Author: Blake Bordner

Back to the Future: Part IV

Ahhh, London…

The land of contemporary and historical treasures that seamlessly transition back and forth. It has almost been two weeks back in the U.S. and I still keep thinking about the robot lawn mower we saw working in the mote, which had just been patched with sod. How crazy to think that what used to be a mote and operated by people hundreds of years ago was now a field of sod being mowed by a ROBOT. Thats crazy! There was a post Catherine made during the trip about London’s historical landmarks, specifically Westminster, and their willingness to change. Much like Westminster, Tower of London was appearing to do the same thing. Only, it stuck out more like a sore thumb as opposed to that “seamless transition”, all because of a robot. I actually found it quite interesting, weird that of all things this is something that grabbed my attention, considering everything we experienced. But, it got me to ask myself questions that I otherwise would have looked over. What would this place look like in 10 years? 30 years? Will there be an army of robot lawn mowers, mowing other historical sites? Will they have robots that are constantly cleaning the exterior of the buildings? How will these advances in technology change the way we perceive these places? As technology advances, one would have to assume it will be more and more challenging for technology and historical architecture to maintain one collective image. But, that may very well be the point of having this “willingness to change” is that it is not to uphold a certain image, but have one that is constantly mimicking current times and technologies. None the less, this has been a very strong thought of mine since returning home of what these places will look like further into the future and how that experience will differ from what we experienced.

Quite literally looking into the future from Tower Hill

Robot lawn mower sitting at docking station. Waiting for its 9-5 shift.

Go Robo

 

On a more general note, I am glad we still had the opportunity of finishing strong on this trip and I appreciate all the hard work that I am sure went into trying to stay on track as much as possible. We got to see a wide range of projects, stare at the most crazy detailed ceilings I have ever seen in my life, stand at the top of the highest views all around London, wander through breathtaking landscapes, try some amazing food, and of course build bonds with new friends. I know I speak for everyone when I say this is a trip we will all remember for the rest of our lives and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to travel with. There was no other way I would have wanted to end my time here at OSU than with this study abroad and for that, I owe you all the BIGGEST THANKS!

Sincerely,

The man who led 9 students down the wrong tube stop.

Moss Overload

I feel like visiting Stourhead is a right of passage for us landscape architects. It is a truly unique example of life imitating art and of course an overall breath taking view from all angles. Being me, I always tend to gravitate towards the smaller things that make up the larger whole and at Stourhead, there was no shortage of moss covering the different fabrics of the landscape. The bright green clumps, once food for dinosaurs, has now canvased these damp and shady environments on a massively intriguing scale.

Tree base at Stourhead covered in Stegosaurus food.

On almost every tree, you could see the army of bright green soldiers slowly leeching its way over the knees and up the base. Pushing your hands down onto it and feeling the soft complexion of what lies at the surface and below is like pushing on a pillow. The moss makes all the difference in that it is a high contrast addition to what inhabits its surroundings.

Oculus inside the grotto at Stourhead.

Small Moss Covered Grottos

Stairs leading through small moss covered grottos

Larger grotto covered in moss with a bench.

Rocks, they are already a cool rustic structural part of Stourhead. Used to form all of the grottos and cave like formations, which in return create these microclimates perfect for sustaining our little green friend. The moss all over these rocks are in combination with other creeping ground cover species that only add more detail to the contrast between the stone and the moss, now there are darker green plants to further establish the explicit call out of the moss.

One of many signs at Stourhead making sure we take care of ourselves.

It’s the Little Things

The first couple of days in London have been some spectacular ones. Seeing St. Pauls Cathedral through photos certainly did not do it justice. It was really the first time I have experienced the sublime architecture feeling, and with such close attention to detail in every aspect of the design. There was so many things that attracted my attention, it was difficult to keep my head still. But, in the end there were those small instances where my eyes were drawn to these particular details within the large volume of space that seemed so small in comparison to the whole but just as beautiful.

Wooden spiral column hidden behind altar.

I will never forget having to practically sprint up the stairs to get to the top of St. Pauls or how sore I was the next day. But, I will also never forget the views and the small spaces you pass through to get there. It was truly a unique experience getting to walk between the domes and shooting through to these large open spaces with generous views of the city below.

Spiral staircase leading to the top of St. Pauls.

Small window letting some light through on the way back down from the top of St. Pauls.

I enjoy getting to see these small interworking’s and think about why they were put there, what purpose they served, or what was there before it, etc. Because these are the things we often over look but it is still a cog in the machine and should be getting the same recognition and admiration. I say this because it is surprising to think in general that a detail so small would matter to a structure that’s monumentally large.

Looking towards Wrens sneakily fake facade.

Blake Bordner Pre-Departure

Hello All,

 

First off, I want to start by saying I am very excited to get to experience this study abroad with all of you. It is quite literally icing on the cake for me as a graduating senior. I originally scheduled for this abroad trip because I have not taken an architecture class since I took 2300 with Aimee and I have always had interests on both sides of the fence with a little less of a technical background on the subject of architecture. So, my visit to London is more of an experience I am hoping will make me ask myself questions on how the merging of green spaces and architecture are successful in a heavily urbanized city. Everywhere we go, cities are growing and the demand for green space has taken flight. It is interesting to see the mechanics of how these spaces function in relation to its context and what makes them desirable to inhabit. One good example in London I am mostly excited to explore is Regents Street and the system of green spaces leading to and from the park. I have seen systems like this in New York and Philadelphia, but it will be even more exciting to see them across the pond and be able to compare different styles or methods that aim to accommodate the general public.

Blake Bordner’s Bio

Hello,

my name is Blake Bordner. I am a senior in landscape architecture here at OSU, born and raised here in Columbus. My first job in high school was landscaping and I stuck with it for about 5 years until I decided I wanted to be apart of the landscaping community professionally. So began my career here at OSU and, to this day, I have not regretted it one bit. With arch/larch, there are endless opportunities to be sought out and the ambiguity as to what you can do with this knowledge is one of the factors that makes the profession very unique and exciting.

I have had some travel outside of the US in Cabo San Lucas, Portugal, Switzerland, and Italy. As you can imagine, they all varied in different ways in regards to the architecture and, in most cases, you could see the problems engineers tried to solve to allow these places to adhere to the earths natural form and combat the forces of nature. I am excited for the London trip because I know it is a culturally rich landmark and mixes contemporary or growing movements with historical architecture. You can physically see a piece of architecture that’s hundreds of years old, turn around, and look at something that was built 5 years ago and it’s a seamless transition, almost sublime. So I know, for me, that is one of the things I am most excited to see. But also, it is nice to immerse yourself in new cultures and catch the atmosphere changing, even in the mundane activities you perform normally here in the US feel exciting when you experience it differently.

A big leaf.