Sep '06 - May '07
I'm sitting in the computer lab of my flat. My laptop broke last Saturday. I don't know what happened, but it won't turn on anymore. I'm doing one last load of laundry before my parents get here. They are supposed to get in to Heathrow at 9:30am from Las Vegas after almost 20 hours of travelling. I'm sure that there is a direct flight between here and there, but that’s a whole other discussion. They will be here for a 12 day London Christmas. It's 1:15 in the morning and I need to leave here by 8am to get to the airport on time...
School 'officially' ended on Friday 15 December. It has been a very different semester than what I was used to in L.A. First off, we didn't really do much in terms of production. Looking at the other bloggers posting all their work from the end of the semester brings this home even more. I maybe did 2 drawings that were not so helpful and some writings. We had a 2 day official 'crit' the last week of November. Personally, I think it was a mild disaster. Only a few of us (we number 27 total) had something that was what the school deemed acceptable in terms of production and thought. At the end of the two days, Neil Spiller said that the amount and quality of the work was 'unacceptable' for a place like the Bartlett and that we can't let that happen again. Mostly he was concerned about the quantity of work. And I would agree. Needless to say...I didn't take any photos to post.
I realized that this is OK though. This semester was more of a transition phase for all of us. None of us have really ever lived in the UK before, let alone spent any time in a UK institution. We all need time to adjust. On top of all of the adjusting, we were supposed to come up with our own topics to research. And the Bartlett, at least the M. Arch course is not interested in producing buildings. And for some of us who came from very traditional undergrad programs, this is a very difficult thing to do. Granted, I came from SCI_Arc and Architecture that does not manifest itself as a building does not frighten me. It's more about ways of thinking and taking that method and turning it into something in this world. Ideas and the imagination...two things that I feel are under tought in schools today.
I'm looking at the idea of motion in literature and how text wraps itself around things and hides them but you are always aware that they are there. I'm also looking at the idea of how an 'object' exists in a world (text) where nothing actually exists. Hmmm... More on this later, after I have some time to put the thoughts down on paper.
Well, enough for now. I'm sure that my laundry is shrunk to the size of Barbie’s wardrobe by now. I've got to attempt to rescue it and get some sleep so I can head to the airport in a few hours.
Merry Christmas from London!
Erik
a few random images from the past few weeks...
Will Alsop building near Southwark Tube Station
Current Instillation at the Tate Modern
London Busses
8 Comments
your text-motion idea sounds really intriguing. the kind of thing that would make an awesome pub discussion with a good mixed group of people. post more as you think of it!
put sci-arc aside - as you know anyone could do digital blobs - and the bartlett is on what the US would consider 'quarters' - a 10 week mad dash v. 16 week semester so if you want to 'weigh' your outputs factor that into your considerations. since the MArch in uk are post-grad and not for professional qualification [the majority of the US schools are for licensure] the system isnt about the 'check-boxes' that haunts faculty at graduate level in the US and at Dip level in UK. you have to pursue a research agenda and most students from the US who come abroad to study are a bit too 'young' or have not yet developed what they want to look at.
Beautiful pictures! I took some at the Alsop building when I was there in August myself.
I have a question: I am applying to the Bartlett for a different program, and one concern that I had was space. Are you finding it difficult to manage not having enough space? As I understand it, there is no studio at the school, correct? Just curious.....
WonderK which program? - progams vary with space
I remember seeing the model for the southwark tube station at the London Architecture exhibit earlier this year...i'm sure it's awesome in person.
wait...27 of you? What happened? I had heard your class would be bigger than ours...we had close to 40....
heya erik, i'm at the bartlett too, in unit 21. Wondering if we have ever met? mmmm. have a good one, see you hopefully in the new year. jimmy.
TED > Am applying to the MSc in Environmental Design and Engineering. I understand that this program doesn't really have any studio work, I am just curious if students feel like they are on top of each other all the time.
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