Cairt: Newsletter of the Scottish Maps Forum

The National Library of Scotland have just published the latest issue of Cairt, the newsletter of the Scottish Maps Forum available to read here. The bulletin, issued twice per year, is a useful resource for information on new websites and online resources, and gives the lowdown on research projects using historical maps.

This most recent issue charts the creative residences of Shetland-based textile artist Diane Garrick and writer and broadcaster Tom Pow. The two were set the task of using the Library's extensive Bartholomew Archive to engage groups of visitors who may not have otherwise used the collection, to experience it for themselves.

During her Residency, Diane produced a number of textile works which were inspired by the archive and the Library's general collection of maps. This made us pause to consider how resources as quantitative in nature as maps can be reconstructed in a creative process which imbues place with personal meaning. With the rise of digital mapping through resources we've blogged about in the past such as Pastmap and Cartogrammar, this is an interesting perspective, reified by considering the painstaking efforts which cartographers in earlier centuries endured to bring us beautifully illustrated maps. Textile mapping is one example of the creative potential contained in map collections, and possibly other, data-intensive resources regularly consulted by architects and engineers.

'Cairt' is the Gaelic and seventeenth-century Scots word for map. Back-runs of previous issues can be found here as pdf files. It's possible to be added to be added to the mailing list to receive the 'Cairt' newsletter and information about events by emailing  maps@nls.uk.

"City Shock"- the Why Factory's new book reaches the Library

The events in the news this month read like fictitious headlines: a meteor plunging towards Earth injured dozens of people in Russia as it shattered against the atmosphere; an asteroid passed above our heads - a mere 28,000 km away. With all this intergalactic activity dominating the headlines, we were relieved to discover that the only thing that had landed on our desks by Monday morning was the Why Factory's new book "City Shock - Planning the Unexpected".

This outlandish, journo-style publication explores the theme of 'fear' in urban planning decisions in a world where even the most absurd scenarios are plausible.  In "City Shock" the Why Factory take our fear of disaster further by proposing a set of radical 'What if' scenarios and composing a sequence of fantastical newspaper reports -(im)possible headlines included. The book then imagines how each of these scenarios could play out in the Netherlands between 2018 and 2047.

The idea is fantastical but the theory behind the publication is grounded in logic: expose the possible causes and potential consequences of disasters and 'fear' itself can be used as a guide for urban planning.

The book will be appearing in the New Books stand and at 720.103/MAA on the main lending shelves soon. You can read more about The Why Factory's activities at the link below:
http://www.thewhyfactory.com/?page=thewhy

BLDG Blog

One of the most widely read architecture blogs in the industry, BLDG Blog comments on a myriad of topics with no fixed itinerary other than to simply cover what is deemed to be interesting. The varied post headings should spark off curiosity in the content: "Garage Warfare", "Gossamer Systems" and "Caves of Nottingham" are among October's blogs. An assortment of topics to inspire anyone interested in architecture and the built urban environment.
http://bldgblog.blogspot.co.uk/

Housing standards

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) has commissioned five new research pieces about housing and space standards, to inform the debate on a possible framework for national design and quality standards. The five pieces cover: mapping existing housing standards; mapping space standards for the home; the benefits of minimum space standards; dwelling size surveys; and London case studies applying housing standards.

Link: http://www.cabe.org.uk/publications/housing-standards

Access: Free

Urban skins

The Goethe Institut's online showcase of German designers features the work of architect Gabi Schillig, whose textile objects are simultaneously articles of clothing and living spaces.

Link: http://tinyurl.com/36oojsw

Access: Free