together.

There were two things which on a larger scale to the site were significant charaters of the city.  The first being the Citadel and old fortified ramparts and secondly the new 'Euro Lille'.  The latter is the new ethos for the city to develop.  Lilles location is perfect for a connection point of industry through Europe.  The city planning has taken on the direction of basing the central station and Eurostar connections to be the heart of the city, rather than sticking the station to the city outskirts.

The historic side of things are the old ramparts.  Some exposed some buried beneath the ground and covered up.  Coinsiding with this are a number of waterways and canals, some of which linked with the old fortifications.

When we first arrived in Lille on the Sunday, we were greated first  by frost, then by a snow blizzard....which I have to say gave a completely different view of the city.  Below are some images of areas around the site we were about to work on.

The frozen cannal which normally flowed into the south side of our site 

Here an example of the stone and brick work in the city.  Quite beautiful in places how the old and new mix.  The old materials a mixture of Limestone which is indigenous to the area, along with brick work of which was a thriving industry in Lille.  You can see in the bottom left picture an example of the hand made bricks held by Lime mortar.  We later were shown an example of how the mortar can erode quite seriously over time.  First it drys out, then the wind and rain get a hold of it and before you know the walls are crumbling away.  Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this as the snow was preventing me from taking any pictures!!

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW........

Shaun the Sheep is the best thing on TV.....it's official!!!

1:500 and sequential sketches

My 1:500 plan is a bit more updated, but still far from good enough.  I have to admit I am struggling with this and yet it is not as if I don't know what I am doing isn't making the grade as it were.  I look at my work and it lacks depth both in presentation and in detail.  I also seem to have lost track of the fact I am ment to be designing planting!  I have been looking at shapes, circulation, building function, how the wind will react to these elements and yet I've almost forgotten about the soft landscaping.  I suppose this is where I feel I am studying landscape architecture and not garden design.  I know, I know they are basically the same thing.

Andrew Wilson gave us a talk about starting a small business during our professional studies week.  Someone asked him to define the difference between the two and his answer was this.  It's about the client.  Garden design is about designing for basically one person or a family, but essentially the client is who you are designing for.  Landscape architecture is designing for a client on behalf of many others.  You are designing public spaces and large facilities which essentially have to please a much broader 'clentelle'.

So I am side tracking again.  My plan.  I accept my annotation is pretty week at the moment and I should be going into alot more detail.  In fact looking back at my 1:2000, I have shown more layers of thought here than in the 1:500!  Blow....am I going backwards, I'm ment to be getting better at this.  As my Saltwater Marsh Habitat is key to my design I have not really communicated more than this.  This  I fear needs to be addressed and fast.  I need to show the planting for each level.  It's essential a large pond by the sea, so why I have such a problem with this I do not know.

I'm not going to put the plan on the blog now as it is not important and looks very similar to how it was on my last post.  I will however, get it up there very shortly when I get it finalised and looking like something I can be proud of.

The Sequential sketches are yet another stumbling block.  Again, annotation is key and I have not put enough thought into what I am communicating.  I don't think I have an issue with this, I just need to give myself some time and thought and get it on paper.  The big issue is how I am visually communicating.  My style is sloppy, the choice of media (dry pastel) is certainly not helping.  It lacks punch and depth, having said that they did look better once I had shrunk them down and got them printed.

Looking from the harbour entrance towards Martello Tower

 Looking from the boardwalk over the new saltwater marsh

 Looking towards the eco build education centre through the wave landfroms

 The promenade towards the harbour entrance

 Connecting pathways of the main promenade, boardwalk and entarnce to education centre

The woodland shelter picnic area

I think I should get myself I descent set of coloured pencils.  What does everyone else think?  Is this just too limited on detail and tonal quality.?  I initially drew on A3 trace in pencil.  I then traced the pencil work with black ink onto another set of trace.  Then I rendered with dry pastels on a separate sheet of trace, placed the inked line work underneath and scanned through the two sheets.  I felt this took the blacknes out of the line work, but in saying that I have no line hierachy.  Is that where I am going wrong?  This is so frustrating because there really isn't the time to be experimenting.  I need a process that works and that I can achieve productively.

Bahhhhhhh!......Hopefully one of these blogs soon will read how happy I am with what I am doing and that 'it' has finally clicked.  I have more luck learnig french......even though the 'click' hasn't happenened there either!

What a mistake'a to make'a!!!

Well I haven't wrote my blog every night as I intended since last Monday, but I have been cracking on.....even if I have the look of death on my face!  Sorry for all concerned!  Today could have been another break point for me as things did not start out well, but thanks to my friends(who have enough on their own plates) gave me some positive words...and a hug which is always a good thing.  Cheers Jules and Phil.

The mistake of the day is a very important learning curve for me and should be taken note of by all.

After you spend hours creating your soon to be master piece, it is always wise to remember the media you are using, it's properties and it's downfalls.  I rendered until 3am my 1:500 using dry pastels.  Then after a couple of hours kip, walk the dog, feed Max a bottle, kick Lucy out to work to earn a good crust......I delicately roll up said master piece and bring it into Uni to be scanned.

After placing my drawing through the drum scanner and checking the preview, I am disappointed to note the quality of the scan is not good and there are many streaks running the length of the drawing.  Trying to be positive I shrug off this little problem and begin playing with the threshold settings and smoothness etc, only to find I can not improve this annoyance.  It was then I realised my mistake, but it was too late and the task which now lay ahead was a daunting one.  The lines were not scanning lines but many specs of dry pastel (dark brown of course) which having not sprayed and sealed my drawing were now happily running around the feed wheels of the scanner, smearing lovely patterns across my work.  Lines which of course if I wanted to produce that thin myself would be impossible!!

......three to four hours later of retouching on photoshop and I'm nearly there......!!!!!  Below is the first draft of the1:500 with annotation, still a number of things to do.  Dull down the blue of the water, because Eastbourne is not the Med!  Re-jigg position and content of some of the annotation and add a bit more texture in some of my detailing.  I'll email at the end of the week end how this plan and the rest of the work went. Oh, and thanks for your comments Lili, nice to get feed back and helpful words from a pro.

Tram lines from pastel in scanner

First draft of 1:500

So do I pack it all in?

Well, this blog is here for me to show my progression through the course and to highlight the difficulties I may face.  So to be honest, today was a bit of a slap in the face, a kick in the teeth, call it what you will, I'm very worried.  The interim crit was a disaster for me as I have not been able to complete enough of the work to pin up.

Working through the Christmas break was a constant battle with my baby son being very ill for two weeks during which time.....of course, my wife and I were struck with the same bug.  It's not an excuse, but more of a reality check.  The little time I have been able to achieve any work has been set aside for the History and Philosophy notebooks.  That was also due in today, so unfortunately it had to take priority.  Time management, time management I here the lecturers say!  Well I'd like to think I was doing alright on that issue until now.  I have prioritised different modules, different projects, but sometimes things really don't go to plan.

So I left today without anything apart from being over emotional and thinking I might as well chuck it all in.  I'm exhausted, frustrated and so disappointed with myself.

So do I pack it all in?

Well, I could.  I could go back to my old career of photography; back to something I know.  But I had become to hate that career hadn't I?  The competition was high and the work was difficult to get.  Didn't I say I wanted to do something that would 'change peoples lives'?

I think with all the stresses and pressures of doing a course like this; learning new skills.....realising the skills you thought you had don't exist, you start to forget what it's all about.  I'm not some kid doing any old degree at the age of 20, just so I can get a job in something completely different afterwards.  I chose to do this course because I wanted to become great at something that inspires me, that excites me and that hopefully I can be proud of.

So.....god damn it....you'll have to put up with me a little longer!  I just have to rise to the occassion, what ever that means.

What was I barking on about at the start of this course......."POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE"!  That and alcohol and maybe a little bit more of the confidence that my New Years resolution promised.  Oh...and maybe designing things with straight lines...... they're much easier to draw!

I therefore set myself a goal of completing each day for the rest of the week with a blog update of my progression and development.  Lets hope it is enough to complete everything for Monday......No, no...I will finish everything for Monday and it will be great!

Blog Clock

Does anyone know why my bog clock is not the right time.  My computer says it is 20:37, my blog entry time is some what out?!

Blimey....professional studies!

My goodness........it was a good job I didn't decide to take up law years ago!  I'm exhausted just from being at the lectures, let alone trying to comprehend what I've just been taught.  Although, hanging around for the last half hour today to have Environmental Law explained to us was something I can relay straight away.......
.......it doesn't really exist.  It is a load of Agencies set up to tackle the different areas of land, water and air, but they merely manage as there are not laws conceived to control any of them.  We obviously haven't killed the planet enough to recognise the need.  It's a bit like down our street, where everyone has complained about the speed of cars shooting down it.  The councils opinion on placing speed bumps or any other form of speed reduction is...."no one has been killed yet so it is not necessary"!

Hmmm, now I'm just on a rant.  I am pulling my hair out at the moment trying to finish drawings linked to the 1:500 of Eastbourne.  The longer you look at something the more picky you get.  I'm like an artist not knowing when to stop adding more paint!  Not that I am anywhere near the 'painting' stage.  Still, 3 more days should do it........you'd hope anyway!