Archinect - Caribbean School of Architecture (David)

Caribbean School of Architecture at the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale

2014-06-24T15:45:37-04:00

The Venice Architecture Biennale (International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia) is one of those treasured event for architects dating back to 1895, when the first international Art Exhibition was organized and1980 when the first International Architecture Exhibition took place. This year for the 14th holding the Biennale, directed by Rem Koolhaas running from 7th June until 23rd November 2014 will be the Collateral Event “Time Space Existence” at the Palazzo Bembo and Palazzo Mora presenting architecture from 6 continents, brought together.

The Global Arts Affairs Foundation (GAAF) organizers for the Biennale have accepted a proposal of Architect Jacquiann T. Lawton, a Senior Lecturer at The Caribbean School of Architecture to present the final year Design Studio project of the Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies entitled The Belize City Urban Study and Interventions at the Exhibition at Palazzo Mora in Venice as an official part of the 2014 Venice Architec...

Instagraming the student experience

2013-03-21T19:02:00-04:00

A number of students, and yes staff too, have been documenting their experiences at the Caribbean School of Architecture. Everything from presentations and critiques, to guest lectures and study tours to the various countries, not to mention some of the more social antics done through the architecture student organisations CASA & Expressions.

Site Model of Panama CityA collage of student postingsSelecting schemes to send to WISE International housing competitionJurors warming up at a final year critique

The images shown were tagged with #CaribbeanSchoolofArchitecture and of course you can find also find under the #architectureschool tags as well.

a big big model

2012-10-18T19:34:17-04:00

This is by far my favourite time of the school year when students, day in and day out, from sunset to sunrise are huddled around a large context model. I can almost hear the chime of the "weeds" song by Malvina Reynolds as students measure, form and glue pieces of chipboard and card to make a house, a school, an office that finally comes together to represent a village, a town, a city. Here's a few fuzzy photos of the recent one by the third year design students. And it's HUGE - it takes up about a tenth of the studio.

shout out to our new Head of School - Dr. Rohan "Kermit" Bailey

Barbados Study Tour: A Fitting End

2012-02-11T08:53:00-05:00

Last night we had our final presentation of our 2 week study tour of Bridgetown. We were lucky enough to be gifted a beautiful space in the Amaryllis Hotel with curved, textured walls. Members of the architectural community, family and friends came out in their numbers with nearly 100 people in attendance. The evening's festivities were opened by the President of the Barbados Institute of Architects, Michael Lashley and the relationship with the Caribbean School of Architecture was cemented with commentary from architect Erskine Rose.

The presentation took the form of an exhibition, where patrons were invited to engage the students and the work in a series standing critiques. The general feedback was positive, especially in regards as the amount of work done in a relatively short time.

And I just found out whilst listening to the podcast of Modernism in Barbados from the MoMA Modern Architecture in the Caribbean Symposium, that Roberto Burle Marx designed the original plaza...

Barbados Study Tour: Barbados National Trust Awards

2012-02-10T15:29:03-05:00

Whilst in Barbados were were fortunate enough to witness the National Trust Awards. Aside from being a great event, it wonderful opportunity for architects, Barbados National Trust members, clients and students from the Caribbean School of Architecture to socialise. Added it was held in a beautiful space, the Errol Barrow Centre for the Creative Imagination at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies.

I was most pleased that friend, member of the accreditation board and director of Architects Cubed, Linda Moore together with her business partner Shawna Beechely were awarded two prizes in the New Work category for residential and non-residential project.

I've also added images of the Central Bank of Barbados which we were able to tour in the morning. It has a beautiful vantage of the city.

Barbados Study Tour: Six of Our Own

2012-02-09T17:19:00-05:00

Last night Architect Paul Simpson made a presentation entitled, Six of Our Own, featuring the work of former students of the Caribbean School of Architecture. Aiming to enrich the perspective of the students the presentation exhibited the works of the following architects; David Buffonge, Junior Thompson, Christopher Bent, John Allsopp, Ricardo Anderson & Paul Simpson. Works presented were built and proposed projects both local to the Caribbean and international.

Barbados Study Tour: Island Tour

2012-02-08T10:28:16-05:00

So on Sunday the students went on a guided tour around the island. I opted out of that instead choosing to spend the day relaxing. But to be abreast of their exposure I undertook the same trip today with my wife. The aim was drive from the parish of St. George through all the 11 parishes. Along the way we stopped in at the Concorde Museum, the Atlantic Coastline, and got lost trying to find one of the oldest Jacobean style buildings in the Western Hemisphere. More pictures to continue the story.

Week 2: Barbados Study Tour

2012-02-07T06:09:41-05:00

Today was marked by delivering the final assignment for the study tour - a series of interventions and recommendations to be undertaken by the students for presentation before we depart on the weekend. To set the tone, Bajan architect and long-time collaborator with the school Architect Erskine Rose was invited to make a presentation to the school. He chose to present a number of works that his firm has undertaken that best describe the ethos of practicing in the Caribbean.

"I grew up in an age where we made things, beautiful things with our hands and this is how I understand architecture"

Erskine Rose

Day #6 (Barbados)

2012-02-05T16:32:00-05:00

This evening was the second interim presentation. After a late start - a very late start, students presented their continued research of Bridgetown as well as ideas about possible interventions in their various zones. The jury was made up of former graduates of the Caribbean School of Architecture, architects in Barbados, and ranged from near 20 years of professional experience to just over a year. This was particularly impressive because we are such a young school and it was interesting to share their perspectives and expectations to the students.

Day #5 (Barbados)

2012-02-04T17:43:56-05:00

Today was in an in office day - office being the coffee shop down the street, the hotel lobby and room. Much of the day was spent we me and Rob (the other lecturer) communicating to our hosts, reaching out to colleagues, preparing the next couple assignments and getting things ready for tomorrow's presentation. Since much of the details of the study tour are determined on site much of the briefs and assignments have to be crafted at a moments notice over coffee and pastries.

Day #4 (Barbados) - or how I fell in love

2012-02-02T13:13:00-05:00

On study tours you have to be guided by what is available on the ground and on the advice of your hosts. Today myself and the other lecturer went in search of areas for the students to undertake a number of site analysis. However soon after we arrived to Bridgetown we were aided by a suspicious, but very friendly Rastafarian street vender who gave an interesting perspective of development or lack there of. How's that for advice?

This was also the first evening we've been back to the hotel before dark and I was able to take a walk across the street to the beach. A few moments in I noticed the entry to the Richard Haynes Boardwalk and immediately fell in love. I strolled along until the sun began to dip from the sky, surrounded by runners, families playing and a yoga class or two.

Day #3 (Barbados)

2012-02-01T07:29:49-05:00

So after 2 afternoons of hand drawing, documentation and investigations the students prepared to present their findings. The work was pinned up in the living room of the guest house that some of the students were staying in. We called on local professionals, architects Erskine Rose and Michael Lashley as well as architectural designer and artist Israel Mapp to critique the efforts of the students. We were also joined by recent graduates interested in seeing the initial investigations.

The level of investigation was felt to be sound and reflected the relatively short period of study. The quality of sketches were high as was the representation of the research.

Day #2 (Barbados)

2012-01-31T23:52:23-05:00

Now the work begins.

Recalling our tour of Bridgetown we attempted to define distinguishable areas of study. 7 areas each of distinct character were identified and allocated to the students. The project in this phase requires initial data gathering - hand sketches and field measurements of street elevations, site sections, perspectives and details all to be presented in 24 hours. The areas started from the existing screw docks extending inland to the Queens Park and encompassing lands around the Parliament, Free Library and Central Bank.

Study Tour: Barbados

2012-01-30T17:17:00-05:00

At the end of summer 2011 I made the transition from the 2nd year to the 4th year design studio. As part of the studio requirements students are expected in the 2nd semester to travel to another Caribbean island to undertake an urban study tour. This year the students went to Bridgetown, Barbados and I was fortunate to travel along with them. This is the story of the trip.

Day #1

Having arrived late the previous night and enjoying the country's night time activities (read: beer) we were all fortunate enough that the first outing was taking place in the afternoon. The Barbados Institute of Architects led by the president Michael Lashley, led us on a walking tour of the city of Bridgetown.

First impressions - like many Caribbean cities Bridgetown is attempting the delicate balance between preservation of its iconic Historic architecture and the development of more modern and sophisticated buildings. More to come.

back from my Latin tour

2010-10-31T01:27:08-04:00

I'm just back in from Puerto Rico and I thought I'd give a quick update before I completely pass out from the travelling (and this impending storm that's ripping through most of the Eastern Caribbean)

The conference went well... very well. It was a chance to meet with many old dear friends that practice around the region and share our ideas and works.

Marc Jalet from the Guadeloupe based practice Pile et Face (with Emile Romney) was the other keynote speaker from the first night who spoke about a series of housing interventions in the capital city Pointe Pitre. He has truly become a beacon for social housing that is fully responsive to culture, climate, and context

The city of Ponce is a beautiful and idyllic city, with contrasts between old and new. I stayed at the Ramada, which surprisingly is in what was described as a converted hacienda. Much of the original look and feel has been maintained and conceals a more modern 4 story block to the rear.

My hosts from the Escuela d...

dejando en un avion

2010-10-26T22:31:28-04:00

So for the next few days I'll be in Puerto Rico presenting at the FCAA conference. I've said good bye to my students who get a reprieve from me for the next few days - although they'll have assignments to keep them busy until I return.

As means to inject some much needed life into this fledgling school blog I've decided to take loads of photographs and do a running commentary/summary of the many, many presentations that will take place until this weekend. Wish me luck.

teaching and...

2010-10-19T13:44:34-04:00

There is a general misconception that as lecturers our tasks are limited to teaching and coordinating lessons. However being a lecturer in a specialized topic requires that you contribute to the body of knowledge on the subject often through research and writing.

Last month, and the reason for my absence on the school blog, I was busily typing away on an essay that I hope will form the basis of further research on the interrelation of gated communities and public spaces in the city. I was fortunate to have the essay accepted and peer reviewed by Columbia University and should it be published subsequently.

I have also been invited to be one of four keynote speakers at a conference hosted by the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, for the Federation of Caribbean Associations of Architects. The theme of the conference looks to explore new prototypes for sustainable architecture in the Caribbean.

It seems about right that we are discussing the topic of sustainability du...

crit day!!

2010-09-14T13:29:43-04:00

It's the first crit for the school year.

The project explores form as a generative idea in design. Students were asked to create a series of three dimensional compositions comprised of 3 rectilinear volumes. Each object within the composition had to maintain an orthographical relationship to each other, and a series of adjustments testing the idea were made. The outcome was produced as an all-white 200mm2 composition.

models en masse

voice from the other side

2010-09-06T16:46:05-04:00

Sadly there has not been much activity on this blog for sometime. And whilst this may sound like the typical archinect school blog excuse/response, mine had to do with my teaching schedule. I am one of the few who are blogging from the other side so to speak, the voice of academic staff and last semester I had the sole responsibility to deliver the history and theory to the undergraduate architectural studies + design studio. By the end of the academic year I was teaching the summer studio and it went downhill from there.

But things have changed. So let's start afresh.

Hi my name is David.

This is my school blog from the other side. Not only the other side of the podium, but the other side of Jamaica and the Caribbean beyond sunshine and coconut trees.

going to the movies

2009-11-24T22:21:28-05:00

Coming to the end of the 4th year Architectural History course - Modern Ideas and Architecture students were invited to pool their efforts from the lectures and tutorials to produce a film study of contemporary Caribbean architecture using examples found in Jamaica.

Whilst the topic was fairly open to interpretation the students were expected to succinctly express the research relative to the chosen themes citing factual data as well as a correlation to the previous reading assignments.

Along with the film study, students were expected on a weekly basis to provide a synopsis of their building or area of focus, story boards, and posters presenting their themes.

the themes covered were

International Style in Jamaica
Contemporary Jamaican Architecture ::: the look of the Old
Contemporary Jamaican Architecture ::: transcending tradition
Generated by a response to climate
Container architecture
Neo-Classicism Island style
The Search for Jamaican Utopia

below is a sample of ...

he's baaaaaaack!!

2009-10-11T22:59:35-04:00

To quote a line from Kingdom Come by Jay Z, "the boy is back!" My last entry on the archinect school blog was an announcement that I had been offered a place to teach full time at the Caribbean School of Architecture starting in the fall of 2009. As one can estimate from this entry, I took the post.

Aside from the 2nd year design studio that I tutored last year, I am lecturing the 4th year students in Architectural History and Theory, a course focussing on Modern Ideas & Architecture. Previously the course had been taught by a historian and the course objective was about Architectural Theory. However as architect, I took the stance that the course really could be about application, ie. "how does one apply Modern Ideas to Architecture."

The contents of the tutorials produced by the students thus far are as follows;
Women in Modern/Contemporary Architecture
Historic Reference in Italian Rationalist Architecture
Hyper-rationalism | a look into post OMA practices

thank you for r...

the end? Or just the beginning

2009-06-14T12:00:54-04:00

It has been quite a few since I've made a blog entry. The design studio and the final critiques came to an end in May to mark the close of the school year. A few things have transpired since then most notably an offer to teach full time at the Caribbean School of Architecture. An offer that I am seriously considering.

Aside from that I had something else to share. The school of architecture is starting their own Discover Architecture summer programme. See the poster below.

5 (student work)

2009-02-09T22:58:57-05:00

Project: All Brought Together 1

rest

rest

activity

activity (apologies on the focus)

meditation

Study Models :::: Interim Critique

These photographs, albeit a fairly moderate resolution, were taken with a Blackberry camera phone. The images were emailed to the students - allowing them to see even if crudely, what the design tutors see.

up a river without a paddle

2009-01-17T23:05:30-05:00

the first project for the second semester invites students to bring together the four generators, structure, meaning, climate and activities, in the design of a single building under one of three possible themes - meditation, rest or social activity.

The location of the project is one of three sites along the basin of a man-made waterfall that was constructed as part of a hydro-electric plant (now de-commissioned) frequented by visitors each weekend.

Although an academic exercise for recording surroundings we made a day of it, barbecuing chicken on rather industrial grills, consuming copious amounts of alcohol and most importantly just soaking in the qualities the site afforded us.

Tuesday they present the analysis of the site

Off-the shelf solutions for Sustainability

2008-12-04T19:20:59-05:00

In what could be cued as a response to Emily's post I was a jury member for the 3rd design studio project on Sustainable Housing.

The projects took 2 urban sites in a troubled inner city community North of Kingston for the proposal of a variety of housing types to satisfy the needs of young professionals, new families and mature couples as well as a commercial provision (offices and retail over two stories)

The housing proposals were varied however many lost touch with the community they were designing for, instead seeking off-the shelf solutions and failing to both use and protect themselves from the temperate environment. Or getting caught in a stylistic trap of "what a house looks like"

The BIG message that rang through was how Third World communities can embrace sustainability as a vehicle towards poverty alleviation.

Here is one of the more inventive solutions. Student: Linda Dias

study week

2008-11-26T00:58:25-05:00

In preparations for the end of semester exams the university has in place a study week. It is meant to be a non teaching time, with no tutorials or lecturers scheduled for those 5 days.

This however, for the architecture students is really a chance to tidy up their portfolios, sketch books, presentation boards and repair and take pictures of the many models they've made so far in the semester.

Ultimately the time is used to work on their final semester project without interruption. Which in the case of the 2nd year students is the final generator project on structure. So whilst I lay in bed staring at the ceiling 30+ students are packed in a fluorescent lit studio modelling away in time for the crit on Tuesday.

site visit

2008-11-09T01:44:47-05:00

Last Thursday I took a group of students to see a domed house for and by a local architect (Pat Stanigar), as part of the precedent study for the final generator project in studio (structure). The 30 ft geodesic dome was completed in 2004, on the site of a previous dome (c.1984) that was burnt to the ground in 2002. The project is aptly titled the Phoenix.

The dome is made from a prefabricated kit of parts that provides the basic structure. It is a based on a hexagonal unit that is cyclically layered to a closed loop. The building is faced with insitu concrete with fiberglass additives to prevent hairline cracks.

The purity of the dome is broken by climatic considerations to deal with the tropical environment. Most notable are the angled protrusions below the equator of the dome. These triangular elements allow cooler air into the structure and can be shut during storms.

The interior of the Phoenix is spartan, walls are finished timber between the main structure and painted co...

no Glenn, who then?

2008-10-25T11:44:33-04:00

For 4 critical hours during the US Presidential Elections I will be in the Climate and Architecture critique. But this does not affect me directly as I cannot vote...I'm Jamaican

In other news...continuing from my previous post about the lecture series. I made contact with Glenn Murcutt who has been top on our list since I was at the GMMC in 2001. Turns out he's cutting down on his trans Pacific/Altantic trips to spend more time at home.

Anyway two things have arisen from this problem. Firstly finding a replacement, a quick list of names that have arisen; Rem Koolhaas (OMA), Bridget Shim (Shim Shutcliffe), David Adjaye, Bjarke Inglels (BIG). Previously we hosted Douglas Cardinal and Charles Correra

The second is the desire for a Young Architects Symposium - which oddly will be based on the topic previous seen here, and may have an open invitation for papers/abstracts as early as December.

anyway here are two random images of the recent desk critiques

be careful what you say

2008-10-18T01:29:45-04:00

So as a response to the request for Lecture Posters to "pin up on archinect" I go to speak with the folks in charge. Knowing full well that a cohesive list of presenters does not exist, I ask nonetheless.

I was told, albeit not alarmed that the creation of such a list has been attempted many times before but failed in its execution for one reason or another. It doesn't help that those available to share their professional wisdom happen to be an expensive plane ride away.

Now in the spirit of turning limes into lemonade, I proposed a solution to the head of school, of using the extremely valuable experience of the existing staff to get the ball rolling. Hah! And here is the boomerang, he loved the idea and insisted/kindly suggested that I be the one to set it up.

So I throw this out to all architects, designers, writers, futurists or anyone who may skirt the wrealm of architecture to come and share their thoughts and ideas with a room full of knowledge thirsty students...hey and i...

huff and puff and blow your house down

2008-10-15T16:45:36-04:00

With TD 16 and Hurricane Omar lurking in the Caribbean it seemed appropriate to be giving the lecture on Climate and Architectural Design. The lecture was not meant to be a scientific discovery rather an introduction to practical applications of passive design for the third design generator - climate. So we acquainted them to the lexicon of climate data used to assist the architect (solar altitudes, azimuth and Olgay charts, hurricane maps, sun angles, biometric meters, etc) in designing environmentally responsive structures.

As a prelude to the project we asked the students to investigate the environmental considerations on the following sculptures and buildings: Torre Cube - Carme Pinos, Carpenter Center - Le Corbusier, Spiral Jetty - Robert Smithson, Marika Alderton House - Glenn Murcutt, Future Shack - Sean Godsell and two local projects as well, a residence by the former dean of the school David Harrison, and a powerstation turned offices by Marvin Goodman (associate Michael...