Religious

Uh. Bath.

I made such a correct choice of staying in Bath for one night to have a whole understanding of the entire town during day and night. I started the trip at Paddington station and rushed to my destination on a bullet train. With the beautiful sunset of Friday, I arrived, at this little town with such a uniformed architectural language. The city reveals itself as a roman town with clear Cardo and a less obvious Decumanus. The Roman Bath ruins are right at the crossing. Originally there is a temple and a forum for assembly at where now the Bath Abbey stands. The ruins shows the roman technology, glory and their sensitivity of space organization for both bathing experiences and the absolute hierarchy to the God (the temple of Claudius at Colchester).

The Bath Abbey is also astounding. I personally love it better than Westminster Abbey when comparing them both as Gothic churches. The Bath Abbey is much cleaner, purer and only designated to worshiping since it’s a pilgrimage church. With too much glory of the royal family and all the power that people want to show, Westminster Abbey give me a sense of showing off. While in Bath Abbey, with all the carving stones white or in light color, all the thanks written in words not represented in golden or colorful symbols, the devotion to Christ is fully shown.

The city itself stroke me the most with its uniformed language. It fully showed the theory that ‘if you have a good design, someone will finish it later even when you can’t finish it by yourself’. Thanks to the Woods, Bath established it’s row house language and carried one for hundreds of years. The Royal Circus is great as a self contained space, trying to establish a center, an inward facing community while the Royal Crescent made a genius move to open the circle up to views. To be honest, I was quite scornful when Jackie was talking about the how the green space in front of the Crescent and the slight change of perfect circle to half oval have brought a dramatic openness to the building and space. The shape seems simple, the green spaces seems requiring little thinking. But only until I saw the magnificent view of the city on the other side of the valley in front of the Royal Crescent, I realized that the lawn is just setting up the foreground. The view is far deeper and richer than I imagined and the slight change to oval shape have made the approaching view of the whole row houses much compelling. I was trying so hard to capture the entire view by camera but there is just no way. The breathe taking beauty of Bath is not describable and capturable. At least not by me.

By the way, I highly recommend staying in one of the Boutique hotel or some Airbnb houses in Bath so that you can get the experience of the typical row house organization.

Pulteney Bridge Night View

Bath Abbey Exterior

Amazing Breakfast included by the hotel!

Bath Abbey interior – amazing fan vaults

Roman bath in the snow

Royal Circus

Royal Crescent

Lovely Room for one night

Makayla’s Day 6

Friday was definitely one of my favorite days of the trip so far. By this time, I finally had a solid understanding of London’s underground system and what opportunities were in each district.

I was extremely excited to start the day by finally touring Westminster Abbey. Even though the outer area of the cloisters was in construction, I was still able to appreciate the history and beauty of this building. Duncan, one of the Blue Badge tour guides, truly helped me to understand the significance of the abbey and house it’s history continues to be relevant. It was amazing to see the effigies and burial sites of so many famous British rulers who died so long ago. I was most impressed by Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary. I loved that I could visualize and connect the information that I have spent so much time learning about. I have studied much of European history and having this background knowledge made Westminster Abbey a fantastic experience.

After the abbey tour, I was glad to have free time explore a museum of my choice and enjoy the city more independently. Dan and I decided to head to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see some of their unique exhibits. We strolled through at a comfortable pace, absorbing and studying some amazing historical treasures from around the world. There was even a small architecture exhibit with lots of models and diagrams that were fun to analyze. By far, I think that my favorite part of the museum was the fashion exhibit. It was so cool to see deaign’s evolution in the fashion industry, especially among Balenciaga. Unfortunately, I did not get to see the entire museum, but I still had a fantastic experience. London museums have so much to offer, and they never fail to disappoint!

Westminster Cathedral

Details, Pt. 2

Sketching a variety of sites and scenes throughout the entirety of the trip has helped me to become a better judge of the amount of detail for which a sketch calls. In my experience, drawings are easily ruined by too much detail, as a high degree of accuracy is typically needed for meticulous sketching. On the flip side, too little detail will render the scene unrecognizable, and therefore being present in the location will have amounted to very little in the drawing process. Perhaps the most important lesson I drew from the experience is greater insight into the necessary amount of detail required for the effect the scene is having on me at the time of drawing.

The aquatic center is such a simple and radical form that only four bold lines were needed to record the dynamic shape in the scene. Minimal detail was then added for context and very slight articulation, but the object-quality and organic shape remain the focus (hopefully, at least). A similar tactic was used for the Superflex turbine hall installation, highlighting the idea of the design while using the minimum detail for context. A sketch in contrast to these two is the outside of Westminster Abbey, a building unremarkable in form. A level of detail was required to register the building.

The detail in the Westminster sketch also allowed me to learn more about the exterior. Proportion, articulation, and rhythm become clear through the sketching process. Although done quickly and imperfectly, my understanding of the building grew. A similar experience happened with a return to the Leadenhall skyscraper, as the different sized plates and bolts in the base connection reveal the forces acting in the system.

Aquatic Center – Minimal Detail

Superflex At Tate – Minimal Detail

Westminster Abbey – Learning Through Detail

Leadenhall – Learning Through Detail

Canterbury: a Closed-Off Cathedral

At all of the churches we’ve been to – St. Paul’s Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey – the city has been organized in a way that highlights the church. Modern buildings in London are built in ways that frame St. Paul’s. Salisbury Cathedral is surrounded by a large green space, allowing open views of the cathedral. At Westminster Abbey there is a large plaza in front of the church, setting the church apart from the surrounding city.

At Canterbury, however, they seemed to go to every effort to hide the cathedral. After walking for a bit, we saw the top of the spire through an alley, but then it disappeared again. We saw part of it through the gate, but couldn’t see anymore without paying. At the cathedral gift shop, there was a single window with a view of the side of the cathedral. To me, it seems the town of Canterbury is doing all they can to keep the cathedral to themselves – only allowing those who have paid to see the interior access to see the exterior. Canterbury Cathedral is like a precious jewel that is hidden inside the town.

One of the few views of the cathedral through an alley

The view of Canterbury Cathedral through the entrance gate.

The view from the gift shop window.

Day 7: Almost Over

Today was another incredible day in London. We started the day by traveling to Westminster Abbey for an in depth tour of the church. Upon arriving, I was in absolute awe of the sheer size and detail put into the different sections of the interior and the exterior facades.

Our tour guide for Westminster Abbey was very knowledgeable about every aspect of the church’s history and construction. One fact that he told us which I found very interesting was that the building did not have a very defined end for when it would be completed. Rather, Westminster Abbey has a blend of different architectural styles in addition to rather inconsistent styles of memorials.

During the tour, I learned many new facts about Westminster Abbey that I was completely unaware of. I did not know that Westminster Abbey served as a sort of mausoleum for many famous people, such as Issac Newton. I used to believe that Westminster Abbey was just a church, but now I know that it features intricate graves and memorials for many famous British people.

I think that it would be very interesting to compare Westminster Abbey and Salisbury Cathedral, seeing as they are both Gothic style buildings. I would be very interested to see what major differences they have in their floor plans and the reasoning for such differences.

God in the Details

Salisbury Cathedral was overwhelming, but in an unexpected sense. Where lots of churches (including other Gothic designs) make a statement through complication, excess, meticulous detail, and even opulence, Salisbury’s roar is quiet. It stands tall, but dresses simply. The exterior treatment holds a fair amount of detail and craftsman finesse, but the interior is restrained. The effect is immediately noticeable and powerful. With clean lines and surfaces, the height of the nave is able to soar uninterrupted. The church becomes about the light and space that is present, and there is little distraction from these ideas. The material qualities are also pulled forward, reinforcing the understanding that this is a built space for worship, a meeting place of the divine and the corporeal.

With the simplicity as a prevailing theme, there might be worry that the typical areas of extreme detail are relegated to uninspired utility, but that is not the case. Perhaps the best example is the collection of window patterns used in the Cathedral. They are regular and clean yet contain a richness of geometric legibility, as different shapes emerge from the tiling.

The sketches below highlight two of the fenestration patterns used in Salisbury Cathedral and are rendered orthographically to show the emergent shapes and tiling capabilities. By comparison, the window treatment of the altar glazing of St. Martin’s in the Fields utilizes a standard field condition with the introduction of variation to create a cruciform impression.

Salisbury Detail I

Salisbury Detail II

St. Martin’s Detail

Makayla’s Day 4

We woke up extremely early to catch the bus, but it was well worth it. Heading to Stonehenge was an absolutely fantastic experience. It was incredibly surreal to see and experience such a monumental site that has survived through so much history. I find it crazy that a massive formation of rocks can be so mystifying and confusing to humans. After Stonehenge, we had some major traveling mishaps, but I did not mind since we still got to enjoy our full stay at Stourhead. This was the most exciting part of the day for me. As a Landscape Architecture major, I find it fascinating that this entire landscape was designed and constructed after a painting and to convey the story of Virgil’s Aeneid. The garden was massive and so well designed that each of its features encapsulated my attention. I loved to see the beautiful swans and ducks and how they interacted with the beautiful vegetation existent in the park. I also thoroughly enjoyed the follies and how I could see replicas of unique buildings I have not been to. The grotto was my favorite part though. I loved the darkness of the feature and how the water made it into its own room within nature. Stourhead was my favorite destination of the day, but I also thoroughly enjoyed Salisbury. It was fascinating to see such a massive cathedral with a great historical presence and witness how it has withstood over such a long time. The town of Salisbury was also very quaint and cute to stroll through and enjoy. Overall, I really enjoy the day and how the trip provided a sharp contrast to the fast paced London life and honed in the history present outside of the city.

Stonehenge

Grotto at Stourhead

Nic’s Second Post

In this post I wanted to talk about something I was disappointed with and somrsomet I was impressed by. One of the places I was disappointed by was Leicester Square. The area around Leicester Square is very lively with theaters, Chinatown, restaurants, and shops. While I thought the Lego Store was interesting, and M&M World might be worth looking at to get custon candy, I felt that the square itself was very Americanized, where I would rather see something a little more traditional British or a modern derivative of that. The TGI Fridays, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, and Burger King seem invasive on this old London square. On the flip side, I was impressed by how well preserved the Magna Carta was at Salisbury Cathedral’s Chapter House. It looked like someone only wrote it years ago instead of centuries. It makes me wonder why the Declaration of Independence and Constitution in the National Archives in Washington DC are so washed out and barely readed, less the fanciful writing. The cathedrals themselves we have visited so far have also been quite impressive given all the details that make up those places and the technology used to construct them. This makes me excited to visit Westminster Abbey later in the trip.

Adrian’s In-Country Post 2

Stonehenge

 

So on our fourth day, we went to what I was looking forward to the most, Stonehenge. I’ve mentioned this before but I’ve had an obsession about seeing this for no real reason. Today I finally got to go see it. After getting a sneak peak of the wonder from the highway, the visitor center was the first major building you see. It has a very modern design consisting of two buildings covered by a large metal canopy. Then we took a bus to Stonehenge. I’ll be honest, it was smaller than I thought, however it didn’t dissapoint. It was amazing to think about just how old this site was. When you think of the ancients you don’t picture the smartest individuals in the world, however the builders on this project were ahead of their time. Obviously these massive rocks had to be carried over long distances and their systems of moving them was a major advancement for this ancient civilization. Whether or not it this site was used as a calander or ritual site, the way they placed the heel stone in respect of the summer solstice is a great show of how humans understanding of life on earth grew.

Day 4 – Road Trip!

Today we had our day trip to Stonehenge, Stourhead and Salisbury Cathedral. Today has been one of my favorite days so far since we got to see outside of the big city. The stones at Stonehenge were shorter than I expected, but nonetheless incredible. The tour guide mentioned that Christopher Wren lived nearby and that on the stones it looks like it says “I wren” and its theorized he may have frequented here as a child. Stourhead was absolutely beautiful. The fact that the landscape was all manmade is super interesting because it looks really authentic despite things being maybe a little too perfect. Lastly, Salisbury Cathedral was one I was looking forward to as a pre-law student. It is so cool to see one of the original copies od the Magna Carta since it’s such an important document that still influences the way the world operates today. I also found out that Salisbury Cathedral had the first all female choir. I did sketches at each location and truly enjoyed understanding each through pencil & paper.

Stonehenge sketch

Stourhead bridge

Plan of Salisbury Cathedral

Tracey Post 2

Salisbury Cathedral

At this point in the trip we have passed several cathedrals, but none quite like Salisbury cathedral. The ornate detail in each section of this gothic style cathedral was breathtaking. At Salisbury we also had the opportunity to see the Magna Carta. The extra buttressing that was added to the cathedral was easily identifiable and the bowing out of columns underneath the center helped to support this large weight. I enjoyed the town of Salisbury as well and the more vibrant colors of the town was a nice contrast to the darker interior and exterior of the church. I was also intrigued by the modern sculptures throughout the property of the church and am curious to know the reasoning behind placing these sculptures around the cathedral.

Carrick’s 2nd in city post

Visiting Salisbury Cathedral was truly a treat today. Though the journey got off to a rough start, and considering the present circumstances of the espionage retaliation between the UK and Russia that befell the town in the part few weeks, the cathedral itself offered a place of welcome and stability in the community. Specifically within the structure it was fascinating to see the continuous shades of materials, most identifiably the interchanging if the dark and light stone for the pylon bundles within the nave, most apparent inside the “quire.” These dark bundles serving for structural and aesthetic purposes did not differ in design, artistry, aesthetic image due to the rapid construction of the cathedral itself. This was almost impossible to believe considering other similar sized cathedrals construction dates incomparable ticthsy ofnSalisbury’s rapidity, and also the sheer size of the site. However, due to its presentation of interior and extortion design, the fluidity or structure and ornamentation gave warrant to the claim of rapid construction. For me this was my favorite point of the day because not only did I witness a remarkable achievement in engineeering, but also the fact that it’s impossible feats of design are physically displayed within the structure as proof of its success as a building.

St. Paul’s Sketches

Sketch of St Paul’s

St. Paul’s Layout

One the first things I noticed when I walked into St. Paul’s Cathedral was how my eyes were subconsciously drawn upwards to the dome. It seemed the whole design of the building was working in unison to draw visitors’ attention to Christopher Wren’s crowning achievement of the dome. I set out to sketch a section of the cathedral below the dome to explore how this affect was achieved. Each feature draws attention to the feature above it, causing the eye to be drawn up to the dome. At first, I was a bit overwhelmed by how much detail there was just in this small section. However, I soon realized that there many patterns repeating themselves over and over in different features. For  example, the two smaller arches on each side are flanked by two columns, with a band of repeating squares, or coffers, inside the arch. This same pattern is repeated in the large half dome that frames the mosaic depicting what I presumed to be the figures of Jesus and angels. Even though St. Paul’s is a Christian church, ancient Roman influences are evident in the use of columns, coffers, and even mosaics. I included my interpretation of the layout of St. Paul’s with an * marking my vantage point to give context to my sketch.

St. Paul (Day 1)

St. Paul’s Cathedral: Crypt Entrance(Sketch)

Going to Saint Paul’s cathedral was the perfect way to start off the trip. I enjoyed the building because that was the second time ever I had been inside a Catholic Church. Being an orthodox Christian I thought it was interesting to see how others practice Christianity and what their churches look like inside. I really like the inside because of how symmetrical it was in many places. As seen in my sketch I picked a very symmetrical wall right before the entrance to the crypt. The part that made my sketch difficult was the view. The view was a hybrid of a three point and two point perspective. I enjoyed sketching it because every time I looked up at I noticed a new detail. One thing I need to work on during the trip is my time management while doing a sketch.

Jaime’s Day One

I think my favorite place that we went on day one was St Paul’s cathedral. I have been in several large cathedrals in France, but St Paul’s was definitely my favorite. I think the white walls and the gold accents made the cathedral very bright and welcoming and just the huge scale of the structure was really amazing. The picture that I have included was from the top of the golden gallery. The view was incredible, but the see-through stairs on the way up were a little scary to walk on! One thing that I found to be really interesting is that even though the cathedral is a prominent religious building, to me, the priests seemed to be out of place. It felt like another tourist destination rather than a major religious structure. I am really glad we had the opportunity to go in St Paul’s and especially to the top and I wish we were allowed to take pictures, so I could remember all the details in the future!

View from Golden gallery of St Paul’s Cathedral

Post 1! – Emoree

Less than three days in London and I am still excited! We have seen so much in such a short amount of time and still have much more to go. Something that I noticed, and really enjoyed, was the 50/50 mix of modern and historical architecture. I’m not one to mix and match so distinctly, but the way this city has managed to accomplish this balance is beyond compare. For instance, with the church we visited today, we saw a Starbucks attached right under it. It’s amazing how well spun business was with religion, and how extremely ironic. On that same note; Saint Paul’s is another version of this mix. The fact that the crypt was now used as a store and cafe was frustratingly hilarious. Who knew what was to come of this spectacular place of worship back in its early stages of building?

Secrets of St. Paul’s

The first day in London brought us to the grand St. Paul’s Cathedral. As I was walking through and exploring the cathedral my intrigue was exploited when I got to the back of the apse. They had dedicated that area with a inscription to the American soldiers that lost their lives fighting in WWII. As an American, I was shocked that I didn’t know that our soldiers had this honor, especially with St. Paul’s being a very famous cathedral. It was really moving to find this and I decided to sketch the inscription so I would remember this secret about St. Paul’s as I look back on this experience.

The inscription at the back of the Apse

First Post in Country!

First day in London was so fun! My favorite part was St. Paul’s Cathedral. I thought the interior was beautiful and specifically enjoyed going up to the top. I was interested in the space between the two domes and was wondering what the structure system was before it was reinforced with modern systems.

I stopped to sketch at the whispering gallery and was surprised by the amount of people taking pictures, standing on benches, and standing right in front of students sketching. The guards were constantly telling people to not take pictures, yet people continued. I thought that was interesting because the guards weren’t enforcing it very harschly, and the visitors even though they knew it was not allowed, continued to take pictures.

Very excited for the rest of the trip!

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral Sketch

St. Paul’s Cathedral was one of the most beautiful buildings I had ever been. There were so many intricate details everywhere. I felt overloaded at times with all the detail. What stuck out to me right a way were the pair of crosses made in such a unique style. I could instantly read from the crosses that they were representing some kind of destruction. Upon further reading of the description, I learned the one I sketched was a way of commemorating World War I. I definitely thought this was something I’d want to sketch, but I wanted to think a bit beyond what I physically saw. This translated into the curved lines, seen coming from the projecting structured I interpreted as bombed buildings, as the fire and smoke that could be seen soon after the structure was bombed. I think the crosses themselves do not go with all the “old” of the cathedral, much like how war should not go with religion.

1st day in London!

Our first day in London has honestly been speechless, this city is truly monumental. As we started our Saturday morning, it was just amazing to walk through the streets of London and finally see and physically experience how beautiful this city is. Around noon we arrived to St. Paul’s Cathedral, which has been my #1 favorite spot throughout the trip. Just walking through the front entrance of the church was indescribable, just to think that many years ago important figures of England, like kings, walked through the same path was unbelievable. When I finally got inside my eyes didn’t know were to look because of all the details the church has. Beautiful paintings, a tremendous large space, and most important all the galleries it has inside. As I stood in the center of the church looking up towards the dome and James Thornhill’s painting, just made realized the time and effort it them to make all these details to perfection. It was truly a special moment to stand in the middle and look up for 5 minutes and understand how art and architecture are implemented in this church. Also not to forget all the stairs I had to go up, to get the best view of London (it was not fun going up the stairs but it was TOTALLY worth it). The picture below is my favorite picture of St. Paul’s Cathedral. As the sun goes down you get this beautiful side view of the church, a historical marker that still stands high and strong in the city of London. I’m 100% sure I’ll be back here before we go home!

View to St. Paul’s Cathedral from One New Change shopping center

St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral – 3/10/18

We visited St. Paul’s Cathedral on our first day in London. To the right is a sketch of the Quire seating leading to the baldacchino in the apse of the church. From this sketch, I began to understand how the baldacchino sits within the space of the church; it is incredibly tall compared to the rest of the furniture and is wide as well. The baldacchino sits within a domed space and could be understood as a figural object within a voided space, as well as a focal point for the church since the quire is leading up to it. The baldacchino itself also has a heavier presence near the top and a lighter presence at the ground level with more open space passing through.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Yesterday was day one in London. The day consisted of various things like passing out Oyster cards, visiting Building Centre, walking through the Museum of London, and more. One of the buildings I was most excited to see was St. Paul’s Cathedral; and, let me tell ya, it did not disappoint. The building itself was just beautiful. Also, the first thing I did after walking in was climb the countless flights of stairs to the whispering gallery, the stone gallery, and the golden gallery. It was really interesting to get to see St. Paul’s from the various levels. For example, taking a moment at the whispering gallery to pause and look down gave a new perspective of the space. The whole experience of climbing between the two domes and seeing the view was incredible – not to mention tiring. While I did love getting to sketch and explore the space, it saddens me a bit that a place that used to once be a place solely for religious purposes has now turned into a tourist attraction. I cannot comment on this much more because I do not know the logistics of it all, but this thought crossed my mind a few times while we were there. Overall, it was a wonderful first day!

St. Paul’s

In-Country Blog Posts (Day 1)

Our first day in London started the trip with a bang and did not disapoint. The sketches below I drew at St. Paul’s Catherdral. The first sketch was one of the main dome of St Cathedrals and the pendentives and arches that help support it. I ignored the ground mostly because up is honestly the best direction to look in this massive cathedral. The intricate details of the dome and arches was what I wanted to focus on and capture. The dome is what your eyes is drawn to. My second drawing actually wasn’t too far from my first one, it was maybe 30 feet away. I chose a different angle and captured  really interesting angle. The large window and dome behind the arch really caught my eye and I knew it was something I wanted to capture. All in all this site had incredible detail in every nook and cranny and reallys adds to the grand nature of St Paul’s. It makes you understand why the Brit’s tried so hard to protect it during WW2.

On somewhat of a separate note, Jean Nouvel’s mall across the street had an interesting design, it was clear to see it was built with St Paul’s in mind especially on the west entrance where you are provided with a great view of St Paul’s.

St. Paul’s Central Dome Sketch

St. Paul’s Cathedral Side Sketch

 

Rachel’s First Day

 

St. Paul’s Cathedral dome and nave

I chose to do this sketch of St. Paul’s Cathedral because I wanted to capture a moment that couldn’t be captured by a photo (partially because cameras weren’t allowed). Also, because of the height of the ceiling it would be impossible to capture the top of the dome as well as the floor in a single image. This sketch allowed me to examine the ways in which the floor, columns, and domes are all related – rather than looking at just the dome.

Details of St. Paul’s Cathedral

I also chose to sketch details found throughout the cathedral because while walking through, I noticed that even the simplest of items, such as the floor grates had an intricate amount of details to them. I think the combination of these many small details is what makes St. Paul’s such a breathe-taking piece of architecture.

It’s only the end of day 1 and part of me feels like I’ve been here for a few days because we’ve been so busy! The other part of me hasn’t even come to the realization that I’m actually in London!

Day One: Done

Me at Barbican Centre, my favorite part of the day.

I just got back to the hotel to unwind a little after a long day of walking around London. We stopped at the Building Center first, which displayed some new and ongoing projects that utilize modern engineering technology. Next we took a double decker bus to Barbican Centre. I thought that everything about Barbican Centere was incredible, especially the brutalist architecture style.

After Barbican, we took a break for lunch and to look at the Museum of London. Unfortunately I had to cut my time short at the museum, so I did not get to look at everything I wanted to see. Maybe I’ll go back when I have some more free time. Next, our group walked over to St. Paul’s Cathedral which was absolutely breathtaking. The most amazing part of the cathedral was the view from the top of the dome which required a grueling trek up many flights of stairs. One other aspect of the cathedral that had me in awe the entire time we were visiting was the attention to detail on all of the surfaces, such as near the altar or in the crypt. Overall, today was incredible to say the least. I’m exhausted after walking all day though I’m extremely excited to see what the rest of the trip us in store.