Procrastination Via Documentaries...

Watched all these in late October while procrastinating writing papers... Foster harps on simplicity while Zumthor has an interesting take on silence and how his environment influences his design. Alejandro Aravena though is my personal favorite of the bunch focusing his Ted Talk on the very participatory design principle that won him his Pritzker and launched his firm Elemental Architecture to prominence.

Alejandro Aravena

Norman Foster

Peter Zumthor

La Basilique du Sacré Cœur de Montmartre

La Basilique du Sacré Cœur de Montmartre

Credit where its due, this photo came from my Fotopedia app and it was taken by the photographer Andres Garcia. I really like how La Basilique du Sacré Cœur  (The Basilica of the Sacred Heart) rises above the buildings surrounding it, really emphasizing its significance.

The Basilica is definitely an architectural masterpiece, and one of my favorite buildings in Paris. I look forward to seeing this in person when I finally visit France.

(Original post c. 2014...Unfortunately didn't get to visit during my trip to Paris summer 2015.)

C.K. Ukaga

National Geographic: MARS!!!!

Best thing on TV right now! The blending of reality and fiction is so freaking exciting. We are literally so close to this being an actuality I can't wait. On another note I spent Tuesday looking up future civil engineering space jobs.

Before Mars: Prequel

Episode 1: Recap

Episode 2: Recap

Gifted

Long sat on book idea...

A sophomore in high school shocks his opponent during the state high school basketball final game. This leads to a series of events opening him up to a new amazing world he is a part of. However just as he begins to feel accepted he realizes that there is more to this world than meets the eye. As tensions rise, and problems present themselves, Kevin finds himself, still a fledgling, at the center of it all.

Goal #1 for 2017...

 

Craft a new sound combining Tropical House, Afro House, Hip Hop, Afrobeat, Afropop, and Igbo Highlife.

"Lost Kingdoms of Africa: Zulu Empire" (5/23/2014)

I knew this would be an amazing documentary after the 1:30 intro gave me goosebumps! A great documentary presented by Dr. Gus Casely Hayford which was very informative, insightful, and inspiring. I will definitely finish the rest of the "Lost Kingdoms of Africa" series and pick out some of the key positive details to put towards my "African Apotheosis" work.

Highlights from the movie for me had to be the the description of the "horn of the bull" military tactic the Zulu's used to win many of their battles, and the account on the life of Shaka—the man behind the formation of the great Zulu empire.

Again great documentary, and a compelling watch if you have the time.

C.K. Ukaga