The Semester in Review

Its hard to believe that in February I didn't know what a portal frame was. Now I cannot go past a commercial building under construction and not wonder how it all fits together. My children think I have completely lost it when I leap from the car to take a photo of a concrete pump in action or a crane lifting something high above a building site.
I have learnt lots (and importantly realised there is mountains more to learn!).
I have been particularly interested in concrete over the semester. Back in February I thought it was a practical but ugly material that I would never get involved with. Now I can see that it is a material with enormous potential and have some understanding as to why its use is so widespread.

I was also really interested in being able to use timber for long span buildings.

The next step is to have a look at the work of Tadao Ando. He does great things with concrete. I'll also look more into the work of Herzog and de Meuron as they do some interesting things with facades.

Herzog and de Mueron: Beiing Stadium

Tadoa Ando: Church of the Light, Japan

Most of all I'm looking forward to checking out architecture and constuction in London, Barcelona and Berlin. I head off the day after the construction exam. Yippee!

London City Hall: Sir Norman Foster

Gaudi: Barcelona

The Jewish Museum, Berlin: Daniel Libeskind