Upgoer5: Architect

I wrote about the work of an architect, using only the most common thousand words.

To make up and draw pictures of building; houses and other place things so that people can make them. Talk to the people who will use the place, work out how big it should be, how people will use the spaces, what it will be made of and how the bits will go together and show this in the drawn pictures. Work with the building people to get the thing which was thought of in the first place, and will be right for those who will live and work in it.

Read more >>

thinking about: film

"Even if they are not all good poems, you do realise how incredible the thirst is for poetry as a way of apprehending and thinking about life. It sort of deals with the same questions as philosophy does, but it builds up from the ground and from specific detail whereas philosophy comes down from above and abstract generalisation. It allows you to experience other people's thoughts in a way that other art forms just don't, and reading all these entries together you see that people are looking for a way of dealing with the other. I don't want to term it spiritual exactly, but certainly the numinous aspects of existence aren't dealt with much in our culture."

- poet, novelist and international litigator Nick Laird on poetry, in The Guardian, 4/1/2013

To me, the essence of that quote really applies to film, not poetry. To me there is no better medium than film to "experience other people's thoughts", and for dealing with "the other". It is more visceral, has more "specific detail", and is also a very familiar medium - easy to make now with cheap computing, easy on-line promotion and distribution, and widely understood within our TV and cinema centric culture. Poetry I think held this popular story telling role within our culture, but has it no longer (except, perhaps, combined with song lyrics - which are given greater power in music videos). 

Recently among the collective, there has been quite a bit of film discussion and making; most of which has not yet reached fruition. 

Read more >>

A debate between Christopher Alexander and Peter Eisenman

http://www.katarxis3.com/Alexander_Eisenman_Debate.htm

I thought this debate was interesting and funny enough to make my first post. Christopher Alexander and Peter Eisenman in 1982 debating over architecture of ideas vs architecture of feeling. It's a bit wordy, but it is quite funny. Over-intellectualizing at its most absurd (Eisenman). Or maybe you disagree with me...

Abandoned Monuments

I just found this link and felt that it must be shared!

http://www.cracktwo.com/2011/04/25-abandoned-soviet-monuments-that-look.html

article: http://www.ascmag.com/blog/2011/02/28/spomenik%E2%80%94jan-kempenaers-and-%E2%80%9Cthe-end-of-history%E2%80%9D/

book: http://issuu.com/romapublications/docs/spomenik_preview

Blue Waters

As I was on the bus this morning, I noticed Blue Waters has been put up for sale. And whaddya know, its on Spacemarket, too! Totally fulfilled my urge to know what the glorious curved windows look like from the inside. Nice touch with the photographer in the photo montages, too.

Spacemarket

Looks like Spacemarket is up and running - pairing disused spaces [in Perth] with useful people. Love the joiner photos and the 'warts-and-all' descriptions!

Architecture is an 'ace job'

The ABC produced some interesting material on architecture in the past - the interview transcripts from Plans for Life (an 80's radio show made in Perth, featuring local architects - in the Alexander Library), and In the Mind of the Architect both make good reading.

 This video is from a program called 'Ace Day Jobs' ("Love Ya Work"), aimed at primary and lower high school students.

I think it's interesting that Drew Heath has been used as an example. His experience probably doesn't reflect that of the majority of architects - but certainly makes architecture look exciting! I like the way the ABC doesn't dumb things down - this video has a lot of ideas for something aimed at kids.

Labels 3