Shakespeare and Company, in Paris

    Shakespeare and Company is the name of the independent bookstores on Paris's Left Bank. I knew this bookshop through the magazine called MING when I was in the university in China. I am the reading lovers, so I care about the bookshop.
    Shakespeare and Company is a wonderful and famous bookshop. Writers and artists of the "Lost Generation," such as Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, George Antheil and Man Ray, spent a great deal of time there. And the shop was featured in the Richard Linklater film Before Sunset and in the Woody Allen film Midnight in Paris.
    Most importantly, this  bookshop has an open altitude towards people. They even take in wanders. On the first floor of this bookshop, there is a bed. If readers read lately, they can use this bed in night.
 

    In here,  you can immerse yourself in books. They sale many English books. It is a place for people to study French and English. Besides, they holds reading salons. The staff said, they will have a cafe and underground cinema.

 

Alexander Calder: Mobile Sculpture

  When I visited the Tate Gallery in London, I found a interesting sculpture which I liked it very much!

  This is Alexander Calder's mobile sculpture which was made of metal, string wood and wire. By suspending forms that move with the flow of air, Calder revolutionised sculpture. Marcel Duchamp dubbed these works "mobiles". Rather than a solid object of mass and weight, they continually redefine the space around them as they move. Calder's works show the animated version for people.

Disney, The Lord Major's Show and Use Atmosphere to Create The World You Want !

  When I stood at the front of St. Paul's Cathedral, I felt that I could not think due to the continuous rain and cold wind. "When will the Lord Major come?" I had been screaming in my heart. Oh, yes! On Saturday in London, it was The Lord Major's Show. Every year the Major of London has a big demonstration. Today, there were  21 bands, 150 horses, countless vintage cars, helicopters, robots, unicycles, dancers, beds, bathtubs, and one camel - not to mention half a million spectators. How grand demonstration was! This time was the second time in 800 years, the City of London welcomes a woman to the office of lord mayor(686th lord mayor).

             

we were waiting in the rain

come on! they are coming! so cool!

  The demonstration started around 10 am and was over about 12 am. So, it meant I stood in that harsh weather for 2 hours! At the beginning, I was excited and I cheered for the beautiful horses and Scotland music. When my hands and feet were freezing, I could not be excited like the beginning. Although, I can't help myself hailing to the soldiers,dancers and other perfumers, since they looked like very happy and they put on the show. Some perfumers just wore the short T-shirts or dresses, they were so brave! You know, the weather was really bad! 

  

dancers danced at the brisk paces with the high heel shoes

  These dancers made me think of the dancers in Disneyland who pull up to the parties. They create a wonderful fairy tale world and every visitor immerses in that world! This is the atmosphere's magic!

  Atmosphere, atmosphere, atmosphere......

  For me, it is an key point in my design. Catch the atmosphere, catch the people's hearts and create my own world. Maybe it is a fairy tale world with sweet candies which makes everyone happy, believe this is a wonderful world and can escape from the daily grind. 

  Look back to the Zaha Hadid's works, she also uses the atmosphere to creates her own kingdom. Her futuristic architectures create a cool world where people can experience the disposition of the buildings and image the future through her sharp lines or curves.

  And I want to mention a Japanese architect, Kazuyo Sejima. In her works, people can experience the tranquil atmosphere. The architectures give people the feeling of "floating", "graceful" and "light".

  Actually, think carefully,"atmosphere" is a abstract concept and it is a feeling. I cannot just follow my feeling to do my design. I need to summary some principles about the atmosphere I want.
                 

              

Lincoln Cathedral

  Every time when I see the wonderful churches, cathedrals or abbeys,such as, St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, I only understand the Gothic arches or domes. And the complicated carvings make me feel dazzling.

  Recently, I watch the BBC documentary, Churches: How to Read Them.

  It is interesting and helpful, because in my living environment, temples are the main religious buildings. There are some churches, but they are not exquisite.  

  Through this documentary, I get the hang of church little by little. Taylor studies in many churches in UK which have different characters. He introduces the background, stories and carvings of some special churches. So, when I went to Lincoln Cathedral, I felt better. 

  Before I went to Lincoln, I found a story about the little and famous imp in Lincoln Cathedral. These carvings always have their own stories or legends.

The Angel turns the naughty imp into stone

    Two great rose windows, which are a highly uncommon feature among medieval architecture in England. On the south side there is the “Bishop's Eye”, one of the largest examples of curvilinear tracery seen in medieval architecture. This window made me think of the rose window of York Cathedral. Its rose window was in the memory of Rose War. 

Dean's Eye

Bishop's Eye

    European are good at stone carvings.

patterns

   Pointed arch, the mark of medieval buildings.

  Lovely girls, they were making wishes.

rehearsal of choir

  Lincoln is a small city, but the people are more peaceful than people in Nottingham. There are lots of vintage shops, selling exquisite old things, such as, telescope, mouth organ, lace, post cards and ties. I had  nice travelling experience in Lincoln. 

Skyspace, James Turrell

  Today's visiting is a warm-up of future study. We visited the York Sculpture Park and Wakefiled's museum. Compared with David Chipperfield's work( THE HEPWORTH WAKEFIELD), I prefer the James Turrell's skyspace, because his work is simpler and purer.
  I took this photo in James's architectural installation. The square skylight lets me feel something about the religion.

  This skylight makes the sky become more closed. Before I come to here, I cannot image that I can appreciate the sky in this way.In UK, due to the high latitude, the sky is really different from my country. It is very blue, clear and changeable and clouds move fast.
  You know, some designers always say, we hope people can enjoy the slow life and love the nature. I think, it is like the hollow slogan. But in this installation, I felt to be at the bottom of the ocean of air. Besides, I cannot control my potential consciousness, it wants meditation. I just want to seat down and watch the sky. As James said, create an experience of wordless thought.
  James Turrell also did many skyspaces in the world. He is interested in light.

  He use the concept of the "skyspace" design a temple hotel in Beijing. The skylight is combined with the theme perfectly. Normally, meditation space tends to be experimental. However, James's works show the possibility of connecting the spirit with buildings.

James Turrell's official website:
http://jamesturrell.com/