The Building Centre and The Institute of Making

The Building Centre

Making Wellbeing from Birth to Death

This exhibition shows how design can improve well-being in different aspects of life, such as architecture, home & living, environment etc. It is exhibited in the Building Centre in Fitzrovia. 

I particularly remember the pink isolation jail rooms from Switzerland: the pink walls produce a sedative, calming psychological effect against violence and aggressiveness. The feminine, bright colour could lift the mood of prisoners in a harmless and light-hearted way. Even prisoners deserve good design!

Architecture model for a children's hospital. Design could especially provide comfort (for example by five senses: visually, tactile and so on) for people in fragile times of need. 

Home designs for homeless people. I like how all the houses are connected together like a big one, with round windows and colourful doors, forming a connected community. They look lively, playful and fun to live in--not just "habitable". Design is indeed for function and application, but there is always room for creativity. 

There is even a wellness nap pod in the exhibition! Sleep and sleeping quality is essential in keeping a good mood. It would be better if the pod looked more welcoming and comfy, like adding a cushion or two.

New London Architecture + Transforming the Boroughs

This is an exhibition showcasing city development plans for the city of London in the future 20 years. I am interested to learn more about different areas of London from the government's point of view, especially how different boroughs contribute to the City of London as a whole. I believe this would be useful to help understand the functioning of city and hopefully more about Peckham, both of which would be useful towards understanding the needs of a city for the coming Peckham brief.

New residential buildings for London. It is interesting to see how diverse the range is, since there were denser residential blocks as well as suburban cluster of houses. Finding a dream home is indeed just like finding a "soulmate" or a dream job, because it is very much core to our sense of safety, a place where we belong and live in.

Peckham is mentioned as a borough close to but within the "boundary" of New London development. Peckham is indeed a less developed zone 2 area, and I am somewhat relieved of Peckham being included in the majority, since Peckham has its quirks and potential for redevelopment. At the same time, of course, "New London" doesn't necessarily mean it's a better one.

I'm quite glad that the city development and planning council is mainly planning to add more green space, open public areas like town squares (maybe they decided that European open squares are a must thing to have), good quality residential areas; moreover, areas for creative and cultural industries (especially for Brixton-- but I hope it wouldn't turn out to be too hipsterish Soho). These all make the areas more habitable for communities to thrive in and settle down; the purpose is different from a business, commercial district or a touristy one. 

I'm surprised that they would design a new library for Camberwell-- perhaps akin to Peckham's, perhaps encouraging reading and education for families living there. Peckham Rye Station does need a public square: it is becoming crowded and slightly stifling with the narrow alleyways and corridors piled full of cardboard boxes.

This map shows urbanization of London: how the City of London is expanding outwards. "The City of London" is interesting because London has always been a city to me, but nothing else; while it sounds like there is still something else of London that is representatively rural. On one hand London is becoming more connected and developed with other counterparts; on the other hand, the City of London is also inflating and "eating away" land to be urbanized.

The Institute of Making, UCL

The open day showcased objects that were fake, such as fake human hair and fake fur. I was wrong for most of them-- perhaps because I never really made use of my sense of touch. Are these anti-modernist, post-modernist objects for not being true to their materials?