Mersea Island & Maldon Promenade Park

Yesterday we took a site visit to Mersea island and Maldon prom to take a look at the threshold between land and water, for me i found this quite difficult considering i have grown in these places since a young age. Mersea for me i have always related it to MUD and lots of it, but yesterday made me see it in a whole different way and it was really interesting, as we walked along the creeks and mud flats where the the oyster beds are I really began to think about that threshold.

Maldon is also somewhere which I've visted regually for various events throughout the year including the mud race, the maldon regetta, concents and general summer days out. Maldon Prom is the laction for our Public Landscapes site. Shown below the field to the far right located to the left of the yahct club in the boat shaped.

My first thoughts of the site were the lack of views out onto the river. The field is also a lot higher than the rest of the prom which seems odd almost as if there as land fill dumped onto the site. The site is also surrounded by a memorial walk for local people who died in the second world war, looking into it in more depth it just seems than random trees have been planted around the field to produce a walkway and there was really much thorght put into it. This is something that I will definalty have to look into as its quite a sensitive subject and I dont want offend anyone but maybe there is a way of improving the memorial site instead?

Below are some more images taken from the trip:

Back into the 3rd Year as a LA.

So as expressed in my blog which was taken from my last project in digital media 'Reflecting' i have taken the plunge to become a Landscape Architecture, and after my first week in the 3rd year i still stand by that i have made the right decision - however that doesn't mean that it isn't still incredibly scary to think of the amount of work i have to do this year.


However I'm starting with a reading which our lectures gave us in the induction; Theory in Landscape Architecture, A Reader. To start with i felt myself back in the first year not having a clue where to start with the denseness of the language used in the introduction. Once getting onto the essays i realise that this was a good way to start the year and get my brain thinking theory again and back into my landscape mind! Not that it really ever goes far.


The first essay was Garrett Eckbo's 'Landscape for Living' (1950) thinking about the title of this text I'm now thinking i didn't gain what i was supposed to from it, i will however go on to explain what i got from it starting with my favourite quote 'design like life, has no limits to development' common sense really but i thought it was a powerful quote and  made me think again about what an amazing field landscape design is and how much you can truly express yourself. Design is some thing that will go on forever and will have the constant change - Eckbo spoke about how the theory of this works and how it always a process of development. And then as designers we 'produce an arrangement of forms, colours and texture in space which results in some sort of cumulative effect, good or bad, on those who pass through it.' Again that word space was used making your options even wider and more exciting.  

CDP Directed Study Guidelines

Preparation for week 2:

Theory can evolve from empirical observation and practical experience, as well as critical engagement.

How do we locate 'Meaning' in Landscape? How can meaning change across, time and space?

"On what shall we base our forms? Where shall we find them? And the answer is, in the world which is around you in space and behind you in time." (Eckbo, 1950 cited in Swaffield)

How do these statements resonate with you? Bring thoughts and examples.

The reading  Theory in Landscape Architecture (2002) Swaffield, S. Ed. really helped go over these issues.

Brighton

Before moving into halls and getting back into the swing of things of the 3RD YEAR we decided to take a short break down south to Brighton & Hastings. I had never been to either places before and was really excited to explore somewhere new! When reaching Brighton it was almost just as i had imagined it the parks and gardens separated the streets and lead you to the coast. The pavilion was also a major landmark which really intrigued me, even though it seemed out of place in the Brighton streets somehow it fitted perfectly! We also stumbled across New Street which we had heard about previously and actually got to see it during the day as well as at night appealing to two completely different people; families and young people during the day and then the homeless at night.

http://www.cabe.org.uk/files/imagecache/Medium/webimages/new-road-after.jpg

After spending a day or so in Brighton and also visiting the developed marina just outside of town and being shocked at what found - we travelled down the coast and stopped off at beachy head and various other tourists destinations and spending the rest of the break in Hastings and Battle. We stayed in a B&B called the Cloudesley; an Eco hotel which was very exciting the link takes you to website. http://www.thecloudesley.co.uk/