Focus 1 (2006 – 2007)

The first of four ‘focus’ weeks scattered throughout this academic year. During these weeks the aim is to ‘focus’ on expanding our knowledge and skills; we choose areas which we have a particular interest in.

Firstly RESFEST, an awesome, inspiring animation event. Showing some of the most innovative and contemporary creations from across the globe; also a show down between two animation practices; a strange thing watching live design.

Many hours reading through journals, some of which I knew of, some which are new to me. This served three purposes; firstly it is always benefical to know what’s going on not just with landscape and architecture but also fields such as graphics and product design or even fashion. You never know from where inspiration is going to come, which is the second reason for trawling through the journals section of the library . . .much needed inspiration for my current project. Finally, the third purpose being to find words to add to my glossary which is a start at unpicking the flowery language which designers and artists seem to feel compelled to use. There are also some words that I just really like so they got thrown in too. So not really a glossary but just a collection of words . . .oh and its not really finished!

Adaptability	How something adapts. Whether it can change to suit a variety of circumstances.	Capable of adapting or of being adapted
Aesthetic	Pertaining to an object or presentations visual qualities. The way something looks! Possibly an over simplification but in this and other design disciplines it is of the highest importance and that’s what it boils down to.	the branch of philosophy dealing with such notions as the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, the comic, etc., as applicable to the fine arts, with a view to establishing the meaning and validity of critical judgments concerning works of art, and the principles underlying or justifying such judgments.
Agglomeration		The act or process of gathering into a mass.A jumbled cluster or mass of varied parts
Ambiguous	Are there unresolved issues within your project? Have you made things clear enough	open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations
Antecedent		Preceding; prior: an antecedent event.
Archaic		Marked by the characteristics of an earlier period; antiquated: an archaic manner; an archaic notion.
Archipelagos		a large group or chain of islands
Aspect	How something is viewed or regarded could also be referring to something’s position or exposure	appearance to the eye or mind
Autonomous	Functioning as an independent unit.	having autonomy; not subject to control from outside; independent
Axis	Usually refers to either vertical or horizontal	An imaginary line, in a given formal structure, about which a form, area, or plane is organized.
Capricious	Could also be something fanciful or obsolete	impulsive and unpredictable
Catalyst	A factor or person that speeds up a process; landscape architecture can be a catalyst; this can work at all scales.	Chemistry. a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected.
Climatic	A key factor that will influence design in most if not all projects	(of ecological phenomena) due to climate rather than to soil or topography
Communication		the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs.
Composition	How something is put together/arranged i.e. page layout	the act of combining parts or elements to form a whole.
Constraints	Aspects of a site which limit/inform your design; for example these could be physical, political or financial.	The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds
Contemporary		Current; modern: contemporary trends in design.
Coterminous		having the same border or covering the same area.Having a boundary in common; contiguous: The northern border of the United States is conterminous with the southern border of Canada.
Creative responsibility
Dialogue		an exchange of ideas or opinions on a particular issue, esp. a political or religious issue, with a view to reaching an amicable agreement or settlement.
Diffident	Not something you want to be during a crit!	Lacking confidence in one’s own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy. Restrained or reserved in manner, conduct.
Diurnal	Opposite to nocturnal	of or pertaining to a day or each day; daily
Elements	a certain part or characteristic you wish to highlight	a component or constituent of a whole or one of the parts into which a whole may be resolved by analysis: Bricks and mortar are elements of every masonry wall.
Evolving	Could be describing the chain of mutations leading to the current form of the human being or it could be describing the process which your thoughts and design goes through to achieve resolution	to develop gradually; To undergo gradual change
Fauna		the animals of a given region or period considered as a whole.
Fortuitous		happening or produced by chance; accidental
Geomorphology		the study of the characteristics, origin, and development of landforms.
Graphic quality	No specific definitions for this one but it is something that is of the utmost importance in the presentation of our work, not only for advertising purposes but for clarity, how can anyone concentrate on the work if all they can see is a tacky background…white space is sexy and the way to go …deal with it!!
Infrastructure	The links	the fundamental facilities and systems serving a country, city, or area, as transportation and communication systems, power plants, and schools
Inhabited		having inhabitants; occupied; lived in or on
Inherent	Underlying, inbuilt qualities.	existing in someone or something as a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute: an inherent distrust of strangers
Impetus		a moving force; impulse; stimulus: The grant for building the opera house gave impetus to the city’s cultural life.
Innovative	New, free thinking, creative, rule bending	being or producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before
In situ		situated in the original, natural, or existing place or position
Intangible		not tangible; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch, as incorporeal or immaterial things; impalpable
Interface	The meeting of two or more things and the way in which they are reconciled.	a surface regarded as the common boundary of two bodies, spaces, or phases
Isthmus		a narrow strip of land, bordered on both sides by water, connecting two larger bodies of land.