Tate Modern

Test Site is an installation by Carsten Holler of five impressive slides in the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern. There was a constant flow of people using the slides. No one could resist, from teenagers to professionals still in their business suits, everyone was queing up for a go! Holler sees this as a prototype for an even larger installation, in which slides could be introduced throughout London. She has undertaken many projects that invite visitor interaction, such as Flying Machine (1996) that hoists the user through the air, Upside-Down Goggles (1994/2001) that modify vision, and Frisbee House (2000) - a room full of Frisbees. Holler is interested in exploring communal human experience, ‘questioning human behaviour, perception and logic and offering the possibility for self-exploration in the process’.

Aswell as the permanent exhibitions I also visited David Smith: Sculptures. David Smith (1906-65) is one of the greatest American sculptors of the twentieth century and this exhibition celebrates the one hundredth anniversary of his death, showing the largest selection of his work ever shown in Europe.
His pieces are characterised by the use of industrial materials, especially welded iron and steel and the exploration of an open, linear structure.
Talking of steels as a medium Smith says, ‘What it can do in arriving at form economically, no other material can do. The metal itself possesses little art history. What associations it possesses are those of this century: power, structure, movement, progress, suspension, destruction and brutality.’

For more information and live webcam views of the slides visit www.tate.org.uk/modern

Ucas Fair Volunteer

Today I represented the Landscape Institute at the UCAS Fair at the Business Design Centre. Explaining to prospective students exactly what Landscape Architecture is was much harder than I expected! During the afternoon Pat Brown and I gave a presentation about the subject, showing a slideshow of projects whilst getting the students involved in activities to learn more about Landscape Architecture.

SLIC Meeting - Cranfield University

* The importance of involvement in the local branches was disscussed. This is a good way for students to become involved with events and activites and meet proffessionals within their field. We will promote the benefits on the SLIC website and by talking to students. I became a member of Landscape Architects South East (LASE).

* The possibility of having a student section in Vista was proposed.

* We spoke about volunteering for the London School Environment Awards, which would involve going into schools and talking about landscape architecture and the environment.

Battersea Power Station

China Power Station was an exhibition of Chinese contemporary art, architecture and sound at the iconic Battersea Power Station. Chinese artists and architects involved included Cao Fei, Yang Fudong and Kan Xuon. Work mainly consisted of sound and moving image as well some sculptural pieces. One installation which I really liked was by Gu Dexin who had covered a wall with apples, which were slowly decaying. As I was visiting on one of the final days of the five week exhibition the smell was really sweet and overpowering.
The exhibition provided a unique opportunity to visit Battersea Power Station before it begins redevelopment. It has never been open to the public before and was far more derelict than I had imagined, with its bare steel frame reinforced with brickwork from the outside. The power station once generated twenty percent of London’s electricity, and after closing in 1983 it has become the largest city centre brownfield site in Europe. It was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, also the architect for the power station at Bankside which is now the Tate Modern and the designer of the British phone box.

The future of the power station will be transformation by Parkview International into a new cultural, entertainment and events centre, which I really hope to track the progress of.

www.thepowerstation.co.uk

Harbour Bath

The Harbour Bath is part of the cities 'Blue Plan' for the entire harbour space and use of the water. There are 42 kilometres of wharf in the Copenhagen harbour and the Blue Plan aims to make room for houseboats, promenades, watersports, recreation areas and playgrounds. Plot designed this bathing area in 2002 when it became possible to swim in copenhagen harbour again, after years polluted water due to industry. The bath is located in the island brygge area by Langebro Bridge and since opening a second bathing has been opened in the Amager Strand. When we visited it was closed bu tit looks like a really fun place to be during the Summer.

Anchor Park

Anchor Park is situated further into the Bo01 housing development, built alongside a canal and edged by a rather ugly curving concrete deck. Anchor Park has been designed as a hydroglyphic park which means it has lots of different interacting biotopes. Each biotope constitutes a miniature eco-system of its own, including an alder marsh, oak grove and beech grove. The canal too has different biotopes adapted to suit different species, including crabs, mussels, seaweed, ferns and fish. The saltwater in the canal comes from the Sound and is constantly circulated to keep it fresh. The park not only provides a green space for the surrounding residential area but can also be used as an environmental education park.

I had been really looking forward to visiting this park after reading about it in Topos but, like everyone else, I was very disappointed. The park is neglected and underused. I like the ideas behind the park but the choice of materials don't work well together and the rubber and concrete in particular look hideous. A real let down for such a successful development.

Dania Park

The popular bathing area and viewing platform

Dania Park is located on the dramatic and exposed waterfront of the Bo01 development. The designers Thorbiorn Andersson and PeGe Hillinge aimed to emphasise its unique location, dramatising the border to the sea and view onto the horizon.

The park covers a massive 20,000sqm and has a simple layout, with two parallel footpaths surrounding a large open field of grass, used for large scale events. Smaller spaces have been created throughout its expanse. Cosy balcony boxes inspired by the design of a fortress shelter visitors from the harsh elements. A bastion-like lookout stands to the north of the site with a viewing platform leaning over the water, which in the summer becomes a popular diving spot. With its scouts leading down into the water, the area becomes a favourite bathing spot in the Summer. At a contrast when I visited this Winter the park was totally deserted, probably due to how cold and exposed it was at this time of year. On these dark afternoons subtle lighting throughout the site leads visitors across pathways and illuminating interesting features and textures.

Sheltered seating areas

This was a very beautiful park of the highest quality. No expense had been spared. Beautiful natural materials such as granite and wood had been used throughout on a large scale reminding me of its industrial past.

The only flaw was the mass produced litter bins, seating, bollards and planters which I'm guessing were later added. These spoil the quality and attention to detail seen everywhere else throughout the park.

".......here the urban planners hit a home run," Sweden's larget daily newspaper.