Final project moving on a pace

Although the new iMac has yet to arrive (19th May is the big day) I am forging along with what I can do on the now laboring Trusty Laptop.

Hand drawn sections complete and drawn up onto A1 architectural blanks, all to the revised/new ground plan and sketch up fiddled with to reflect most of new design I am starting on the Key Plans and cascade drawings which is the next big chunk of work to knock of the list.

This weeks 2 day photography course is long awaited and in preparation everything is polished, charged and formatted and now packed. Easy to be ready when you're excited about the long days of study (9am-8pm).

From Project 3 - Rural

First commission - A Country Garden

A seasonal visit to friends elicited a new commission to help them make more of their beautifully aspected country garden. Keen gardeners with the usual family and work demands on their time low-ish maintenance is high on the list.

Measuring up in the -4 degrees sunny winter weather was a challenge and in fact took two attempts. 'Frozen finger breaks' being a new aspect of surveying for me!

With wonderful rural views from almost all angles, a majority south east facing plot and fabulous soil, a complex network of roofline and extensions and several unusual mature trees to be retained it will be a pleasurable challenge.

From commission

Deadline frenzy

This week is our first deadline for our Post Grad Dip at Oxford College of Garden Design. A full set of drawings for the first design project to be handed in after presenting them to the client. Thursday is the day. Preparation is exciting and exhausting.

As with anything there are hiccups first time out and this exercise is no exception. Lack of supplies, supplies failing to work as described, realising you're missing some of the key facts, realising one half day session is not enough to make a drawing exercise easy and so on. BUT during this steep learning curve, I have learnt, been creative when things fail, listened to peers who have better skills or simply there to provide an ear. I am thrilled to be at a point, on Tuesday pm, when I have the bulk of the work done and the fun bit, well the bits I find easier, to come.

Architectural Blank 1 - Bubble diagram

From 2009_11_10

Architectural blank 2 - sketch plans and 3d models (SketchUp7)

From 2009_11_10

Architectural blank 3 - Planting plan, elevations and 1 point perspective drawing.

From 2009_11_10

2 mood boards and some rendering to come. This is a really pleasing accomplishment :)

CRIT, CRIT, CRIT

The process of review was different yesterday, much faster, in most cases, and some clear direction. Great to see everyone's worked up designs, and mood boards, so many idea's and some recurring themes.

That said I got off remarkably easy. I wasn't expecting " yeah that works, good ideas" and from both. "Planting needs work" from one and that's the truth!

Actually I was pleased D told me to ditch one part, the green roof. Couldn't let it go with out a push but as he said it I realised it was the best thing to do.

PT brought up the topic of deliverables which are due in 3 weeks (YIKES!) and we now have a clearer but not definitive list of deliverables for the Urban Project 1.

1 point perspective elevation (learning that in next weeks studio session)
a sketch plan
3 SketchUp print outs (B&W?)
The above presented on an architectural blank, which needs some text (transtext) about the brief and solutions

Then a functional diagram (bubble!) and that's it I think, better go check it out.

Computer and Cash flow

The crashing of my computer on an almost daily basis is triggering my worries about £££ or the lack thereof. I simply cannot afford to buy a new computer at the moment.

It's actually not the computer that is the issue but the techs who keep screwing up by not finishing the job properly and thus causing further probs and consequent re-vists and more days without the beloved machine.

So far it's been:
- new heat exchanger for the CPU - 2.5 days
- restore to earlier working version when USER ID vanished - 1 day
- 2 days with the machine switching itself off every 15 mins due to fan not working at all.
- re-glueing of HE with proper bond as the glue had melted due to heat in unit (DUH!) - 1 day
- several failed restores, no e-mail

Simply not taking it back to these clowns, ever again.

Have resorted to the internet for a solution which is easier said than done. SketchUp 7 turns out to have some V flaky coding on the in/un-Install coding which may or may not be causing further issues GREAT.

If I manage to make the homework deadline of Thursday I will be pleased.

On the up side my lappy has never been so cool and quiet. The HE obviously is doing it's funky stuff!