omnispace

Electronic Shadow

3 minutes², by French art collective Electronic Shadow, expands architectural space of a reduced volume via interartive and enhanced imagery. The space reconfigures itself in response to the individuals activities and over time. '3 minutes² is an installation mixing space and image, real and virtual and proposes a hybrid habitat metamorphosing endlessly around its inhabitant. Hybridising of space with images, fusion of material with immaterial, architecture of memory and information design, the habitat isn’t only measured by its surface but by the sum of its potential dimensions. Parallel realities melt in one space-time, 3minutes are a space, 10 square meters are a space. 3 minutes² is a surface-time, a hybrid space living according to its inhabitant’s rhythm, his trace, his electronic shadow.

Urban Regeneration

CABE, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment believe that if they can create homes which people are proud of, public buildings which bring communities together and parks and spaces which are safe and sustainable - then many of these concerns will become much easier to tackle. A seriously ambitious commitment it must be said. They point to six major challenges the UK must face in the coming years:

• delivering the largest public building programme for more than half a century, including the building and infrastructure for the London Olympics in 2012, and leaving a lasting, valued legacy
• restructuring communities in a sustainable way, to meet the economic, social and environmental needs of the 21^st century
• fostering a national economy which uses creativity, knowledge and culture as driving forces, centred on internationally competitive city regions which attract and retain creative businesses
• joining these initiatives together so that the whole is greater that the sum of its parts
• managing the affects of climate change and reducing substantially the contribution which the built environment makes to it
• doing all this quickly, within tight public expenditure limits, in the face of skills shortages.

Urban Drift

Deutschlandscape by Urban Drift An exhibition staged at the V&A documents 38 built projects throughout Germany dating between 2000 and 2004 in a deliberate focal shift away from metropolitan urban centres to the more peripheral areas on the urban fringe. Deutschlandscape is an assemblage, the word itself a laconic parody of a typology.

A hybrid scape, it intends to provide a variable frame for a heterogeneous selection of architectural projects that undertake to reactivate spaces within the urban sprawl, suburban and de-industrialised zones. These are residual, often overlooked spaces, the amorphous in-between spaces which evade description, or those which have outlived their former usefulness.

New London Architecture

New London Architecture is a stimulating newcomer to the ongoing debate about London's future. The capital is undergoing a period of massive change and NLA is a place where both professionals and public can find out and get involved in what is happening to their city. The NLA space is a centre for display as well as a centre for debate and for networking. It is where visitors to London can orientate themselves, where school children can learn about their environment, where communities can be consulted. The gallery space at Store Street hosts a permanent exhibition of a 1:1500 scale model of Central London, surrounded by a display showing a cross section of current building projects, is enhanced by a programme of temporary exhibitions addressing London issues.

Young European Architects

YEA - a European networking platform for architects
A deconstruction of the common notion of architecture is taking place, allied to the re-invention of what it means to be an architect. They do not limit themselves to a narrow conception of architecture, but cross borders, both disciplinary and physical, making use of an ability to conceive of changes and develop scenarios. The economic and cultural context within which they operate inhibits the actual implementation of their responsibilities. As a consequence, young architects seek and find diverse ways to reflect upon their activities, and just as many means to carry out their profession and realize their goals. This is evidence of a new condition in architecture practice that has come up in Europe, leading to a regeneration of the field of operation and practice.

People in Space

People in Space is a new, independent network of architects, creatives and professionals engaged with the issues of architecture and the built environment set up by two young architects based in London - Holly Porter and Pascale Scheurer. It exists to support young architects and other young people interested in architecture, as they make the transition from University to becoming established professionals. They hold regular events in London and help people set up their own local events.

Becoming an Academic

Visit UK Prospects for info on life as a FE lecturer and RIBA for recommendations on achieving ARB status.

Archaos Student Directive

Archaos, a UK based student forum recently took part in a group discussion at the Ninth Archaos Forum, ‘Learning Architecture’. Approximately 50 students from around the UK participated in the forum, which was held at Oxford Brookes University on 3rd & 4th November 2005 in response to the Vice President’s Initiative document in the run up to the Review of Validation Criteria.

New Trends in Architectural Education

New Trends in Architectural Education by Ashraf Salama presents a wide range of innovative concepts and practical methods for teaching architectural design, together with examples of different studio teaching. It traces the roots of architectural education, several disparate ideas, and strategies of design teaching practices including the Ecole Des Beaux-Arts and the Bauhaus. This book presents a wide range of innovative concepts and practical ideas for teaching architectural design. It explores different aspects of studio teaching and what impact they have on the attitudes, skills, methods, and tools of architects. It offers a comparative analysis of contemporary trends that are committed to shaping and identifying studio objectives and processes.

Art of Innovation

What creates a genuine point of difference within an organization is culture. IDEO has a distinctive and highly innovative culture and Tom Kelly's The Art of Innovation gives an insider's perspective into what makes their culture work. IDEO is described in the book as "America's leading design firm." He also details the IDEO methodology of "understand, observe, visualize, evaluate and refine, implement," and gives plenty of real-life examples. There are some rather obvious realisations - "teamwork is at the IDEO methodology" but goes further to state that team spaces can be essential for the growth and strength of the group as a whole. Can most of us achieve this state of creative nirvana? In this book their are no answers but it may help some of us to take creative risks.

IDEO 5-step design:

1. OBSERVATION >> IDEO’s cognitive psychologists, anthropologists, and sociologists team up with corporate clients to understand the consumer experience. Some of IDEO’s techniques:

Shadowing: Observing people using products, shopping, going to hospitals, taking the train, using their cells phones. Behavioral Mapping: Photographing people within a space, such as a hospital waiting room, over two or three days. Consumer Journey: Keeping track of all the interactions a consumer has with a product, service, or space. Camera Journals: Asking consumers to keep visual diaries of their activities and impressions relating to a product. Extreme User Interviews: Talking to people who really know—or know nothing—about a product or service, and evaluating their experience using it. Storytelling: Prompting people to tell personal stories about their consumer experiences. Unfocus Groups: Interviewing a diverse group of people: To explore ideas about sandals, IDEO gathered an artist, a bodybuilder, a podiatrist, and a shoe fetishist.

2. BRAINSTORMING >> An intense, idea-generating session analyzing data gathered by observing people. Each lasts no more than an hour. Rules of brainstorming are strict and are stenciled on the walls:

• Defer judgment Don’t dismiss any ideas.
• Build on the ideas of others No “buts,” only “ands.”
• Encourage wild ideas mbrace the most out-of-the-box notions because they can be the key to solutions.
• Go for quantity Aim for as many new ideas as possible. In a good session, up to 100 ideas are generated in 60 minutes.
• Be visual Use yellow, red, and blue markers to write on huge 30-inch by 25-inch huge Post-its that are put on a wall.
• Stay focused on the topic Always keep the discussion on target.
• One conversation at a time No interrupting, no dismissing, no disrepect, no rudeness.

3. RAPID PROTOTYPING >>
Mocking up working models helps everyone visualize possible solutions and speeds up decision-making and innovation. Some guidelines:

• Mock Up EverythingIt is possible to create models not only of products but also of services such as health care and spaces such as museum lobbies.
• Use Videography Make short movies to depict the consumer experience.
• Go Fast Build mock-ups quickly and cheaply. Never waste time on complicated concepts.
• No Frills Make prototypes that demonstrate a design idea without sweating over the details.
• Create Scenarios Show how a variety of people use a service in different ways and how various designs can meet their individual needs.
• Bodystorm Delineate different types of consumers and act out their roles.

4. REFINING >> At this stage, IDEO narrows down the choices to a few possibilities. Here’s how it’s done:

• Brainstorm in rapid fashion to weed out ideas and focus on the remaining best options.
• Focus prototyping on a few key ideas to arrive at an optimal solution to a problem.
• Engage the client actively in the process of narrowing the choices.
• Be disciplined and ruthless in making selections. Focus on the outcome of the process—reaching the best possible solution.
• Get agreement from all stakeholders. The more top-level executives who sign off on the solution, the better the chances of success.

5. IMPLEMENTATION >> Bring IDEO’s strong engineering, design, and social-science capabilities to bear when actually creating a product or service.

• Tap all resources Involve IDEO’s diverse workforce from 40 countries to carry out the plans.
• The Workforce Employees have advanced degrees in different kinds of engineering: mechanical, electrical, biomedical, software, aerospace, and manufacturing. Many are experts in materials science, computer-aided design, robotics, computer science, movie special effects, molding, industrial interaction, graphic and Web information, fashion and automotive design, business, communications, linguistics, sociology, ergonomics, cognitive psychology, biomechanics, art therapy, ethnology, management consulting, statistics, medicine, and zoology