Ah the time where the semester starts kicking in has begun. We’ve survived the first two weeks and our Research and Analysis presentation. But as the third week and Individual Designs are officially underway I look to my fellow classmates and say, “it’s about to go down” (surely someone gets my reference and read this in Kevin Hart’s voice). Next Friday we will present our designs to the client and then move forward from there into small group designs. Until this time though, our brains will be twirling, hands sketching, clicking and dragging, obtaining our first layer of eye bags, and maybe releasing a few sighs and groans (or weirder noises from some of us). But this is all nothing new in the world of architecture.
What is new are the designs we will create for the Corrine Jones Park. Through all our brain twirling and designing, each of as has relatively been drawn to an idea. A different shelter location, a curved path and shelter combo, or shade verse shelter structures. As we develop these ideas we will go deeper into our own concept or focus, hopefully highlighting and targeting the things the Charleston Parks Conservancy wants and needs. The end goal being for us to come together to produce an icon of sorts for the park that provides shade, shelter, a place to gather and garden, and generally service the community that surrounds.
As we do all of this, sometimes our minds can’t help but wander. Thinking of a place we’d rather be. Sometimes it’s good to take a little break, rejuvenate your brain, and step out of studio to see the light of day. Go for a walk or run, take a bike ride, help a friend fix a flat tire in the rain, grab dinner and talk about snakeskin cowboy boots, or do cartwheels in the probably 50-something-degree ocean water. It can be inspiring.
So, here’s Taylor enjoying that ocean water and I swear she was thinking about shade structures and not her favorite ice cream.