I have now written a few blogs since I started in July. It has been a lot of fun and I really appreciate it when I see that you guys have read them!
Once I’m inspired, the blog comes to life and takes on a life of its own. This is called creation. And creation is a large part of how the concept of a building begins.
Then it got me thinking about why on earth we have to endure carbuncles on the landscape. Unusual buildings have sprung up all over the place and I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Carbuncles
My carbuncles (well not mine exactly) are the Cybertecture Egg in Mumbai, India and a 13-storey office building and the corporate headquarters of Longaberger Basket Company in Ohio. Known locally perhaps as the Basket (case). Sorry but I think they look terrible, in particular the Basket…
The creative process
According to Bob Borson, who writes about architecture, there are three steps in conceptualising a building: distraction, inspiration and creation. Distractions quoted include throwing pencils into the ceiling boards (a particular favourite of mine) and playing with Cubebots.
I have never heard of a Cubebot, and was no good at Rubik’s cube, so probably not for me but I can see the attraction.
Architects’ bingo
I suppose if an architect needs more distraction s/he could master some designery words to impress people with.
My favourite is the first one (for obvious reasons):
Tartan grid: a design of straight lines of varying widths and distances, crossing at right angles
Will our descendants look on the carbuncles as follys? Will they continue throwing pencils into ceiling boards? We will never know.