Dot. gains more success in Christchurch...

Dot. has gained more success in River Way, Christchurch, Dorset, with the recent approval of a large two storey residential extension. Dot. along with the rest of the world are finding that most people have stopped their game of property musical chairs, are staying put and with a little tinkering, making do!

This proposal introduces more cohesion to a site that over the years has been adapted and added too with varying degrees of success. This all comes off the back of receiving new instructions in Bournemouth, Poole and Ferndown in Dorset.

Do we dare think that the worst of the recession is now behind us?

If the news is to be believed..... Probably not!

Dot. at Ecobuild

Dots continued search for all things new lead us to Ecobuild, Earls Court, London. Ecobuild is the world's biggest event dedicated to sustainable design, construction and the built environment. Now in its fifth year, and with 800 exhibitors, Ecobuild presents the biggest and best showcase of sustainable construction products anywhere.


Always wanting to stay up to date on all products that will benefit our clients, Dot took to the road for the London architecture tour part II and trawled through the countless stands (and as of this post, still having not won the count how many balls there were in the jar competition) in the search for tomorrows technology. The hope being that this information will aid in meeting most of the Governments optimistic targets.


Above, one of Dots favorites: A chance to experience off-grid living with the debut of Zedfactory’s LandARK. Initially launched as a sustainable holiday home, the LandARK is also being proposed as a self-sufficient solution for affordable housing and office space. Electricity and energy for cooking and heating is supplied by solar panels and a wood-fired stove, whilst a composting toilet and green roof take care of drainage and waste water.

And finally... Even though it's an architectural cliche, we never tire of looking at Norman Foster's London skyscraper at 30 St Mary Axe, more commonly known as the Gherkin.

Search for the FUNNEST ARCHITECTURE!!!!

After a recent tweet and link to AJ online ( http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/1994633.article)

dot got to thinking, where is all the recognition for the architects/designers who have a profound affect on our lives from a very early age!?! 

A 6 year old, in Parc de la villette, Paris - could he (or she)  appreciate the merits of Tschumis deconstructive theories finally making it to built form in the early 80s, or is he (or she) dissapointed at the lack of swings/climbing frames/roundabouts/ those little horses on a spring/a giant dinosaur(?)  

So here we are, asking for you to all post your favourite interactitecture!!!! Be it a fairground ride, a favourite water slide, anything, let us know, we want to find the interactitects and throw them some sort of recognition for giving us our first taste of getting excited about visiting architecture!

Mine is below, not the actual one, but a damn good replica!

Art Fund Pavilion..got that Friday feeling!!

These are the images for Dots  proposal for a temporary art pavillion as part of a recent design competition. The competition, set by www.tentlondon.co.uk  and www.thelightbox.org.uk

the brief was to design a temporary structure, that would take 72hrs to construct, and 24hrs to take down, while having the space to work in a variety of scenarios, the whole area couldnt exceed 35 sq.m. 

With these tight parameters, dot. set about looking for a concept, what is a pavilion? Why is it there? Whats its identity? How can we improve the users experience? 

We came up with the proposal for 'The Barcode' This gives the pavilion a clear identity, a barcode is a generic code for everyday objects - often overlooked for their simple ability to hold so much information. The whole structure is broken into varying sized tunnels, giving an elevational look of the barcode. The finish of Black Trespa panels with a bright white interior gives an exciting contrast between outside and inside. 

At the entrance of the pavilion, are a series of close knit bungee cords, all giving the impression of a box that cant be entered. With the idea being that the most daring users will try and push through the bungee, and will be rewarded with the array of artwork inside. 

We are very pleased with the finished article, and it is another Fridays Child that has got our creative minds working over time again. Submitted on Monday, there were over 200 applicants, so competition was tough, but you never know0 keep your fingers crossed for us!!!