RIBA Cycling

While I do admire modern buildings, somehow another year of RIBA buildings are here, and yet again expanses of glass, pillars of modern materials be they steel or concrete seem ubiquitous. I grasp the concept that designers have to design for their clients, but surely someone wants a different looking building in the whole of the modern world, and not one that looks as tho you could design it with lego bricks and then do some sort of computer modelling “substitute sheet glass for lego plastic”. DONE.

I mean they’re all quite striking. But just heft and weight. Not something you can really say “wow”. Last week a Vulcan bomber flew overhead, on its last public flight. The Vulcan has been flying for 50 years. You still look at it and go wow, same with a Jaguar E-type, it just exudes sheer design style.

Burntwood School: Nearly £41million. Please can someone pay a bit of attention to the cycle stand outside the school. Presumably quite a lot of kids could arrive on a cycle. What do they get?. A cold windswept corridor of stark metal hoops. Oh and there’s a rubbish bin right beside them, as if to say this is an area for a right mess, the naughty kids and smokers. Oh and you can park your bike here. Not under cover, not protected. No. just against a metal hoop, near a rubbish bin. Great. Actually maybe it is a striking design feature – the blurb says they have “produced grown-up buildings for Burntwood School, which make kids raise their game, instead of pandering to them” so there! Raise your game don’t arrive by bike.

Where's the sail?

The world's largest SuperYacht has been announced. Its pretty massive and really is it a yacht? It looks just like a massive boat.

The old joke is that if you step down and it moves its a boat. If you step up and it doesn't move, its a yacht. While yachts are seen as luxury recreational boats, they can be sail or motor (mostly both). But in some ways you expect a yacht to be able to sail. Superyachts are mammoths of the sea and are privately owned but professionally crewed. Still you'd expect them to be able to sail it every now and again.

The Welsh Beach Boys are Surfin USA

It sounds like an April the first spoof. An artificial surf lagoon has been built in Wales. So you can go surfin in Wales without hitting the beach or the sea!

Built on the site of an old aluminium works on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park in Conwy valley in North Wales it provides newbies with the chance to learn without endless trashing, as well as offering a consistent wave (it can be changed) that can suit all types.

Given the vagaries of the weather and surf, and with added attractions like warm changing rooms, it could be a winner at this new outdoor enthusiast attraction. Mind you it will have to work – they have already had to close it and drain the 6 million gallons of water to fix a fault since it opened on 1st August – Dunno what the fault was, maybe sharks in the water?

Of course they will need to recoupt their costs of such a monumental structure - some £12M...maybe surfers will expect sunshine as well but come on this is wales after all!

Cav is Back

July. And so it must be the Tour de France (TdF). After falling off last year Cav is back and after a few fast and furious sprints, where he missed out, he is now back to winning in style.

Froome is also back after crashing out last year, and after the team time trial it will be up in the mountains. Time for the grand challengers to show their form and try to beat froome, who looks on form, and Contador, who is rated highly after winning the Giro (the other grand tour in Italy, held back in May). Nibali is there and Quintana, both of whom have lost vital time in mis-judging the breaks on the fast and demanding long flat stages in the fast-paced hectic first week. But the mountains will be where the real action is and huge chunks of time can be lost and gained, by strength, tactics, response to the weather, and sheer luck (or ill-luck). Allez, allez!

Too fast for Solar Impulse

Still way too fast for the Solar Impulse - The cycling world hour record has been broken. Bradley Wiggins completed 54.526km (33.88 miles)in the long-awaited attempt at Lea Valley in the UK. Beating the previous recent record held by fellow cyclist Alex Dowsett, who had done 52.937km (32.89 miles) back in May. So that's it for a while.

And no it wasn't all downhill!

On an Impulse

The solar powered plane, Solar Impulse, that is trying to fly around the world, has just arrived at the start line for the crossing of the pacific ocean. Not all in one go. Interesting challenge!

Keep watching the skies near you for a slow moving object.

Real Cycling

Recently completed our local Evans Cycling Sportive, 35 miles out on the road with hundreds of other cycling enthusiasts, or at least people on bikes. A lot of us were using Strava or other similar devices to measure and track our performance.

A bit different to those who enter virtual races where the registration takes place online and you do the performance in your own time. The good news is that these things encourage certain runners and cyclists, as well as rewarding them with badges and T shirts - although its not really "been there and done it" is it!! - and many are for charity.

On the down side they're just plain stupid, you're not really doing the same distance in the same place, in the same conditions, at the same time, so really its just meaningless.

Almost the opposite was one of our cyclists who decided they couldn't be bothered to register - fair enough there was a queue- and just went on the ride and finished the ride without getting an official time. Well it takes all sorts! At least they get to enjoy the main features of a sportive, cycling with loads of similar people and eating cake!. Wherever you are, whatever you do, happy pedalling.

Its common era mate

You can find out what generation you are by the response of a different generation to you. So it was that in a recent conversation I find out i'd been missing a whole junk of cultural changes, that no longer do years go BC and AD, apparently now its Common Era and BCE or "Before Common Era".

Well why not have a TLA (three-letter acronym) if you're changing history. But apparently we are not, 'cos BCE replaces BC and Common Era replaces AD, so actually its just name calling that has changed. Oh well.

Written in 2015 common era.

Get on your bike

Cycling records, a bit like buses, you wait for one and then suddenly you get three in a row…or at least the cycling equivalent. The current one hour record is being challenged, as is the kids-own story of how far can you cycle in a year!

So how far do you reckon you can get in one hour. On a bike. A push bike, not a motorbike. The one hour record has just been broken, at 32mph (or 52kmh). If you fancy your chances do it now as Bradley Wiggins is due to give it a go later this year, so it could change soon!

Meanwhile how far do you reckon you go in one year. Yes really. The mileage record so far is 75,000 miles. Which when you think about it, and yes it is mind boggling if you do start thinking about it is, is over 200 miles day.

Well this year that record is being challenged. Underway right now, Steven Abraham, who started the challenge in the calendar year, just like Godwin, is near 10K miles by this last week of February, with a possible target of 80K miles.

To make it a possible movie deal this attempt itself is being challenged, by an American. To make it more of a pantomime our guy is heroic and doing it on marmite sandwiches (or similar) and probably stopping for a beer or two. The upstart will be all high technology and isotonic drinks. Also quite rightly the yank is derided by plucky brits as he’s riding a recumbent (well sometimes), and cos he’s riding in fair weather on flat roads, but mostly just ‘cos he not a plucky brit. He might have the psychological advantage of following the record-attempt but maybe that will turn into his disadvantage.

In terms of accomplishing this feat it takes logistical planning skills, supreme athleticism but also sheer bloody-headed determination. So we know we’re going to win cos we’re good at that. Besides which, whatever they both do, only one man has ridden it with a veggie diet during a war, Tommy Godwin!

It's a gas

Gasometers, love em or hate 'em they soon won't be here anymore. Curiously when they were operational they were (imho) a bluddy eyesore. Once they were emptied and stripped to a bare skeletal form they developed an empathy within the area, and developed a personality favoured like so much of our beloved Victorian structures.

This didn't preserve these huge structures, even if the remaining structure looked, well structural, the resulting hoarding remained an eyesore. But posterity still remembers these great structures even if they no longer remain in situ.

Drone-Tastic

DRONES. A bit like mobile phones, once they start to become ubiquitous you know a trend is happening. I've seen a few and although there is a concern about where they are, where they go and what they do it, looks like they are here now.

The drones can provide astonishing images although with a limited battery and most flights measured in minutes, these quality images may be the exception rather than the rule.

The plethora of boys-own type names like DJI Phantom 2, Parrot AR.Drone 2.0, Blade 350 QX suggests some are boys toys. But not the really big boys toys, that's the preserve of the military. According to Wiki these are "An unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), also known as a combat drone or drone, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is usually armed. Aircraft of this type have no onboard human pilot. Drones are usually under real-time human control, with "the human's role in UCAV system [varying] according to levels of autonomy of UCAV and data communication requirement." So now you know.

But when they can be used to generate such great content like this delightful tracking of a cycle journey set in Vancouver, Canada, what's not to like about drones.

Rate a Building!

The RIBA Stirling prize for architecture was announced recently, a welcome time to review designs and understand forthcoming trends. For me it’s the swimming pool but then I just like pools!

It’s cool to look at well-designed buildings and feel they elevate the mundane circumstances, especially at work. Here’s a host of trendy offices but have a look again. They are not actually offices or actual workspaces, they’re the communal areas or break-out rooms. You have a feeling that the reality is that all the staff are still in Dilbert-style cubicles and to book space in these trendy areas takes a degree of seniority or months of H&S form completions. Still it keeps buildings on agenda and makes them important, especially important when so many are under-rated.

And what is an oculus? It’s never a good sign when you need to look words up to understand them in an journalism article. Our good friend Wiki provides the following: “An oculus, plural oculi, from Latin oculus: eye, denotes a circular opening in the centre of a dome or in a wall. Originating in antiquity, it is a feature of Byzantine and Neoclassical architecture. It is also known as an oeil de boeuf from the French, or simply a "bull's-eye"."

So really a trendy nomenclature then for a round opening. Sometimes you get the feeling architects are just well-paid painters & decorators, painting over the cracks and making things look OK. It’s amusing to imagine the discussion around the London Eye. The architect describes it as a metropolitan urban oculus portal. No mate it’s in London and its gives you an almost birds-eye view of the city, let’s call it the London Eye.

Hull City Tigers?

Hull has been named as the next "City of Culture" for 2017. Sounds really impressive until you realise there was only a shortlist of four and only about 12 places applied. Its also a bit confusing as the European Union nominate "Capitals of Culture", but they also make award to multiple places, for 2017 its Aarhus in Denmark, Pafos in Cyprus and one TBD. That really doesn't make sense, and you could be forgiven if you get confused. Just for the record we've had Glasgow in 1990 and Liverpool in 2008.

What will the impact be on Hull? Hull has changed recently. Previously known as a hard-drinking town full of dockers and trawlermen, with a ferry port as a gateway to the North Sea and mainland Europe. The impressive Humber bridge put Hull on the map and its become more recognised, but are the changes going to be real or cosmetic?

Right now Hull City, as opposed to Hull, the city; is under threat from the owner of being re-branded as "Hull Tigers". It only makes sense from a pure commercial decision unaffected by authentic football supporter loyalty that is local and vociferous. Set against a global market that is fickle and transitory. Unfortunately supporters don't always have much control or impact on these matters.

Looking at commercial decisions in football (and generally in sport) such as at Cardiff with endless rows on changing colours and branding, it tends to be commercial interest versus partisan support that is the bedrock of historic tradition, and a legacy that might not be passed on. Or like MK Dons, maybe its for a future generation to grow up with and develop their own tradition and history.

It's a funny ol' game...

Manchester United have just paid a record (in the UK) transfer fee of £59 million for Angel Di Maria, from Real Madrid. Beating the £50 million Liverpool paid to get Torres from Chelsea. Previously Arsenal bought Ozil for £42 million from Real, and Man U paid £37 million for Juan Mata from Chelsea. Torres is the only real striker and goal scorer out of these midfield players and wingers. Real Madrid and Chelsea do well out of these deals. Mind you, Real Madrid did pay a world-record transfer fee of £85 million (100 million euros) for Gareth Bale for Spurs, and at least he scores goals!

So the transfer fee ceiling has been raised. But by how much? Well according to wiki the first £100 fee was in 1893 (ah remember those days). It broke £10K in 1928, and £25 million in 1980’s. In 2009 Real Madrid (is there a pattern here?). bought Ronaldo for £80 million from Man United. Paying big to acquire players has worked for Manchester City. Will it work for United? Well they just lost their first game after buying Di Maria at MK Dons 4-0. Football is a funny old game!

Panama Hats

A bit like tax exiles with their endless excuses (*). Many of the big ships that plow the trade seas fly the panama flag - Flags of convenience, just like tax exiles. In some ways it is fitting for the ships as at least there is a great merchant tradition in Panama. Of course they're also thinking of expanding. A similar huge feat of engineering is being considered for the Suez Canal.

At least panama flagged vessels however "fake" and pretentious are at least nominally from Panama. Unlike Panama Hats which are from China. Oh only kidding. They're from Ecuador. Panama hats are light-colored, lightweight, and breathable, and now associated with the seaside and tropical locations. Originally from Ecuador the highest quality "superfino" Panama hat can hold water, and when rolled for storage, can pass through a wedding ring.

So I don't like tax exiles. I do like panama hats although I don't actually own one. And my sympathies begin to lie with pirates, surely they could hit some tax havens and so us all a favour. Um. Maybe the wealthy ones actually live in tax exile, maybe that's why tax domains are havens from piracy!

* Just admit it, You're doing it to be richer. You grew up in a community with all the benefits that brings and now you have the money, you want to keep more and more of it. So now its all about you and your wealth and nowt to do about being social or being part of the fabric of society. You're now entitled to it. Why? Because you have it.

Trompe-l'oeil takes affect

A modern take on those German style fake towns that have trompe l'oeil windows and doors that just look so real. Well now some inspired people have come up with complex optics to mimic the way the sun refracts through standard glass in particular situations. This could be a great architectural design feature, with the added benefits like those winter sunshine lamps are supposed to provide.

Or maybe it turns out to be more closely resembling wallpapers that show countryside views or lakes, cheap tat that does nothing for body or soul. There's some interesting articles on the graphics of design just for fun. Look forward to seeing it for real (sic) sometime soon. Brilliant idea!

Le Tour Re-visited...

Well the TdF has been and gone, and the UK stages were brilliant, followed by near-tragedy on the cobbles of the North, followed by mountain climbing inspiration from Nibali and a great final stage win for the big sprinter, Marcel Kittel on the glorious Champs-Élysées. So much better than the past

Driverless Cars

I thought there were already. Maybe it's just their actual style of driving...anyway. Looks like the UK Government have decided to go ahead with the idea and allow them on the roads (good job really as they would be rubbish cluttering up the pavements). Um so there an idea.

The new city of Milton Keynes is one of those trying out the concept. Here's more information about these MK Driverless cars, similar in concept to the Heathrow pods.

But it seems rather than some sort of real-life Scalextric we are now going for actual driverless cars. As the Cambridge driverless bus took years and never worked it will be curious to see how the new era of motoring gets off. Maybe they will have a bloke with a red flag walking in front of them!

People in glass building’s shouldn’t...

Architectural fashions change and now its suggested that glass skyscrapers are falling (no, that in that way) out of favour with the architectural elite. We have had granite and stone so if architects start to move away from glass then what’s left? Well, it will have to be a sexy new material, and expensive. Car and cycle designers seem to love carbon so maybe that will be the new one. Matt black office buildings of the future! Or maybe Apple will design one and it will be ultra-light aluminium and too thin to fit in! I My suggestion, create them out of the most inexpensive material you can find that works really well and the cover them in (no, not in chocolate) in greenery. And you still shouldn’t throw stones (among other things).

Le Tour

The Tour De France (TdF) is here, yes starting in England and winding thru Yorkshire, Cambridge and fast finish into London. To celebrate the occasion Yorkshire have set up street art along the way. What inspired thinking and relevant cycle homage. Allez allez!!