DESIGN TOPIC

This year's design studio focuses on the potential territorial functions among industries, human communities, and habitats created by non-humans such as animals and plants, along with environmental memory.

The project site selection is confined to Channelsea Island, nestled between Bow Creek and the River Lea in London. The area will be examined through the lens of visual cultures and the interplay of various layers, whether overlapping or symbiotic.

At the chosen site, we will investigate how water infrastructure can be modified to optimize benefits for both human and non-human communities. Design solutions may encompass new forms of nature, as well as fixtures and fittings that integrate the social aspects of the location.

The method of corresponding or creating a concept and scenario was very unusual but at the same time fun. In this method, we've been given an assignment where we would watch the movie selected from a pile and create analytical space boards . The space boards would have to reflect the analysis of scenes with stills, sequences and axonometric / isometric, plans,sections, maps and diagrams.

THE MOVIE

Painted Boats is a British semi- documentary, light drama movie directed by Charles Crichton and been on the screens in 1945. The movie's name in the United States has been released as The Girl on the Canal.

The film focuses on two families living and working on cargo-carrying canal boats. The Smiths has been considered to be traditional due to using their horse-drawn boat and in contrast, the Stoners are the modern with their motorised boat with a butty.

The main characters of the storyline, Mary Smith and Ted Stone have also different point of views; Mary appreciates the gentle rhythm of traditional canal life, whereas Ted is more focused to get into mainstream life by abandoning the canals.

The movie has been appreciated by waterways enthusiasts due to its depiction of life on England's working canal system in the 1940's, with its transformation through important events like Industrial Revolution and the second World War.

Painted Boats took place 20 miles further on the Grand Union Canal between Stoke Bruerne and Braunston in Northamptonshire including Blistworth Tunnel, which is one of the chosen scenes where you can observe the layers of landscape with fluidity and harmony between man-made systems and nature.

SCENES

The first set of selected scenes were based on Grand Union Canal leading to south entrance of Blistworth Tunnel. On the scene, there would be preparation for "legging" the tunnel. It would consist of some wood planks to lay on and just walk on the tunnel's wall to provide a balanced glide in order to pass it through the tunnel without any accidents, and on the other hand Mary would go off with the horse through the landscape.

This scene was selected due to its complex layers with different lights and ambiances. Inside the tunnel was dark and wet and on top of it the song, background music and the father coughing in the end have provided a tense scene with suspension. Even though the drawing / section on the space board with the light scattering into the tunnel from the air ventilating shaft wasn't in the movie, thought it would be a good depiction on how humans tolerate to the nature.

The other selected scene is located in Stoke Bruerne, where it would perfectly showcase how the canals work with their locks in order to change the water level with upward or downward motion. Compared to the first selection, it describes the mechanical aspects of , at the time, the new industrial landscape with human actions.

SCENES RELATED TO PROJECT SITE & TOPIC

Throughout the movie there were scenes of several industrial landscapes either would depict the new at the time, showcase the relation with environment including the inhabitants and the pollution.

Hand-drawn pictures are related to the site but not directly. Limehouse cut is on the river where it connects to River Lea and after following through the stream would be adjacent to Bow Creek.

References:

Reelstreets | Painted Boats

Painted Boats - Wikipedia

The Girl of the Canal (1945) Jenny Laird, Bill Blewitt, May Hallatt, Grace Arnold , Director: Charles Crichton, (Eng). UK (ok.ru)