Going out

2 nights out on the trot for me which is unheard of these days. I think its what civilians out there dub 'having a social life'. Its a strange concept that's linked in with 'going out' and 'socialising'. More photos to come on dropbox for those who were out on Thursday. Must try and stay focused now as the temptation is to forget all the work for a few days, put the tree up, drink mulled wine etc...

Final Knole A1

My final A1. Very feminist, my (post war born) mother will be proud. Diana, the goddess of the hunt, the moon and birthing (...) inspires the first historical layer. The statue of Diana will be restored along with Wilton inspired focal points to link the journey through the Grade I features. A V.S.W. inspired planting plan contains purple and white loose planting which refreshes the long borders. Lady Anne Clifford provides the finale with the topsy-turvy parterre; a reflection on the crazy world of primogeniture.

Educational

I struggled with this initially but went through the what why how and came up with the following. I want to explore the historical layers of the area by introducing zones that represent the following eras in Eastbourne's history. Fishing and Agriculture, Edwardian sea side, post war decline and a new modern vision for the Sovereign Park user. Functions include farmers/fish market, beach huts with Edwardian garden, modern sculpture area. Laid out on 2 axial lines linking Langney Point and Martello Tower. Not sure how it will go down, let's see tomorrow. But I'm pleased with it graphically, my confidence grew through the process and you can tell from the the drawings!

Playful

The idea is levels with active and passive space and a winding journey through with surprises along the way. Local sculpture, a play park, a beach sports area and the Martello Tower is now a restaurant. My organisational structure is not great for this one, meant to be inspired by waves but this site is tricky, its so long!

Connective

Connective done. Tried to use graphic symbols etc from Grant Reid but think need to work on hierarchy and annotation. Not sure whether to render at this stage, am thinking not as its a conceptual plan. I'm finding the beach restrictive. I want to move it!!

Knole A1

A1 for presentation tomorrow. I'm focusing on the historical layers. For me, the law of primogeniture has had a huge bearing on Knole and its inhabitants over the centuries. I'm concentrating on 2 women who have suffered (if you can call it that) from this law. Vita Sackville-West and Lady Anne Clifford. My designs are a restoration-in-spirit. A Wilton inspired parterre from Anne Clifford and a V.S.W inspired planting plan (WIP). I want to restore parts of the 1719 Kip and Knyff of Knole, predominantly the bowling green with Sissinghurst inspired tall yew hedges, followed by adding focal points at the end of the avenues to improve the journey. Focal points to be Wilton inspired plus a restoration of the fountain of Diana in the Wilderness.

Knole parterre perspectives

3 almost finished perspectives for my A1 on Thursday. But I need some people! I have lots of photographs of people taking photographs. I think that comes from visiting sites with students. I have a few of Inka jumping in front of my camera in Rome. Some random ones of Dom's hair and lots of Phil in front of really tall trees. If anyone has any photos of people (full length), they are gratefully received. If not, I will have to get arrested taking photos of strangers having fun tomorrow.

Knole Parterre

Decided to build model in sketch up and then do perspectives in photoshop as I just couldn't make photos of the physical model work. This is better I think, too much white space? Don't really want to colour it all. Sky meant to be foggy...

photoshop will not beat me

By no means perfect but its coming together. Photoshop is bowing to my will and I WILL win. After tonight's battle, I have managed to come up with this perspective rendered from Thursday's model. I want it to be a bit sinister, bit faded elegance. Grass not quite right, hedges need addressing. Phil, tutorial please...

Photoshop hero to zero

In 1 day my photoshop confidence drops to zero. Open up Knole model photos with a swagger to find that photoshop skills have completely deserted me and I am building a nasty toy town. Should I quit and watch I'm a celebrity.

Knole Parterre

Model

Model

Extracts from pattern

Wilton Parterre Pattern

Conceptual diagram

Original Wilton Parterre

Lady Anne Clifford went on from Knole to create a garden at Wilton which was renowned for its parterres. Normally parterres are symmetrical, with compartments and order. Knole's topsy turvey parterre is asymmetrical, broken-up and consists of random curves picked from the order of Wilton's original parterres.

Wood Wharf

Final Entry. I'm pleased with it! I learned a lot. My photoshop skills have improved and I'm pleased with the layout. I didn't quite grasp how to put on a contextual plan in time but I know for next time..

Wedding Anniversary Monday

Newly wedStill single

Did today go well? I'm not really sure! The judges carved into us and there seemed to be many holes in our presentation. We needed it to be more connected, we'd missed out important bits of information, the presentation wasn't professional, no map, where's the site. So how come I came away from today feeling a sense of achievement? 2 months ago, there's no way I would have stood up in front of 30 people and presented so confidently, but today I wasn't even particularly nervous (maybe a wobbly bit at the beginning). Last week, I was so scared that I was going to tell the team I didn't want to present. Anyway, a good day on a personal level. Plus, today is my wedding anniversary; here's me 2 years ago.

Group work

Demographics slide example

This week's been a struggle but I'll comment on the positives and be constructive. We have collated what we need for tomorrow's presentation and Russell has put together some pretty impressive looking slides. I will be presenting demographics, culture and leisure, climate and flora and fauna. The presenters have formed a strong team and along with team leader and editor, we are really making headway. Wasn't worried at all about the presentation until I woke up in the night after dreaming that I was searching the corridors for the lecture theatre and I couldn't find it. By the time I got there we had failed. Hope is not a premonition...!

Historic Garden Conservation - Restoration in Spirit

Hedges tall and maze like Topsy turvy parterre

Sissinghurst hedges

Messing around with patterns

Wilton Parterre

Lady Anne Clifford lived at Knole unhappily from 1608-1624, she wandered the Wilderness and read at the Duchess seat. After leaving Knole she went on to create one of the most famous European gardens in Europe; Wilton.

The brief: to add a 21c design to Knole. I interpreted this as a restoration in spirit. I took a parterre from Wilton (it was famous for its parterres). Its very symetrical, intricate patterns, would have been low-level planting, 4 compartments. My 21c installation is a topsy turvy version of this parterre. Asymetrical, exploded, tall hedges (inspired by Sissinghurst - link to VSW), wonky, quirky. To be installed where the original parterres were, looking up to the Wilderness

Historic Garden Conservation - restorations

Long borders with focal point

Potential plan, addition of focal points, restored parterre area, Diana sculpture, improved borders

Long border to be redesigned V.S.W style, Wilton inspired focal point

Knole 1719 layer

Knole today

Sketch designs in class this week. I'm adding 3 layers. Layer 1 is adapted from the 1719 Kip and Knyff (the one with the avenues). I want to restore the bowling green with clipped yews, improve the journey around the grade I features by installing focal points at the end of the avenues. Plus there is mention of a statue of Diana half way up the Wilderness, going to bring this back.

Jekyll and Lutyens

Presentation went well today, seems I make quite a convincing Lutyens, apart from my Vita Sackville-West boots, er thanks Tom.. Not sure what that says about me?

Jeykll and Lutyens were the subject. She was definitely the dominant force. I found these cartoons, quite amusing. 'I make obeyance'! Quite right too..

Plan and perspectives

So much to do. Decided to hand draw the whole plan rather than just a section (why did I embark on hand drawing for this - everyone else has done sketch up models). Anyway its done and on the A1 in photoshop alongside 4 perspectives including a new one with a coppiced area. Concept diagram is still, well, conceptual.
And I don't know how to do a contextual plan. Really don't want to just paste my plan into a google earth image, want to keep things sketchy. Oh and text and arrows are a nightmare in Photoshop. Need to find out what other people use - In Design? - urgh that means a trip to school at the weekend with all the hungover weekend computer users in the library ceiling..

Getting to grips with photoshop

A lot of time spent in Photoshop today getting to grips with brush tool and eraser tools. I think I may have mastered sky at least. My plan is rendered, 3 perspectives done but I also have a whole new additional layer to the concept to get in sketchup. Not pinning up as much as I'd like tomorrow. Also not sure about these odd people traced from the Sunday mag..

Concept nailed

I've got my concept nailed down and now I just have to start drawing... I've drawn up the plan and built a model in sketch up and have been playing around with some of the sketchy styles in there. Photoshop rendering over the top using patterns made from water colour and pastels. Still can't get the sky right and struggling with this nighttime thing, can't work out how to 'rub out light' (Jamie's words) when you've just bucket filled it black - anyone??