Architecture 4 humanity

I always wanted to be part of the UN-somehow make a difference within my Nation on a Grand Scheme....then I was made aware Cameron Sinclair who told me about his organisation 'Architecture 4 Humanity'. Now this was a ginormous opportunity-seeing as it was helping the community through the field I'm working my tush to get in...Architecture.

I researched this organisation and was impressed that i a student could send designs through for refugee shelters, potential schools etc-where if it was good enough (since they hold design competitions for areas worldwide), they would then send in a qualified architect and help carry through with the design!!!! This was surely my opportunity to strive for a huge goal such as this-I'm interested in uplifting communities and showcasing potential where others thought were redundant and hopeless...through clever design and persistence i want to change lives in a positive and life-altering way!! That's what i saw when i signed the dotted line for when applying for architecture, not the grand state buildings showcasing the grandeur of my ego-Heck No! I want to Bring about Change in simple and unheard of ways...and nothing felt more right than when i opened my door and saw an opportunity staring right in my face!

The rundown primary school opposite my house, i live in an area that may not be the most advantaged-but the there's so much potential that is whispering persistently within my ears that i cannot ignore it anymore. we have huge grounds, just waiting for transformation-lives to be changed with a DIFFERENT perspective and opportunities shown! How can i just sit back and Do Nothing?!
So after my morning run, i walked in the grounds and asked to take photo's, spoke with Ms Baily who has been running the place for 19yrs where she told me about the situation and history of the place-and was inspired by her tenacity to still go on, even in difficult circumstances but through faith always tried to instill hope and love through her children-who were surprisingly well-behaved! She definitely gave me the positive nudge to try and do something good with this place....

            This is the courtyard-which could could be an opportunity for a garden and play area

     Passage way as they move from class-to-class, also showcasing the 'storage area'-the kids  are susceptible to the elements so they have to be bundled up in winter.

             One of the Classrooms with Ms Baily-Yay SO Much Potential...Wahooo!!!

FINAL ENTRY…

The year 2011 has taught me a few things about myself as well as the career path I’ve chosen.  I’ve witnessed my weakness and strength in character, my goal aspirations, my ability in the craft, the length I would go to succeed (which could be disputed), as well as questioning every intention I have in all aspects of my life (which is a good thingJ) -These are things which allowed me to grow and helps mould the type of person I hope to be. I’ve learnt that in order to succeed you shouldn’t isolate yourself but rather engage, because unexpectedly you could learn something from the most unforeseen person and you find your line of vision brightened and broadened.  I’ve learnt that I am the person who stands in my own ‘light’  and as cliché as it sounds if you have an unstoppable belief in yourself, you can achieve things even you thought were impossible. Yes; sometimes circumstances can alter things, or we ourselves can steer our direction toward a rocky path BUT once our line of vision is cleared and sanity seems to seep through, we should learn what was meant to be our ‘life lesson’ and Move-On… This life as dark as it sometimes is portrayed is something WE choose, and by George I choose the sunshine, rainbows, flowers and saving this precious planet from a love-less stateJ (not a bad way to live, even as slightly disillusioned it might seem to others)! So as this year is nearing its completion, I find with my satisfactory Results that I can embrace the Year with all that it’s shown me, as I prepare for  2012 and all the joys it will bring.

Love, Peace and Joy

Stace*

Week 35 (14-18 November)

This week was definitely a short and slow week for me in the office-had to complete a few things at college so only returned on Wednesday where not much was given to me. Besides the odd schedules the boss was barely in and no work was given*

Till next week I supposeJ...

Week 34 (7-11 November)

Well this week has been hectic in the sense that I just came back from an inspiring 2wks of  Architecture 'bliss' to Architecture Hell!!! Somehow as I enter the doors to my place of work there's an eerie feeling of doom and gloom-now I wouldn't want to be perceived as a negative person but when you come to a place where people just work for the sake of earning their bread and butter it takes the magic out of doing something you love, (not an ounce of passion or love is being poured in these offices)  which was a life-lesson if ever I could have chosen one-'never let the fire die!'
None the less, this week plans for House Harnekar was completed and approved by the client which was comforting as there were slight changes to be made and not giganteus ones* Recieved a crit from my boss man which was rare but was pretty stoked, other than that my uninspiring week took a turn for the better in the end at least life-lesson 2 'things always turn around'....

On that note I'm OUT:)     

SITE VISIT (GRABOUW) - 03.11.11

Thurs – Day 4

Almost missed the bus but luckily made it in time, I was excited and a little saddened since it was going to be my last day on site. Everything seemed to be nearing its completion –our brightly coloured walls, the pergola, stairs and beautifully paved tap, it was quite moving to see the progress of it all. I managed to be everywhere Thursday-completing the wall, sanding the bottom stairs, painting the back of our eventually dried out plastered wall, and making the dreaded sandwiches for the class (which for someone who hates butter putting that spread on 2 loaves of bread was quite a mental task) and taking a sneak peak at the landscape guy who had some amazing ways of planting his fruits and veggies! It was quite a mini-adventure, I’m just so grateful for being part of this group who aside from  the odd site-politics were optimistic and hardworking and did so with smiles on our faces! I come from the ‘repeat students’ group and will be honest in saying I never knew half of my class’ names but with this building project I managed to initiate some friendships with really interesting people, people who share the same passion as I do, people I hope to share lifelong friendships with-who knows?! On that note none of this would have been done without our AMAZING and Astonishingly SUPPORTIVE lecturers- A Big Thank You to  Hermie and Jolanda you have definitely made a positive impact on me-Dramatic but True*

Our Awesome Team:)

SITE VISIT (GRABOUW) - 02.11.11

Wed – Day 3

When we arrived in Grabouw Wednesday I wasn’t sure which area I wanted to be part of, since the group for the stairs was already overcrowded and the boys in the plaster department had nothing left to plaster, I felt pretty much stranded. Till me and Tebz were recruited as the first paint crew!!! So began the fun of putting up a bunch of masking tape and slapping some paint on the fireplace-Hermie was so excited about adding some colour to the wall that she gave us more tubs of paint and told us to complete the wall beside it in quirky stripes* Which was fun starting on a new project and doing something that didn’t really require you to do some major brain work!!! At the end of the day we had managed to gain a little crew and everybody seemed to be taken by the uplifting colour-which to be honest I was a bit cynical about, (applying different colours to the wall) till I stepped back and found that it gave the feeling of being in a school-all bright and beautiful! It wasn’t all sunshine though-since I didn’t do the basics and sand the wall first, once the tape was removed little flakes of paint came down with it-but a lesson was learnt and we optimistically moved on! We completed half the wall and the next half was left for the next day…

The Painting Team slapping on some stripes

SITE VISIT (GRABOUW) - 01.11.11

Tues - Day 2

Since I do ABS -Mondays and Fridays are out which is a bit of a bummer but, none the less Tuesday I missioned to the centre of site and was doing the bottom stairs. My group was quite courteous in making sure everybody had a say on how it was to be complete.  Have to admit there was a bit of a ‘power trip’ amongst some students and as much as I understand the passion that they must have had, there was no need to talk down on peers since we were all there for one reason-to complete an outside classroom for the little ones at St Michael's-surely it could be done within a kind manner?!  Anyways I also managed to squeeze my way with Noels A-Team in which those kind gents let a chic help plaster the back of the fireplace’s wall which needed 2 layers of ‘dagga’! In conclusion the day was a good one and one in which I bonded with my fellow peers-which is another perk of this building experienceJ

Sara cementing the bottom stairs