George Lauder Bursary - Week 2

Monday 8th June

• I headed into Pratt for the start of my second week. At the beginning of class, we went over the line drawing task from the previous week and discussed the different approaches everyone had taken.

• We were then introduced to our next task, which involved exploring a shell. This was a very different type of project from the first one, so we spent time discussing the brief and beginning to think about possible ideas.

• After class, I headed home and started thinking more about how I wanted to approach the task.

Tuesday 9th June

• I spent the morning getting ready for class and looking over the shell task before heading into Manhattan.

• During class, we continued working on the shell and began developing our ideas further. We also watched a video about Christo and Jeanne-Claude and their work involving the wrapping of buildings, landscapes and other large structures. It was interesting to see how wrapping something could completely change how it was experienced.

• After class, I got some food and headed to Target before calling it a night.

Wednesday 10th June

• We continued working on the shell project during class and had more time to develop and test our ideas.

• We also watched a video about Lo-TEK to prepare us for an event we would be attending the following day.

• That evening, I went to a bar to watch the New York Knicks. They looked like they were going to lose, but they managed to make an unbelievable comeback, which made the atmosphere in the bar and streets unreal.

Thursday 11th June

• Instead of our usual studio session, we attended the Lo-TEK fashion show. The clothing had been created using rubbish and discarded materials, which showed how waste could be reused in creative and unexpected ways.

• It was very different from a normal architecture class, but it connected well with the ideas of sustainability, materials, and experimentation that we had been discussing.

Friday 12th June

• As I did not have class, I decided to visit the Pratt Brooklyn campus and have a look around. This is the main campus for Pratt, where I can also work alongside the Manhattan building.

• I also spent some time looking over my shell project and thinking about what I needed to work on before the following week.

• I then went to Chinatown for the first time. It was great to see, and I also found that you can get quite a big meal for a good price.

Saturday 13th June

• I didn't get up to much during the day, but was excited as it was Scotland's first proper World Cup match against Haiti. We tried to get into the fanzone close to where we are staying but it was full. We then went to a Scottish bar in Manhattan to watch the game.

• It was good to have a break from doing work and experience another big Scotland game while being in New York. To top it off, Scotland beat Haiti, and the Knicks also won the NBA finals. As you can imagine, the streets were carnage.

Sunday 14th June

• After another busy week, I had a quiet Sunday. I spent most of the day relaxing, looking back over the work I had completed at Pratt and preparing myself for the week ahead.

• I also made sure that my Shell project was complete and ready for the hand in the following day.