2 Jul 2012
10 Jun 2012
3 Jun 2012
31. hometown (1)
i drive the highway west from Calgary to the town of Cochrane, down the big hill and around slow, lazy curves that hug edges of the long, gentle descent. foothills fold into the distance and distend into the rocky mountains. the late day sun tired, rests on the jagged edges of the horizon
a ten thousand foot ceiling above, a vast expanse, an emptiness that extends from the foothills as they disappear away from the edge of the road below into what feels like an unbounded and infinite sky overhead, as if in the absence of gravity one could float limitless.
as i descend to the now small city, the nostalgia burns, mostly everything has evolved so as to not even resemble the traces of my childhood memory in the way i remember, however, a flood of memories inspired by the remnants of those occasional traces of context that haven't changed with the passing years overwhelms me while they flash by at the speed of the vehicle.
the town evolves and changes but the ghosts of days passed linger with me. the present exists for those who live here as a now, as a time and place, where this time and place will become their future nostalgia. but for now, it exists in a present that only has significance because of my connection to its past.
this nostalgia, my memory of my experiences, becomes the story of my hometown.
27 May 2012
21 May 2012
28. becoming (3)
discipline + a discipline
As alluded to in previous posts, 'becoming' is a process that involves the coalescence of experience and refinement of craft, where 'become' is represented as finite milestone defined by quantifiable artifacts such as credentials, certificates, diplomas, and accolades. The relationship between becoming and become can be metaphorically connected by comparison to the idea of discipline as pure homonym, that is, as both verb and noun. Simply put, becoming enveloped within a discipline requires discipline.
17 May 2012
30 Apr 2012
24 Apr 2012
18 Apr 2012
13 Apr 2012
11 Apr 2012
9 Apr 2012
8 Apr 2012
18. EEEL (1)
Energy. Environment. Experiential Learning. (E.E.EL.) - Overview
I've had the privilege of being involved as one of the representatives of the owner (The University of Calgary) in the pre-design, design, construction, and occupancy phases of the EEEL building, from 2007 through 2012.
Here is some info about the project:
Consultant team:
Architects: DIALOG (formerly Cohos Evamy) with Perkins + Will Vancouver (formerly Busby, Perkins + Will)
Struct: RJC with DIALOG
Mech: DIALOG
Elec: SMP Consulting
Civil: AECOM
Landscape: O2 Planning + Design
LEED: DIALOG
Code, Smoke/Fire Modelling: Sereca
Acoustic: Faszer Farquharson
PM: Duke Evans
Construction Manager: Ellis Don
Mech CM: Trotter + Morton
Elec CM: Trotter + Morton
Area:
25,095 gsm
Program:
· Science
_ undergraduate labs: biology, chemistry, geosciences
_ faculty and grad research labs: chemistry
Engineering
_ undergraduate labs: Chemical & Petroleum, Mechanical, Civil
· _ faculty and grad research labs – Mechanical, Chemical & Petroleum
· Other
_ admin offices, offices for researchers and grads
· _ 160 seat theatre
_ 120 seat classroom
_ two 30-40 seat classrooms
4 Apr 2012
30 Mar 2012
13 Mar 2012
12. becoming (2)
being vs. doing
A cloak of experience implies an inherent wisdom. A constant, relentless repetition suggests a polished refinement of craft. But, the question of when someone "becomes" something is elusive. Am I a photographer the moment I pick up a camera? Arguing for the moment that the definition implies instantaneously, ie, at any one given moment in time as opposed to over a larger interval, then the moment that I am holding my camera I am a photographer in that instant.
Being something, though, implies something greater. First, it implies a larger time interval such that, continuing with the photographer allegory, that someone can put down the camera and still be a photographer. Being something implies that a commitment exists, more specifically, to the discipline and to the craft prerequisite for that discipline.
A commitment involves a strong temporal component, but most importantly, the commitment to a discipline is tethered by an ethos. Becoming someone or something is more than just holding a tool or repeating a motion, it involves a profound connection between the holder and the act. That intercourse occurs on almost a spiritual level, where the marriage of technical skill and intimate understanding of the discipline lead to a bilateral discourse between the act and actor. This discourse, and no less, is the fundamental provision for the process of 'becoming' to properly transform to 'become'. It is something far greater than simply just 'doing'.
A cloak of experience implies an inherent wisdom. A constant, relentless repetition suggests a polished refinement of craft. But, the question of when someone "becomes" something is elusive. Am I a photographer the moment I pick up a camera? Arguing for the moment that the definition implies instantaneously, ie, at any one given moment in time as opposed to over a larger interval, then the moment that I am holding my camera I am a photographer in that instant.
Being something, though, implies something greater. First, it implies a larger time interval such that, continuing with the photographer allegory, that someone can put down the camera and still be a photographer. Being something implies that a commitment exists, more specifically, to the discipline and to the craft prerequisite for that discipline.
A commitment involves a strong temporal component, but most importantly, the commitment to a discipline is tethered by an ethos. Becoming someone or something is more than just holding a tool or repeating a motion, it involves a profound connection between the holder and the act. That intercourse occurs on almost a spiritual level, where the marriage of technical skill and intimate understanding of the discipline lead to a bilateral discourse between the act and actor. This discourse, and no less, is the fundamental provision for the process of 'becoming' to properly transform to 'become'. It is something far greater than simply just 'doing'.
26 Feb 2012
21 Feb 2012
7. becoming (1)
The Process of Becoming
This is the first post in a discussion that will likely span several posts around the idea of 'becoming' and is considered in several contexts.
There are finite milestones in our lives where a formal recognition of sorts defines the distinct edges of a process. These quantifiers signify a transition between 'becoming' and 'become', and we have defined these signifiers with certificates, credentials, accolades, or even commissions. Examples might include, for example, graduation, obtaining a license, marriage, anniversaries, or retirement, just to name a few. Processes are inherently continuous by definition, however, it is almost always the sheer existence of the milestone that causes the process of 'becoming' to be solidified as 'become'.
"Becoming" an architect, for example, involves years of formal schooling which is followed by several (or more) years of practical experience intended to demonstrate basic proficiency to and of the profession. However, the practice of architecture is truly a life's pursuit, one in which the prerequisite requirements for registration are essentially a starting point for many, many years of evolution of both the profession and of the knowledge of the architect. Not restricted to the practice of architecture, the 'grey hairs' earned in many disciplines metaphorically and literally impart experience and knowledge.
2 Feb 2012
24 Jan 2012
23 Jan 2012
17 Jan 2012
16 Jan 2012
1. introduction
1. There are apparently in the neighbourhood of 450,000,000 blogs in existence in the world (see source ).
Well, make that 450,000,001.
Why does the world, or at least the online world, need yet another blog? In truth, it probably doesn't. A digital, online forum, however, has the potential to become an executive summary of sorts - a repository of my thoughts, ideas, creations, experiences - plus pretty much any of the seemingly infinite random synaptical offerings that venture from the dark recesses of my mind, through my arms, then hands, then fingers, only to take their place and be permanently solidified among the vast plethora of existing 1's and 0's buried deep within the digital realm. Plus, a blog gives me a central place to connect my online personas with my avatars and interweave architecture with music with design with writing with photography with, well, as you have hopefully figured out, many, many things.
So, sit back, enjoy, feel free to participate, and enter the unknown journey into my head via my creative aspirations, my ideas, and at times, my seemingly anti-logic.
Welcome to spintonewireform - mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
Well, make that 450,000,001.
Why does the world, or at least the online world, need yet another blog? In truth, it probably doesn't. A digital, online forum, however, has the potential to become an executive summary of sorts - a repository of my thoughts, ideas, creations, experiences - plus pretty much any of the seemingly infinite random synaptical offerings that venture from the dark recesses of my mind, through my arms, then hands, then fingers, only to take their place and be permanently solidified among the vast plethora of existing 1's and 0's buried deep within the digital realm. Plus, a blog gives me a central place to connect my online personas with my avatars and interweave architecture with music with design with writing with photography with, well, as you have hopefully figured out, many, many things.
So, sit back, enjoy, feel free to participate, and enter the unknown journey into my head via my creative aspirations, my ideas, and at times, my seemingly anti-logic.
Welcome to spintonewireform - mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
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