LIFE IS A BREATH OF AIR Oscar Niemeyer

A documentary film by Fabiano Maciel, 2007

The Filmmaker worked for over ten years to complete this documentary on Oscar Niemeyer "A Vida e um Sopro": Live is a Breath of Air - a statement of the architect.

This is an impressive document, introducing the viewer to the life, works and ideas of this brilliant man.

The documentary is well worth to watch it, you will not be disappointed! I promise.

Click on the link to watch the trailer of the movie: Bebo

You can also watch the full movie by copying the following links:

Part 1:

http://www.wisevid.com/play?v=8t_v-J8qtAbc

Part 2:

http://www.wisevid.com/play?v=4tbvdw9tJcgc

EXPLORING LONDON'S LEFTOVER SPACES. The railway viaduct from London Bridge to Bermondsey South.

INTRODUCTION:

BERMONDSEY is an area in the London Borough of Southwark in London, England. It is a south-eastern district of inner London, containing much of thedocklands to the south of the river Thames. It was in the Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey from 1900 until 1965, since when it has been a part of theLondon Borough of Southwark.

The area was originally named "Beormund's Ey" (Beormund being a Saxon personal name, "ey" being an old word for "island"). At this time it would have been little more than a marshy riverside island. A community of Cluniac monks established Bermondsey Abbey on the site in 1082 and began the development of the area, cultivating the land and embanking the riverside. They turned an adjacent tidal inlet at the mouth of the River Neckinger into a dock, naming it St Saviour's Dock after their abbey's patron saint.

The Knights Templar also owned land here and gave their names to one of the most distinctive streets in London, Shad Thames (a corruption of "St John at Thames"). Other ecclesiastical properties stood nearby at Tooley Street, where wealthy citizens and clerics had their houses, including the Priors of Lewes, the Abbots of Battle and the Priors of St Augustine, Canterbury. (sourced from: http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Bermondsey.htm)

By the mid-19th century parts of Bermondsey, especially along the riverside had become a notorious slum - with the arrival of industrial plants, docks and immigrant housing. The area around St Saviour's Dock, known as Jacob's Island, was one of the worst in London. It was immortalised by Charles Dickens's novel Oliver Twist. Dickens provides as with a vivid description of what it was like:

"... crazy wooden galleries common to the backs of half a dozen houses, with holes from which to look upon the slime beneath; windows, broken and patched, with poles thrust out, on which to dry the linen that is never there; rooms so small, so filthy, so confined, that the air would seem to be too tainted even for the dirt and squalor which they shelter; wooden chambers thrusting themselves out above the mud and threatening to fall into it - as some have done; dirt-besmeared walls and decaying foundations, every repulsive lineament of poverty, every loathsome indication of filth, rot, and garbage: all these ornament the banks of Jacob's Island."

In February 1836 the London and Greenwich Railway opened between Spa Road and Depfort. It was the first railway in the London area. Build by Colonel George Landmann, a military engineer. The railway viaduct over 3 miles long, consisted of 887 brick arches which are still in use today.

Birds eye-view of the London and Greenwich Railway

(The Mirror, December 1936)

Spa Road Station forecourt in 1904.

An early locomotive, which run on London's first railway from

London to Greenwich, built by the South Eastern Railway.

THE INSPIRING STORIES OF THE BERMONDSEY RAILWAYS:

LIVING IN THE BLITZ

(article from the Southwark News by Julia Shipperley, 26 August 2008)

Article Source: (http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/00,news,11654,466,00.htm)

While doing my research I came across this interesting article about Bermondsey under the bombing in 1939. The article tells the story of the tragedy and how the people found a shelter under the Viaduct Tunnels:

"Bermondsey people had more reason to be concerned about sheltering from the bombs than other Londoners. The nature of the ground in Bermondsey meant a lot of waterlogged soil prevented the construction of the deep shelters required to give protection against the bombs. As it was the home of some of London’s busiest docks, it was a prime target for German bombers.

On September 6-7 1940 the first high explosive bombs were dropped on Bermondsey. A railway arch on Linsey Street, in use as a shelter at the time, was hit and 23 people died. Over 1940, Bermondsey experienced 395 air raids, during which 99 bombs were dropped. The raids occupied a total of 1,108 hours meaning that Bermondsey residents had to carry on their day-to-day lives, working and socialising, during air raid conditions that totaled a quarter of their year.

One of the worst nights was on February 17 1941, when there were heavy raids across London, with 34 incidents occurring in Southwark. That night, 300 people were taking shelter at the Stainer Street arch near London Bridge station. The roadway under the arches had been converted into a shelter containing a medical aid post. A pair of ten tonne steel doors closed each end of the shelter.

At 10.25pm a high explosive bomb burst into the shelter and exploded in the medical aid post. The steel doors were hurled into the shelter and the water and hydraulic mains burst. In the horror that followed, 68 bodies were recovered and 175 people were injured. Many of the dead were squashed by the steel doors and were beyond recognition. The bodies of Dr Lesley Probyn and her Red Cross nurses Ethel Little and Rosina Hartley at the Medical Aid Post were never found".

MY STORY

The Railway Viaduct brought tremendous changes to the way people lived, worked and played. These structures also created a divide between the communities living on both sides of the Viaduct.

In this project I am going to research this space and create a device that will help me to tell a story that this great brick structures have to tell...

Before visiting the site I did a lot of research and I became really interested by the 19th century society that occupied this area. The Victorian times, when London was blooming and growing like no other city in the world. Yet, Bermondsey at the same time was a place of poverty, dirt and could easily be described as the world's worst slum. This was The Capital of Cholera and The Venice of Drains!

JACOB'S ISLAND

POVERTY AND CHOLERA ON THE STREETS OF BERMONDSEY

MY PLAN OF ACTION:

• Visits to the Site (visit as often as possible under different weather conditions, various times of the day etc... Always take pictures and notes of your observations; watch the people around, their lifestyle, type of businesses around, type of community).
• Time at the Library (book research)
• Visits to the museums and other places of interest: Science Museum, London Transport Museum, Kew Gardens etc...
• Computer Research on the following topics: Railways, Great Railway Boom, Types of Recording Devices, Designing Small Devices, Product Design, Water, Dampness, Victorian Times, Dickens and the story of Oliver Twist, Cholera, Contamination of Water, Mould, Moss, Jacob's Island ...

MY VISIT TO THE SITE

It was a chilly day, when I went to visit the site, but the sun was out and it felt pleasant to be out. I arrived there around 11 o'clock. It was raining a lot the night before, so there were many puddles and a feeling of dumpness under the tunnel as I strolled around.

Puddles are small bodies of water that usually form in areas of poor drainage. Somehow they remind me of the Jacob's Island and the Dampness Problem existing in this area during the Victorian Times. Another aspect I find interesting about them is how they capture and reflect the surroundings. They are like free shaped mirrors scattered on the grounds.

I didn't have to go too far to get my inspiration. I saw an old rain pipe on the side of the viaduct, overgrown by some greenery and moss. I watched the water coming down the pipe. It wasn't raining anymore but still there were slow drops of water travelling to the ground. I got incredibly attracted by the sight and the sound of this occurrence. It all came together: the pipe - just like the tunnel, the water travelling like the train on those heavy viaduct rails ...

I carried walking down the pavement along Druid Street and found few more rain pipes which i thought were interesting. What I liked about them was the way the metal was affected by the water and humidity. Both covered in corrosion and moss.

I recorded this little video, it is almost like a theatrical show with the main character being the nature. I found it very inspirational...

After doing a lot of web based research and the first visit to the site I sat down and started to brainstorm my ideas. This is what I came up with...

MY SITE

The place I have chosen for my site is the Viaduct between 64 - 104 Druid Street. I am going to observe, record and measure the rain pipes in this area and how they are affected by the environment (water, temperature and light).

CARBON CYCLE IN THE ENVIRONMENT:

INSPIRATION:

Water Pipes, Drainage System, Puddles, Rain, Water Contamination, Mould, Moss, Corrosion,

Vegetation Growing on Damp Surfaces.

THEME:

HOPE. Why? Because, somehow in my eyes, the green moss and other vegetation growing on the corroded, dump walls and rain pipes of the Viaduct symbolizes the fresh exhistence of life. Something alive that grows, breaths and feeds. A fresh start, new beginning and something to look forward to...

I see it as a representation of change. Just like the opening of the Greenwich Railway in 1836. My theme also corresponds to the Japanese tradition of growing moss gardens. The Japanese have been growing them for centuries, from a religious perspective, moss gardens have been thought to elicit a calm, contemplative state of mind.

WHAT DO I WANT TO RECORD?

I would like to show how the rain water is affecting the metal water pipes and the stone constructions and other materials present on the site. To achieve that I am going to use the growth of moss. The intensity of the growth will indicate the level of dampness and availability of other natural sources like light.

I asked myself this questions:

What is Moss? Where does it grow? Does it have any ideological meanings?

And surprisingly ended up being really addicted to it. I even created a moss terrarium for my home. It has a very calming effect on me. It's reach, deep colour is so refreshing and I believe that by just looking at my energy levels are being instantly boosted.

WHAT IS MOSS?

MOSSES are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm (0.4-4 in) tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leavescover the thin wiry stems. At certain times mosses produce spore capsules which may appear as beak-like capsules borne aloft on thin stalk. There are approximately 12,000 species of moss.

LIFE CYCLE OF THE MOSS

HABITAT

Mosses are found chiefly in areas of dampness and low light. Mosses are common in wooded areas and at the edges of streams. Mosses are also found in cracks between paving stones in damp city streets. Some types have adapted to urban conditions and are found only in cities. A few species are wholly aquatic.

Wherever they occur, mosses require moisture to survive because of the small size and thinness of tissues, lack of cuticle (waxy covering to prevent water loss), and the need for liquid water to complete fertilisation. Some mosses can survive desiccation, returning to life within a few hours of rehydration.

Moss is considered a weed in grass lawns, but is deliberately encouraged to grow under aesthetic principles exemplified by Japanese gardening. In old temple gardens, moss can carpet a forest scene. Moss is thought to add a sense of calm, age, and stillness to a garden scene. Rules of cultivation are not widely established. Moss collections are quite often begun using samples transplanted from the wild in a water-retaining bag. However, specific species of moss can be extremely difficult to maintain away from their natural sites with their unique combinations of light, humidity, shelter from wind, etc.

Growing moss from spores is even less controlled. Moss spores fall in a constant rain on exposed surfaces; those surfaces which are hospitable to a certain species of moss will typically be colonised by that moss within a few years of exposure to wind and rain. Materials which are porous and moisture retentive, such as brick, wood, and certain coarse concrete mixtures are hospitable to moss. Surfaces can also be prepared with acidic substances, including buttermilk,yogurt, urine, and gently puréed mixtures of moss samples.

INHIBITING MOSS GROWTH

Moss growth can be inhibited by a number of methods:

• Decreasing availability of water through drainage or direct application changes.
• Increasing direct sunlight.
• Increasing number and resources available for competitive plants like grasses.
• Increasing the soil pH with the application of lime

(SOURCED FROM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moss)

HOW TO GROW MOSS? HOW TO CREATE A MOSS TERRARIUM.

What you need:

• clear glass lidded jar
• stones
• soil
• charcoal
• moss
• decorations
• spray mist bottle

Another very exciting project I looked up is crating a Moss Graffiti. I would love to incorporate this idea into my project:

(serves to create several small pieces or 1 large piece of graffiti)

________________________________________________

1 can of beer
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Several clumps garden moss

You will also need a plastic container (with lid),
a blender and a paintbrush
_________________________________________________

To begin the recipe, first of all gather together several clumps of moss (moss can usually be found in moist, shady places) and crumble them into a blender. Then add the beer and sugar and blend just long enough to create a smooth, creamy consistency. Now pour the mixture into a plastic container.

Find a suitable damp and shady wall on to which you can apply your moss milkshake. Paint your chosen design onto the wall (either free-hand or using a stencil). If possible try to return to the area over the following weeks to ensure that the mixture is kept moist. Soon the bits of blended moss should begin to re-couperate into a whole rooted plant – maintaining your chosen design before eventually colonising the whole area.

www.storiesfromspace.co.uk/data/html/mossgraffiti.html

GLASS BLOWING - Peter Layton's Glassblowing Studio

http://www.londonglassblowing.co.uk/

On my way back from the site I walked passed Peter Layton's London Glassblowing Studio, which is a hot glass gallery focused on the creation and display of contemporary glass art. The studio has a reputation as one of Europe's leading glassmaking workshops with a particular flair for the use of colour, form and texture. It gave me an idea of how I would like to create my device.

RESOURCES:

The Victorian Railways, London: Thames & Hudson

The Victorian Railway and How it Evolved, London, Heineman

London in the 19th Century, A Human and the Wonder of God, Jerry White

http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/00,news,11654,466,00.htm

http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Bermondsey.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moss

www.storiesfromspace.co.uk/data/html/mossgraffiti.html

http://www.londonglassblowing.co.uk/