LT Ranch Summer Session 2015

LT Ranch Summer Session 2015

LT Ranch Summer Session 2015

2009 AnnA pArfirenKo Yi-chuAn Lui Yu-ting wAng

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Ken wiLder

2011 Ami chAngdA dAYeA georginA hYunsuK Lewis sofiA spYros sYLviA

w/rob

KAnKi wu pArK wALKer pArK bArton AnAstAsiou AnAstAsiou Yebing YuAn

nice

2012 chris humphreY enzo guidA Kenun hYe Lee John wo min KAng mAmo JueLin he mArcus boYLe mAx thomson m o JA nedA KAhooKer pAtricK Yi-wei chen pAresh pArmAr recY shAo sAm Lo ming shum

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emmA hunter stAsYs sKLiAustis

2013 AbduLbAri JAcqueLine JiALing mengJie mireLLA sAng KYong wAn-Yun xin YA YAng

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Kutbi hu Li Liu dourAmpei Jeong tsAi wAn gAo bAi

JAnice shALes Jiri hAnzLiK stAsYs sKLiAustis

2014 Bingyu Bo Fang Lijiao Lin nan Shandri Sue XuoFung yun na yvonne

w/ jeFFrey jiri Ken StaSyS

hu Lu YuAn wen wu YAo vAn rooYen Ahmed zhou Liu onAh

adjei hanzLiK wiLder SKLiauStiS

2015 decLan emiLiano Faezeh heLen Liu Lu nathan richard tianyue wei yvonne

raLph zavaLa Fathi Brewer yang peng BacK chamneSS Ford wang wu onah

w/ aLiSon LLoyd annemarie piScaer jeFFrey adjei jiri hanzLiK StaSyS SKLiauStiS tina tran

‘Remoteness is luid. It is spatial and temporal, psychological and geographic.’ between the conscious and the subconscious, the imaginary begins somewhere between myth, iction and activation. the urban expectations receded and experimentation became visible within the irst few days. These irst days are hell bent on familiarisation with the conditions as encountered: the group’s use and instinctive mediation to arrange the temporary areas and customise the unfamiliar landscape, the everyday: the unpredictable, negotiating the adhoc yet considered experimentation. these are the malleablity of the Ranch’s edges, to discover traces, and invoke new imprints weaving into the ‘blank’ canvas, expanding the range of mat(t)er-ials, landscape surfaces, weather, diet and human caricature. however we tell stories, perceive the on going processes of the place, imagine what we think we may see from proximal distances, it is the human nature of each of us that mediates the week.

This catalogue is the ‘small square’ window of this year’s event.

This window begins with the views in the distance, projects which meandered outward from the epicentre, away from the intensity of our domestic enviroment, wandering into the woods, following unmapped trails, becoming aware of cultivated edges, into the cutgrass of the neighbour’s ields, then creeps back into personal spaces, the everyday localness of the kitchens, the porch, the ‘studio tent’, the ‘prepared’ outhouse and stonehenge, where eating was an event of presentation, the banter of chatting, and light displays of the sky preceded by delicious if arduous preparation.

1 http://www.thisisliveart.co.uk/uploads/documents/Study_ Room_Guide_to_Remoteness.pdf, 2014

THE ADVENTURER Nathan Back-Chamness

The narrative of the character was formed by my making, learning and adventuring.

Responding to the delightful solitude of The Ranch and the intrigue of the Lithuanian landscape.

‘The Adventurer’ grew to become a very personal journey of myself, my enjoyment and the way I design.

With special thanks to The Pirate.

Territories Helen Brewer

capturing small details within the Ranch using 1:100 scaled igures.

By taking the small igures to different locations within the ranch I managed to see details that one would never be able to see until you get very close. I explored the beauty of the small details in the site and I put myself in the same atmosphere as the igures. The images, which I captured then, went in the landscape this allowed me to take my project further by taking pictures of the pictures within the landscape and the way it transformed the whole landscape. It became very interesting to me. the importance of scale and everyday objects.the images allow you to see the landscape in a new way.

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNSEEN MOMENTS Faezeh Fathi

THE SECRET BOX LU PENG

When I found this antique box in the cellar, it reminds me of my research question, 'the relationship between collection and storage', I decided to design a box with what I collected in The Ranch. At first, I found some small doors from the stove, when I was playing the doors, it inspired me to combine them to the box, I wanted to make a cover for the box with these doors. Then I found another tray in our room, my design moved to how to display my collection within these boxes. I made another cover for the small tray, and put my collection in the tray.

I put my secret box in a quiet zone, it is more like a treasure hunt, there is a old box in the wild, when people open the small doors, they just see a tray there. It has a small trick here, how to see my collection through the doors, there is a chain switch for the tray, you have to pull out the chain, then you can see what inside.

All of these objects are found in The Ranch, they are telling story to me, it is relative to my project topic ‘collecting as a narrative’.

3 1

2

5

4

6 1.Lock with tree skin 2.Branch with knit pad 3.Unknown parts 4.Window switch 5.moss 6.Tree skin with nice texture

THE GHOST MAN IN THE GHOST BARN Richard Ford

My irst impressions of the barn were of admiration and interest in the construction methods of the barn, in particular the order in which the building was built. during my irst few days on the ranch I learned of the story of the barn’s construction and reconstruction, and became inspired by the hand crafted techniques and detailing used, which is accurate when critical, yet often rough at times.

I became interested also by the culture of informal tools used around the site, which prompted me to create an in situ workbench to work in self-imposed isolation within the barn.

Motivated by its puzzle-like construction, I began by studying the details of the barn to learn ways of working that I could continue through in my project to maintain this legacy. despite the solidness of the barn, I became fascinated by the imperfections in the barn’s fabric, from notches in the timber from previous uses, to the organic spread of rotten patches. from this, the rationale for my project was realised; imagining these imperfections as grafting opportunities to the fabric of the barn, and combining this with the lessons told by the barn’s construction.

The material for the project was sourced from one tree on site, with as much of the tree used as possible, including the bark to form a woven surface and the smaller branches to form pegged ixings. This process of working on the tree from natural to inalised form completed a frugal cycle between site, material and designer. Similar to how I imagine the barn was built, there was not too much design work done on my behalf from the outset, the project instead developing in a reactionary fashion, with elements being grafted to the barn and to each other where deemed necessary.

This resulted in an experimental inal outcome, yet suggesting a direction in which to consider the future usage of the barn.

the portaBLe StooL // maSSage Faezeh Fathi

By weaving the pieces of wood together I managed to create a long blanket made using only wood and thread. The blanket which you can sleep on, is also very good for the back. Once you roll the blanket it then becomes a stool which you can sit on. It can be carried anywhere very easily. The idea behind this portable stool/ massage was to be able to carry it with you anywhere and so that it can be used in dificult situations e.g. it can act as a bridge that you can use to cross over a muddy area.

Natural, Handmade and Fabricated tianyue wang We placed ourself away from the busy city and design instinctively and spontaneously. It was an very unique and inspiring experience to me. My project is a series of installations relecting on how mass production makes things lack of characteristics and unique value.

pine cones: created by nature, each of them are with different characteristics.

shingles: handmade, and the inaccuracy of human hand made every one of them has unique characters.

Plastic bottles: mass-fabricated, accurately repeated and with no characteristics. Lost its value after use.

The Sound-Space Relation Yang Liu Continuing the London Project- I use recording equipment to record the sound of cooking food and do the sound visualization. The model formed serves as a description of these sounds, a memory, a person or a story. In the Ranch I try to use the local material to do my sound visualization sketch installation.

using branches, sliced trees, stone, hemp rope, recycled metal and some old kitchen things to do four different sides of sound visualization expressing four different sounds from cooking 2 meals during the Ranch week, one being a hotpot with sweet potatoe desert. (Recipe to follow soon.)

In order to do the experiment of how sound works during people's eating experience. I arranged a hot pot party. And get some feadback after eating.

blaut anditaq uosanda vellorp oreruntiur, quo

For a very complete and beautiful event, I did invitation cards for everyone.

Using anything which I can ind around the Ranch, like wild flower, candles, glass bottles to decorate the eating area.

Project title: roof.

Project authors: Declan R. Emiliano Z.

After meeting for the irst time a few days before the start of The ranch we decided that we both seemed to get on well, and that it would be interesting to see how well we worked together as a team. (i) inal composition (ii) Lithuanian cloudscape (iii) market tent precedence (iv) initial concept drawings (v) site sourced material (vi) roof slope visualisation (vii) tool induction

we also decided mosquitos were everywhere, not to mention other relentless biting insects. the aim was to construct a shelter, away from the irrational, irritating pains.

Other than initial concept, without design, pen, or paper.

As the week progressed we realized that this unscripted way of working was incredibly mentally stimulating. The days were long and physically challenging but, every day we wanted to work harder than the last. every decision was intuitive and diplomatic.

The shelter is uninished but hung; there was imagined a mosquito barrier beneath the roof structure. In keeping with the spirit of The Ranch, it is open to use, completion (suficient nets have been purchased), and reappropriation.

The method: process.

The process was organic; Don’t design, just make.

(i) measuring and marking material; beams and purlins (ii) cutting material (iii) shaping joinery (iv) measuring and marking material; centre beam (v) chiseling joinery grooves (vi) irst beam module proile (vii-ix) frame structure, and cladding time line (x) inished clad structure (xi) joinery details and materiality (xii)chain hanging detail (xiii) interior view (xiv) inal composition in use with Wu Wei’s project Many thanks to all those involved in the guidance and help involved in this project, especially but not exhaustively: Jiri Hanzlik and Stasys for sharing their proicient building knowledge, and Kristina Kotov, for without whom, non of this study trip would have been possible.

SMOKE OVEN Yvonne Onah

The idea to making an oven occurred when considering ways to improve the community and cooking experience in the ‘Stonehenge’ area of the ranch. A found washing machine drum and the disused iron cellar chimney became the most appropriate items to do this.

By rebuilding the existing ire place, to make it airtight and using the chimney to connect it to the washing drum, smoke and hot air can be used to slow-cook food. The drum is also elevated and insulated by thermal bricks adhered with natural ground clay, to allow heat to be better conserved, as well as producing space for wood to be burnt directly underneath the washing machine drum, allowing it to function as both a direct heat oven, as well as a slow-cooking smoke oven.

It is just like a dream when I recall the tough group life for a week in Lithuania. I got used to the simple place with lack of water and without the access to the Internet. Meanwhile, I have made a work of my own.

Based on the theme of graduation project—Bench, I tried to make a bench instinctively. I was looking for a feeling of complexity in simplicity.

The simple bench can accommodate more people by a little change. I did not design too much for this bench but just looked for design during the manufacturing process.

SITTING (and chatting...) wei wu University of the Arts London chelsea MAISD

Test model 1

test Bench

Final Bench

CROSSING COMFORT ZONES

Second

Annemarie Piscaer

I would like to say that I LOVE that list of inconvenience. Places like these become rare in a man-made world. I believe we should treasure them. It puts you out of context and makes you redeine yourself and your position as a designer. It makes you re-value what is important. But it also makes you very much aware of all the resources needed for the creation of something. This awareness and knowledge is valuable in the design process.

In my perspective even though all the projects were unique and individual, they all had in common that the project crossed the border of Comfort Zones.

First I would like to start this article about the summer school at the ranch with listing the most annoying things there.

-mosquitoes -Outdoor Loo -rain -Unfamiliar Food -Not a lot of Water -Not a lot of Electricity -no new materials -No Internet

I enjoyed to be part of the process of the projects, so I’d like to conclude with saying: “Thank You.”

By literally crossing borders with a ladder in an uncomfortable way.

By becoming a warrior that is conquering the elements in nature.

By using a scale model to show the beauty and details in nature.

By solitary (like a monk) investigating craftsmanship.

By collecting treasure objects found on the land.

By showing the capability of nature to create beautiful shapes (pinecone) and use these in the man-made world.

By building a mosquito tent.

By re-using a washing machine for building an oven.

By building a bench with all materials found on the land, that allows people to face each and communicate (instead of sitting next to each other).

By cooking (with sound) wonderful breakfasts and dinners to make people happy and give them some sense of comfort.

proceSS By deSign

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ALISON LLOYD Design is an intensely fascinating process. When the process itself becomes an active parameter of any design, the relationship and heirarchy between product and producer is dissolved by the art of making. Here to make is to learn and to learn is to produce, which is to create and as creator, be inluenced by the art.

thank you to all the participants who took on this unknown arena of activism with passion and perseverance especially, alison lloyd, tina tran, jiri hanzlik, jeffrey adjei, annemarie piscaer and yvonne onah for their support, before, during and after the actual event & stasys skliaustis who looked after us, the barn 2b and ensuring the Ranch was habitable for all of us ++. also ken wilder, course leader MA ISD, UAL chelsea, college of art allan atlee, HoS, UCA Canterbury School of Architecture, for supporting this publication. and most importantly, the population of Stučių hamlet, for allowing us to wander and explore the neighbourhood. kristina kotov VšI LT Ranch Space Stučiai, Lithuania

Each project layout for this publication was designed, more or less by each owner-maker of projects, whether collectively action-ed / assisted by others in their own words. the images are from cameras that changed hands during the week, shared and archived, made available to all the participants in the weeks following the session.

Emiliano Zavala Declan Ralph Nathan Back-Chamness Liu Wang Jiri Hanzlik Faezeh Fathi Annemarie Piscaer Alison Lloyd Kristina Kotov Yvonne Onah Jeffrey Adjei Richard Ford Wei Wu Helen Brewer Tianyue Wang Lu Peng Tina Tran

© Lt ranch summer session 2015

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