Nov 04
22
Montréal
I am back in Ottawa now. Montréal is an amazing city. I love the atmosphere, it is big enough for me but not too small like Lübeck. It has a some kind of European atmosphere in it. Maybe because of the French signage everywhere. It also has a good subway, called Metro just like in Paris. Interesting thing is most of the people on the sidewalk speaking English while Francophone are there but not as many as I think they are… or maybe I just walked on the wrong street.
The weather was sadly bad. Drizzling rain all day with grey and misty sky, kinda remind me of Germany. So yeah, I can’t take any good picture outdoor, too bad - there are two decent photos on my photolog, I am not quite happy with them but I blamed it on the weather grin. Being only there for one day and a night, thanks to denise’s brother, John, who gave me a shelter for a night. Thanks a lot!, and spending most of my day at Canadian Centre for Architecture for the Devices of Design event didn’t give me a chance to stroll down the city as I used to do everywhere I go. But I’ll be back there this Saturday, only for a day, hopefully the weather will be fine so I can travel around.
The event itself was great! The presenters are amazing, they have many things to said about the use of digital technologies in architectural field. FYI, my Master thesis will be mostly about this issue so yeah, I was having a great input there. At least right now I know what is the current issue in architecture considering the use and expansion of digital technologies. The digital technologies are here to stay, no one can run away from them. I remember when I was in the university getting my bachelor degree some teacher against using computer as a tool for designing. I don’t know what they are thinking or doing right now but it seems like the digital revolution is winning the floor even though many architects were against it back then. The use of digital technologies nowadays is not just about replacement of paper and pencil is more about expanding the possibility of exploring form and experiencing space. I put this revolution into the same impact when perspective were introduced. The perspective was there to stay and so is digital technologies in architecture.
So yeah, a night and day in Montréal was really a great experience, physically and philosophically. I love Montréal and definitely will be back for more.
8 Comments
ha, bad weather. only if you don’t like seasons.
i lived in montreal for four years, and the winters are winter and crisp and clean and beautiful and too long, and the summers are summers and hot and sticky and sweet and sometimes too hot to sleep but always intense. plus, we get spring and fall.
wear the right clothing, and the weather doesn’t matter so much. montreal is so amazing, anyone who would bitch about the weather on anything but sustained 40 below temperatures doesn’t appreciate it and should try elsewhere.
but vi, aren’t you glad tho that you got exposed to manual drafting method back when you were studying architecture?
I was experiencing the same thing during my undergrad years. The whole 5 years i never used computer/CAD in any of my studio projects cause they (the faculties) didn’t let us, at least not until the final year. Now when I think back, I’m glad they didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I too love using digital tools to explore my spatial ideas and it does give you infinite possibility on how you can approach your design. However you just can’t beat that “spark” that happens between your brain and the tip of your fingers while you’re sketching away on a piece of paper. And you can still explore and produce a “deep” 3D spatial experience by hand drafting/sketching. Just think of Piranesi.
I’d love to try the “paperless” studio approach but I don’t think I can get away from hand/manual sketching especially during the conceptual development process. THEN, only then I can explore my concept digitally. Just my…err…2.5 cents? :)
So how was Gregg Lynn? Used to love him but now that “blobitecture” is getting old, I kinda loose faith on him. I’d love to see his design get built, tho.
take me theereeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
nyamanan tinggal di montreal apa vancouver vi?
boy, check this out. cool site about montreal : http://www.madeinmtl.com/
Ronny: It’s just weather. Right clothes, no problem.
d: Talking as a Montréaler, eh?
noel: No, I am not glad at all. Honestly. You and I are rare architects that enjoy both side of the world but most of our friends are still lingering in that “sketchy paper” world which is not good because they already close their mind.
Greg Lynn was fine, as usual. Yeah, second time meeting him and he still talking about the same stuff. So yeah, nothing new there.
rahma: come!
Iin: never been to Vancouver. Jadi gak tau perbandingannya =).
an: Thanks, really helpful altho a little bit to heavy for my taste…
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mean to bitch. Of course I know I can do fine with the right clothing. I lived for FIVE years in Winnipeg for heaven’s sake. I laughed at people who were shocked when I told them it could get to 40 or 50 degrees below zero in the winter in Winnipeg, or Winterpeg as some people like to call it.
Ronny @ November 23, 2004 12:32 AM
Montréal’s weather is almost always bad from what I’ve heard, freezing cold in the winter and scorching hot in the summer. I’ve only been there in the winter (christmas time), and it was bad. But the city is so beautiful. As for the language I’ve had quite the opposite experience, people always speak French to me, but probably not as bad as in QC.