My Front Garden @ Home........

During the Easter holiday, i designed my front garden in Kent. My sister and I, decided to bring my design ideas to reality. We did so by doing major D.I.Y to our garden with no professional experience.

The current situation is that the garden doesn't get a lot of sunlight and it has a clay foundation which doesn't allow the existing turf to grow properly. Due to this issue, the turf needed to be removed as shown below:

Before Photos:

My Brief: My family wanted the garden to be green with less maintenance required and a sculpture or outdoor garden decoration.

Now i decided to design the front garden, by making it evergreen using Artificial grass (that lives) which as is always evergreen and has low maintenance. Also in my design sketch, i proposed bright red wood barks, white stones and pebbles of different sizes for the garden's edges.

Photos of materials

Proposed Materials:

• 5 bags of Shape sand: This is used to level the clay based bed, so that the artificial grass can be evenly spread with no bumps.

• 4m x 4m Artificial Grass, 15 pins and 1 roll of liner (to prevent weeds from growing underneath the artificial grass).
  

• 5 bags of bright red wood bark: This is to be the edging for the garden and also to blend with the brick colour of the house too.

• 3 box hedge plants

• 3 bags of White stones and 4 bags of pebbles of different sizes : This is for the garden edges too and also to give it a distinctive quality.

• Garden sculptures and outdoor solar lights as finishing touches.

Step 1: Leveling of the clay based bed as shown above with shape sand and then laying down the liner and then laid the 4m x 4m artificial grass over the area and pinned it down as shown below:

Artificial grass being laid

Step 2: Filled in the first edge with the bright red wood barks. On the other edge, dug up holes to put the box hedge plants and then covered the surrounding up with the pebbles and stones as shown below:

Wood barks, stones and pebbles are been put in place

Step 3: Adding the garden sculptures and decoration, explored different formation with it so that it compliments the overall design and not just an element been added last minute shown below:

Garden sculptures & decorations formation

Final Design of my Front Garden

Wow! i didn't know i could do this, thanks to my sister for making this possible. I'm happy to say that my family loves it and it has also met their requirements as well. I have gained and learnt valuable skills that i won't have gotten from my degree but it has made me to explore what i have been thought on a Small scale.
I believe its good to put what we design on paper to reality by getting our hand dirty, if one doesn't get to do this, you won't have an understand of how things are laid or made. Now, I'm proud to say that I totally understand how to lay artificial grass and plants into the ground.

3d Sidewalk Art by Julian Beever

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

This is a collection of 3d Sidewalk Art created by an English chalk artist Julian Beever. This type of art is similar to the 3d Pavement Art. This Illusions are done by using Chalk as a main tool to create it. I like it because it beautifies the street-scape and also, it gives an interesting and awesome illusion, therefore allowing people walking on the sidewalk to interact with the Chalk art, when viewed at the correct angle. It also looks real and believable too.

More sample of Julian Beever's 3d Sidewalk Art Illusion:

Removed Paving

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

Transformers exiting the subway in NYC

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

A man diving into source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

Swimming pool

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

Demons coming out of the ground

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

Spider man to the rescue below & above this London St.

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

White Water Rafting

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

Eiffel Tower being dug up

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

Expression of Freedom

source: http://o.pticalillusions.com/sidewalk-art/

More on information on 3d Sidewalk Art by Julian Beever, see http://users.skynet.be/J.Beever/pave.htm

Styrofoam - Japan Dome Houses

source: www.impactlab.com/2008/08/10/japans-styrofoam-dome-homes

While i was researching for a material has a light, soft and strong quality for my "PlayNow" project, i discovered a Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene) as a potential material which seems odd but interesting. Styrofoam is most commonly associated with disposable coffee cups, meat trays and packaging. But today, it has been as a potential building material.

source: www.impactlab.com/2008/08/10/japans-styrofoam-dome-homes

Japan Dome House Co.Ltd are the manufacturers that have made Dome Houses which has an igloo-shaped structure built from snap-together wall sections made of 100% expanded polystyrene foam in Japan known as "habitat for the 21st century"


The choice of this material for building a home seems odd to me but it has a number of advantages of using Styrofoam compared to the traditional building materials.

source: www.i-domehouse.com/case.html

Benefits of Styrofoam over traditional materials such as wood and metal are:

• Protection: It provides a good shock absorbency and compression resistance for safety protections.

• Durability: It is non-toxic material and it’s also moisture resistant which means there is no loss of strength in damp conditions.

• Versatile: It is exible and can be moulded into any shape or form to meet a product’s protection.

• Environmentally friendly

• Styrofoam Dome House does not rust, rot or attract termites.

• It is also highly resistant to earthquakes and typhoons.
  

More on Styrofoam as a building material: www.i-domehouse.com/index.html

Beautiful Arieal Photography by Klaus Leidorf

Klaus Leidorf is a German aerial archaeologist. This means that he conducts archaeological surveys from the window of his Cessna 172 offering a bird's eye view.

His overhead photos of a site are invaluable and beautiful for putting it in a wider context and discerning details invisible from ground level, But the details and context helps to identify a strong visual character of a landscape. Not just showing it's archaeology but also a relationship with humans and objects as a major feature for example humans can be intrepeted as multicolored bathers lined up on a beach like jellybeans as shown below:

Here are samples of Leidorf's Photographs:

Strange Nest

Cemetery In Velden

A Beer Garden

Winter on "Earth Sign"

Growing Fields

Glaciers Eye

Allotment Garden

All photos are taken from: www.leidorf.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html

3D Pavement Art

3d Pavement Art is now the new form of Street art but can also be know for "Street Painting", Street Art" ,"Chalk Art" or "Sidewalk Art".


Edgar Müller is a Master of 3d Pavement Art. He has followed the invitation and continued his series of 3D pavement art by beautifying the landscape. "His enormous illusion is reached by applying the anamorphic technique to a huge pavement painting".

Sample of His work:

1. Ice Age:

Location: In Dun Laoghaire the "Festival of World Culture"

Before:

http://www.metanamorph.com/displayimage-album,4,pos,15,3D%20Pavement%20Art-Ice%20Age-IMAGE_0663.html#image

After

http://www.metanamorph.com/displayimage-album,4,pos,15,3D%20Pavement%20Art-Ice%20Age-IMAGE_0663.html#image

He painted over 250 square meters picture in an urban areas to give them a different look and thereby challenge the audience's perception and illustions about been in an ice-age. I think this is very cool and does look real but in reality is just a painting that makes you feel you are in a different place. I believe 3D pavement art is very interesting and it reminds me of graffit but its just that this is diefferent and more realistic.



Other 3d Pavement Art of Edgar:

Lava Burst:

http://www.metanamorph.com/displayimage-album,5,pos,2,3D%20Pavement%20Art-Lava%20Burst-HELP.html#image

http://www.metanamorph.com/displayimage-album,5,pos,2,3D%20Pavement%20Art-Lava%20Burst-HELP.html#image

More on 3D Pavement Art: http://www.metanamorph.com/

Priorities of my Online Portfolio (Part III)

I have created and developed my site to have a simple and also to aid easy navigation around my website without causing fraustration to users.

In order to develop my key information required by employers, i have simply created my online portfolio with a naiviagtable site map.

Here is the current site map of my online portfolio as shown below:

Priorities of my Online Portfolio (Part II)

Now i have modified my chosen website design template (Spectrum) for my online portfolio to my own personal preference just like what Matt Parker, Paul Bratton and Kaori Kishsi as discussed in my previous post.

Also in addition to modifying my online porfolio layout, I'm implementing my priorities on the key information pages required for me to sell myself to a potential employer to view on Moonfruit as discussed in my previous post.

These pages are:

• Home/ Welcome
• Portfolio
• Blog
• C.V
  
• Contact

Here is a screen shot of my progress:

Priorities of my Online Portfolio

I have researched and identified what key elements or information are required to be in my online portfolio. The information required are as shown below:

1. Welcome Page:

This is the first page that will be seen by employers or viewers. In order to give a good first impression to potential employers, i have to motivate them to want to continuing viewing my page without them losing interest. To achieve that, i have decided to add a formal introduction about myself and what my future ambitions and how i am going to achieve my long time goal of becoming a professional landscape architect.

2. Portfolio Page:

This page will consist and contain a collection of my past university work from my 1st year (2006) to my 3rd year work (2009). It will demonstrate how i have improved and matured within my design/ concept work over the last 3 years of my undergraduate degree.

3. Curriculum Vitae (CV) page:

This page is very essential and consist of a document that contains a summary of relevant job experience and education for potential employer. CV is typically the first item that a potential employer encounters regarding the job seeker seeking employment.

4. Blog Page:

This page will consist of my blog. It adds an extra to my portfolio by demonstrating my other personal interest apart from my university work which i have recorded in my blog over the last 3 years to employers.

5. Contact Page:

This page is suppose to contain my personal contact details such as my telephone number, address, e-mail address on which i can be contacted with. This is a very important part that needs to be present in my portfolio, so that employers or users can find it easy to access me anytime.

Moonfruit progress

Choosing my layout for my online portfolio

I observed that moonfruit has a number of different design templates available. I have decided to choose a colourful template called Spectrum. With the chosen layout of mine, i shall modify it in order to give it my personal perefernce just like what Matt Parker, Paul Bratton and Kaori Kishsi as discussed in my previous post.

Here is my chosen default layout- Spectrum; as shown below:

Moon Fruit - Online Portfolio

Presently, i am preparing myself for employment this summer after i have completed my first degree in Landscape Architecture at Kingston University. In order to get an employment, i am currently putting together collection of my work that i have achieved in the last 3 years of my degree by creating an online portfolio. Therefore preparing my online portfolio to sell myself to professional landscape practises or companies, to achieve and secure myself with a successful employment.

To achieve my goals, i decided to analyse and identify what the requirements are and the key components of creating an online portfolio on a website host by analysing the past graduate student online portfolio on Moonfruit particularly the most recent year of 2008 at Kingston University for inspiration.

My strongest inspiration was Matt Parker's portfolio: "http://www.mparker.moonfruit.com/"

Matt designed his website in a unique, and simple way but still has a very strong interactive quality.

In terms of this layout, it's very straight forward to understand and easy to navigate through it swiftly without getting confused.

It's very attractive and catches one's attention fully due to its animated qualities.

Although, the overall layout was created using a special program - Adobe Flash. This is a very good method of adding a personal touch to one's portfolio. But Matt Parker's website is quite advanced and technical for my level but i shall still try to achieve this standard if time permits me.

In conclusion, Matt's site has motivated me greatly and also made me to realise the opportunities on how far one can design their own website using moonfruit which can be simply enjoyable.

Other Inspirations:

Both Paul Bratton & Kaori Kishi are very inspiring because they have a very easy and simple layout design. Their portfolio is easy to understand and use by anyone. The graphic quality is plain but still stands out to me.

Links:
Paul Bratton website: http://www.pbratton.moonfruit.com/
Kaori Kishi: http://www.kkishi.moonfruit.com/

Opportunities:

Analysing the overall online portfolio of last year 2008 set, i noticed that majority have a "Black" background and contrasting font colours. I find the use of black background is nice but very dull at the same time and also has a bad effect to the viewers eyes which is not helpful to the users eyes because of this I intend to stay away from using a black background.

Secondly, i observed no-one had a colourful layout too. I believe colours are beautiful but it depends on how one uses them. I intend to have a colourful portfolio because i believe it lightens up the viewers/ users and also i love colours too. This will be my personal touch to my portfolio.

Landscape of Castlefield Urban Heritage Park, Manchester

Castlefield Urban Heritage Park

The Castlefield area has been designated as Britain's first Urban Heritage Park. It represents the wealth of Manchester's industrial heritage which includes its railway viaducts, canal transportation systems and museums. Due to this, it has become a major tourtist hot spot in Manchester, attracting tourist to enjoys waterside experience such as its pleasant walks and boat trips along the Rochdale canal.

Castlefield Outdoor Space

Castlefield has an outdoor space that looks upon the wate's edge of the Castlefield Basin. It is a lovely urban ampitheatre landscaped space that serves an an open theatre in Roman times.

The landscape consist of a permanent canopy thats shadows over 7 pre-cast concrete amphitheatre steps.

Also it has a series of undulating moulds which symbolises waves or flow of water as shown below:

Castlefield landscape design is similar to More London in London and also Sheldon Square in Paddington as shown below; because they all just like a theatre; having the same purposes such as accommodating outdoor events such as exhibitons, plays, etc.

Sheldon Square, Paddington,London

Source:http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ci2iRDwFQaM/RmLO8aJZecI/AAAAAAAAABg/O_0JzQK6IOo/20070602+007.jpg

More London, London

source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2624370632_2587abfc9f.jpg?v=0

In conclusion, the landscape is very simple but also represents an elegance of moderen landscape design. My only critism of this site is that it doesn't have any access for a wheel chair user to move freely around the site. If it where to be modified, i will suggest wheel chair access is key, in order to allow wheel chair uses to also have equal spatial experience as the rest of the other people.

More information: http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/castlefield/castlefield1.html

Canal Side Walk Along Rochdale Canal Manachester

I went on the field trip visit to Manchester specifically to look at and observe canals. this is to help me and also to motivate me with my current project I'm working on called the Wey and Arun canal in Surrey.

The Wey and Arun canal is presently undergoing major restoration. The point of going to the Rochdale Canal is to help me understand the infrastructure of how canals are being Incorporated within certain areas and also what makes them attract people to use it.

Rochdale canal

The Rochdale Canal is a 33 miles long canal that lies between Manchester and Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire, UK.

Rochdale canal

In Manchester it connects with the Ashton and Bridgewater Canals while in Sowerby Bridge it links both the Calder and Hebble Navigation as shown below:

source: http://www.waterwayroutes.co.uk/images/maps/11_rochdale_580x326.png

Walking along the canal, i observed, the canal runs through an urban environment which was very exciting because the canal side where like a shield away from the noisy busy city. I t was very quiet, relaxing and peaceful.

Built areas around canal

Another thing i noticed is the fact that the canal runs very close to retails areas like shopping malls and cafes. I am positive that the canal experience along the particular part of the canal feels very intimate. It is a shame i wasn't able to go on a boat trip due to the bad weather. The photo below shows a good example of it:

Canal running next to a shopping mall & cafe

Along the canal are beautiful rustic features, for example:

• The Railway bridge over the canal at Castlefield as shown below is a beautiful infrastructure that has been preserved and maintained its historic context too.

Railway arches over canal

• An Empty narrow boat feature along the canal: I thought this was very interesting because it has made me to understand the size and scale of a narrow boat. when i look at narrow boats it looks very small but its not as small as we all think it is. Here is a picture to see its spatial composition as shown below:

Empty narrow boat

• Very old Locks: Locks are the usually found on most canals but in Manchester the old conventional locks are still been maintained.

Locks on Rochdale canal

In conclusion, this has helped me to understand the scale of canals and its also to look at canals in another view. Its amazing the fact that the canal are in the city but while walking along the canal side it still feels like a rural area even the fact that most of the edges are hard and constructed; which i find very interesting. i want to adopt this to my current project giving it both an urban and a rural experience at the same time.