I begin dreaming sometime in the very early morning hours about our design and getting back to work on it. Eventually, I open my eyes to find it is light outside and I might as well make this dream a reality. The clock says 5:23, and I know that dozing until the 6:00 alarm will only make me more tired. I gather up my computer and papers and sneak out of the room and down to the cafeteria to set up shop for the morning crunch time. I am feeling loads of pressure, knowing that all the other teams finished their projects before going to bed last night.
Jesse joins me at 6:00, Paul at 6:30 and Keith around 7. Since we have no internet here, we send Keith to a coffee shop with a list of things to research for our presentation. Paul finishes his sketching and watercolors them beautifully. Jesse finishes his diagram and photographs all of our process sketches and Paul's final images. I finalize the site plan and render it in Photoshop. Keith returns around 8:00 all riled up about us not being finished with the project and not feeling needed in the group. He comes from an environmental science undergrad, seeking a master's degree in architecture, and does not know the design process or software that we use to make presentations. He has superior research skills; however, and we tell him often that we appreciate that skill in our group. We decide the stress is getting to him, and when he storms off we give him time to cool down. Jesse, the natural team mediator, goes looking for him and eventually we are able to pull together a presentation and practice it while hurriedly eating breakfast and taking turns with shower breaks.
Then, we power walk to the Building Centre where the presentations will take place. We draw our position out of a hat and are the second group to present. Then, we sit back to wait for our audience to arrive. The CAT group walks in with their genuine smiles and happy hellos, and I am so glad to see them! Such loveable people they are. They are in town for their own touring and design projects, and Bruce had arranged for them to come see our work.
Our presentation goes fairly smooth, despite our lack of good sleep and hurried preparation. We are questioned about the structure and how it resists uplift from wind, and realize not everyone has the same idea about how detailed the results of a conceptual 24-hour design charrette should be. The other groups present really great graphics and ideas, and it's incredible to see how different the designs are when we all had the exact same design prompt!
After presentations, we check out the displays here at the Building Centre. The current theme is about the history of planning and design in London and there is a huge model of the city with each building accurately made in 3D.
We see where the Olymipcs will take place in 2012:
and, where we've been staying in London!
Then, we go for lunch at the Spaghetti Factory with our Wales buddies, and then split to rest up before we meet again for dinner this evening. Satara and I think naps sound wonderful, but decide to meander back to Passfield with possible detours on the way. We realize this is our last chance to see the British Museum, which is kinda on the way, so we stop by.
From the outside, it looks like a pretty typical building of its era, but as you walk in, the experience is truly awesome. I look around and see the strangers entering around us experiencing the same thing. We slow our walks and collectively look up. The courtyard space is covered with a complex glazing system in which each of the triangles is slightly different. Stairs, doorways, and overhead walkways entice you to spend your afternoon exploring this amazing place. A must see if you visit.
On our way home from the museum, we pass by the Tavistok Hotel for the last time. This has been a popular place for members of our group to use internet, although I didn't have as much luck and actually got kicked out by a security guard. I guess I didn't look like I belonged there!
Once back in our room, we manage to nap for almost an hour before getting ready for dinner at Istanbul, a Turkish restaurant if you couldn't guess by the name. The entire lower level of the restaurant is reserved for our combined group of Wales and Idaho students, and luckily there is one seat left at the table with my favorite people! The room is really warm and dimly lit, so I am happy to have lively conversation all around to keep me alert. At one end of my table, serious conversations range from the environment, to true beauty, to the differences between men and women. At the other end, the conversations bounce quickly from the 'sticker game', to a plan to be undercover designers, to talk of more partying after dinner. The contrast keeps me very entertained during the hour-and-a-half wait for our food. I enjoy trying a variety of new things in my hot meze salad, and the meal is light enough to allow for baklava afterward! Yummm...
Some of the Idaho group decides sleep sounds good right now, and Satara joins them for the walk back to Passfield. Since she did not go to Wales, these people are strangers to her and we've all had a long two days of schooling. The rest of us walk cheerfully along the London sidewalks, looking for our next stop. The pub we choose looks small from the outside, but once inside it opens up into multiple rooms and even an upstairs area! The design is really neat, allowing groups to take over rooms without taking over the whole place, and I am amused by the decor. The room we are in is designed to look like a library and parlor from the Victorian era - as far as I can tell. We settle into chairs and sofas, and let the performers of the group entertain us with stories and such.
It isn't long before Pat looks up on the shelf above his head and notices a handful of thin red novels from decades ago. He pulls a few down and Sam joins him in a game of alternating reading a word or sentence from the same page number of whatever book they hold to make up a new story. The idea is contagious, and soon more books are passed around and we each have one to randomly open to a page and read a sentence or two that corresponds to whatever the last person just read. We are very easily entertained, you might say, and laugh away a good hour or more reading old scandalous novels around the circle.
It's a very sad time when we must bid our friends goodbye, so they can catch the last tube back to their lodging. Good times...
For our last full day in the UK, Bruce has scheduled us for a day at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He says we can easily spend an entire day here, and while others in the group grumble at the thought, Satara and I think it sounds perfect! If you want to know all about Kew Gardens, you can visit their website: http://www.kew.org/
Outside, they've categorized the grounds around the glass house into plants for health, plants for food, and plants for clothing. It's a beautiful educational display!
Inside, the areas are divided up by region, and plants of the palm variety fill the entire space!
And, in the basement we get to swim with the plankton:
The Alpine House (and Princess of Wales Conservatory beyond):
Satara and I duck inside the uniquely-shaped Alpine House as the clouds open up for a massive downpour. Lucky for us, this also means the sun has disappeared behind the black clouds and we get to see the automatic sunshade sails operate as they collapse out of sight. Bruce has been here three times and still has not seen them in action!
The Princess of Wales Conservatory is a great place to explore. This glass house is divided into very distinct rooms with VERY different climates. I am constantly shedding/adding layers as we meander along the walkways from zone to zone.
Next door is the little Lily House where the most gigantic lily pads I have ever seen live. Bruce says they are strong enough that I could sit on one and not sink! Maybe he is pulling my leg, but I am still amazed by them...
The Temperate House:
This glass house is divided up into continents and features some pretty exotic plants from each one. The entire house is pretty much open to the outside air at this time of day/year, and the plants seem to love it!
Spiral staircases at either end of each continent allow us to go up and walk at the canopy level of these mature plants. It's very cool to have the different perspective!
Outside the glass houses, the grounds stretch on for acres and there is plenty more to see!
...and up at the treetops!
The "wildlife" here have attitudes...
...and the flowers are absolutely stunning!
Can you imagine living here in Kew Palace and have all of this in your backyard?!
But, Idaho is calling my name and tomorrow I will board the plane for home sweet home, taking my memories with me.
