La Plage du Havre

I've been trying to find some information and images on La Plage du Havre. Maybe because it dates from the early '90's there's not much on the web but I'd be interested if anyone's had any better luck. I found the image below on a French website. 

Recovering my mojo

Of course, my plan was to continue working seamlessly as we transitioned into holiday but organising a family Christmas got me in its maw and then I hit a wall of fatigue. Going down to Worthing on my birthday was a good trip though.

The shingle and boardwalk garden is on the western end of the seafront. It integrates well with the beach but the lack of boundaries also means it sort of tails off into beach debris. The planting is drought-tolerant. I prefer the low growing springy mounds to the ubiquitous Phormium.

 There's an imaginative broadly nautically-themed play area with a white sand safety surface. I would have liked to have taken a much closer look if only I'd brought a suitably aged child with me.

The Splash Point area is at the eastern end of the sea front. It's a smaller, more contained area than I appreciated from photos, with a substantial sea wall curving around the seaward side. It's also a bit of a thoroughfare for cyclists. I thought the scale and detail complemented the setting well.

Other interesting stuff to help me get back on track:

• Tracey Emin on R4 'Today' talking about the regeneration of Dreamland in Margate and the need for more neon
• TED talks - Paula Scher talking about serious vs. solemn design
• 99% invisible weekly design podcast - a little 5 minute idea fest.

exploring playful

I went down to Bexhill to compare the east and west parades again and look at the potential for enlarging my site. It was informative to go with people fully prepared to give uncensored feedback (it's cold/horrible/I want to go home/sit in the car). How could a playful space entice people to linger and explore?
I looked again at some models I made that could be described as playful to see what qualities they have that I can use.

After looking at Joh Bates's masterplan document. I'm going to work through my ideas by sketching them.

Old travel posters

Only connect

Of course we are all roped together in one way or another.
Serendipitously, I came across this on tschumi.com 'There is no way to perform architecture in a book. Words and drawings can only produce paper space, not the experience of real space. By definition, paper space is imaginary: it is an image'. Tschumi was interested in approaching spaces cinematographically.

Humour will be satisfying way to explore the idea of  playfulness for our site. What about design as therapeutic process (for the designer)?

Things to make you go 'phew'

Not yet clear whether we traversed the group report high-wire ledge expedition. It's odd to be roped to a lot of people you don't know very well (but have thoroughly enjoyed finding out about). In need of mental relief? Try 'The Third Man' for total diversion and immersion in post-war Vienna. I almost feel as though I could navigate my way through those streets and ruined palaces as well as Bexhill seafront.

In need of a belly laugh? I bet. Well try Maria Bamford. I heard her podcast before I saw her and think she's even better with your eyes closed as her voice creations are amazing (and her prettiness is distracting).