architecture students talk straight about what they are (and are not) learning….
Last Saturday, this legendary night owl arose at 4:30am, hung out with a bunch of coffee addicts at Sydney Airport T2, took a 6.15am flight to Melbourne and upon arrival then drove for 2 hours. All in the good name of research. Why? Well, I was kindly offered the opportunity to conduct a focus group with SONA student representatives from most universities across Australia, to specifically discuss the topic of construction education. And what did they say?…. Read on.
(not) just another kitchen
yeah there are a mazillion kitchens out there.
Interior Design Friday issue 01
Each Friday we’re going to try and do a quick interior design blog post from our projects, because we believe that experiencing architecture is about the small details as much as the big ideas and urban interventions.
Hot pot, karaoke and Chinese gardens
After an epic journey from Beijing comprising of three subways, an aeroplane and a crazy taxi, I arrived at Shangai railway station to discover all the trains to Suzhou were full until 9:30pm – it was then 3 in the afternoon. After six hours sitting in the grubby ‘soft seat’ waiting room with a suitcase and a pack of Mentos for company, being stared at (that’ll be the blonde hair), the train finally came, and it turned out I was taking a sleeper car for the 45 minute journey.
egresStudio are powering ahead with their ‘Three Houses at Pokolbin’ project.
Now that the DA submission has been lodged with Cessnock City Council, the four students from Newcastle University who make up egresStudio are hard at work on the construction documentation, both for CC and detailed construction. As the design and construct project of the proposed three short-stay tourist houses is likely to be assessed by Council by late February, it’s all systems go working with the consultants for this stage of the project. In particular, consideration and integration of the structural engineering specifications and details continues to introduce new levels of knowledge and experience into the project.
Alongside the integration of the structural and other engineering requirements is the review of fixtures, finishes and material selections, all of which is starting to come to the fore. Once the DA is determined the students are looking forward to getting on site and getting their hands dirty. Once the egresStudio are still looking for material sponsors for the project, with the promise of extensive publicity both once the project is underway and at completion. Interested persons can contact egresStudio at egresStudio@hotmail.com
liquidARCHITECTURE runs on….
… Arnotts Ginger Nut biscuits!
I have been threatening to proclaim the goodness of the Ginger Nut when I found out our new website was going to have a blog. Did you know that Ginger Nuts in NSW are different to the ones they sell in QLD? In fact, the current theory in the office is that the last few packets we’ve bought have far too much ginger in them to be suitable for the tastes of New South Welshmen. Yes – somehow, product destined for a QLD supermarket has mysteriously ended up at Northbridge Woolworths….and in our office bikkie jar!
And how will I cope when I am overseas on my travelling scholarship? Oh it’s true – the humble Ginger Nut has been elevated to the same status as Vegemite in our northside office. And tipping our hats to the local caffeine distributor, there is nothing better than a fresh coffee from the NOC and a stack of Ginger Nuts. Oh yeah, I can see our collective dentists rolling their eyes right now …
UTS Distort Pavilion
UTS Distort Pavilion, INDEX exhibition Dec 2009
The UTS Distort Pavilion was a student design/build project that formed part of the Construction subject within the 1st year Architecture program in 2009. Due to the complexity of the design and construction requirements, the ongoing project was extended into a special elective subject for the students who wished to continue and complete the construction of the pavilion. The Distort Pavilion was exhibited at the UTS 2009 end of year exhibition, titled “INDEX” and was curated by David Burns.
what is the future for construction education?
Consider this to be the first of many blog entries covering the big event in my professional life for 2010, being my research for the Byera Hadley Travelling Scholarship (BHTS) I was awarded last year. In case the name of this blog entry didn’t make my topic obvious enough, the real title of this research journey is “Build/Ability – The Future of Construction Education”. Catchy, huh?
-C_ollapsible-A_ctive-N_ode-
The C.A.N. [Collapsible Active Node] is a transportable studio + living space for foreign correspondents. The building was inspired by the element ‘earth’ and a digital image of a plant growing from within an urban fabric. This resulted in the project exploring the relationship between buildings and the natural environment. The building was designed in line with a ‘cradle to cradle’ philosophy, allowing architectural flexibility without destruction.
A new train of thought for regional living
Sydney is a big city. With only a third of its population, we cover more area than London. And yet, Sydney has only one major centre, with a small number of secondary nodes which have developed along train lines. Most commuters from the suburbs have to travel to the city for work, putting enormous strain on limited infrastructure, creating bottlenecks, standstill traffic and sardine-can trains. My commute to university takes an hour and a half each way, requiring three different modes of transport. On the other hand, London has developed a different approach. The villages which form the city are self-sustained, to the extent where as a tourist it is hard to identify a city centre at all. Each village has a distinct character, with dense housing, retail and commercial combining to create localised pockets. The tube is crowded, yes, but it works. London is also a big city, but it doesn’t feel like one.