The Architecture of Man: Our Unthinkable Possibilities

(This is a post attemp via phone, so my apologies if the format goes a little odd)

I've always been fascinated by the links between architecture & the other Arts disciplines, but there is one in particular that captures my interest & imagination above all the others.

Aerial & acrobatic arts is still a relatively new member to the UK arts scene however, this has not hindered its impact & ability to astound. 

For me, it links back to the core principles of architecture. It is an exploration of structure, form & movement, set within a predefined context (be this a piece of equipment or even another human being). 

The human structure has always fascinated me & in this realm it is explored & pushed to its very limits in the most truly inspiring of ways.

(Cirque du Soliel: image from leadingevents.com) 

This interest began some 5 years ago for me, when I began learning Aerial myself. Experiencing first hand this relationship between form & the manipulation  of a relatively 2D object into 3D, it immediately appealed to the architect in me. Just like in any design project you have your site/context (in my case my rope) & you have to interact & create a structure around it, placing one structure within another & adapting them into a feasible & aesthetic form. And just like architecture, it is critical to understand the limits of your materials & context.

(Image from aerailperformers.co.uk)

Without listing every interpretation of this very apparent link, the most interesting way to explore this is to experience it. Whether you see an aerial or acro balance performance, take a class or even simy do a "Cirque du Soliel" google search, you will almost certainly see the fundamentals of architecture in this fascinating art form. While many will tell you it is a blend of art, circus & dance for me this is most definitely Architecture 101. 

(Images from ffaentertainment.com, Standard.co.uk,

Itvstudios.com & Smashingreader.com)

Back to the Future: George Square Glasgow

As an architecture graduate, urban enthusiast & 20 minutes on the M8 short of being a Glaswegian this controversial story was bound to spark my interest.

Glasgow city council this week announced the 6 shortlisted submissions for the £15m makeover and as you might expect controversy erupted.

So the argument has become old vs new; the council want shiny, new & “look at me” factor while a large portion of Glaswegians are calling to restore the Square to its former glory.

George Square in 1867 - Sourced from https://www.facebook.com/restoregeorgesquare 

At first thought I would have agreed with the call for restoration however, upon seeing the submissions I must admit I find myself in the other camp.

I have a great enthusiasm for the design & functions of public space, and for me George Square has always failed in its principle goals.

The square is no more than a glorified roundabout, a mere garish red ash shortcut from A to B for the travelling pedestrian.

George Square Today: Sourced from Wikipedia

The restoration calls for the installation of large portions of green space & no prospect for business, my issue with this is that George Square isn’t a park, it’s a public square and public squares need to be more than just vast expanses of soggy grass.

Take for example, what is for me, Glasgow’s most successful public square: Royal Exchange Square. It’s only a few steps away from George Square & the difference in the spaces success is almost immeasurable (and there’s not a spec of green space in sight).

Royal Exchange square works because it’s integrated with the city, like most European counterparts, there are businesses (such as cafes) lining the edges offering a comfortable seat & shelter from our (frequent) bad weather. In Royal Exchange Square you can enjoy a coffee in the tranquil square, watching life go by & then carry on to the city’s shopping hub without having to traverse busy roads.

The real problem with George Square is that it’s isolated, marooned by busy roads & plighted with being hideously unattractive. I believe the new proposals offer George Square the best chance for a slice of success but only if we can overcome it’s isolation by transforming it into its own self-sufficient space, supporting Glasgow’s people by creating opportunities for more permanent small businesses to be incorporated into the space (I’d love to see a series of pavilions designed by our local architects). While I’m not sold on the idea of big patches of green space, I would like to see more landscaping; collections of trees & plantings to act a barrier between you & the unsightly roads.

      My Favourite Proposal - Design 6 (Sourced from http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3411)

In short, I think we need a space where we can on a (rare) summer day; we can stop, grab a drink, sit back & admire a beautifully designed public space.

Take a look at all of the Shortlisted Proposals at http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3411

Or

Join the Restoration Camp at http://www.restoregeorgesquare.com/

Architecture...For the Feet Part II

My previous post on the wonderful Miniature structures that don our feet introduced me to a world of wondefully inspiring designs. So, like any good shoe enthusiast I thought I'd share them with you...Enjoy!

From Paris' Le Bon Marché (Summer 2008) Michel Tcherevkoff’s Photographs: “Shoe Fleur, A Footwear Fantasy”.

Bryan Oknyansky

Julian Hakes

Andreia Chaves

Marloes ten Bhömer  

Pavlina Miklasova

John Galliano  

Chau Har Lee

Alexander McQueen

Nicholas Kirkwood

Continuum Shoes

Tea Petrovic

Marloes ten Bhömer  

Marloes ten Bhömer  

Victoria Spruce

The LBD – The Ultimate Design Tool

One of the first projects I encountered in Architecture was to design a full-scale piece of furniture using only cardboard & cable ties; why? Well my take is that it encouraged us to think outside the box.

Forced to think about the limitations of our materiality, we all created quite wonderful forms of overlapping card that could actually support the weight of a person.

This was the highest marking studio project that’d I’d ever get in university; and I never quite saw the benefits of this project until I became more aware of the relationship between fashion & architecture.

Full scale projects make us think more, because we see the whole design we can see the flaws, we can see how form, function & materiality perform at a 1:1 scale.

This inevitably got me thinking more about how fashion could help us to become stronger architects.

Thus I give you the “Little Black Dress” or “LBD”. It’s fashions ultimate icon & the perfect tool for making us better designers. Why? Simple: It has one massive limitation, it can only be black.

With such a limitation we become forced to create interest using form & texture, using different materials to create contrast, detailing & weight (or lack of weight).

Left & Right: Alexander McQueen

For architects learning the importance of these aspects are key to success & for us nothing is better than working at full scale. I certainly believe that I could have benefitted from learning a little more about design back then so perhaps it’s time we through in a little bit of iconic fashion to help us create some iconic buildings…

Left: Christopher Kane    Right:Alexander McQueen

Versace for H&M

Left: Versace  Right: Alexander McQueen

Left: Victor & Rolf  Right: Versace

Discovery of the Day - Lego Architecture

While teddy bear shopping for my little nephew I came across these wonderful creations by Lego.
The Lego Architecture Series combines & celebrates some of the worlds most iconic Architecture with one of the world’s most iconic toys.

From Villa Savoye to Big Ben, there's instantly recognisable landmarks & some other pieces that ask us to call on our creative minds (the New York Guggenheim falls a little short in my eyes).
Lego Architecture is perhaps an obvious idea but it doesn't make it any less appealing, personally, I'd like to see some more architects on offer, perhaps a Mackintosh or two (I'd love to see the Art School immortalised in Lego) or how they would tackle a Gaudi.
Out of those included my personal favourite has got to be the Robie House, but while I dream of the endless possibilities here's a selection of what's on offer... 

Farnsworth House - Mies Van der Rohe

Guggenheim - Frank Lloyd Wright

Robie Houe - Frank Lloyd Wright 

Sydney Opera House - Jørn Utzon

Villa Savoye - Le Corbusier & Pierre Jeanneret

Falling Water - Frank Lloyd Wright

All Images sourced from http://architecture.lego.com/en-us/

Architecture…for the Feet

 If ever there was a painfully (excuse the pun) obvious link between Fashion & Architecture those magnificent structures on your feet were it.

Particularly among women shoes are often most structural & form altering pieces of clothing that you’ll ever own.

Even in it’s most basic form (the classic black court), the architectural qualities of the humble high-heel are breath taking. The simple flowing form & single steel column support; the shoe is literally the foundation of wearer, the supporting element in maintaining an elevated position.

So imagine an architect’s delight when our eyes fall upon the architectural footwear of recent times, the sheer euphoria of seeing exposed structure, flowing forms & the design of miniature spaces that your feet do not wear, but gracefully inhabit.

Of course many make the mistake of assuming that Architectural footwear is simply crazy-shaped shoes (it is not architectural just because it’s shaped like a sandwich), but in reality it is so much more. They are shoes with clean lines & flowing forms, materiality & free from frills, truly architectural footwear makes you look at the shoe & the space in & around it.

Take Tea Petrovic for example, having designed a shoe collection inspired by none other than Santiago Calatrava, his creations are so removed from traditional footwear it almost seems wrong to disturb the space within them with feet.

In true Calatrava style we see an array of clean white lines with rib-like detail, Petrovic makes the most of the context of the foot, filling & playing with all the available space & drawing the attention away from the foot & instead to the relationship between the shoe & the floor.

The shoe unlike most forms of clothing is an ideal precedent for an architect; for a shoe to work it must be structured to support the load of the wearer, it must contain a degree of internal space, it must have a strong & solid relationship with its context (the ground) and it must be comfortable to inhabit. All we have to do is alter what Marilyn Monroe once said "Let an Architect design the right shoes, and they can conquer the world."