For Architecture / Teaching enthusiasts...

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 J Brown 15 Jun 2020

How’s it going? I teach part-time in the architecture school in Dundee. As with every institution there was no public Degree Show at the end of the year, so I’m showing off the students’ work on their behalf (and with their agreement). 

https://dynamicstasis.blog/2020/05/21/dundee-degree-show-2020-architecture-...

All feedback (constructive or otherwise) is welcome. Any stand out projects? 

1
 EddieA 16 Jun 2020
In reply to J Brown:

These are great!  I don't have the expertise to single any out.  To my untrained eye they all seem to have been done with great skill and flair.  I liked a little detail in the drawing from a soviet tower - there is a picture frame containing a portrait of what appears to be Lech Walesa.

Congratulations to all your students - and to you.  You've done them proud by finding audiences for their work.

Eddie 

1
 birdie num num 16 Jun 2020
In reply to J Brown:

I once watched my mate fall off the last move on the right unconquerable. Good guy. He just missed out on the onsight 

8
 tlouth7 16 Jun 2020
In reply to J Brown:

Love it! I really like the architectural style of drawing, though some of the renders fall somewhat into the uncanny valley.

I find it fascinating how different disciplines convey detail and importance; it seems that architects tend to use very flat textures, or greyed out lines, to indicate that an area is unimportant or unfinished. In contrast the industrial designers I work with would typically use a 'sketchy' style for this, with important details picked out in stronger lines. Engineers of course just leave it all in, because we a really bad at conveying what is important through our drawings.

OP J Brown 16 Jun 2020
In reply to EddieA:

Thanks Eddie, I (and they) really appreciate that!

OP J Brown 17 Jun 2020
In reply to tlouth7:

Thanks very much - I absolutely agree with you, it is very interesting to see the different ways in which various professions describe their work through drawings - in my practice I find it really satisfying to issue really informative and graphically clear drawings.

The teaching side is interesting, there’s definitely fads or trends that come and go in terms of the way students describe their ideas... but I enjoy seeing those different styles together, not least because I can ‘borrow’ some of their graphic ideas!

Thanks for your feedback.

 J Glendinning 18 Jun 2020
In reply to J Brown:

Really interesting and lots of impressive work!

It seems that many of the briefs relate to community building, for instance ‘reforming multi storey living’ and ‘inclusive embedded neighbourhoods.’  I most like the look of the Lenin Lane Housing, though I think it would feel quite different if they didn’t keep up the greenery.

I was wondering whether you had any examples of real life developments such as these, and whether they have lived up to expectations in terms of enhancing wellbeing?

OP J Brown 19 Jun 2020
In reply to J Glendinning:

Thats a really good point - kind often the drawings that we make show an idealised environment with happy people and thriving landscaping, and yes, the maintenance of that public realm is critical. Firstly it helps if it’s well designed, and secondly things work best when the community takes ownership (either literally or figuratively) of those spaces.

The back-catalogue of failed attempts is relatively high, but I think as a country we are getting better at making affordable housing.

In terms of successful examples - I think the BedZed scheme by Bill Dunster is very good, particularly in terms of its environmental credentials. The recent Accordia scheme in Cambridge looks great. My old firm did a scheme in Inverness, called Raining’s Stairs on a derelict city centre site and we know it’s had a positive impact. The Peabody Housing Association tend to commission good work across the SE.

The challenge, or at least one of the challenges, is trying to retain that quality when the developer / h assoc etc start to review costs and make cuts - often the shared external spaces are the first to suffer.


New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...