Final Crit 2

Today was the second of the cross atelier reviews. 

I felt that I was actually relaxed and really prepared for it although - as per - the nerves and quaky voice still set in when presenting.

Overall, I think it went well but I think the major thing - picked up by everybody - was that the colours need to be toned down. It was something that I also noticed as soon as I had finished publishing the presentation. I tried to emphasise the colourful environment in the creche but I think I tried to hard. As a whole I need to work on my illustrations but this is something I have been very aware of since last year. 

Apart from this, it's just a case of making sure it all reads well and I can explain my scheme in a way that doesn't require me to be there. My little sketches/diagrams went down well and over the weekend, I plan on just diagramming and sketching my scheme to death! The images themselves were useful for me and my design process and additionally are useful for communicating it. 

One last key point that was made was the lack of connectivity between my two sites which seems crazy especially as part of my argument for using the sites was the connectivity. Therefore I am, as was suggested, going to produce a (hopefully awesome) section throughout the whole scheme, showing the connection and interaction between the sites as well as the journey taken by different characters around the sites.  

Final Crit 1

Yesterday was the final crit for this first part of the project. As it was cross atelier, we were split up and grouped with one of the other ateliers, Altering Architecture for Climate Change. It was interesting to see what the other groups were doing (if only to remember that there were other projects outside of ours!)

Overall, (despite technology messing around as per usual) I think it went as I expected. I felt that I had done a lot in the past week and actually sorted my ideas out into some form of programme ready to take to the next level. I did feel that I had one gap in my argument which was about my target audience and who exactly I was designing for and what exactly they needed and why. This was pointed out and is something that I am going to be addressing in the next couple of weeks. I need to start talking to the community and the actual people that would be using my building. At the moment this sounds like a lot of work to do and really quite daunting but I know there are a couple of other people in my atelier focusing on women so maybe we can organise something together and help each other out. 

Once I know who and what and why, I can then begin to start designing and arranging my design spatially. I feel like it my project is beginning to come together but once I work on those three questions, it really will come together. Looking forward to it.

I also need to start to look at housing. I keep forgetting about it!