Less is More

Unused land being held in limbo while it was decided what would be built there. In the interim, artificial turf was put down over the ground. A new park was born.http://dirt.asla.org/2008/08/27/land-matters-time-to-forget-everything-you-know/

Lee valley Park- Development



Looking at potential routes and links to access points around the park

                                                


Exploring winding networks and paths make the site appear too busy and break up certain areas




Looking into how the water bodies can be opened up and be used as a form of interactive transport around different areas of the park



Analysing how view points affect the parks spatial arrangement 

Using the view points to help guide the flow of movement around each area to maxamise the parks settings and focus people towards certain areas. Seeing different areas of the park from where they currently are may promt inquisitiveness into exploring how to get there

The one-way linear route to the bird hide, a monotonous journey, however serves as direct access to the sailing club, could have pathways added to it to offer choice of direction

Ananlysing the conditions of the site

Ideal functional diagram showing different ways of linking areas needed within the park

Ideal functional diagram showing how a more diverse series of links between the areas within the park

Site related diagram showing the existing linear routes around the park. There is not much East- West connectivity

Sketch functional diagrams showing the different areas within the park, linking up view points and the main area focusing on explorative walks 

Functional diagram looking more into how the water bodies can be used within the park to join up the different areas

Joining up the areas within the park using different types of interconnecting and directional paths

Linear and direct pathways, joining up the main destination areas within the site

Exploring transport around the park using the water bodies and new pathways. Docking areas are positioned in certain areas of the park to interact with land and water.

Looking at how tree density and layout can affect the sense of place and how people interact with it

Looking into how different route types and directions of pathways can affect their use and experience

Natural play, using recycled felled trees from the park; this provides children with the opportunity to learn through their actions and interacting with their surroundings

Jetties that allow people to interact with water

A quick sketch thinking about framing views

Mapping routes on the site model during the design process

Looking at how to connect the East and West areas of the park together that are divided by the river

Pathways that become jetties overhanging the water allowing people to interact with their surroundings

The canoe stop off area, allowing access between land and water. placed before the weir to keep the views in that area clear. To the left, pathways lead to the bird hide overlooking the weir as well as heading back towards the picnic area whilst running through the grassland where the geese over winter. To the right, paths heading through the woodland. Instead of using fencing, hedgerow will run the length of the paths in the field to hide the view of people from the geese during the time they are there. The hedge will be offset in areas to allow views into the fields from certain angles along the walk.

Closer look at things

http://www.dresden-26-gigapixels.com/dresden26GP

Interior and Exterior design in place

The exterior of the shelter like a cone split into pieces



The interior of the shelter looking at the outside conditions whilst interacting with the rain shower in the centre of the space creates noise, sound and the ability to touch  



I made a few sketch models to see how the shelter could work in different styles. I based the forms on the structure of a pine cone, mainly focusing on the cones wings.

Wings spread out in a wider version of the below

Layered wings of the cone can capture the rain water in the center and overflow making its way to the bottom

The idea of water capturing in the center and slowly flowing down the vase-like trunk and out of the bottom

The idea of a cone resting on its tip creates a natural umbrella like model, the middle wings missing creates an open space

The shape of the cone results in a randomly shaped model

An open cone providing a protected and cosy space yet still being able to experience the harshness of the weather you are being protected from. Water drains off of the wings into the top, fills up and slowly overflows into a circular rain curtain within the center of the shelter enhancing the experience and interaction. Steel will be holding up carved wooden pine cone wings. The materials work well together and will help to create different sounds with the rain as well as good aesthetic qualities.

A circular space with windows providing a protected view of the outside conditions



Wooden shingle tiles ontop of steel, rainfall on both surfaces creating different noises




Understanding the form



Rain Shelter

The objective is to create a shelter by the side of a stream away from heavy rain when walking between two areas of the campus. The shelter will be large enough for four people and made from wood, steel and/or stone; it will need to be able to capture, hold and then release the rain water.

                                                    The location of the proposed rain shelter

The shelter will sit to the right of the bridge on the edge of the bank, opposite a few pine trees. A pathway will lead to it from the existing path that leads up to the bridge and will run accross the grass.

Streets - a place for play

Should streets be a place for play?

I believe that this depends on the street and its context; however, in general I see no reason why the answer should be no. Obviously if the streets is a narrow one, right next to a very busy road, then this may not be the most sutiable place for play; however there is no reason it should not be ruled out completely and perhaps a different type of 'play' can be put to use here. However play can be put in a number of ways, a street by public transport is usually used by buskers playing their music, or in a public courtyard music can be played of even small performances played. Play can also bring children from different areas together, and if sensible, why not do it on a quiet street. I think that these are all a form of play, a small bit of fun interaction with other people. An example would be Covent Garden, where licensed buskers are by the handfull; this brings tourists all year round to the area which is also good for the local businesses. With the exception of the odd pessimist, these will always put a smile on your face weather you are participating or simply walking past, especially when after a long day, on your return journey home you hear some uplifting music echoing down the passage of the train or tube station. Play will bring people together, it brings interest to an area that may not usually have it. As long as it does not prevent other people from trying to do their day to day business, I would encourage it.

The Demand for Natural Resources

High demand = High Prices. Is that price only monetary?

What we demand affects so much in the economy and dictates what we invest in. Oil prices are at an all time high, and are only going to increase as our demand is sustained, but the sources are not. The price of oil is high; however with the amount of risk involved in the oil industry, is it a high price to ask - it costs on average (from extraction and refining to transport) around 17p per litre. How much do the oil companies see of that 130p p/L- well on average 70% is tax (91p) that means 22p profit. Taking over four times the amount as the oil companies, doesn't the government also have a responsibility to help with any environmental repercussions?  Large oil companies are investing large portions of their attention and money not in current oil deposits, but looking for future ones. But as the large deposits are bought to the surface, some resort to the tar sands as a source of fuel such as the proposed venture in Northern America. This method uses very high amounts of energy and is a dirty job (it takes one barrel of oil to produce a further two).What affect does this have on the environment and the local communities and their heritage that rely on that the area and how is the landscape altered by it?

                                          400 Tonne trucks working 24hrs. [Greenpeace / John Woods]
                                                       
Aesthetics - Good & Bad

Diamonds are another rare and highly valuable natural resource that unfortunately involves destruction of natural beauty to expose natural beauty. The demand for diamonds area also very high, this price and demand is partially controlled by market leaders in the industry, one of which controls  around 50% of the worlds supplies, a lot of which are rough stones in their vaults. This allows them to retain high prices without there essentially being a shortage in the supply. Although the prices of diamond are high, what is left of the landscape afterwards and what is the price to the environment?
An example of this is the worlds largest; the Mirny Diamond Mine in Eastern Siberia.

The mine is so vast that the air space above it has been closed, due to helicopters being pulled down by the downward air flow.

Pets, Public Spaces and the Environment

Are pets necessary?

Pets, for example dogs were originally domesticated and used as working animals, and when the need for their original usage diminished, they remained. Like an old machine, if it is no longer useful to you, then why keep it?
What need is there for them then? I think the main reason that people keep pets is for companionship and the bond between man and dog and their loyalty towards us. For example a man working in the dog unit of a police force will spend all of their working time together and a bond will inevitably be formed, you take away the police work and that bond is still going to remain. Dogs (if properly handled) will protect you and will remain loyal to you, as though you are the pack leader in the wild; that is why they are mans best friend.
People say one way to cut down on your energy use is to get rid of your pets, but at the end of the day as far as energy is concerned, they ingest, egest and excrete. What does that say about humans?

Public Spaces.

The thing that annoys people about pets and public spaces is the the excrement left behind. Another thing is when they run lose, but again this is only natural behaviour. Another problem is with aggressive dogs, again, this is probably down to it's owner who either can't control it or in some cases those that promote their natural instincts to fight so that they are seen as weapons, it is this kind of person that should not be allowed to own a pet. The problems are not with the pets, it is their owners, whose job it is to clean up after and to control them.

Personally; (and this is just an opinion) dogs are the only worth while pet, as they offer companionship, and give people a reason to get out of the house to walk them, through this they are forced to exercise and given the opportunity to explore places such as parks and woodland areas they may not otherwise have, had they not had a dog. As well as this they are being able to meet new people and other dog walkers along the way.
Although all people that have other pets have some form of connection to them.