Lifelines that get me by

It is getting very close to the end of the year. We dont seem to know whether we are coming or going. But with just 5 weeks to go, morale is surprizingly high. I have finally stopped procrastinating over my 3ds and finally feel like i am working hard. It seems to have taken all year to come to a point where we can see our designs come into fruition. It is actually a really exciting time. The class comeraderie is high, with everyone sticking together and offering constant words of advise and encouragement.

Below are a few examples of what helps to keeps me sane throughout there year.

This is Jen and she is amazing. My ultimate lifeline for 2013

Here we pose while Matthew is our photographer

Its always fun when boys are the chaufers, but with Warren and Brendon at the front of the buckie and Jen and I holding on for dear life at the back - not so chivalrous

Food. Food ALWAYS helps. Especially when it looks pretty.

My dad is the ULTIMATE braai master :) Family braais make me happy.

Family is everything right now.

Music and Lyrics. 

Lying in the sun with my animals.

On my mind

Last night, I saw my best friend who is home from Cape Town, where she is currently learning how to become a chef and cook up a wide variety of tantalizing meals . Sometime within the conversation the topic of concious eating came up. And we both discussed how it was a shame that while being taught how to cook, they were not taught much beyond the particular subject at hand. Should we not pause to consider the fact that two quails were sacrificed for one meal, or a rabbit, only enough meat to feed two? Is it really necessary for us to be eating so much meat? Can we honestly justify our mass consumption of animals? And, if we are to cook and consume meat, should it not be a fundamental notion that we are to be educated on where the meat is coming from, and what kind of life that animal had? 

In Tokyo, one of the worlds  highly acclaimed sophisticated societies, cows are fed on nothing but grass and beer. This is said to produced the most delicious beef on the globe. It sounds pretty delicious, but at second thought (ashamedly not the first) I question, "is this right?" Is it okay that fundamentally we are disrupting the food chain for our own pleasure? 

In a world where our cows are fed corn, our chicken, fed by-products of processed beef and our fish fed ground-up chicken bones and feathers, the food chain has become disturbingly distorted. It poses the question; "should we really be surprised that cancer is rapidly growing in incidence?" In our current state of existence it is said that one in 5 persons are at risk of developing one or more strains of cancer.

At 4 Am in the morning, this is still a topic that irks me. What are we eating? And where has our respect for earth and nature gone? If it is said that a societys' sense of humanity is based according to how their animals are treated, can we call ourselves humane? What can we say about our society? Or perhaps we don't really care to give it a second thought. Because, I'm starting to wonder who cares anyway right?!  Perhaps, if only a sense of conciousness can be planted, and from a seed of thought, conciousness can only grow.

Thesis Layouts. Proposed

Putting my words into layouts in order to create an exciting read, has proved to be a laborious task. This is the vibe that I have come up with to date.

New Semester. Hit the Ground Running

Some Inspiration to get us Going

Rough Process Sketches

Much of my June Portfolio consisted of hand drawings. I have attached a few of my drawings below for one to view.

Sketch representation of Proposed Site

Propose Floor Plan

Sketch Representation of Proposed Entrance

Sketch Representation of Coffee Shop / Bakery

Sketch Representation of Coffee Shop / Bakery

Butchery Sketch Representation

3D Conceptualizing

Design starts with an idea and is developed through drawing.

Above is a diagrammatic representation of the seating arrangement of the dining space of Manna, The seating areas have been divided up according to the conceptual approach of 'PLANT,' 'GROW' and 'BLOSSOM.'

As 3 - dimensional manipulation unfolds, the 'PLANT,' 'GROW' and 'BLOSSOM' aspect will be incorporated within the space. 

The shape of the dining floor plan is inspired by that of the shape of wheat , as in essence bread comes from wheat, and Manna is an abstracted interpretation of bread, or 'divine nourishment.'

The 3-d manipulation of the 3 sections of the dining space will be inspired by the essence of either 'PLANT,' 'GROW,' or 'BLOSSOM' depending on the section under which they fall. 

For example the 'plant' section will be inspired by earth, grounding and humbling. The space will include heavy earthy textures and the atmosphere will be designed to allow for  introspection and  gratitude towards what is being served. 

Below is a graphic representation of the proposed bar area. The bar area falls within the 'BLOSSOM' section of the wheat shaped dining area.

The 'BLOSSOM' section of the space is a celebration of food and colour and the space has been designed to create the feeling of happiness and excitement. Also the space offers a lot of variety and the sense of movement. There will be a live performance stage to the left of the bar where music will be played. People will have the opportunity to dance or simply enjoy the ambient atmosphere from their dining position. 

The space is inspired and abstracted from the aspects of a blossoming flower, which offers life and natural beauty. Furthermore the 'blossoming droplets' that hang from above are inspired by the notion of Manna. 'Divine or spiritual nourishment from above.'

The space will make use of laser cut plywood so as to create a uniform appearance that links with that of the  ear of corn inspired form that is to flow throughout the interior space. Colourful mismatched tiles will be used on the floor creating an exciting vibrant feel. The bulkhead overhead ill too be laser-cut plywood. There will be an opening in the ceiling where natural lighting can filter through in to the space through means of the glass roof that replaces the original corrugated sheeting.

Above is an example of the manna lights that i would like to fill the ceiling space within the 'BLOSSOM' area. Furthermore, the lights serve as a possible choice for product design which we are to look into come next semester.

Thats all for today X