The Craft

Intro

Near But Apart LT Ranch 2017

Near But Apart is an experiential catalogue of the time shared in Lithuania on the ranch along with fellow creatives. The desire was to challenge the other ranchers to try and collate their ongoing experiences in one word, it was an exercise that required a great level of reflection, away for the work they were all deeply focused on producing.

In conjunction with my observations, I took their words and began my attempt to represent them as raw natural forms, though carving, burning, chopping, joining, and more. Going through these processes gave my the opportunity to reflect on my experiences.

These plaques were then exhibited within the sauna and around the tree house. Spaces which provide the conditions allowing you to reflect, in which I took further actions in reinstating them or use and access.

Near But Apart Clinton I Olajide Jr

To me the ranch became home. Home to our memories and to those who were there before us, home to the physical marks they left and home to all our emotions that has formed its landscape, the cries cried on the treacherous hike from the Big barn to the house evading mosquitoes, flailing from flies. Home to the intimate, private moment we share with its grounds, to the laughters around the fire, the rumbles around the dinner table, the snors in the sleeping barn, the drilling by the big barn, the wispers of life surrounding the sauna, the echos of the past hiding in the bunkerand the clattering of cans in the house. This is Home

The Tree House

The tree house was initially a touch up project. It began its life not too long ago, a previous project by a previous rancher. But this memory had begun to fade, to rot, to fall apart. Replacing the old broken ladder made using the and removing some old cladding but whilst working on it, the trees house began to speak the same language the Sauna existing close to Stonehenge but apart in the tree house you are a part of the community, the conversations that is the essence of Stonehenge but far enough to be isolated and separate from that world.

I wanted to collect these memories, experiences and celebrate them. The sauna became my host, itself recited the same story the ranch told, Isolated and away form everything else but radiates the closeness, intimacy that exists and grows on the ranch. The sauna was a place where families, friends, neighbors, strangers went possibly after a long day of working the land. They’d enter the steam room either naked or partially and this sweat bath helps relax their bodies, whilst dipping in and out of the pond outside also, in some cases people had meals in the sauna. Within the structure there was a moment when you are able to ascend into the roof through a human size opening and inhabit this space, an opening which would have been use to let the steam out of the sauna.

Intimacy andBecoming The Site

I collected various phrase from everyone who was already able to describe there experience with one word, my hope wasn’t for that word carry all their emotions throughout their experience but the way the person brings their writings to life on these placs. But the great thing was that this became an exercise for me to get to know people more and test my knowledge of those I’d known before the ranch. It was a great opportunity experiment with all the different ways of showing a person personality from what I’ve seen though the week.

Carving Burning Drilling Sawing Cutting Plants Wood Metals Cotton

Jeffery: Ken: Kristina: Lucy: Zigiant: Adrienne: Athena: Nathan: Charlotte: Luna: Richard: Emily: Clinton:

Chelsea Shots AIA Student Charrette 2018

Chelsea Shots was produced as part of a day long group competition hosted at the Roca London gallery. The brief was to create a dessert then design a space for is production and sale within Chelsea.

Our proposals focus on community engagement, we wanted to have a product that would celebrate the rich history of the area. Our dessert looks at infusing the well know Chelsea buns as a batter with spirits, to create our Chelsea shots desert.

The proposed Factory/HQ/Distribution centre will be located opposite Chelsea Creek within the disused gas holders in relation to the current on going development of the surrounding area. The design illustrates the process the producing our dessert and its motion through the building, from delivery of ingredient to production of the desert, to tasting and critic by the community to finally wider distribution of the Chelsea approved Chelsea shots.

You & Yourself Collecting Faces

You & Yourself is an on-going personal project that looks to capture the souls of those I have met and hold dear. Growing up I moved regularly so haven’t really had the opportunity to form tight long lasting close bonds with friends, never knowing if my next adventure may mean I would not see them again.

You & Yourself is my archive of the many experiences I have shared with some of these wonderful people. The process I take through my attempts to capture each strand of hair, wrinkle from a smile and twitch in the eye, embeds my memories of time spent with them on my sheet.

The Models Soul Lets Iterate

Model making has always been a key process in my design development, its allowed me to physically develop the ideas and spaces I wish to create. The maquettes and large scale model allow me to visualise these spaces, iterate and explore the relationship between the programmes and spacial function. In the initial phases 1:50 Spatial Models I can view the design as a coherent piece, then begin sculpting its form.

As part of the process I find the opportunities to explore crafts that exist within my concept, where though the understanding of the process of these crafts, I can use it to inform the design.