Eco-Build 2011 - ExCel London

''The Future of design, construction and the built Environment''

Ecobuild is the future of design, construction and the environment, with the latest developments for architectural and landscape, with newest products from around the world, comes all under one roof once a year. With thousands of people visiting Ecobuild from around the world the atmosphere was great. 

Topics and Subjects within Ecobuil:

• Sustainability
• Construction
• Materials - Exterior, Interior, Renewable
• Water Wise
• Cityscape's
• Architecture
• Landscape Architecture

I was quite disappointed from my visit to Ecobuild, at first I was really looking forward to the visit and exploring and learning new things about subjects and widen my skills in construction methods and what's out there on offer for. There was more showcases and stand based on Architectural Designs then Landscape. Landscape lectures/seminars and stands were pretty limited, but there was a great range of topics and seminars taking place. 

Within my visit one of the topics I was interested in Living Walls, and Roofs and really wanted to understand the method, construction, maintenance and management goes in to designing and constructing an Living Walls or Roofs. 

One of the lectures I attended during my visit at ExCell - Ecobuild was Frosts Vertiscapes:

Drainage: Green Roofs are a component of sustainable drainage systems, typically intercepting 50% of the rainfall that falls on them. This helps to reduce urban surface water flooding and pressure on overworked drains and sewers.

Urban Heat Island: Cities are hotter than surrounding areas. Green Roofs reflect sunlight and provide and produce evapo-transpirative cooling, providing relief from the heat in dense inner busy city areas.

Energy Conservation: Green Roofs keep interior of a building cooler in summer periods and the opposite during the winter, keeping the interior warmer, making significant savings in bills and carbon.

Biodiversity: Bu using native species and plants with proven value to attract wildlife, green roofs attract a wide range of wildlife , and this increases biodiversity in even the most urban areas.

Extending the Life of the Roof: A green roof can protect waterproofing from IV lights, and  very hot summer and cold winter temperatures, potentially extending its life bu decades. 

Design Museum - The Brit Insurance Designs Awards 2011

Great Designs, Inspiring, Creative, Simple but Genius, Wooow, Hmmmm - Great few hours spent in the Design Museum today viewing all the designs for the Brit Insurance Designs Awards, wondering which one will be the Design of the Year. From designs that made me say, that's such a ''clever idea'', to designs that made me say ''hmmm nice''

There was variety of designs from graphics, to transport, furniture to fashion on display from small scales to bigger displays. The designs were creative, some were simple, all designed for the future with beneficial aspects, and imaginative. 

Ladakh Commonealth Peace Pavilion and Classroom Initiative 

 UK Pavilion Shanghan Expo 2010

One piece that caught my eye and I did question if it was possible, but did see it was possible and has been built in a 1:1 scale in real life, I was pretty amazed of the material choose and the strength of the material. Would have loved to experience this in person especially the inside of the structure

Tape Installations - Architecture: Austria - Crostia

The continuous wrapping of the tape links to result in complex amorphous shapes reminiscent of growing organic forms developed. Up to 45km of tape went in to creating some parts of this structure, which can be experienced from inside a well as from out side. 

Fiat 500 MultiAir Engine

Sayl Task Chair

There was many designs to be viewed and to be inspired by. And also educational wise great way to learn new techniques, model structures - material uses, scale and colour use. Wish only there was more to view.. :)

AND THE WINNER OF... 

Brit Insurance Design of the Year 2011

is...

PLUMEN LIGHTBLUB by Samuel Wilkinson 

It's amazing after viewing so many of the designs, and having few on mind that I believed will be the winner, I was pretty amazed the Plumen Light Bulb was the winner. To be really honest I didn't even think it would. This design was the last one I viewed within the exhibition on the day of my visit,. The light bulb does the same job of an normal light saving bulb, with using 80% lesser of it's energy and also durable for eight times more than an luminous light bulb.

'' Stephen Bayley, 2011 Jury Chair said of the winning entry ‘The Plumen light bulb is a good example of the ordinary thing done extraordinarily well, bringing a small measure of delight to an everyday product.’'

http://www.designsoftheyear.com/2011/03/15/plumen-lightbulb-wins-brit-insurance-design-of-the-year-2011/

I guess this shows that a design does not have to be over the top, or exaggerated an simple idea that has a twist and style with benefits can be a masterpiece. Relating this back to my own studies design simple, bold but clever designs that relates to the concept can be a success. But I guess that's always the case you will always start of with the simplest drawings and then later develop those simple design ideas adding more to it, but will always go back to the first drawing you have done and will go forward with that design idea with slight developments added to it. So always trust your first instinct, the first design idea that comes to your mind the minute you finish reading the brief/or design concept and be confident.

Isamu Noguchi

''Everything is sculpture. Any material any idea without 

hindrance born into space, I consider sculpture.''

Ismamu Noguchi

Ismamu Noguchi was a Japanese American craftsman, sculpture, and landscape architect, had a world wide reputation mainly for this public abstract art work, his richness in culture experience and heritage from Japan, US and his time spent aboard in European countries such as Paris., and having worked with many artist's and sculptors such as Constantin Brancusi, Alexander Calder, and Alberto Giacometti gained him inspiration to become an master mind. His career stretched over six decades from developments and changes of Modernism to Post Modernism.

Ismamu Noguchi as an great profile of works worldwide that has gained him the international reputation , but his reputation tends to be more on his artistic side as an sculptor rather then a designer.  His sculptural style of representing public art work had a whole different design language. He believed in that his job has an sculptor's was to shape the space, giving the space a meaning and value. 

Noguchi had a passion and valued space and landscape that gave him the understanding of the space to bring art into the space to compliment the landscape. His work changed in scale from small pieces of sculptures to large open public spaces and parks. Noguchi had the ability to engage with the with the space, throughout his career path for six decades , his drive to experiment, with his dedication and passion to design and create art, pushed many boundaries and limits. 

As an Landscape Architect Noguchi created and design number of parks, playgrounds, gardens private and for Universities. His work within landscape didn't stop him to be expressive and bold about his designs. His designs within landscape also screamed out his name. He had his signature from beginning to end.

Within my research I came across Noguchi and I am glad I did, reading about his life, his work and success has inspired me. He was a man that didn't really care what people said about him, his work was excepted after when people saw his passion for what he creates and designs. His gardens does remind me of Martha Schwartz style of designing, then again Martha Schwartz followed and admired Noguchi's work as well. 

For further information and to view all his work visit http://www.noguchi.org/ The Noguchi Museum.

Red Cube by Isamau Noguchi

Moerenuma Park 

189 Hectare Park all designed and created by Isamu Noguchi. Well if you ask for my opinion it also looks like a Masterplan., an amazing Masterplan which has been designed and created with such passion and imagination.

''The Whole Park is a Sculpture''

 

Forest of Cherry Trees

Moere Beach

Play Mountain 

Tetra Mound

Music Shell

Aqua Plaza

Sea Fountain

Glass Pyramid ''HIDAMARI''

Mt. Moere

For more information on the park and detailed information on all the spaces designed by Isamu Nogcuhi can be found on this link  http://www.sapporo-park.or.jp/moere/english.php 

Images have been taken from the actual website.