Dominique Gonzalez - Foerster TH.2058

This is an exhibition in Turbine hall Tates modern , that looks 50 years into the future of London and its never-ending rain, therefore making the inhabitants to grow into giants!!!!

These super size inhabitants consist of :
a) Louise Bougeois - the Giant Spider and Alexander Calder - Flamingo (In red)

b) The image shows the remains of dead animals that have suffered from the never-ending rain

c) Bruce Nauman - Three large animals still flying round the London

d) Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen - An Apple's core

Here listen to the sound of the never-ending rain at this exhibition, it made if feel real and imaginative too...

Girli Concrete Exhibition in NLA

Interesting Art and craft on building material. Below shows samples of Girli concrete.

What is Girli concrete about?

Ans: It is the use of craft and technology eg. construction and textile or vice versa to create or form a textured fabricated concrete. Therefore making "Concrete a textile" or "Textile a structure". I believe it can consist of any type of personalised design.

Actually touching everyone of these samples, the patterns on them is the textile that has been added during the making of the concrete. I think it is a way of having a feel for art in decorative concrete as a potential building material surface.

But the only thing i question about it is how durable is it and can it be used outdoors on building facades or as a paving material outdoor....

More info: http://girliconcrete.blogspot.com/

Plant Beds

I noticed this planting bed by the main entrance into Hyde's Park. Its very pretty. From my observation, the arrangement of coloured plants is very important because if makes the planted area or bed to stand out from its surrounding landscape as shown in the picture below:

I have giving myself a task to identify plants in the pictures below in other to improve my knowledge on herbaceous plants.

a)

b)
c)

d)

Ans: a)...... b).........c) Heartsease - Yellow & Purple (Viola tricolor) d) Heartsease - Yellow (Viola tricolor)

I was only able to identify 2 of the plants above, need to do more plant identification....

Autumn In Hyde's Park

It is amazing to see the Autumn season affect the trees in Hyde's Park. The changes in the leaves have beautified its landscape and and giving it a sense of colour instead of the usual green colour. Below shows example of the colour changes you see in autumn.

Beautiful colours of Oak trees ...........ranging from Red to Yellow

I love this picture because the avenue of trees just by Serpentine Gallery, gives you a warm welcome into Hyde's Park and also the feel for seasonal change taking place too.

Serpentine Gallery Pavillion 2008

This a very unique gallery that was designed by Frank Gehry. Its unfortunate i wasn't able to experience it because when i went to visit it it was getting demolished.

From what i can tell is that is was designed like an amphitheatre, designed to serve as a place for live events, music, performance, discussion and debate.

It was made up of wooden timber structure that acts as an urban street running from the park to the existing Gallery and also had glass canopies that protected people from wind and rain.

I just think it would have been nice and lovely to see it at night with all the lights glowing in the dark.

source: http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2008/03/forthcoming_summer_2008serpent.html

Swarm Chandelier

The swarm chandelier is an amazing piece of organic abstract art designed by Zaha Hadid. It composes of 16,000 suspended black crystals hung on individual wires. It is located at the front entrance of V & A museum.

This is not a real chandelier but a false way of creating internal light source instead it is an example of art is that is "less about its functionality than its expressions of its conceptual or theoretical exploration used"

In my own opinion, Zaha Hadid has created this chandelier to illustrate her thoughts and use of organic shapes to designs her buildings that is "not necessary its functionality but its conceptual form"

Link: http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/contemporary/swarm/index.html

Rotating Wind Shelter, Blackpool

Wow! This is an 8metres tall Wind Vane which has a 4metres turntable located at Blackpool’s newly regenerated South Shore Promenade.

It is actually designed to act as a wind vane by rotating the structure to the direction of the prevailing wind coming from the sea and also protecting people or occupants sitting at the base of the huge wind vane from the strong winds. Therefore providing them shelter in a sculptural way.

I think its an amazing concept and very playful too. It makes a good interaction between people and natural element too.

Designed by McChesney Architects and also won Civic Trust Award 2008 by RIBA

source: http://www.mcchesney.co.uk/Blackpool.htm

More is LESS, More London

Presently i'm currently writing a report on More London. More London is located next to London Tower bridge in Pool of London area, Borough of Southwark. Its a new dynamic regeneration development going on in Southwark. The site used to be an international dock part of Hay's Wharf but over time it became abandon. Today, its one of the sucessful and popular promenade and an art destination along the Sothbank.

Its landscape was designed by Townshend Landscape architects. The landscape design has a simple and a bold characteristics in its finishes and arrangement of features.
It consist of The Scoop which is the focal point of More london, its a sunken amphitheatre that accomodates about 800 people. Alot of different free events takes place there such as art exhibitions, etc.


Other water features are:


- Computerised Water fountain:

- Water Benches

- The Rill

Only one material (limestone) is been used accross the site. This gives the site a distinctive strong feel for space and a high quality finish.

More London has these Full Stop public art by Fiona Banner displayed randomly around the site. Its amazing to see how people do interact with them.

In conclusion, Its a very successful project, with a well balanced used of material and public art. Everytime i'm on Site i get the sense of being in a Destination place and when i'm off, i know i'm off.

Landscape Is. Unique Planter @ Barbican Theatre

This isnt like every other planter that has a shrub in it.

What makes it unique?

Its got an ash tray attached to the planter. Its a unqiue and by far a better way of having ash trays rather than wall mounted ash trays which to me makes some buildings look unpretty.

Landscape Is. Curve Art "Next Time I'm Here, I'll Be There" by Hans Schabus

The Curve art was displayed in Barbican Theatre, London

CURVE ART

This is a comterpary art by Han Schabus which explores the intersection between architecture and sculpture. This exhibition is quite unique, it consist of 461 different types of chairs bolted to the 80m long semi-circular gallery known as the Curve.

This exhinbtion reminds me of the seating arrangement on an aeroplane as the plane flys sideways. Hans view of art is by shifting materials and forms from one context into another and by playing with it which expectly gives space.

" I create new space and fill in other spaces. For me, sculpture is the organisation of material within space" - Hans Schabus

I strongly agree with his coated statement above, because in the design world its all about how spaces are been arranged in other for it to fit into its surrounding context in order for a project to be successful.
Design doesn't necessary have to be on ground level but can be explored in "the Space above ground level"

Barbican Lakeside Terrace

Location of Lakeside Terrace, Barbican



Just behind Barbican Center is the central public court of the Barbican, Lakeside Terrace which features a cafe area and a wonderful landscape. It's called Lakeside terrace because it has a huge artificial lake which has various features.

There 3 main seating areas within the court. Below shows the Waterside Cafe.



This is another seating area that is made up of steel fix street furniture. Its arrangement is very different because its been arranged in such a way that it invites people to seat either a group of as an individual.The seats don't face the artificial lake but you get the hear the sound of the lake which feels very relaxing and has this sensual feeling to it. While i was there alone i didn't feel like i was isolated from the rest. I felt comfortable that is not too close or far from another person.


Jet Water Fountain




Water Fall into the lake

I found this cool because the water runs underneath the stairs of the surround residential blocks. This gives the residents a good feel when the walk on the stairs. this is very interesting!


The Residential Blocks and underneath is the artificial Lake



In the lake, there were this seating areas in it which looked like "Seating Nest". Its unfortunate that i wasn't able to seat in it because its a private space but i think it should be made public .
But the idea of having Seating Nest in the lake is awesome.




The Third Seating area which has very huge Timber planters displayed in a linear manner. With steel fixed green seating's with different forms.





The fixed steel seats


Another Feature with in the Lake

Yes!! the Lake had wildlife! that's awesome because it just makes it feel like a real feature for the users. Wildlife in lakes or ponds makes it even more beautiful.

In conclusion i love the landscape because it had various features as u walk along the lake; firstly as u walk you come across different seatings in different forms and the on the other side the features in the lake too changes until u get to the very end.

Its a good peaceful place to go to, shutting down the busy city's activities and then listening to the sound of water just makes one feel good.