Invisible cities

By Italo Calvino

A brilliant book written in the form of an explorer 'Marco Polo's' reports on the cities of a vast empire. When asked by the ruler of said empire if all the reports are true, and such accounts of the cities exist, Marco Polo suggests the fact that he has merely been describing his home city of Venice over and over again.

Some interesting ideas are formed when reading this book, and one is forced to think hard when faced with such accounts of silent conversations due to redundancy of verbal communication between Marco and the King. At times games of chess are used to communicate Marcos findings, or expressions and gestures are combined with artefacts and findings.

A fantastic read with copious descriptions of Venice, illustrating fascinating and sometimes complex concepts and ideas.

Down And Out In Paris and London

By George Orwell

A fascinating account of George Orwell's experience of poverty amongst the down and outs on the streets, rest houses and restaurants of Paris and London. Written as a diary account styled dialogue, Orwell describes vividly his acquaintances with intriguing characters and their struggle to survive.

Rich with culture, the book provides a fantastic feel of Paris, with fascinating insights into class, intricate historical descriptions and enchanting adventures within the cities streets.

Words and Buildings (A Vocabulary of Modern Architecture)

By Adrian Forty

The book is both an enquiry of the spoken and written language of modern architecture, as well as a critical theory of the words that formed the core vocabulary of modernist architecture. Although I didn't read this book cover to cover, I am confident I will delve back into its pages throughout the year when debating with myself how my architecture should be verbally communicated in the hope it will stimulate productive and rich feedback in order to further my projects.

The Eyes of The Skin

By Juhani Pallasmaa

Probably my favourite architectural texts I have read so far, I would definitely recommend it to any student of Architecture/ Art/ ANYTHING! Haha
The book demonstrates the need for a multi sensory architecture, one which stimulates every sense accordingly and therefore provides a fuller, more wholesome environment, one that isn't dominated by the visual aspects we seem to have forced upon us today.

A fantastic book.

Favourite Quote/ passage

"Vision is regarded as the most nobel of the senses, and the ultimate human physical loss.

Architecture is regarded as an ‘art of the eye’"

"The dancer has his ear in his toes" … friedrich Nietzsche

"If the body had been easier to understand, nobody would have thought that we had a mind"

….. Richard rorty 

"The door is the handshake of the building"

The Poetics Of Space

By Gaston Bachelard

Probably the most complex book I have ever read to date. Some themes expressed appear at first glance to be somewhat bizarre, and I found myself reading some pages in excess of 2/ 3 times over. Chapters 4, 5 and 7 (Nests, Shells and Miniature) were especially complex, and I struggled in some cases to identify a coherent path between sentences! However, I understand the book is very sort after, and commended across the architectural community. So, for this reason, I am willing to accept my level of understanding must not yet be to the standard required to appreciate the complexities of this book.

I did however manage to follow, and draw on some of the themes referred to in this book, some of which I have been discussing/ debating recently with my colleagues. The idea of forming space in daydreams through drawing on memories, consciously and sometimes unconsciously in the form of dreams was fascinating, and I aim to look into this idea further.

Favourite quote/ passage

“Millers, who are wind thieves, make good flour from storms”  (pg 64)


"At times, the sound of a vocable, or the force of a letter, reveals and defines the real thought attached to a word. Like the a in vast. Starts with a sigh and ends in eternity" (pg 198)

In Praise Of Shadows

By Jun'ichiro Tanizaki

An essay by the Japanese novelist 'Jun'ichiro Tanizaki' illustrates a commentary on everything from Architecture to food, drama to female beauty. A very easy to read, sometimes humorous insight into how things could have been without the influence of Western culture on Japan.
The essay evokes thoughts concerning the technological impacts introduced by the west, and the impression of somewhat warping the lives and culture of the East, leading it down an unpredicted and unparalleled path.
To me, the book introduces a new way of thinking, themes including cause and effect, as well as highlighting the unusual subtleties that make things beautiful that us Westerners overlook, ignore and can not comprehend.

Favourite quote/ passage:

"Lacquerware decorated in gold is not something to be seen in brilliant light, to be taken in at a single glance; it should be left in the dark, a part here and a part there picked up by a faint light.It's florid patterns recede into the darkness, conjuring in their stead an inexpressible aura of depth and mystery, of overtones but partly suggested."

Welcome back!

Ok, so it all started again today! VERY EXCITING!

I managed to get my first choice unit (Unit 4) ran by the head of Architecture at Nottingham University 'David Short'.

However, before I get into that, I thought I'd maybe record/ pass on my thoughts on a number of texts/ books that I read over the summer period, some of which were on the reading list, and some that weren't (I guess it's all relevant in the long run?)

P.S I don't see myself as a book critique, in fact i'm nothing of the sort. However I have formed opinions over the last few months and I'm not afraid to admit that some of the material was above my ability and therefore went straight over my head! But here goes anyway! Enjoy!

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C.V (First Draft)

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Heres the first draft of my C.V as I'll be applying for work placements for next year! SCARY BUT VERY EXCITED! If anyone wants to give me a job feel free, I'm very open to offers! 

I think I'm going to take away the watermarked company logos on page 2 as I'm not sure if I need permission to use them or not, and I'd rather not risk it! I may change the font colour of my contact details also as when it is printed on laser jet, the text is not as clear as I would like.

Work Placement

I was privileged to spend 2 weeks work experience at the London branch of Cameron Limited. The 2 weeks were a fascinating experience, especially as the company has so many ties to BP oil,  supplying (designing, manufacturing and maintaining) specialised and sometimes bespoke equipment used in the process of extracting oil from beneath the sea bed around the world.

I was lucky enough to have demonstrated, how a multi billion dollar project operated on a daily basis through micro observing individuals working on the project. I Had the privilege of working with:

> Qualification and Testing Engineers
> Interface management

> Master schedular

> Welding engineer

> Global risk manager

> ROV engineer

(to name a few!)

... Each of which explained how they as individuals contributed to the project, as well as how collectively it all comes together to achieve a common goal. 

My primary role over the two weeks was to address technical queries between Bp oil and Cameron Ltd, before correcting AutoCAD drawings accordingly.

All in all, a great experience in which i enjoyed myself a great deal, thanks to all those at Cameron for there time and welcoming of the 'annoying work experience guy!'  

Portfolio Feedback

- Commended for scale and ambition of project and well done for pulling together the first terms work

- As a general comment, very beautifully presented work and thorough project documentation

- Good set of plans. Sections could interrogate the Architecture more, they risk being diagrammatic

- The clarity of the Architectural proposition is sometimes clouded by slick visuals

- Some lovely atmospheric moments and imagined light/ material scenarios within the building

- Need to look at some good sectional drawings and practice drawing in section at a scale of 1:50 upwards.


Final Mark: 68 (1st class grade boundary)

Feedback given by Melissa Appleton and Nicola Read

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