END OF YEAR FUNCTION!

Another week of productivity! So this is the 2nd last week until we close! Alot of things have been happening...we recently had a mini party for the boss's wife meaning lots and lots of cake. Even clients who came by joined in. Next, we had a meeting whereby everyone was asked about their progress and in which I had to make a really improvised speech of all the things I've learned during my stay. Now I am busy with a joinery schedule for Thafalofefe hospital. Also busy with as-builts for a private home.

The end of year function is this Saturday at Inkwenkwezi Game Lodge where we will also have a game drive...SO excited! And then the results come out this friday! How fast the year has flown by! Nextweek Wednesday, the office closes and on the very same day, I go back home. ALOT of packing is on the cards! I have made a home in East london, friends, family and lots of connections for the future! What a great year it has been!

Next week on arrival in Cape town, Im off to jozi for holiday again with the family...hmmmm, seems like tis year just keeps on getting better and better...Hope this will rub off onto 2012!

May you have a GREAT GREAT GREAT NEW YEAR and may 2012 bring lots of blessings!

till next time
//Yoli//

END OF YEAR FUNCTION VENUE...

Home

15 days to go until its home time for me, East london is nothing like Cape town at all. I'm so homesick now that time is getting nearer. The office is expriencing some technical glitches which have resulted in me having no CAD/SKETCHUP and now I am stuck with filing with is a month's load. Atleast it is so much better than mopping over my pc. Now that its gone, I realised how we have now come to rely on these advanced systems and although they do save mounds of time, drawing boards shouldn't ever be left out. I've found that a hand drawn design captures the true essence of a creative idea. I will try my best to not let CAD/SketchUp/Revit or any computer generated drawing programmes get the best of me because they are so addictive. Anyways, I have got to go...

Till next time
//Yoli//


technologies taking over...

 appreciate the expressive quality of traditional handdrawing and harness its value...

MY THOUGHTS ON ARCITECTURE

architecture

by Yolanda Mfikili on Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 7:38am

okay...so i chose this field of study...must say after mounds of confusion, i am only beginning to understand what this is all about. This thing called 'Architecture'.its more than designing and building . Architecture is a tool which proves that there is a God. He is the highest form of architect. He created the earth. He created the planets. The universe. The bold mountains which root deep in the earth than any human mind can begin to understand. Its always said in this field that, every great building begins with strong foundation. Which foundation is the universe holding on to? Truly, is evolution the father to that knowledge? Is it mere chance that the planets,including earth, have been great structures throughout centuries and centuries? if so, how did evolution know when to stop producing new planets in order for them not to crush and knock into each other? Evolution is the result of a frustrated human mind which is trying to find an explanation to the most deepest creations that any human brain could ever handle. Architecture is the architect's way of expressing the lengths of creativity one can reach to make human habitat more exciting. To create perspective instead of 2 dimension. To increase the quality of awareness of space..architecture is layers of space upon space. Earth is our platform. Earth is human space. We create buildings. A space within a space. We create. Earth is created. Its not chance. Architecture loves being expanded to new heights, it is after all expression of the architect's mind. We never underestimate its worth. It could kill. Right now earth is being exposed to many chemicals which ruin it with every passing milisecond. Thus resulting in us, decaying more quicker than we already are. A structure we create can be destroyed by poor maintenance which could result in it ultimately collapsing.

I've seen architecture expressing joy. I've seen architecture expressing pain. Earth expresses joy with its flowers and all types of splendid creature upon it. We,cause it to express pain by ruining its joy. To the point that it becomes barren and infertile. Our structures express joy and pain in a less intense way. Joy expressed through the creation of fun theme parks and aquaruiums,etc. Pain expressed through the creation of historical museums, buildings which have been ruined by the outcomes of war,etc.

Architecture...



Architorture...
This is the term we call it as students. Fine. architecture is a passion, one which comes with a high price. Architects dont sleep. Thats torture. Architects draw and draw. The client may not like what you have created. You go back and draw and draw but try not to distort the initial idea and eventually get lost.Torture. Architects can ruin a concept with a simple sentence and lose the client as an ultimate result. We have to be careful at all times. Sensitivity is everywhere. From that first initial thought of your creation pre-built. We have to consider the culture of an environment. The slope of its landscape. The architecture already there. Whether it were shacks or mountains. The existing have to be respected for the new structure to be a success. Its like us, in order to be well brought up, experience is sucked from whats already been, our parents. A structure may collapse after many years, it has failed because people's lives may be lost. A structure may be so strong that it stands tall through decades upon decades only to be destroyed by a future generation through bulldozers. That structure has passed. It stood to educate and tell history, for example, the Parthenon, the Colloseum,etc. There are architects who have failing buildings, but we still deem as great. Le Corbusier had his Villa Savoye's garden roof leak. But it has taught us something. That building and nature can be intertwined to complement each other. Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling waters isn't all that great after all. But its beauty taught us that we can use certain principles in order to honour aesthetics.
Some architects have died but have still wished for their work to continue. The Sangrada still continues to this day. The plan is never ending. Architect died years and years ago. Passion.
Architecture is a passion.
My passion.





Architecure

YEAR IS ON A ROLL!!!!

WOW! This year started just yesterday and already it's rounding off to its end! Alot of legendary things happened...my new job, meeting the Mandela family at the personal Madiba home in Qunu in a private meeting...just me and my boss, going to Mvezo and going back and forth for the Block sessions at school with the last being a profound experience of stretching out our hand as the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2011 design build Architecture class and helping out a school in need. Those highlights spell nothing short of FORTUNATE. I was fortunate simply to be a 2nd year student at CPUT in year 2011 and be able to say even 20 years down the line: ''yes I was part of that design-build team''. I was fortunate simply to be a part of NN architects...getting hired was a blessing in its essential self. I was fortunate to be part of a year whereby using the cyber world as a means of learning for the first time...guinea pig would be sound more like it( mind you, my life has always been interesting that way lol). I cannot express my gratitude more although I wish there were other ways to do so. I appreciate the fact that I am studying a career I feel strongly about.

Architecture has exposed itself in its most raw form. Sleepless nights, dealing with clint of different culture and creed with the all sort of different pressures they came with, multi-tasking with different projects simultaneously and accepting the fact that there is no ''me-time'' in this career...SACRIFICE!

Recently I was pondering upon this broad term called Arhitecture...I will be sure to share my thoughts...

To all my blog viewers, this year was not even the tip of the ice berg as to where I am going with this career...I have more intentions, more growth and more stories still to share with all of you. There is a friend of mine from Germany, Sophie Schirren who told me that she has been reading my blog. The shock and emotion that I felt was huge considering the fact that I initially had my mind believe that this blog was only for me and my lecturers...nevermind the fact that it is open to the public...I still had the notion that no one would spare the time to read and share my wonderful experience. This is insight into the life of a typical architecture student and keep on the watch for this one as this is not the end of Yolanda Mfikili.

To round of, I find it so hilarious that now that my time for internship is coming to an end, I am beginning to enjoy being a 'proffessional'...and I must say...ALL WAS SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

Till next time,
//Yoli//

Thafalofefe

Lastweek thursday, I went to a hospital called Thafalofefe which is in the rurals past Butterworth. Me and the architect I work with on this project were appalled at what we saw. The condition of the hospital was in such a bad state. We went there to do some measured drawings of the TB ward in order to be able to draw up the as built for renovation purposes. After the two hour drive over beautiful hills and valleys we arrived and upon our arrival recieved masks for protection.

Me and my colleague measured the whole ward and had to keep on reassuring the staff that the condition of the hospital would be improved as they could not believe how fortunate they were. This experience made me so aware of the environment. There are so many hospitals in the outskirts of a town which have absolutely nobody who checks for constant maintenance. These type of facilities need to be constantly cared for in terms of maintenance since the health of people is dealt with. They need to encourage the recuperation of patients and not for their deterioration. The toilets had no doors, the frames were decaying and rotting, the kitchen counters looked like they came from and were installed in the 1900's and the windows had no curtains but sheets covering them as if to block a bit of sunlight. My heart went out to those patients who had to spend nights sleeping and waking up to such circumstances. My job was to measure and capture each and every fault in order for it to be recognised and fixed and I must say, I have never been so passionate and eager to take pictures in my whole life!

I drew up the as built and now I am drawing up a renovation schedule which will go to the Quantity surveyors as of wednesday of this week. After I am done with this hospital, I am going to go to the next hospital which will need renovation of its own too. Till then, its goodbye for now!

Till next time
//Yoli//

Some pictures witnessing the hospital's state

St Michaels Project

I cannot believe how fast the design-build project went! If I was given two words to describe the experience, they would be FUN and ENRICHING! By the time the project ended,it had already sunk in thesytem and order of things in my daily life. The impact the whole exprience has had on me has been immense in such a way that, my mates grew on me,seeing their smiling faces everyday and the willingness to help towards giving the children a way towards the opportunity of adding a better learning environment became the norm of everyday and by the time the whole project ended,a feeling of sadness grew on all of us since we had nothing to look forward to anymore. Nevertheless, the joy we felt at seeing the happy faces carried by the school chiklren and the staff members was an emotionally moving moment when they also sang a song they had prepared for us.

To be continued...

Till next time
//Yoli//