Mediator project

First semester started with an interesting project, which on the one hand does not look like an architectural, however, at the end of the work we realised how useful it was in starting Research Retreat project.
The aim of the project was working in groups represent our feelings and impressions about the Hospitalfieild and surroundings. The ways of presenting were slightly different, some groups made installations, some organized journeys our group decided to make a video, which would represent our emotions. The concept of our project was to show the repetition of life, life and death, rebirth and time. This was the key points we were focusing after our site visit. Through group discussions we decided to make a video and created a storyboard. As a Hospitalfield is located near the sea we thought that the connection to the sea would be quite nice way to represent our feeling, so we tried to find some symbols which would show our philosophy. The idea was that the person is going out from water, but it stays dry, he also is holding sand, which falls through finger, this is the symbol of time that goes quick, but we can hold it and even control sometimes so in the end of the video sand goes back to our arms. Waves represent repetition of life and rebirth.
I really enjoyed the process of making the video. We went to St. Andrews beach where our two brave boys went to the freezing sea. It was really exciting experience for them. After we finished filming, we moved to montage. The last stage of the project was creating two books one about Hospitalfield, its features and our concept, another about the process we went through to create this video.
This experience gave me a lot of ideas for the next project and it was really fascinating to see how other groups showed the same ideas in different ways. Such projects help us to think more about the philosophy of the place and how it will influence design of the building, which I think very important to design successful building.

Back to Dundee, back to university, 18th January back to Lecture Theater 5013, where our tutors are ready to explain what we are going do this semester and what aims we need to achieve. First of all this semester has a number of changes: now we are divided in different groups and have new tutors, moreover we have new lectures, such as Writing on Mondays and Structure of buildings on Thursdays.
So first week starts with a new project, called Mediator, which we suppose to finish by 5th February working in groups. The purpose of the project is to explore the place, Hospitalfield, located in Abroath and present our observations, which in general are based on different feeling what inherit exactly to this area.
On Tuesday morning we went to the place, the journey took about one hour to get there. As we know, buildings are not merely objects in the landscape, they also have emotional baggage attached to them. Hospitalfield is a great example of such a place, where you can feel something new. Going through the site my feelings and emotions were changing. My first impression of the house was quite positive, good looking building, made from red stone, which has an exciting shape and perfectly sits on the site. It creates a feeling that the buildings and their surroundings can live together, they are united and the house is an integral part of the environment. The house is surrounded by lots of trees; I was inspired by massive trees in the south garden, with their huge crippled and twisting branches - all of this makes this place mysterious, especially now, when there are no leaves. I suppose that in summer the place will create another feeling, because of different colours and forms of crowns.
Because of the high humidity level, trees and stone walls are covered by moss, which helps you feel the atmosphere of the past.
Another feeling which I had being there was fear. Hospitalfield was a place where a lot of people died and the site is full of graves, with unknown symbols, statues and names. Such an atmosphere makes you think about life and death, about the time we have and how we plan our life. In other words, the place causes the right atmosphere for philosophical thoughts.
On the other hand, the place makes us feel integrity and solitude especially when you look to the sea and hear the voice of the waves.
Hospitalfield is a place which unites different and even opposite feelings, so it is an amazing place for new impressions. I was really fascinated about the place, hopefully it would help in developing my Research Retreat project.

Christmas vacation

First semester was full of developing new skills, getting positive emotions, meetings with people and hard working. Now all work is done, assessments passed, projects and portfolio presented, so it is time to go home for Christmas. I was so excited going back, especially was looking forward meeting my family and friends. First what I felt at home that it was incredibly freezing and snowy outside. Some days it was about -20 degrees; however I enjoyed such weather very much, because is was not only freezing, but also very sunny, so nature was amazing, all the trees were covered by hoarfrost and due to sun flickered. I was a bit nervous going home, feeling I have not seen my family members for ages, but after some hours I realized that I feel myself very comfortable and I was really missing my family, my pets and even my room.. So my holidays were really outstanding, full of positive emotions and creative events: meeting with my friends, some parties, Christmas dinner with my family, school jokes festival, skiing, skating, New Year celebration going to sauna and lots of different activities. So my holidays in Latvia made me feel real winter, with a lot of snow, some fun winter activities, and evenings sitting near fireplace with my family, when outside is very cold. This month passed very quick, however I was missing Dundee a bit, university, sports, my new friends all that makes my student life interesting and full of exciting events. So now I looking forward for the second semester hope that it would be as eventful a first one!