Budapest Day 2

Today, we visited the Gellert Spa. Budapest is built on a series of hot springs and people have been using the thermal pools since the Roman conquest of the area, known then as Pannonia. We stayed most of the day at the Gellert in the hot springs and out in the wave pool.

In the afternoon we went to the Hungaian National Museum. The museum has a new permanent exhibit in the Archaeology gallery, it is the history of the Capathian Basin from the Paleolithic ear to the Magyar conquest.

The exhibit is extremely well done. Written in both Hungarian and English, very nice case work, great LED lighting, and exceptional collection.

I know a little about the Roman period here, but told Lucas I wanted to learn where the Magyar people came from when the migrated to the are around 900ce. I don't really have a grasp on exactly where people were coming from during the Great Migration after the fall of Rome.

Found the panel..."There are numerous ideas about the origins and previous accomadations of the Hungarians that still require further research."

Ruin Pubs Part Deus

We arrived in Budapest today, after delays in Chicago and Berlin, but with out luggage. Luckily, I packed a swimsuit in my carry on.  But unless bag shows up, I have one change of clothes for the next two weeks.

 We have been walking around Budapest and checking out the Ruin Bars since we arrived. We are very tired. Because of the time change - 9 hours - Lucas is pointing out that it has been  48 hours without night.

Tomorrow we will try and make a plan.

On my Way to Hello Wood

I left today for Hungary. I am meeting Lucas in Chicago and then we are flying to Budapest. If there is anything I would ever want to do, it would be attend an art and architecture camp. I find it to be an unbelievable privilege to get to teach at one again this year.

We put together our presentation this week. We are working on the concept of Adaptive Use.

This seems innovative, but it is really what I have hoped to do my whole career. I want to create space where people want to be engaged.

I wrote a note to our team members yesterday. It said, "I think the most successful part of our first project, the Alt-Cathedral, was digging out the foundation of the "Ruin" and building the fire pit. We lit it every night, and it was indeed a focal point where people gathered."

We will be working on the goal of creating a new space at the Cathedral. One that focuses on this idea of gathering. One that breaks down the nature of public and private, and creates a space that is both invites and separates. I am excited for what might come out of this project.

Wishing for Better Friends

I was complaining this week that I wish I had friends who were artists and designers. Or friends who were designers and friends who were better artists. But then Lucas reminded me that we are all walking around with pretty cool designer couture back backs made by one of my friends.


They are pretty cool, and in the last couple of weeks we have realized how well designed they are. Davis is living out of one during the week, and camping of it every weekend all summer in Yellowstone National Park. Though compact and light weight, the pack was big enough to get everything he took for the summer. And it looks really cool.

Lucas had one on the Pacific Crest Trail. It was 11 pounds fully loaded, nearly ultralight. This canvas pack has an integrated sleeping pad built in as the back and side support. He loved it.

Yesterday, he packed it for Hungary. He said it packed up like a vacuum bag. He could not believe how much he got in it. And it still condensed enough to meet requirements of a personal bag on his flight.


















Michael Field made these bags under the design name Bagriculture. He is the lead exhibit designer at the San Diego Natural History Museum. They are one-of-a-kind bags and all hand made. They are light weight and durable, made specifically for overnight desert hiking.

So, maybe I am just overlooking how cool some of my designer friends really are. I will have to think about that when I am in Hungary next week.

Hellowood Project Page

Our project page went up on the Hello Wood site. You can click here to see it.

The Cloister and Chapter House project is about developing structural detail and method-based investigations utilizing interpretations of traditional timber-framed constructs. We propose a standard assembly that can be used to construct an array of building types and could conceivably be expanded upon until infinity.

The project incorporates the Cathedral and Ruin to investigate the juxtaposition of temporary and permanence: habitation and visitation. Beyond adaptive re-use, to simply adaptive use. The existing grid system used to build the Cathedral will be be used to construct a Cloister, enclosing the stone foundation of the Ruin and creating an actual courtyard at the Cathedral site. Inside and around this courtyard, the Chapter House will be constructed.

Hello Wood Project Village 2017

Lucas and I will be attending the Hello Wood Art and Architecture program in Budapest again this year. Our project was selected by the jury yesterday and we will be one of 14 teams to build an installation. We have proposed to continue the work on the Alt-Cathedral we built last year, with the addition of the Cloister and Chapter House project. We are very excited.

Yikes! its been three months

When You Get Tired of Wearing Heels

That was the name of the email today from the Imperial Valley Desert Museum.

Since returning from Alaska, the Desert Museum has been a whirlwind of activity. We entered 2017 with a new direction called "The Year of the Outdoors." This year we will focus on hiking and camping and getting millennials into the desert.

It has been an insane start with new staff, a new direction, and a new board.

We have camping and hiking gear all over the museum and a bunch of new stuff in the gift shop. I will have to make up some time and rewind back to where we have come from!