Tourin’ Toronto

Thinking back to Toronto this time two years ago! Thought I’d share some photos from the trip…

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Royal Ontario Museum

Interior – new meeting the old

Exhibition hall

Striking facade structure and natural light piercing the space

Hanging exhibits above the void with slits of natural light

Shaded public space outside the Royal Ontario Museum

Aslop Architect’s floating Sharp Centre of Design with CN Tower in the distance

Approach to Frank Gehry’s Art Gallery of Ontario

Douglas Fir Clad Spiral Staircase bursting through the space and glass ceiling

Moving up the spiral staircase

Glulam structure and glass facade at the sculpture corridor

View out from the staircase

And finally the view up!

Kuala Lumpur – Architecture, Markets and Illumination

Kuala Lumpur architecture and shopping by night and day. Snapshots from a fantastic few weeks at the end of 2012 with family experiencing the city. Part 2.

Streetlife as the sun starts to set with Mosque and Menara Telekom Tower in the background

Night Market

Food at the Night Market

Christmas Decorations at the Pavilion Shopping Centre

Lavish individual shopfront at the Pavilion Shopping Centre

Masjid Negara

Masjid Negara

Little India

Petronas Towers illuminating the sky

Food Stall at Market

 

Putrajaya

Putra Bridge and Putra Mosque

Putra Mosque

Saltan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque (Blue Mosque), Shah Alam

no, not Christmas lights, these are a permanent fixture at I-City!

 

 

 

 

 

Kuala Lumpur Streetscape

Even during Monsoon Season, Kuala Lumpur was a vibrant city, through activity, colour and people. The city was built up of a varied urban fabric, tall skyscrapers next to 3 storey terraced housing with different architectural styles. Around every corner was something different, interesting and often surprising! Here are a few pictures from my exploration there.

Paris – Pompidou and Streetscape

Narrow shaded streets and hidden gems, I just can’t get enough of Paris! Layer of history encompass the streets and the blonde sandstone create a sense of warmth. Having been there before, it was great just wondering around the streets, eating good food and soaking in the atmosphere…here are some pictures from along the way.

 

 

 

 

 

Travels – Pakistan 2012

I like to embrace any free time to travel. There is nothing like experiencing different cultures and the architecture that I have read about. The comparatives between places visited highlights the differences, not only in architectural approach of buildings across the world, but the wider built environment, how people use space in between and create a sense of place. My next few posts will let the pictures do the talking…from Paris to Pakistan, Dubai to Kuala Lumpur, I was incredibly lucky last year.

Here a few photos from Pakistan February 2012.

Elephant Steps, Lahore Fort

View to Badshahi Masjid from Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort

Streetlife, Lahore

Street Food, Lahore

Colour Popping Transport

Rickshaw

Shopping, Faislabad

Shopping, Faislabad

Samundri, Street decoration

Residential Street, Mian Chunnu

Preparing food, Chak 482

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dubai – Sun, Sea and Sandance

Dubai was like no other holiday I have ever been on, everything shiny and new with a lack of heritage, but strangely still very appealing. A playground for the wealthy, infrastructure linking building sites, holiday resorts, malls and hotels. Extravagance around every corner…

Atlantis Hotel

 

 

 

 

Dubai Mall

Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain show

 

Sandance, day to night concert on the beach (Benni Benassi, Labrinth & Stereophonics among the performers) Brilliant day!

 

Burj Al-Arab

 

Talise Spa

 

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Non-Stop 2011

Group 38 Exhibition, GSA.

Its the last day of 2011, I’ve returned home and I’ve been reflecting on one crazy year.

After finishing up with university I was worried about the current climate in the UK, thinking about unstable jobs, even worse, unemployment, but after this year, I’m thinking its not all doom and gloom if you use it to your advantage…it’s a chance to do different things and look outside the box. I have spent the year meeting many interesting people in the field, been to Toronto and had a chance to see great architecture, met a few starchitects, had time to visit and take part in exhibitions, completed my first book, graduated with masters, worked with 3DReid, spoke at a conference representing Glasgow School of Art, designed a small house in Pakistan, produced the drawings for a book with Robert Mantho from GSA, went to Beijing for an internship with Pansolution International, made connections with people from Tsinghua University and lastly I’ve started this blog which I’m really loving doing …not had a moments spare! I’ve earned a living while doing what I have chosen to and what I enjoy. I’ve had a variety of experience, which has kept the year interesting and exciting.

So to all the architecture students graduating in 2012 looking ahead and worrying, don’t, it will be ok, you just need to get up and go for it!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Here are some of my favourite pictures from the year.

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GSA Degree Show Party – last with the Foulis & Newbery Tower buildings before new Steven Holl & JM architects addition.

Daniel Libeskind’s addition to the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto.

Graduation, University of Glasgow.

Meeting with Zaha.

Opening of Zaha Hadid’s Transport Museum, Glasgow.

Opening of Zaha Hadid’s Transport Museum, Glasgow.

3DReid construction site, Velodrome arena for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Looking at hutong life, Beijing

Looking at hutong life, Beijing

Glasgow’s George Square turned Philadelphia for Brad Pitt’s movie, World War Z.

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Watercube

The last in my series of modern Beijing icons.  Hope you all have an amazing day tomorrow and Santa is good to you 😉

Merry Christmas!

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Birds Nest

It was unbelievably cold at the Olympic Park that day, but very happy to finally see the Birds Nest,

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Galaxy Soho

Hope I get to see this complete. Very different from anything else I have seen in Beijing so far,

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