Yesterday's post about Camp Nou and today's victory in El Clasico made me think back on my semester in Barcelona and the traveling I got to do while there. Here are a few of the highlights from the sketchbook:
03/23: Spain Sketches
03/22: Stadium Architecture
The following is a proposal written for a traveling fellowship from last year. The grant was not awarded: "As participation in organized religion continues to decline and economic troubles plague Western Europe, the religious and economic phenomenon that is football (soccer) continues to thrive. The national teams of Spain, France, Italy have had tremendous recent... Continue Reading →
03/20: Barnes Foundation
This afternoon my professional practice class, focusing on everything from self promotion (resume, portfolio) to project structures (design,bid,build versus integrated project delivery), met with a few responsible for the day to day execution and management of constructing the Barnes Foundation, including superintendent and project manager from the construction company (LF Driscoll) and the project architect... Continue Reading →
03/19: Rickshaws
I spent a couple of weeks working as a rickshaw driver in Chicago one summer between semesters in undergrad. A few sketches from that experience: During the week in Dhaka, the shear number of rickshaws was astonishing, as was the level to which they were decorated and customized. Each had a unique personality, some... Continue Reading →
03/17: Korail Bosti
During our trip last week we were able to walk through "Dhaka's biggest slum Korail Bosti", a settlement of mostly one to two story tin and timer structures backed tight together. There was a large bazaar in the center of the neighborhood, large enough to suggest that people commute in to do shopping. Our walk... Continue Reading →
03/16: Bangladesh War Memorial
During our ride out to the Ganges and Jamuna River crossing last week we stopped along the way to visit Jatiyo Smriti Soudho, the memorial dedicated to the martyrs of the war of independence. The memorial resembles a sweeping crescendo of concrete, while in plan it forms nested concrete walls, with the resultant interior being... Continue Reading →
03/15: Historic Preservation
Throughout the week in Dhaka we came across examples of historic sites in various states of ruin or repair. The March 13th edition of the Dhaka Tribune had an article on legal protections for historic sites, both part of the national constitution and the 1968 Antiquities Act. This building is from Shakhari Bazar in Old... Continue Reading →
03/14: Cricket
A few images from Sri Lanka's victory over Pakistan in Saturday's Asia Cup cricket final. Cricket has a coupe of arrangements and structures which I haven't found corollaries for in other sports. Most of the action originates in the center of the field, with the direction of bowls (pitches) and batters alternating direction. The field (ground) is... Continue Reading →
03/13: Traffic
Dhaka traffic, off all kinds and modes, is a paradox of spatial efficiency and a complete waste of time. A spare-no-inch mentality has every vehicle darting forward until they are physically unable to advance or, rarely, and existential threat (speeding car, merging bus) stops them in their tracks. The traffic is worse than anything I've... Continue Reading →
03/12: Rickshaw Ride
Standing on the side of the road my guide Iqbal stops one rickshaw for a price quote on a destination. As this happens a few other rickshaws queue up behind him. He asks for a few more quotes. They give him gringo prices, inflated foreign rates on account of his pale friend, me. Finally he... Continue Reading →
Adam Achrati 