thou shalt not doubt

Do you ever find that you are minding your way in this world in peace, and then quite suddenly and commitedly, you cannot walk a step further? Your limbs cannot perceive the next step, and you start to question whether you should start turning back?

Don't. Turn. Back!

An invisible arrow got thrown at your heart, poisoned with fear and self-doubt. It is likely the arrow was thrown by your own hand.

But...why would I do that to myself?

Some sort of fear, probably. Fear of failure, fear of success. Fear of the unknown.

This year, I would like to put all those poisoned arrows away. Maybe start throwing around some fairy dust...

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.”

Let us only take steps forward confidently, and commit our hearts to that which we do and believe in. Let the new year be wholeheartedly doubtless.

brooklyn bridge

A few snaps of the photogenic Brooklyn Bridge taken back in November...

 

live project: fish island, hackney wick

As part of a live project to regenerate a terraced house in the cultural area of Hackney Wick, London,  thirty students from Oxford Brookes University spent four weeks designing, fabricating and building installations to accommodate a group of artists into the space.

My group focussed on designing the roof terrace, seating and transforming the adjacent interior space into a cafe area. We based our concept on the tea-making process; the ritual of picking ingredients, brewing, conversation, and story-telling.

The step in the process, of feeding out information, or exhaling, responded to the conditions on our site. A number of air conditioning units surrounded the perimeter of the terrace, which fed out waste energy from the building. We wanted to use this link between inside and outside, to form a spacial relationship between the spaces.

The solution we came up with was 'bubble' inflated by the waste heat coming through the air conditioning units, which houses the storytelling part of the ritual. Working backwards, mint plants and a steaming urn are placed outside the bubble, timber seating and a shoe rack are provided around the perimeter and inside, we hung a sea of space blankets to direct and feed people outside, or seat people in the landscape below, where we fed back the stories that were voiced within the bubble. A mural painted on the exterior wall accentuated the 'exhaling' and 'feeding' nature of our intervention.

venice's land

venice's waters

Here are a few snaps of mine which capture the overcrowded, over-photographed but sorrowfully drowning, Venice. Mass tourism has throttled the city's Italian spirit, and as a result, Venice has developed a unique personality of its own.

venice biennale: architectural elements in space

These are some of the spaces that captured my eye around the Biennale itself. After all, the architecture makes the experience. Enjoy!

venice biennale: exhibited

Buongiorno, tutti!

This summer I made my first trip to the mother of all architecture shows, the Venice Biennale. The enormous exhibition takes place, this year, for its longest ever running period - right through the summer until late November. Located at the main venues of the Giardini Pubblici and the Arsenale, a grand public garden and a naval base respectively, the bulk of it demands a good two days to take all in. The concept this year is Fundamentals. Join me in my journey around the show... Andiamo!

Giardini Pubblici

Absorbing Modernity is the theme of the brief given this year, to each of the 66 national pavilions involved in the Biennale. Tackled from a variety of perspectives, it was interesting to discover the cultural views addressed in each exhibit, covering the past 100 years.

My impression at the end of the first day, after visiting the national pavilions permanently located at the Giardini Pubblici, left me mostly overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all. With so much to explore and learn, I would advise prioritising your visit so as not to miss what you came for.

My favourite pavilions, however, stood out largely for their instant appeal in aesthetic or concept. 

The Danish pavilion includes spaces for singling out and heightening senses. The Spanish Interior invites visitors into the modern spaces of selected projects: case studies include drawings, photographs and perspectival projections. The Belgian, frames spaces using geometry, achieving this through its manner of composition, and lack of chromatic distraction. The Hungarian pavilion gets a mention for its interactive installation, which makes reference to community contribution. 

Located at the base of the national pavilions, The Central Pavilion has its own brief to fulfil. Hosting Elements of Architecture, it is a display of gathered research which examines and celebrates the individual elements of the built environment. There is a nifty film by Davide Rapp, which demonstrates the idea neatly. Here is snippet of it, titled Elements.

This year's curator, Rem Koolhaas also talks a little bit about the concept below.

Rem Koolhaas' Elements of Architecture exhibition aims to "modernise architectural thinking" from Dezeen on Vimeo.

Arsenale

Day Two at the Arsenale, was more interesting. Perhaps it was the historic setting, the romance of the ambient light or that the exhibition felt more wholesome, united under one roof. Focussing on Italy itself, there is an abundant number of films playing, installations to examine and snippets of knowledge to digest. Each space floats ahead of the next and as you progress to the back, you are met with the Italian sunshine again. 

Following on, lunch, and then several more pavilions to peek at. 

If two days are not enough for you, there are more Biennale pop-ups and pavilions dotted around Venice. Go on an architectural treasure-hunt and get to know the city better at the same time.

Walking around, I couldn't help but notice the buildings surrounding the exhibition spaces. To me, this was as interesting as the displays and installations themselves. 

Photos to come in the following post... Till then X

marinid tombs

If you walk up to the top of the hill supporting the Marinid Tombs, you will find yourself at one of my favourite spots in Fes. Faced with some cracking views, visit as the sun sets. Don't stay too late though; the area attracts some characters come nightfall.

We met two boys on our way up, who told us to "broaden our minds," when we refused their invitation for a drink. As ridiculous as this was, it just happens all too often to girls the world over. Boys who do this aren't fooling anyone; there is no respect left for people who use insults in response to rejection.

We managed to get to the top of the hill without further harassment, and walked into the remains of a rather enormous tomb left by the Marinids, a structure maybe two or three stories high and pretty spacious. Whilst I was stood inside imagining what kind of superstar this tomb commemorated, Lindz and I minding our own business really, or you know, the Marinids' business, when we sensed that we were being watched.

As it turned out, an older teenage boy was inside the tomb too, halfway up the wall, making his presence known. A bit confused, but impressed by his Spiderman skills, we let him do his thing. He's the one in the top picture, on top of the world...

volubilis AKA walili

An hour's drive from Fes lie the Roman remains of the ancient city of Volubilis. Standing alone amongst golden fields, blue mountains and clouds that hang like a ceiling, the city may be gone, but the drama is still here.

Volubilis was actually the first Roman settlement in Morocco, and Morocco's first capital city. It is clear from the layout what a lot of the spaces were designed for: baths, an olive oil press, a sacrificing stage. Others, I was told were: the courts of law, the temple of the gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.

Efforts have been made to restore parts of the site; columns filled in with brick to keep them standing. It's fun to construct the spaces in your head and imagine what life might have been like in those sophisticated but merciless times.

cultural capital of morocco

Known as the cultural capital of Morocco, there are many architectural delights to discover across the medinas.

Medersa
One of a few in the city, this medersa is still in use today by students of Islamic philosophy. Quranic inscriptions are carved into almost everything in sight. Apparently the detailing has survived all these years thanks to the egg white formula applied over the plaster. How's that for low maintenance design.

Synagogue
Found within the Jewish Quarter of the city, which is now largely out of use and in a state of disrepair, this synagogue is open for visiting.

Shrine of Moulay Idriss Junior

If I hadn't mentioned already, Moroccan religious sites don't tend to be open to non-Muslims. This isn't a typical custom of a lot of Islamic sites, however it does seem to be in Morocco. 

So, here are the behind-the-scenes images of Moulay Idriss II's shrine, currently under renovation, just for you.