"Harry, no! Don't look at the light!" "I can't help it. It's so beautiful..."

[pez]

THIS. I wouldn't say I hate architects, having only worked with them on limited occasions, lived with a few, friends with some and also having them in the family, but yes. This. Not necesarily about them being failed people, but valid points have been made. It's once again back to the "people who have big ideas but little clue on how to make it real", except these people have client backing and are far too self-important, they force their designs onto other people to make real, and rarely listen to those people's feedbacks and suggestions. Then, if the final design works, architects get the glory. If it falls down, engineers get the shit. We've heard of "architectural value" and how a building may represent a certain type of architecture and therefore mustn't be pulled down. Ever heard of the equivalent for engineering?

And don't get me started on their lack of sustainability awareness. Sure, loads of them are going for exams and qualifications now, but it's merely a decoration on their business cards. Too many of them actually care fuck-all about sustainability. Or cost, for that matter (surely it's down to the engineers to minimise the cost!) Or physics (most architecture students, particularly those from UCL, would know what I'm talking about.)

...........................Wow, that got me started, didn't it.

In TLR, I finished the War of the Nest of Eagles last night, which means I can start writeup of part 6. Will be making the third warriors_honor post tonight. I'm losing a bit of steam with it, tbh since although I know there are only two posts so far and people are busy etc, of all 11 people who registered interest only 2 bothered to comment to show that they're following. That's really rather sad. Should have known not to make a poll; the ticky boxes are just too attractive to ignore. Whether they actually meant it by clicking an option is a completely different matter. I will keep posting and finish the story, but I think I've learned my lesson.

In other news, I've started read The Lies of Locke Lamora this morning. So far it's very interesting.

Comments

[giving-ground.livejournal.com]

I are sorry for my comment-fail, you may spank me if you wish? I didn't pay much attention since those are the bits I've actually seen in such a way that most of it stuck, whereas lots later on is more hazy. XD

I would say HAH, WHEN HAS UCL EVER BEEN CONCERNED WITH REALITY, except I guess my department actually was so that might be unfair to them. If not to the rest of the university. XD

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

Well I know why you don't comment - you've seen most of it before. XD So that's okay. (edit: yo, internet, read this. I've been giving permission to spank Liz! \o/)

Bartlett (UCL's architecture school) is particularly... particular, though, in that particular way. They /actively encourage/ students to design without concern for reality. Absolute trufax: if you present a design of an elevated city above the current one, they won't ask you how that's possibly going to exist. Instead, they ask you about the lighting, and the shadows your city might cast on the one below. You are also totally welcome to design things assuming people can teleport.

The sad thing is, Bartlett is Highly Rated in official tables, I think it's been at the top for many years. Even sadder fact: even some architecture companies refuse to employ Barlett graduates - that's how far they've detached themselves from reality.

[giving-ground.livejournal.com]

(The internet probably thinks you've had this permission for ages and is now wondering why this is a big deal. :D)

Wow. WHILE MY DEPARTMENT MADE US COME UP WITH PLANS FOR EXCAVATION THAT WOULD DO THE MOST STUFF IN THE LEAST TIME FOR A REASONABLE FIGURE WHILE TRYING TO AVOID PISSING OFF BUILDING CONTRACTORS OH MY GOD WHY DIDN'T WE GET TO ASSUME THAT THE JCBS COULD TELEPORT? I FEEL SO PUT-UPON BY THESE PESKY CONSTRAINTS OF REALITY.

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

ThThe internet misunderstands. I never had the permission before, I just assumed that I could. :D

BARTLETT STUDENTS MUST BE FANS OF PRINCE OF TENNIS. NEITHER CARE ABOUT PHYSICS.

I also know Bartlett students who realised how useless their studies were in the world of work when they're thrown into reality and suddenly realised that everybody else could use CAD whereas Bartlett never emphasised for them to learn. And other people know stuff they never knew they had to know.

Also, a Bartlett graduate I know has parents who are both architects and have their own company. And the parents very firmly said they wouldn't employ UCL people - even their own son. XD

I want to drive a JCB. D:

(I am wondering about the health and safety regulations surrounding archaeological excavations. Oh, me. orz)

[giving-ground.livejournal.com]

XD

Aww, so many levels of fail. Cute.

(Err. The brief version is, Yes, Lots. XD I did have old copies of regs and stuff, but hell if I know where they are these days. It sort of ceased to be relevant to me since I haven't done fieldwork in so long. >_> But it gets pretty insane since, you know, sometimes digs go on actually as the buildings are constructed, especially in places like London... they get the frame of the building in and then they start hanging the floors from the top down and the archaeologists keep working underneath, with increasing levels of artificial lighting. PITY THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO DO THE RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR THOSE ONES. X_x)

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

(And if excavation goes on as construction work takes place, then you get another whole set of regulations to worry about on top of whatever regulation you already need to adhere to. Joy.)

[giving-ground.livejournal.com]

(Yes! :D The regulations do tend to be quite similar for archaeology and construction, though, actually. A lot of the same working-with-heavy-machinery stuff and shoring-exists-for-a-reason-plz-use-it stuff. XD)

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

XD I'm thinking about the Construction (Design and Management) 2007 Regulations, better known as CDM or the-thing-that's-eating-Pez's-life. The actual risk assessments etc (ie the parts that really matter) will be similar, but the other things like notifying the HSE, producing pre-construction information etc..... oh much fun. OTZ The archaeologists will likely work as sub-contractors though, so they hardly have to worry about as many things as the principal constractors (and the CDM coordinator ;;) do. Most likely all they need to do is complete the risk assessments properly and prove their own H&S records.

.................WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

[firescribble.livejournal.com]

Hi. I have my internet back so I'll be sure to check out warriors_honor. I need to finish Read Seas Under Read Skies first or Liz will kill me. Or explode.

[giving-ground.livejournal.com]

Explode. It'll only kill you if you happen to be within the blast radius. But I'm sure otherwise it'll make you VERY SORRY, and I shall have Pez send you the clean-up bill. ♥

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

I CANNOT SEND BILLS. I HAVE NO FINANCIAL CONTROL OVER ANYTHING. CLEARLY I HAVEN'T SLEPT WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO GIVE ME THAT POWER.

[yuki-scorpio.livejournal.com]

.........What Liz said. orz

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

In short, engineers > architects? What is the point of an architect, really.