Gate 81 Preston Bus Station
April 16th, 2013
The Gate 81 project hacklab/workshop/charette has been arranged for May 2013.
Link: Gate 81 Hacklab
Email for info@gate81.com if you are interested in taking part.
BIM ‘69, The Integrated Team
February 23rd, 2012
This is the cover of the June 1969 issue of BDP Preston in-house magazine ‘Contact’.
BDP was founded in Preston and pioneered a team-based, democratic approach to building design in the era of the mandatory fee scale. In this illustration entitled THE INTEGRATED TEAM the BDP ethos is affectionately satirised.
I believe the artist was Peter Jones, an architect in the BDP Preston office. Note the representation of the QS ‘CALCULUS ABACUS’ in what appears to be a dunce’s cap.
Stair hack
January 22nd, 2012
Steps up to the rampart. Castelvecchio, Verona. Architect: Carlo Scarpa
Piazza San Marco meets Preston Bus Station
October 13th, 2011
In the spirit of the Collage City Unité/Uffizi comparison: Piazza San Marco transformed into Preston Bus Station.
Asplund/Woodland
May 3rd, 2011
Ideas for architectural representation
No 2: Some of the greatest buildings encourage you to focus elsewhere, away from the building itself.
Endless Bridge
May 1st, 2011
The Measure of the Man
April 13th, 2009
Giant Slide Rule for disbelievers.
Valley roll
January 12th, 2009
New stepped valley constructed in timber and according with best practice. Ready for lining.
With the tapered gutter, the pitched roof merges into the sole of the gutter without upstands. Thus, according to the fall of the gutter and the pitch of the roof, the gutter is wider at its highest point than at its lowest, the lower the pitch the more the gutter widens.*
*from Lead Sheet in Building published by the LDA 1978
When breathed upon or otherwise rendered moist
December 26th, 2008
Two hundred year old roof, Lake District UK. Lead dowel used to fix slates to battens. It is more usual to find timber dowels or iron nails.
Westmorland slates reclaimed from the roof.
Slates are tested for quality by their thickness, clean smooth cleavage, toughness to allow of holing for nails, and resistance to water. A good slate partially immersed in water should not absorb water to any appreciable extent above the water line…It should also give a clear ring when struck with the knuckles and when breathed upon or otherwise rendered moist, should not emit a clayey odour.
From Architectural Building Construction Vol 2 by Jaggard & Drury, Cambridge University Press 1945
Architecture & Chemistry
December 18th, 2008
Demolished on December 1st 2008, this house at 157 Harper Rd London was a
council flat filled with hot concentrated copper sulphate solution which was
allowed to cool before draining. Visitors had to wear wellingtons. It was
very blue. (artist: Roger Hiorns)
