Article written by Boidus Contributor Francesca Miles francesca.miles@btinternet.com
The Secrets of Shadows
One of my early modules at London Met was a photography project under the theme of inside and outside entitled ‘Knowing London’. As the name suggests, we were encouraged to explore London and photograph spaces that we felt responded to the theme in a literal or abstract way. Fleeting encounters with various public spaces urged me to look for a place in London that exposed itself to this theme in a very natural but ambiguous way. Seeking inspiration, I was drawn to an article ‘HiddenGardens in the City’. It was a vague account but enough to convince me that an eerie Church at St Dunstan’s Hill near Monument might hold the answer.
Studio Octopi are delighted to announce two exciting awards that
recognise them as an emerging architectural practice.
The European Centre For Architecture Art Design
And Urban Studies has announced The 2010 Europe
40 Under 40 Awards For Young, Emerging European
Architects, Landscape Architects, Product And Graphic
Designers.
James Lowe, director and co-owner of studio octopi,
has been identi!ed as one of this years most promising
and emerging European design talents. James is one of
only two UK architects to have won this years prestigious
European award.
The award recognizes emerging talent who will impact future living and working
environments, cities, and rural areas in Europe and around the world. Submissions
were judged on the merit of design innovation with the emphasis of pushing the
envelope beyond conventional methods and exploring new theories, ideas, and
approaches to contemporary design.
Project Managers Buro Four celebrated their 25th
Anniversary; with a 25 nominate 25 competition. They
asked 25 established architects who also started out in
the 1980s, to nominate a younger practice they think we
should all watch out for over the next few years.
studio octopi are delighted to be one of the 25
nominated younger practices.
studio octopi project update:
Construction work started this week on Orchard House,
studio octopi’s new build house in Calne, Wiltshire.
The house is aiming for a Code 4 rating on the Code For
Sustainable Homes, and completes summer 2011.
You may – depending upon your background – know a little or a lot about Goldsmiths College. Chances are you’ve heard of the contentious Fine Art course (now based in Will Alsop’s ‘squiggle’) that spawned Damien Hirst, Marcus Harvey and most of the other YBA’s in the nineties. You might also know about the sterling BA Design course, which is where I graduated in 2008.
Of course, if you are interested in the BA or MA courses on offer at Goldsmiths, all the information you would ever need to know about the college is online but I’ll try and deliver an impassioned, recent-graduates perspective.
Goldsmiths College is not perfect, but it is pretty bloody brilliant. Deep in the grubby arse of south-east London (between Deptford, Lewisham and Peckham), it’s exactly the right breeding ground for experimentation, invention, fusion and raw, frontier culture. That’s not to say that the place is intimidating. Honestly, it’s not. It was the general un-stuffiness that led me (and plenty of my contemporaries) to choose the BA course over many of London’s other successful design institutions.
Ghost Forest is an original and ambitious art installation highlighting the connections between deforestation and climate change. It will feature 10 real rainforest tree stumps, most with their buttress roots still attached, positioned on Trafalgar Square. Nelson’s Column stands at 169 feet (over 50 metres), the approximate height these trees would have been in the wild.
This is a place where the Boidus community can advertise their second hand books for sale, or, place an advert looking for a book (that is maybe out of print or hard to find at a reasonable price). Feel free to post links to other online bookshops, arranage book swaps or advertise second hand jumble sales, bric-a-brac sales or post links to good design/architecture bookshops that you have found and want to share with others.
Over the past 9 years of my construction and architecture education I have collected a scrap book of images and drawings depicting ideas and ideals for my dream home. One day I want to design and build a place that for me and my family will be paradise on earth. Here is a selection of my most recent collections, let me know your thoughts.
My experience of the “Pestival” on London’s South Bank outside Queen Elizabeth Hall was an impressive 6m cube.
Built of layers of timber that looked like a large scale laser cut model the sculpture represented a termite’s nest.
Originally designed as an 8m cube the “nest” had an intricate series of “dens” and caverns that reminded me of caving and pot holing when I was a teenager. We were lucky enough to meet the artist and were allowed an exclusive “free range” explorative investigation of the structure. Inside the spaces feel cosy and home like, we climbed up inside one of the cavernous holes to discover a small bridge like section and a dip down into a “den”. Inside the den I felt like no one knew I was there, poking my head out of a “window” I felt hidden, passers by didn’t realise I was watching them!
The timber structure was a temporary installation as part of the Pestival, which is no planning on touring other locations. It is soon to be moved to London Zoo and I strongly recommend if you get a chance to go along and see it.
Article contributed by Victoria Lee – Architectural Assistant and RIBA Part 2 Student
On a bright sunny Sunday afternoon between Lovers Walk and Achilles Gate in London’s bustling Hyde Park stood 52 pillars of strength shining and gleaming serenely in the summer sun. London’s largest park and neighbour Kensington Gardens are no stranger to memorials, including the Albert Memorial and the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, a celebration and commemoration of life and a place for reflection.
A highly organised and efficient person who can be relied upon, with previous leadership experience from The Young Enterprise Scheme and Boidus: Architectural website. His dissertation and final project examined urban regeneration and high density housing. A refined and simple architecture drives Mark’s design development to produce good quality homes that improve people’s lives and encourages sustainable living. Knowledge of low-tech materials, town planning and Brutalism combined with photographic, business and graphic skills make him a valuable member of any team.
In 2009 I was awarded my Post Graduate Diploma in Architecture and am currently seeking full time employment as a Part 2 Architect.
My dissertation and final project examined Brutalism, urban regeneration and high density housing in London. I hope to put this specialist knowledge into practice.
I am part of the Boidus team: working on a website dedicated to architectural discussion, debate and promotion of small architectural practices. I enjoy writing articles and researching for Boidus and my main role is to manage a team of approximately twenty contributors.
I’m enthusiastic about my work and am able to direct this energy efficiently in an office environment. I have a qualification in AutoCAD and work experience in Sketchup, MS Excel, MS Word, and MS Outlook Express. I am also skilled in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, MS Publisher, Gain Hevacomp, and Adobe Premiere. I have more than two years work experience and am currently working for the design team of a stone specialist company as an Assistant Design Coordinator; I produce detail and construction drawings for sophisticated marble and stone interiors.
My qualifications include:
Pg Dip Architecture – London South Bank University – Part 2
BA (Hons) Architecture – Second class honours, upper division (2:1) – University of Plymouth – Part 1
BTEC National Diploma Construction – Distinction – Weymouth College
GNVQ Construction & the Built Environment – Distinction – Weymouth College
City & Guilds – Two Dimensional Computer Aided Draughting and Design – Level 3
Key Skills – Information Technology, Communication, Application of Number – Level 2
11 GCSEs, including: Photography, Graphics, Business Studies, English & I.T. – Grade B
Young Enterprise – Managing Director of a PLC – Pass
Photography is a passion of mine and I am currently selling my best images at IStock. I am also working on a Motion Picture Portfolio that can be found on You Tube:
I enjoy making physical models, during my final project I explored various housing prototypes through physical modelling and 3D massing models. I have a strong belief that models should be part of the design process – not just the end result.
I realise job vacancies may be scarce because of the recession. I would, if necessary, be happy to consider part time or casual work. I would also consider freelance work as a photographer or model maker.
To contact me directly email me at mark.ellery@boidus.co.uk or call me on 07971461101
To view my LinkedIn Profile click here
References and letters of recommendation are available upon request.
James Lowe, director and co-owner of studio octopi,
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