Mastering the Waves
Lessons from the Master Venetian boatmakers

The research explores a single Gondola, and how it is possible to boat all day and not break into a sweat, despite boating the weight of a Jaguar saloon car, all day. The Venetian mastering of the waves, allowed a trading empire with Alexandria to the Hanseatic League.

A Venetian boatmaker comes from an inherited tradition that crosses, mathematics, engineering, naval architecture and craftsmanship. There were significantly no drawings, to build the smaller boats, and often the master boatmaker was not "literate" in the way we understand it today, but they were able to build highly complex, and engineered human powered vehicles. As an example a boat could trade there was through a variety of sea conditions, e.g. trading from Venice to Rotterdam, a two manned boat, could carry goods to and from the great trading posts.

It is said that it is easier to build a Gondola than it is to draw one! This research explores the challenge of this paradigm, and possible lessons for the design / engineering / manufacturing industry of today. The research explores, the technology, the proportionate systems, the technique of communication, form and geometry .

Learning from Medieval Architecture
An exploration of Medieval Architecture

From Lahore, London, Jaipur, Palma, Cesky Krumlov, using examples of travels undertaken by the author, a brief exploration of the significance of medieval architecture and deriving lessons for a modern architecture. The essay loosely explores the environmental, economic and social lessons learnt from evolutionary architecture and its significance for future "masterplanning" strategies.

Strategies of Approximation and Strategies of Speculation
Ways of Resolution using approximation logic

A few years ago, a Brazilian Mathematics professor, significantly noted that street children in Rio, were able to undertake very complex mathematical calculations, despite being very young and "illiterate". She studied the children and the immensely complex calculations, for example, "If you bought 9 goods worth 37units, would you be able to make enough money to divide amongst 7 people, with you having 50% more than your team mates, is this a good deal, as compared to......" etc., the dynamic s of making sure that you understand mathematics is a matter of survival.

The study of these children revealed, complex calculations are processed through a series of "approximations", so 9 is less than 10 but more than 5, 37 less than 50 but more than 30, 7 is less than 10 but more than 5 , by "rounding up" or "rounding down", you will all ways be in the right area, and by processing a further rounding up or down, it is possible to arrive at a degree of accuracy, which a conventionally taught child (or adult) will either shy away from the calculation or have disastrous accuracy rates (we teach mathematical knowledge slowly, I.e. we are not taught multiplication tables of 37).

Architectural projects require a series of complex processing, often contradictory. The research explores the value of non-precise logic and strategies of approximation and its possible relevance in teaching architecture, and processing complex architectural and masterplanning projects.

Predictive Processes and Scientific Specultaion
The role of learning methods in evaluating strategic methodologies

Within the demands of predicting the future, this research looks at a range of predictive processes, that inform the current demand for understanding relevant and critical "change" strategies. The research outlines current strategies from a range of discourses, commercial, social, technological, ecological and environmental, to understand how experts are undertaking predictive strategies. An evaluation of "evolutionary" or "genetic" logarithmic ["self-learning"] methods are studied, and there possible applications.

The Rise and Fall of Successful Cities
Urbanisation: A historical Perspective of Urbanisation

This research looks at the notion of the city in "crisis" from a historical perspective, the city in rapid expansion or rapid contraction. A range of cities are seen from the notion of their dynamic of "rise and fall". The study looks at a variety of perspectives and examples within historically significant criteria, The Ancient, The Renaissance, The Industrial Revolution, New Worlds, Digital Cities. Particular concerns of the interconnectivity of cities and the issues that allow growth and create decline. The research also looks at the current mechanisms of "regeneration".

Cross over Technologies, Materials and Processes
An overview

A brief evaluation of crossover technology, materials and processes from a variety of different disciplines i.e. naval architecture, aeronautics, automotive, composite structures, military technology. The research catalogues and looks at previous attempts to relate the architectural desire to be inspired by other industries, an pulls together summarized evaluations of differences and similarities, the research hence becomes an effective tool to explore what issues are required for differing projects. In reverse it also looks at the these crossover possibilities and their place in architecture.

The Inventors: Jean Prouve, Frei Otto and Buckminster Fuller
The Heroic Invention of Modernity

A comparative study of three of the most influential practitioners in the twentieth century, and the relevance of their pioneering spirit. From invention and inspiration to implementation. A mapping of the spirit of Prouve, Otto and Fuller, and their traceable influence on current thinking, and current practice.

Nothing is New But What is Forgotten
The amnesic qualities of the creative industries

This study critically looks at the way ideas are brought into to education and publishing, and the consistent obscuring about the legacies and origins of ideas and original thinkers. This is most marked in art, architecture, fashion, film and design, not surprisingly, as these are now referred to as the "creative industries". This study tries to show examples of this amnesic plagiarism, and attempts an analysis of ts effects on education, institutions and practice.

Protagonists
the character and the city

an exploration of how space can be understood through "characterisation" of protagonists
and their role in creating the built environment.

Transitions and Transformations
erotic movement through the eye

A perosnal visual expolartion of movement and space

Other Research.......................................

City Projections
The City as an urban projection into the future, from Metropolis and Blade Runner

Mythologies and the City

The City and House as a Reflection of Self

Futurology

Science Fiction and Social Projection

Big Ideas that changed the 20th Century

Overpopulation, and Urban Expansion

What did the Future Look Like?
The visual representation of the future.

Simultaneous Strategies
Merits of a symbiotic approach in creating urbanity.