The Architecture of Gaming

I like video games.  No, I'm not referring to Candy Crush or The Sims.  My preferred games are more along the lines of first-person shooters (FPS), stealth games, survival horror games, and some racing games played on multiple platforms.  With these electronic games, virtual realities are created as backdrops for action and role playing amusement.

Although the quality of simulated environments in the games I play range from retro to contemporary, I've noticed that the pragmatism invested in each game setting also varies.  I first became aware of the importance of practical virtual Architectural designing during a scene in one of the retro Doom series.  As I poised myself to open one of the key-carded doors, it dawned on me that I was in a very inconvenient position should I be ambushed upon opening the door.  There I stood, on a narrow, 3 foot elevated platform with what seemed like a 2 foot square column on the left of the door preventing me from quickly adjusting my position should I be attacked.  I would be a sitting duck for a vivacious assault of epic proportions.

Now, these design flaws have been beneficial in some instances.  Awkwardly placed columns, unreasonable staircase slopes, lack of railings on cliff-like areas, and narrow passageways have helped to conceal my avatar, offer a quick escape, and funnel aggressors when launching an attack.  Although the storyline is set on Phobos, one of Mars' moons, on Earth these design shortcomings would not be acceptable.

My other preferred games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, the Modern Combat series, Hitman: Absolution, and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction, have all been created in a time when virtual modeling has advanced significantly.  With the development of graphics, so came the investment into the accuracy of the urban and architectural spacial layouts.  Environments are rendered with photo-realistic finishes, and traverse through the labyrinth of spaces has become easily maneuverable.

In other dystopian gaming environments like the Resident Evil series and the Mortal Kombat series, the Architecture of the environment plays an uncanny role.  In Racoon City, classical stately homes that once held an air of aristocracy are shown as dilapidated in an effort to display the degradation of society after a viral outbreak.


In Mortal Kombat, the conceptualization of a darker alternative realm is shown by the use of unfinished concrete-work and aggressively sculpted terrain.  This meticulous imagery helps shape the atmosphere and evokes the required anxiety for each game.

The design of surrealistic utopian environments like those in Mario Kart and Sonic the Hedgehog display vivid colours and predominantly curvilinear terrain to elicit warmer emotions and a more whimsical and sociable environment.

In the realm of gaming, advances in technology have allowed the development of virtual realities that are almost indistinguishable from our own.  Simultaneously, these alternate worlds give us an outlet to immerse ourselves, with little yearning to return to the mundane.

Image 1 - Screen capture of Dooms Knight,
Source: INFORMER TECHNOLOGIES INC. (2015) Dooms Knight Screenshots [Online] Available from: http://macdownload.informer.com/doomsknight/screenshot/57390/

Image 2 - Screen capture of Resident Evil mansion,
Source: MOD DB (2012) Resident Evil: Alternative Chronicles [Online] Available from: http://www.moddb.com/mods/resident-evil-alternative-chronicles/images/the-mansion-redux

Image 3 - Screen capture of Liu Kang Fight with Raiden in Mortal Kombat X,
Source: Accelerated Ideas (2015) Mortal Kombat X - Lui Kang Variations, Fatalities, and Brutalities [Online] Available from: http://www.accelerated-ideas.com/news/mortal-kombat-x--liu-kang-variations-fatalities-and-brutalities.aspx

Image 4 - Screen captures of Sonic Dash scene,
Source: Digital Spy (2013) Mobile Reviews: 'Sonic Dash', 'Liberation Maiden', 'Rotolla', more [Online] Available from: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/levelup/a464984/mobile-reviews-sonic-dash-liberation-maiden-rotolla-more.html#~ph2PXtOeDRSqmT

From Poverty to Prosperity: The Life of a Recycled Material

Reusing battered construction material can be difficult.  Reviving one that can be typically associated with destitution is an even further challenge.

Corrugated galvanized zinc sheeting, or 'galvanize' as its commonly termed in Montserrat, has been typically used as an inexpensive roof finish over the years.  Recently, its sister material Galvalume has been the preferred choice for residential, business, and industrial building roofs on island (mainly due to it's corrosion resistance, longer lifespan, and more appealing appearance than its counterpart).

In low income areas in the island of Jamaica, galvanized zinc sheeting has been used for decades in a variety of innovative ways.  Recycled galvanized zinc sheeting, or 'zinc' as it's known in Jamaica, has been converted into makeshift property barriers, as well as a cheap solution for external wall cladding in residential units.

During a recent trip to St. Kitts & Nevis just before Whit Monday, I was able to witness yet another unorthodox use for the material.  Having visited the twin island state on multiple occasions, I was unconvinced that I would come across any new discoveries that would appeal to my eccentricity.  A quick drive to the southeast peninsula proved this theory wrong.

The Salt Plage Beach Bar at Christophe Harbour provides the local public and visitors with an upscale experience in a rustic environment.  Designed by South Carolina Architect, John Denton Haley, Salt Plage sits on the coastal site of a once prosperous salt export business.  With sheets of rusted, recycled corrugated zinc lining the multiple forms strewn around the site, this high end beach bar looks like a patchwork of monochromatic beauty.  

Furniture in cool, tropical tones add a vivid experience to this site, while the white sails above seating areas enhance the melodious setting.

Although initially I had reserved views, I have come to realize that this design has taken a commonly scoffed at material, and resuscitated a level of conscious elegance that I would have never expected to have been exposed.  The alternative use of this rugged material for a facility that charges US$12 for a glass of Sauvignon Blanc is almost like flipping a metaphorical birdie to the conventional.

Salt Plage can be considered an unyielding example of the revival of the recyclable.

Photo 1 - Salt Plage beach bar, taken in Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts & Nevis

Photo 2 - Salt Plage side entryway, taken in Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts & Nevis

Photo 3 - Salt Plage seating lounge, taken in Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts & Nevis

Photo 4 - Salt Plage side bar, taken in Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts & Nevis

For more information on Salt Plage, check out their website at:

http://www.christopheharbour.com/explore/salt-plage/

Softening Sidewalks

'Most of us take sidewalks for granted.  An undervalued element of the urban form, this public ground connects points of origin and destination, and few people go through the day without traversing at lease one sidewalk.  Sidewalks are unassuming, standardized pieces of gray concrete that are placed between roadways and buildings, and their common appearance belies their significance and history as unique but integral parts of the street and urban life.  A commercial terrain for merchants and vendors, a place of leisure for flaneurs, a refuge for homeless residents, a place for day-to-day survival for panhandlers, a space for debate and protest for political activists, an urban forest for environmentalists: U.S. sidewalks have hosted a wealth of social, economic, and political uses and have been integral to a contested democracy.' - Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris

The 2010 A1 Road Redevelopment Project saw the start of the reconstruction of the main road network north of the exclusion zone of Montserrat.  During this time the island also saw the construction of culverts, drains, and pedestrian walkways along the spine of the country's vehicular path.  Although the focus was primarily to improve the drainage, the quality of the road surfaces, and the subterranean ducting, I believe that the 'people' aspect of this infrastructure project was omitted. 

Concrete sidewalks have been laid based on technical functionality, with seemingly little consideration of the reception by their everyday users.  Footpaths that are exposed to the midday sun with few rest points or greenery, encourage an uninspiring experience for the pedestrian.  Montserrat has created an environment for pedestrians that is both rigid and machine-like.  

So what would be a viable solution?

Well, considering that there are constraints in the available land on the periphery, the character of the land, as well as economic and political implications, a solution may not be easily determined.

The ideal tropical urban environment would account for 'green streets' with trees for shading, benches for seating, parks for playing, and public rubbish bins strategically placed along sidewalks.  Stone pavers would break up the large expanses of concrete or asphalt in driveways and allow greenery to emerge between the tiles.  A user-friendly atmosphere would further consider murals on retaining walls, and monuments or symbolic gestures towards the local culture.   

We are instead developing an island for us, by us...but with no signature of 'us'.

To revitalize this urban atmosphere, I believe we must now consider a rejuvenation project for the de facto capital of Brades.  One that will acknowledge the needs of the people and embrace the local culture, while elevating both with pride.  It's not enough that we build emotionless cities, where pedestrians avoid some areas of sidewalks in favour of cooler pathways.

We must also build cities for people.

Quote taken from:

LOUKAITOU-SIDERIS, A. & R. Ehrenfeucht (1958) Sidewalks: Conflict and Negotiation over Public Space. USA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Photo 1 - A1 road near The Lyme showing unbroken sidewalk and retaining wall, taken in Brades, Montserrat (Photo courtesy of Nerissa Golden)
Photo 2 - A1 road near Credit Union House showing exposed sidewalk, taken in Brades, Montserrat (Photo courtesy of Nerissa Golden)
Photo 3 - Biorentention in Portland, Oregan
Source: LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE INC. (2008) LID Centre - Green Streets [Online] Available from: http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/greenstreets/practices.htm
Photo 4 - A1 road near MS Osborne Ltd. showing exposed sidewalk, taken in Brades, Montserrat (Photo courtesy of Nerissa Golden)

Image 1 - Anatomy of a Green Street.
Source: LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT CENTRE INC. (2008) LID Centre - Green Streets [Online] Available from: http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/greenstreets/practices.htm

Akin to Gaudi

I recently discovered the beauty of St. Vincent & the Grenadines.  A short vacation to the 'Gem of the Antilles' afforded me with the opportunity to tour the scenic beauty of both the mainland and the isle of Bequia within the chain of Grenadine islands.

The highlight of my excursion to Bequia was a visit to Moonhole House.  The 17 apartments that spread over 35 acres of land are nestled in Port Elizabeth, with no access to day tours.  The unique, rustic hotel made of stonework, concrete, and whale vertebrae, is an experience like no other.

The facility's organic forms seemed almost to have designed themselves with little indication of deliberate conformity.  From stone walls, staircases, and furniture - to a completely exposed bathroom area overlooking the Caribbean Sea.  The facility's aura exuded a silent majesty, parallel to that of Antoni Gaudi's work.

Although the use of stone throughout the facility seemed a bit excessive, the exploitation of recycled whale bones as an alternative to timber in both the building designs and furniture designs, caught my eye.

Whaling, a sport that has been outlawed in many countries around the world, is still permitted with limitations in Bequia.  Apparently, after many years of the whale bones being disposed of after meat harvesting, the concept of recycling the vertebrae was initiated.

In Moonhole House, bar countertops are adorned with the reused skeleton, and bar stools created from parts of the spine.

Although the metamorphosis from life to death to reawakening may reflect an unnerving feeling, the presence of this biological element into Architecture creates an ambiance that is nothing short of spiritual.

Photo 1 - Front view of Moonhole House, taken in Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Photo 2 - Upstairs canteen in Moonhole House, taken in Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Photo 3 - Open bathroom at Moonhole House, taken in Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Photo 4 - Whale bone at Moonhole House, taken in Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Photo 5 - Whale bone bar countertop at Moonhole House, taken in Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Photo 6 - Whale spine bar stool at Moonhole House, taken in Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Photo 7 - View to Caribbean Sea from apartment in Moonhole House, taken in Bequia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines

For more information on Moonhole House, check out their website at: http://www.moonholecompany.com/

The Arrogance of Subservience

"Architects are servants, not leaders.  They are not to assert their little egos, but to express the soul of their country and the rhythm of their time.  They are not to assert the delusions of their personal fancy, but to see, the common denominator which will bring their work close to the heart of the masses." - taken from 'The Fountainhead' by Ayn Rand

Architecture is a field that is both authoritarian, and compliant.

The idea that one's design philosophies are worthy enough to be imposed on humanity, is no more than a form of pageantry for the arrogant.  The vocation allows for an individual's creative thought process to be translated into a design, which is then transformed into a living, breathing organism.  This organism - a constructed space - is however, exposed in all of its vulnerable state for the world to experience, critique, and eventually accept.

The sculpting of a space is no more the Architect's will and client's desire, than it is an ethical obligation to society.  The Architect must anticipate, interpret, and transform the needs of the client, to create a product that caresses personal ego, excites the client, and is fitting to the culture of the people in that era of time.

The understanding that 'creativity belongs to no one' is a concept that not many appreciate.  In 'The Fountainhead', Rand states "...there was no such thing as free will, since men's creative impulses were determined, as all else, by the economic structure of the epoch in which they lived."  This idea stems from the concept that a designer's though process has been molded by the consensus of acceptable notions over time.  We gravitate towards ideals that we have been taught to be acceptable.  Our genius rides on the backs of ideologies that have been tried and tested.

...and yet, the inconceivable comes to life in every design that advances just enough in the field to fall clumsily into the category of "innovative."

Quotes from:

Rand, A. (1943) The Fountainhead. London: Penguin Books.

Photo courtesy of:

ARCHI ALTERNATIVE (2011) This Is What We Do [Online] Available from: http://archialternative.com/2011/04/25/this-is-what-we-do/ [Accessed: 23 June 2015]

Gable of Faith

Religious Architecture has always contained a number of elements that tend to define, embody, and celebrate the related faith.

Perhaps one of my favourite structures on the island, the St.Martin de Porres Roman Catholic Church in Salem, Montserrat has always personified a subtle character with a striking appearance.  With a height of more than 20 feet towering over the average man, the steep gable roof of this place of worship seems almost to have penetrated the surface of the earth to materialize in this location.  Constructed in 1980 primarily of timber, concrete, and stone cladding, this landmark appears almost as an ode to a concoction of modernity, tradition, and Caribbean vernacular.

Converted into an evacuation shelter for residents who had been affected by the volcanic activity of 1995, the church has since been restored to its original use after only a year of habitation.

In March of 2015, the deterioration of the concrete flooring and column work became evident, and the need for a vast amount of rehabilitation became necessary.  The main flooring was demolished and recast in concrete and steel with a smaller central area reconstructed in timber framing.  During this renovation, the church services have been conducted at an alternative location at the recently constructed St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Lookout.

Although my interest in theological principles is a bit tenuous, I am admittedly drawn to this structure for its Architectural merit, cultural significance, and historical prominence.  Additionally, as a (not-so-staunch) Roman Catholic who was baptized in this church, my interest in this structure goes far beyond the professional, into the realm of personal.  I was able to assist the other local Architects and Engineers by volunteering to redraw and convert the 35 year old hand drawings into soft copy CAD files, which were then used for the renovation work.

I can only hope that this church will continue to stand the tests of time, with continuous renovations executed to maintain the aura that is exuded from this structure.

Photo is courtesy of Paul McClure.  View his photos on flickr at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11537676@N06/

Time is Round...

“Time is round, and it rolls quickly.” – Nikos Kazantzakis

So it’s been a minute or two since I’ve dropped a few words in this blog.  No, I wasn’t carried away to the cooler in shackles, nor was I whisked away to some unknown land, never to be heard from again. 

I’ve actually been quite occupied with developing myself professionally over the past few years.  I received a prestigious Chevening Scholarship and spent a year in London attaining a MA in Architecture, with a specialized focus on Cultural Identity & Globalization.  It was an awesome experience!  The programme opened my mind to new thought processes in the field, and I had a great time meeting new comrades from around the world.  

I must say though, this time around living in the UK was a great contrast to my previous three years living there about ten years ago.  Advanced technology, personal independence, and a bit more wisdom attributed to an awe-inspiring experience this time around.  I was able to visit Stone Henge in Wiltshire, tour historic London, go to a beach in Brighton (albeit, stony and in 13 degree temperature), meet a few country leaders, interact with Montserratian groups in the diaspora, frolic around Bath and Cardiff, take trips to both Germany and Belgium, and witness artwork and structures from some of the most talented and influential artists and architects in history.

When I returned home, I was then fortunate enough to be placed in a management position as the chief architect for the Government of Montserrat.   Not a bad gig, eh? 

Since then, I’ve been traveling and working on keeping afloat with projects, while in the background plotting the best route to take over the world.

Photo 1 - Taken at Stone Hendge in Wiltshire, UK
Photo 2 - Waterlilies by Claude Monet, taken at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff, Wales
Photo 3 - Brandenberg Gate, taken in Berlin, Germany
Photo 4 - Taken at the Musee Magritte (Magritte Museum) in Brussels, Belgium