smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: April 2011
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archive.html
There was an error in this gadget. VISITING . . . The roads will be busy this Easter weekend. And those stuck in traffic will be asking why is everyone else going where I’m going? However, if the roads were empty the same people would be scanning the radio stations for news of some disaster. Walking through the door of a new building, do you think, I’m glad this is different? Or do you think, why is this different? But just because something gets repeated to death doesn’t mean it’s not true. Do you ask t...
smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: March 2011
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html
There was an error in this gadget. VISITING . . . Today’s word is ‘excogitation’ – to think something out carefully. Design is rarely about surges of inspiration and flashes of insight. It is usually about a lot of hard work and perspiration. The American writer Gene Fowler famously said ”Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead”. Do I want clients that are satisfied with whatever design they can get? Subscribe to: Posts (Atom). Sam C...
smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: December 2011
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2011_12_01_archive.html
There was an error in this gadget. VISITING . . . Individuals make a difference. A school can be altered for a generation by the commitment of a single teacher, designer, or civil servant. All those who defy the limits of their labels. But, like many relationships, we tend only to realise their impact when they move on. We then have a choice: accept the consequences or fill the gap. We cannot always depend on remarkable people to create remarkable schools. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom). POETRY . . . Fires: ...
smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: The Big Picture
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-big-picture.html
There was an error in this gadget. VISITING . . . Economic need dictates that we deliver building projects with a sense of urgency. Indeed why would we delay improving the delivery of public services to our communities. As always, this means pursuing the right design solutions in a timely and well managed manner. These days, we are all responsible for ‘the big picture’. Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom). POETRY . . . Some monsters are very good,. They sit beside you eyes closed in tenderness. Grapefruit...
smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: December 2010
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2010_12_01_archive.html
There was an error in this gadget. In from the Cold. VISITING . . . In from the Cold. I first read and enjoyed John Le Carre’s book ‘The Spy Who Came In from the Cold’ many years ago. Since then I’ve probably re-read it a couple of times. But I never really got the essential point of the book until I saw the film version starring Richard Burton – and one short scene in particular of only a few seconds screen time. The penny dropped and I understood the emotional narrative at the heart of the work. We sha...
smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: February 2011
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html
There was an error in this gadget. The Existence of Good. VISITING . . . The Existence of Good. Whether a learning environment is in a hut or a skyscraper, the senses of place that matter to children are universal. These include a sense of light and space, a sense of scale, a sense of comfort and a sense of inspiration. Places that provide these are places that people, of all ages, want to be in. Good learning environments are places that feel special to one place, but have lessons for us all. Yes, we ap...
smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: June 2012
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html
There was an error in this gadget. VISITING . . . What can the design of school environments learn from the design of office environments? As someone who strongly believes that ‘informed plagiarism’ is the most effective way to approach most problems, my answer would be – a lot. When we compare schools to offices let’s remember that both are about outcomes and both are about people. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom). POETRY . . . Some monsters are very good,. They sit beside you eyes closed in tenderness. We sh...
smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: October 2010
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html
There was an error in this gadget. A Wee Bit Radical. VISITING . . . A long time ago when I was a young architecture student I remember being perplexed by criticisms around something called ‘quality of line’. At the time I didn’t really get it. Every line we draw has meaning and commitment embedded in it. Especially if that line is drawn by hand and reflects a creative moment in time. The architect Alan Dunlop speaks passionately about the 'authenticity of this approach'. After all, schools are experienc...
smarterplaces.blogspot.com
Smarter Places: September 2011
http://smarterplaces.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html
There was an error in this gadget. VISITING . . . A Latin word: to agree. Whether it’s joined up thinking or collaborative working or shared services or total place, the fundamental step is to get diverse people to agree on something and see it through in pursuit of an agreed purpose. The simple but challenging technique of getting the right people together and creating a collective responsibility for making things happen is now the default for the way we resolve our big service and resource issues.
