CV SLO
CV ENG(needs update)
Port Folio
PhD Research:
MA Research:
About MA Research
Other Essays and Theory:
Miscellaneous:
CV SLO
CV ENG(needs update)
Port Folio
Copyright + consumer capitalism = corporated innovation
2011.09.25.17:26
I just read this article about Apple being sued by yet another tech producer. In fact, tech giants are always suing each other over infringement of patents for one thing or the other (Samsung vs. Apple as the most notorious)
Where are the times of actual interest in the innovation and progress – in the matter of production itself? For example, the Amen break spawned a completely new genre of music.
Putting it bluntly: if there would be only corporate driven innovation in 80s and 90s we would not have the Internet as we know it nor would we have anything like the Hip Hop, Drum’n'bass, Jungle, Trip Hop. There would be no big names such as Massive Attack.
So what this boils down to is that in order to retain some level of independent innovation, you need people like George Hotz.
Research Method
2011.09.24.12:21
Gran Sasso, Italy, OPERA experiment detector
It is really interesting how research methods differs. In contemporary time – the only relevant argument has to come from “scientifically proven research”. This is all great and nice – as long as you are talking about measurable fields like physics, biology etc. But since our culture would not believe something that is not measurable, the arts and humanities had to come up with similar ways of corroborating their ideas. In fields that are more subjective, it is really hard to have a “scientific” method as results are more opinions.
This is even more so for architecture – although you could do a measurable research, the real power of a discipline that deals with space is in its understanding of space’s multifaceted nature, where social, cultural as well as economic and political factors play an important role. Creating a science out of these factors is a bit hard. The only think you can do is follow the Scientific Method and you try to account for everything.
In this respect – I was just watching how a physics research experiment OPERA in Gran Sasso Italy, in collaboration with CERN found out that the neutrinos could actually travel faster than the speed of light.
When presenting their findings at the formal presentation at CERN, I was really surprised (as a non scientist and a non expert) to what extend they go to show that their measurements are correct. From a 2 hour presentation, one hour went only into explaining the set-up of the experiment, the measuring techniques and the technical difficulties they had and how they overcame them. Only then did they show the actual measurement.
In architecture, the so called “scientific research” is much to often based on personal statements and fascinations, which are rarely corroborated by facts but by wants and inspirations. It is a strongly biased field. The “research” is usually skin deep especially as we are specialist in no particular subjects but we claim fields of philosophy, theory, technical material science, ecology and energy efficiency and many more. We should learn from the rigour and ethical stance of the “real science” and try to implement their method and unbiased approach. Although – thinking about it, if you measure something and the result that comes out is what it is, there is really nothing you can do about it – you have to accept it. But when your result depends on the formulation of the words, the rigour and bias could be one and the same thing.
Noises
2011.09.18.22:53
Noises screeching in my head tell me to stop, but life is a stubborn animal, chiselling the path into a granite rock, making it harder and steeper to climb.
..and the tired foot makes yet another step. screeching continues.
Sumerian Ecology
2011.01.17.13:05
From Enki and the Deluge (Wikipedia):
“As the god of what we would call ecology, Enki explains that Enlil is unfair to punish the guiltless Atrahasis for the sins of his fellows, and secures a promise that the gods will not eliminate humankind if they practice birth control and live within the means of the natural world. The threat is made, however, that if humans do not honor their side of the covenant the gods will be free to wreak havoc once again.”
Enki - The master shaper of the world - God in Christianity
Ninti - Mother of all living - Eve in Christianity
Had a great lecture on myth with Peter Carl, I find it intriguing how all the ancient history from Sumer onwards can be traced also in still present religions.
From Wikipedia on Enki:
“Ninhursag relents and takes Enki’s Ab (water, or semen) into her body, and gives birth to gods of healing of each part of the body. The last one, Ninti (Lady Rib), is also a pun on Lady Life, a title of Ninhursag herself. The story symbolically reflects the way in which life is brought forth through the addition of water to the land, and once it grows, water is required to bring plants to fruit. It also counsels balance and responsibility, nothing to excess.
Ninti, is given the title of the mother of all living, and was a title given to the later Hurrian goddess Kheba. This is also the title given to Eve, the Hebrew Khavvah (חוה), the Aramaic Hawwah, who was made from the rib of Adam, in a strange reflection of the Sumerian myth.”
PhD Research Added
2010.10.26.23:24
As I am embarking on a new adventure, it is only fair to share it. Yes that is right – the PhD project is under way. I just posted my preliminary draft of the outline proposal I am submitting on London MET.
Hopefully I will be combining two strains of my research to date, the AA and CHORA directions. More about it here.
ASD Unit 8 09|10 projects
2010.10.21.13:44
In the academic year 2009|10 I was a co-tutor at the London Metropolitan University with Raoul Bunschoten from CHORA. Our students were researching energy efficient urban prototypes. Their work can be seen here.
Final Booklet
2008.10.19.23:31
One year and 25.000 pounds later, all that you are left with is a booklet. Well it wasn’t all that bad. Actually, if I would have to do it all over again, I would probably choose the same program on AA – Landscape Urbanism. I really believe it is the right stuff, posing the right questions, seeking the right urban answers. Although a bit of a team spirit and organizational skills wouldn’t hurt the program at all. Another thing is, if you are not rigorous enough, you can soon fall into “meshing and hexagons” routine – very geometrically based methodology. But I guess that is always the case with programs that have a strong methodology, especially if the methodology is geometrically based – maybe it is time to re-examine it…
Before I went into this MA business, I got an advice from my ex boss and good friend Igor (Elastik), he said: ‘GO STRONG!’ I believe it is the best piece of advice ever. I hope I went strong – it is all yet to be seen.
Vocal Jazz
2008.09.21.12:41
I got infected by vocal jazz when I was singing in Slovenian vocal group Perpetuum Jazzile. After 2 years in London I see that I really miss it – singing and jazz and all.
Listening to on line radios I came over a really great peace by Vox One called Chameleon, listen to it and you will see what I mean; maybe it will infect you to.
My yearly bookshelf
2008.09.04.22:51
Procrastinating the day away and ordering the books by hight, I just realized that the books I acquired during the last year studying, is actually quite a good sum up of what I am interested in, what drives me in this strange architectural field. Maybe everyone should look into their bookshelves to understand better what he / she wants.
Well, it is certainly more fun than writing a long “Who am I” or “What am I interested in” for a job application, we might just as well send in pics of our bookshelves.
So, who can ever say that procrastination is nonconstructive?