Posts Tagged: london

Meeting Gavin Turk – 30 June 2015

At New London Architecture’s Thomas Heatherwick lecture: an inspiring experience. He clearly inhabits the same world of difficult sites, demanding briefs and tight budgets as the rest of us, but he manages to conjure something completely extraordinary from the same ingredients. The lecture slides are straightforward: it’s the ideas that shine through, and how they solve relevant problems.

Thomas Heatherwick - 29 June 2015Contemplating his amazing work and optimistic office the next morning, I wanted to draw something simple and utilitarian, to get back in touch with my own ‘reality’: a truck making deliveries at St Pancras. KM_C454e-20150630090939After breakfast I headed for Hackney, expecting I’d seen enough inspiring characters for one trip, and it was time to do some real work (the protestant work ethic is never far away). Instead,  I ran into Gavin Turk and talked about how you might make space for creative free thinkers in the overheated, investment focused, London property market.

KM_C454e-20150630175753

Well he talked, I sketched and noted the presence of paintbrush in the hand of a YBA. I was pleased he signed my sketchbook. It says:

Gavin Turk

did not draw this”.

Making Jaguars in Coventry & Warwickshire, in the Shard – 16 June 2015

At an event in the Shard hearing about the power of a research, design and manufacturing based economy in the Midlands. Prosperity, creativity, enviable quality.

Cov and War - 16 June 2015Jaguar CEO Dr Ralph Speth gave the keynote address. Manufacturing economies are prosperous economies when the quality of product is as high as this, and we heard about the combination of education, investment and supply chain required to operate at this level. You need a good supply of great places for people to live too, and we’d love to help with that.

I’m increasingly fascinated by design and manufacture, so I’ll ask if I can sketch the factory.

Want a hug? – 11 May 2015

Want a (free) hug? This is outside Camden tube during a pointlessly brief trip to London.

150611 free hugsFree Hugs is an international movement, but I haven’t spotted it in Edinburgh yet. It’s for fairly expressive people I think: a big hug with someone you’ve never met on a busy corner in London. Am I too Scottish?

Earlier in the week we went out for tea with Jonathon and Pavlina who are sadly leaving.

160510 jonathon & pavlina

Now that might just be reason for a hug.

Golden Lane – 24 May 2015

Chamberlin Powell & Bon designed the Golden Lane Estate in London before they designed it’s larger and more famous neighbour, the Barbican. They’re both outstanding, but I prefer Golden Lane.150524 London Sketch Club-1

We went for a visit with HTA’s London Sketch Club and the London Society. The ‘kids’ weren’t that impressed, which certainly ups the ante next time I’m reviewing their work.

Ikea-1

It’s a bit windy and not that warm but this could well be summer, so the real kids and I played outside whilst Julie did some shopping.

2405 Baked PotatoBaked potatoes for tea.

Some Summer – 17 May 2015

It’s the start of a new year for the business and time to look back on the last one. 170515 - Mikes Garden PartyA weekend in sunny London spent in Clissold Park and Mike’s back garden. Me and the gang catching up with old friends and colleagues.  Bakerhouse closeBack in Edinburgh looking at the hard, but still attractive, Bakehouse Close. A comfortable scale of space with some nice details by Oberlanders.

Drama – 6 May 2015

Work is about making things and sketching is about learning from some of the great things others have made. A week spent looking at inspiring and dramatic development. SawsweeHockBuilding-280415This is O’Donnell & Tuomey’s Saw Swee Hock Building for the London School of Economics, more drama than you’d think would fit on such a tight site.

victoriastreet NEW2

Victoria Street in Edinburgh, linking the Grass Market with George IV Bridge in spectacular fashion. A six storey pedestrian street sitting on a lower level that climbs from single storey to three storeys whilst looking like a crescent but mostly running straight. Other sketches of these two locations should be here.

Knockhill - newMost spectacular of all, the dramatic construction of the third Forth Bridge.

SoftPlay-030515With the kids at soft play. The flags and pennants are on the Britannia outside. FraserWatchingDustyFire&Rescue-020515

Fraser watching a Dusty drama. The next few days will see drama too, as our political parties try to sort out a hung parliament. I’ve just realised that most people don’t realise that Nicola Sturgeon, the undoubted star of the whole process, isn’t actually standing. Dramatic days ahead.

The Cock – 25 March 2015

The Cock is a pub designed by HTA about thirty years ago.The Cock - 25 March 2015At that time HTA were specialists in what people called ‘Public Housing’ so when someone called looking for a ‘Public House’, the entrepreneurial partners got right down to it. They did another twenty pubs after that, of which this is one. Just off Portland Place, this one’s a cheap place for a pint in an expensive part of town. I’m across the street for breakfast, reflecting on talking about sketching last night in  Camden.

a place beyond belief - 31 March 2015In the Lighthouse in Glasgow listening in on design charette follow up…

Matt Leaving - 27-03-15…and listening to Matt Smith’s leaving stories.

 

Spring – 21 March 2015

At last, the spring equinox. I like the dark, but on balance, we’re now in the better half of the year.

daffodils - 19 March 2015

Sunnier, brighter and a bit more colourful: we’re all quite excited. F & I have a birthday…

F&I party - 21 March 2015

F&I are 5 - 17 March 2015… and I have a talk to do:

london societyJust in case you’d like to talk about drawing in Camden on a Tuesday evening.

Some Recommendations – 17 January 2015

One of the good things about travelling to the same places is getting to know the best places to eat and drink: I’d recommend Caravan on Exmouth Market, if you’re ever in the area.

Caravan - 14 January 2015I’d recommend a Porsche too, but not one like this, sitting in an airport departure lounge.

win a porsche - 14 January 2015

A Saturday morning eating cake and ice cream at soft play, just after breakfast? My kids would definitely recommend that.

robbie & jemmas - 17 January 2015
Coffee, sketching and enjoyable chat for me, so I’d recommend it too. Not enough time to finish the drawing though. I’m sure there will be other parties.

 

 

Rubicon Way & an Odd Looking Engine – 6 January 2015

We’re wrestling with the potential of some big brick buildings just now so I’m on the trail of the lauded examples. Designing buildings is hard, so it’s worth learning from those who’ve done it well, recently.Rubicon Way - 6 December 2015These are round the back of Kings Cross. Two big blocks, by Maccreanor Lavington and PRP.rubicon way 2 - 7 December 2015There’s lots to admire: consistency, bold entrances, roof lines, grand changes in scale, well considered materials and junctions. Using decent quality brick to begin with, even.Rubicon Way 3 - 6 December 2015

On the way to Leeds in the morning I caught up with this odd looking engine.

class 67 - 8 December 2015She (he?) pulls the Caledonian Sleeper up from Edinburgh in the colours of the English, Scottish and Welsh Railway, which I understand is owned by the Germans.