Written on Friday April 11th. 2003
We had decided to have some fun that night. For long all our efforts had focused on opposing the war on Iraq. We had not succeeded of course and Australia was part of this war. We were saddened by the news, the civilian deaths, the misery, and the destruction of Iraqi cities. Appalled by the violence of the so called, “Coalition of the willing”.
This night we were going to have a break, "let’s go dancing, Brazilian music for a change!" We dressed up a bit and drove to Smith Street. As we approached the corners of Gertrude and Smith Streets, we saw a “take over the streets” demonstration with some anti-US slogans. A few young, mainly hippie looking demonstrators had managed to stop the traffic along Smith St. It was too good to go pass by without showing solidarity with the initiative. We stopped, I said hello to a few demonstrators, they looked at me with a bit of distrust. In the crowd I recognised my Melbourne University classmate Andy. I was thrilled to see him there. Not because we had ever talked about anything, or even talked for that matter, but because at this stage I thought that there were no committed students at Melbourne University who would be prepared to act on their convictions. I was so happy in fact that I gave him a huge hug—he must have been surprised, but he warmly returned my greeting.
22.2.09
Jaywalking: the day I asserted my rights as a car
18.2.09
arch-peace editorials: Victoria’s Bushfires: time to reflect new urban strategies
Although it is believed that some of the bushfires that affected the State of Victoria may be the work of arsonists, this was a natural disaster in the sense that it was triggered by an dreadful combination of climatic conditions such as a very dry season, thick and dry native forest in country Victoria and around Melbourne’s periphery, strong winds and an unprecedented heat of up to 48C.
As these harsh climate conditions with its disastrous consequences become more frequent, Australian authorities and politicians are now quick to name climate change as a contributing factor.[1] In view of a future increasingly exposed to a harsher climate, calls for the review of emergency laws, the upgrading of fire evacuation plans and building regulations are been considered. However, are these expedient responses dealing with the complex issue of suburban and outer suburban living?
While a handful of scientists show caution in declaring that this disaster is due to climate change, others assert that:
There does seem to be a human element to bushfire risk. In terms of human contribution it is clear that most of the global warming since about 1950 is likely due to increases in greenhouse gases. Higher temperatures clearly increase the risk of bushfires.[2]
5.2.09
research in progress: themes in architectural design studios
Architectural Design Studio and the Real World Out There
PhD Candidate: Beatriz C. Maturana
Supervisor: Dr Greg Missingham
Central to architectural education is the design studio where all knowledge acquired converges to be given form. Critique of design studio education has focused on its methodology, its power relations and pedagogy. However, seldom has the content of the design studio been scrutinised. While the general architectural education curriculum is accessible, public and subject to periodical scrutiny and evaluations, the core of the discipline, the content of design studio is not. In spite of its problems, it is widely accepted that the design studio is at the centre of architectural education. Consequently, we can assume that what matters in design studio will influence what matters in the practice of architecture and architecture itself.
architecture: fantasy, creativity, play and the ‘real world’
reality check: fantasy, creativity, play and the ‘real world’
1. Introduction:
Disengagement from the ‘real world’ is a common criticism of the architectural discipline. With architects serving only 10-15% of the population and an even lower number in housing design, it is not difficult to understand the reasons for this critique.
Architecture is about imagination, creativity, play and fantasy—all activities promoted in architectural education, particularly design studio. It would be too easy to say that perhaps creativity, imagination, play and fantasy are not compatible with architecture's engagement with the real world.
The question therefore is, what are the conditions that allow play and imagination to serve architectural engagement with reality. Through this tutorial, we investigate what this mean for architecture and what is needed for imagination, fantasy and play to become tools in the search for a sustainable future.
Find this post: http://realworldarchitecture.blogspot.com/2009/04/imagination-fantasy-creativity-play-and.html
