This is a basic grid which I will use to present all of my work this year. Anything which might end up in my portfolio must conform to this layout.
It's my own idea and my own grid and, it must be said, I already dislike it. Some conformity should improve the portfolio over all though, and next year I'll give myself the chance to revise it.
I have it as an Illustrator file for computer-based layout, and some A1 printouts to slide beneath pencil drawings as I'm doing them on tracing paper.


This post can only be short today, as I'm going to be answering questions about the school for potential new students. After that I really must crack on with my work. Site survey should really be done for Thursday but I have nothing worth presenting yet. Although I've done a lot of sketches and a rough model, they're not really what's required - I can feel myself jumping ahead a bit...

I did survey the facades of the adjacent builidngs though. I'd like to respond to them in the sense of being a good neighbour. Take some inspiration from the proportion and rhythms in the Georgian terrace but twist 'em a bit. Something like Gehry does in Prague. I don't think his building looks too out of place, although that's really a matter of opinion, and I mainly admire the attempt to camouflage the two additional floors. There's such a mish-mash of buildings in every direction at our site that I figured that I can only hope to respond to the nearest of them.

The fastest way I could think of to survey was counting bricks. I made many of these measurements, stood in the freezing cold last night, being hassled for money and so on. Hopefully it was worth the effort though. I'll draw it up this morning and let you have a look...