Death

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Blog ressurection

I plan to bring this blog back to life, kicking and screaming. I'm up to lots at the moment so there's plenty to write on.

For lack of a better phrase, I plan to be a lot less 'wanky' this time around. I plan to write about issues and developments with projects, real and theoretical, that I am involved in, keeping the procrastination and editorialising to a minimum (although not eradicating it completely).

Reading some of my previous posts I feel my anus tightening. I was afronted and confused on my year out. I was out in the big bad world and feeling like an imposter. Now I feel a lot more comfortable in my own skin. I know what I want to do, I know how I want to do it and by God I'm doing it. Maybe I always knew what I wanted to do, I just didn't know how to go about getting it done. But now all these opportunities are falling into my lap and I'm starting to realise that I just need to grab them with both hands.

Fuck it, lets get it done. Keep an eye...

Possible new tattoo...opinions please

Well, this is it. A little bit more adventurous (bigger, more complicated, more painful) than the last one, but with a bit more meaning. Some of you may recognise it, but for the non-architecture geeks out there, it is a plan of Daniel Libeskind's Jewish museum in Berlin. The most powerful and moving building I have ever encountered.

I feel the need to try and commemorate this building and the emotions it inspired in me as I would consider it to be one of the pivotal moments in my life in architecture. The memory of this and the mere idea that buildings like this exist, and not just on paper, is what has encouraged me to continue on the path I'm on. In my last post I'm sure you can detect a dejection and disillusionment. Buildings like the Jewish Museum allow me to continue.

The question is, is it tattoo-able?

I have included an image of the actual museum below, so you can have an idea of what exactly this is...

"The Empire jazz night is shite"...and the train of thought that followed this revelation

First and foremost I wish to make clear the fact that I do not think the Empire jazz night is shite, although I can understand how the title of this post could lead some of you to believe this. This was just my initial reaction. I now understand that my only problem with the Empire jazz night is the fact that it isn't jazz. Far from being a jazz afficianado, I do know that I never heard a note perfect cover of 'Hey Ya' by Outkast in the Aalto jazz cafe in Amsterdam or the B Flat club in Berlin, but I did in the Empire. I did however have a good ol' night there and I don't want to discourage anyone from going...just don't expect much jazz (don't get mad at me Christine!).

That said, there were similar people in all these clubs. People wearing turtle necks and scarves sitting with their eyes closed, heads bobbing maniacally to the beat. To those people in the Empire 'Roxanne' by the Police is as much part of the jazz genre as an improvised vocal drum solo in B Flat. This led me to apply these same ideas to Architecture in Northern Ireland. Being out in the everyday working world is helping me realise a few things about the local profession, and as good old Royal pointed out, not all of them can be blamed on the small minded planners or the troubles, but lets save that discussion for another time and place.

The Empire experience got me thinking about artistic integrity, and in particular, my own artistic integrity (as pretentious and narcissistic as that sounds). I often find myself in a dilemma, stuck between doing what I feel is right and doing what other people feel is right. I feel like I am still not totally contented in my position as an Architect, basically because I have not decided what sort of Architect I want to be. Should I follow the stereotype of an Architect as a suited, slightly smarmy, businessman raking the money in or go with how the University of Ulster taught me, that is the 'barefoot architect.' The artistic designer who goes against the flow to go with their gut, regardless of their popularity.

Either way has it's pitfalls, one leads to arrogance, stupidity and the other leads to struggle and possible pretentiousness. Those who know me will know exactly which one I want to go for, but I struggle to find this path at times. I find myself being eager to please (rather like the jazz musicians in the Empire), the antithesis of the creative route. I find myself trying to please people and fooling myself into believing that this is an affirmation that I am following the route I wish to take. I realise in hindsight, however, that I have been trying to please the wrong people.




...or maybe I am just falling in the pretentious trap...

The pointless post of mystery...

I feel the need to keep some things secret. Revealing what needs to be revealed whenever it becomes relevant to reveal it. Things happen, concerning certain individuals, that are pretty unacceptable, whether they intend it or not, and if the full meaning of what they were doing were to be revealed would not be fully understood, so for the time being is best not told.

It annoys me not putting this stuff into words, because the major things that I have experienced and then not put into words somehow feel wasted, as though I have not learned anything from them. To vocalise my experiences centres my thoughts and allows me to understand them, perhaps something more personal is needed, as not all thoughts are intended for a public realm, even one as personal as this.

Lets see what happens!

This is a post I wrote a couple of months ago when I'd had a couple of pints and then decided against posting it. Recently, some things have happened that have brought the situation discussed in this post to a head. I'm still not going to reveal anything about it because I think it would be pretty humiliating to the party involved, and whether they deserve or not, I'm going to preserve the dignity for now. Saying that, those who need to know already know and if you ask me about it and I feel like talking I'll probably tell you about it.

I know this is a pretty pointless post, but I feel compelled to discuss things and vocalise them, as I said above. I apologise for being so clandestine, but needs must!

Unapologetic ... And Part 1 of a graphic novel saga

I'm not even going to bother apologising for or attempting to excuse the lack of posts recently. The fact is, for good or ill I haven't posted in yet another month and I don't really want to write another sniveling apologetic post citing a load of bullshit reasons as to why I haven't. Waste of words, time and intelligence, both mine and yours. So lets just get into something interesting, to me anyways. Here goes...

My brother came up with the idea for this post and I really liked the idea of it. I've been a big comic book fan for a long time, and with me being slightly geeky, my interest has prevailed much longer than it should have. The comic book is often written off as being childish or nerdy (a stereotype I fell into in my last sentence, but hey, it's easily done) that is somehow inferior to other media such as books or film. It is, however, just a different type of media. If anyone says they don't like comic books it is as nonsensical as saying 'I don't like music.' It is due to this popular opinion that the comic intended for an adult audience has been renamed the 'Graphic Novel.'

'From Hell' by Alan Moore is a good place to start as it seems to be the antonym to the popular opinion of what a graphic novel is. A huge amount of work must have went into this expansive volume detailing the crimes of Jack the Ripper and putting forward one of the more popular theories on who exactly he was.

The grimy, unrefined and monochrome artwork (see above, lets hope I don't get sued!) combine with the intricately researched details of the crimes and their context to create an incredibly uneasy feeling which must surely be reminiscent of the feeling in the increasingly globalised and media-savvy London in the grips of ripper hysteria. Like much of Alan Moore's work 'From Hell' by no means reads as a story or even as entertainment, but rather as a factual documentary about the ripper mixed with a dark and poignant social commentary. Moore himself has said that 'From Hell' is less about who the ripper was and much more about the social climate that produced him and the effect he has had on the rest of the 20th century (and by the way, avoid the film at all costs, it bears a passing resemblance to the book except they removed all substance and meaning and didn't even bother to make it entertaining).

One of Moore's more accessible creations is 'V for Vendetta' (also turned into a film, this one worth seeing). This is much more of an entertaining story than 'From Hell' and certainly much easier to read. While the artwork is not the best I've ever seen, the visuals can be quite cinematic, and the main character design is very striking. He wears a long black cloak, a wide brimmed hat and a smiling Guy Fawkes mask ('Remember, remember the 5th of November, the gunpowder treason and plot. I can think of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot').

The main protagonist goes by the name V, or Vincent, and is cut from the same cloth as most of the tortured superheroes found in comic books all the time. He has a troubled past, a secret identity and runs around wearing a cape and a mask. This, however, is where the similarities with 'V's' peers ends. V is a killer, living outside society and intent on destroying as much as he can. V performs various acts of terrorism (such as blowing up the Old Bailey and killing various political figures) which seems both extreme and justified. The reader is never lead towards one particular opinion of V, but rather left to make up their own mind. Hero, villain, freedom fighter or terrorist.

Maybe I should explain it better. V for Vendetta is set in an imaginary (but not hard to imagine) Britain in the aftermath of a nuclear war. After society crumbled a far right political group seized power, removed the 'undesirable' elements from society and currently rules it's populace with an iron fist. V is an escapee from Larkhill 'resettlement' camp bent on vengeance. As the story progresses it emerges that V isn't merely intent on destroying the individuals who wronged him, but the society itself.

Although written amid the political atmosphere of Thatcherite Britain, V for Vendetta still resonates strongly in today's context. The underlying message is not so much the importance of personal freedom, but rather the importance of fighting for your own freedom and, rather controversially, securing it by any means. V for Vendetta is a 'comic book' that surpasses all genre imposed expectations, set in a believable context and posing some poignant and relevant questions about the basis of our society, democracy itself.

This post has become considerably longer than I originally intended, so I'll split it in two. I've still got a couple more to talk about, but I'll leave that post til next week sometime. Now go read some comics...

Blog silence broken...Uncle Andy...Self harm...And going to get 'em

First of all, apologies for not posting over the past month and a half. And also, apologies for the complete lack of Whiny Maas coverage. It's been an busy month full of fresh experiences, some bad some good, all resulting in massive fatigue.

First of all, I am now an uncle! Lisa, my brother Stephen's wife, gave birth on the 17th of November. The newest addition to the family is called Caitlin Sloveig Molloy-Lynch. Rather agonisingly, they live in Menlo Park just outside San Francisco so the only contact so far has been through photographs and a couple of Skype video conversations, but hopefully I'll get over sometime soon. Congratulations to Stephen and Lisa!

In other news, I got this burnt onto my arm. Having always had the thought of getting a tattoo swimming around inside my head for the past 2 or 3 years I went and bit the bullet. For those not in the know, it is the Red Eye of the Crimson King from Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Beyond that and the fact I like it as a design it has no real deep meaning, a fact which has caused awkwardness at times.

When you reveal a new tattoo to people you know well the first thing they ask, with few exceptions, is 'What is it/What does it mean?' which is a perfectly natural question to ask. But when I explain what it is it all seems a trifle silly. When it comes down to it though, its a hell of a lot more personal than a random tribal design, lotus flower or flaming skull logo picked off a wall of a studio. It's something I chose and thought about for a considerable length of time, and a month in the healing process if finished and I'm feeling no regrets. I'm already planning a second... although I think I'll stop short of a full sleeve!

Work is going pretty well. I really get the impression my employers are pushing me and going out of their way to make sure I'm learning new things and gaining the experience they think is important to make me a good Architect. Real practical experience with things that sound bland (fire regulations and drainage being the big two so far) yet I'm finding them interesting and I know they are a great thing for an Architect to know.

The thing that worries me, however, is a lack of involvement in the more exciting aspects of the profession. This is not for the seemingly obvious reason of being under-stimulated (in fact the opposite is true!), but rather the more pedestrian reason of not having anything substantial to put into my portfolio to get back into uni next year. The thing that excites architecture lecturers is meaty design based work that pushes a boundary or two, but to tell you the truth I think I'm benefiting more from practical experience, the much debated topic of coming 'down to earth.'

Maybe it's a bad idea for me to get home and simply sit and twiddle my thumbs when I get home from work.

Maybe I need to keep up the university level of involvement, total saturation. Although that does start to burn after a while.

It's up to me to go get what I want I suppose, go and get 'em. I guess I'm not totally sure what I want or who to go get at the moment...

Plagiarism...passable if done well

I'm posting this for the benefit of any Belfast ex-pats who visit this blog (and there is at least one). You'll probably have the same initial reaction as the rest of us, being 'What the fuck!?'


I'm no totally sure what I think of this so far. It's obviously a blatant and shameless rip off and the idea is kind of laughable, but I do have to admit that standing at the mouth of Royal Avenue and gazing upward at this mind-boggling piece of engineering, you can't help but be impressed (I can only hope that my photos convey this).


And even though the name is crap (yes, the official name is actually called the 'Belfast Wheel'), I think this is an excellent example of a poor idea being salvaged by great execution.

MVRDV and the possibility of entering a more public realm

As a sneak peak of of next week's lecture by Winy Maas of MVRDV I thought I would share this with you, an excellent example of MVRDV's work that showcases their ingenuity (don't worry, there's very little writing and a lot of pretty pictures)

Gemini Residence - MVRDV

The project utilizes two disused seed silos, using the existing structures as circulation for apartments that are literally clipped onto their exterior. The developers tearing down valuable Victorian detached houses on the Newtownards Road and replacing them with inadequate luxury 'villas' could learn a lot from this. Even the most undesirable construction can be turned into something beautiful, let alone things that are perfectly fit for purpose in the first place. But let's not start ranting now, eh? We've already been there.

I am planning on writing a report on Maas' lecture with a view to possibly getting it published in some local Architecture Journal..but lets not get too excited yet. I just need to get my foot in the door! But regardless of what happens, I'll post whatever I come up with on this blog.

I'll keep you posted.

Confidence and the facelessness of the internet...an identity crisis

Today I found out that my brother-in-law Nigel seems to think that I come across differently on this blog as I do in person, namely that I'm more confident online. This has caused me a little bit of concern, as I really try to talk from the heart on this thing, but am I being honest?

I remember a couple of months ago, before this blog was created I left a lengthy comment on Micah's blog (something to do with local politics I think) which caused Peter, a friend from uni, to remark that when anything is being discussed I tend to sit back and listen, not saying a thing, when the comment I left proved that I have strong views and opinions on such things.

Why is this? Am I merely posturing as a bit of a loud-mouth, pretending to be far more assertive than I really am?

It must be due to the facelessness of the internet, the lack of immediate, real time reaction creating a sense of security, even though I have no reason to feel insecure in expressing my opinions among friends. After all, the very same people I would be expressing this stuff to read this blog and I often get a face to face reaction from it.

What's bothering me, however, is am I being fake, a big fat phoney? Or is it OK to have this dual personality? Could I possibly force this more confident side into my everyday life, or does this personality only exist in a virtual form? Or maybe none of this matters, the blog is more for myself than anyone else after all, a place for me to vent, albeit in a semi-public way.

When I started writing this post I hoped to reach some sort of conclusions, but none have presented themselves ...