#responsiveenvironment

[ianfulgar]

Get ready for a new era of architecture with kinetic pavilions that respond to the environment and create an adaptive experience for visitors.

[lancj]

Hour 2 - The Battle of the Profile Picture

04/03/2020

16.30-17.30

Just did my second hour up at Calton Hill!

Like to start this off by saying it was a nicer day than last time, a nice sunset to draw the couples out. One could say that a lot of people found their Sol-Mates out there.

I sat on second bench in front of the City Observatory so I could get the best view of people coming/going.

I made a lot of interesting observations today, some more interesting ones compared with last time as the public came out with a vengeance. Some of the observations I made were that: -

1. Numerous people still enjoyed standing on the Peninsula War Memorial.

2. Numerous People seem to believe that the cannon was used as a riding apparatus, not sure they’d survive back in the day, a few fell off, not sure they should take up riding.

3. The benches in front of the City Observatory had become the designated “Man Zone” as they waited for their partners to stop taking pictures.

4. Partners left and right were being dragged for their camera mastery of taking photo’s and subsequently chastised if another couple would get in a better position.

5. More people today noticed that the signs in front of the structures existed and were reading throughout the hour.

6. Someone played Hide and seek hiding behind the cannon, 10/10 strategy using the Flamingo effect, not sure it’s so effective for humans though 0/10 execution.

7. Couples galore! possibly one of twenty-two single people I saw on the hill!

8. It’s finally happened! After 12 minutes I saw people go to the Nelson Monument, after which a steady stream of people followed, the new frontier appears to have met approval.

9. A riskay group photo taken as close to the edge of Calton Hill as possible, pretty sure the group had 8 people to begin with, only saw 6 return.

9. A Man ruined people’s photo’s left and right by walking his dog, how rude.

10. Finally! An ecstatic pair of gentlemen began an unspoken competition of who could get the best picture of the skyline, no patch of grass was unused as they raced each other, one with a DSLR and one using his mobile, looks of frustration as they cut each other off, will continue later.

11. After noticing the pair a group of people rush on over to jump into the fray, taking photos left, right and centre, the competition intensifies as green space becomes worth its weight in gold.

12. A Lone Seagull sits atop the Lighthouse beacon structure overlooking the city, looking down at the carnage below, I wonder if anyone’s noticed it.

13. A Mum and her daughter dive into group from the right, forcing them to retreat down the hill, as their turn to take photo’s comes in, the daughter takes the photos as the mum herds people away.

14. In the background I notice a couple of ladies taking photo’s of each other, wisely staying out of the front line trenches, refusing to take a step back, the camera holder bends backwards at a seemingly impossible angle to get the best photo of her friend, I feel a Possible friend of the year nomination for risking her spine.

15. Throughout all of the ongoing chaos, a dog runs into the mix, where it’s owner is I don’t know, the photographers don’t even pause to look at it however, more irritated by the furry friends presence as they continue their photo streak.

16. A few minutes later the owner is yelling for said dog, Photographers unmoved, they pretend to ignore the owner until, covered in mud, the dog is lead from the battle.

17. Seeing the ever-growing scrap from afar, one lady leads her partner in by the hand looking determined, she uses the wind for her picture to blow her hair from the side as the partner is almost resignedly kneeling into the mud. Poor jeans, but clever use of natural resources, quickly noticed by the other photographers, soon hair is being blown all around as the other ladies start following suit.

18. One man stands near me on facetime with someone to show them the view, a very nice thing to do considering the bitingly cold wind.

19. A new breed of photographer arrives, a group of ladies who wait until the majority of the previous carnage has moved off to find easier prey, who than form up in a firing line and volley their photographic shots into the Edinburgh Skyline, very efficient when comparing who has the best positioning later.

20. I look left towards Nelsons Monument and see a man standing on a rock holding his camera like Simba, highly confused as I’m not hearing the “Circle of Life”. Maybe it’s being sung too quietly.

21. To my right, (about 40 minutes in) I see a new group of people mount a camera on a slight “dink” in the wall as they take a group photo, guess they didn’t trust the photographic skills of the other men in the “sin bin” on the benches, they made a good call.

22. Simultaneously another group enters the fray, two boys gallop straight for the cannon, these bucko’s must’ve clearly ridden before as they mount it with ease and make it look easy. Two girls head straight for the National Monument, they look annoyed that their photographers/bagboys are distracted but accept that they’ll be better at taking each others pictures and abandon their luggage train.

23. About 10 minutes after the “Simbaing” man has left, a lady stands on the same rock, looking all around her and into the air, possibly on the lookout for birds of prey so she can warn the pack? I’ll never know.

24. Two gentlemen stand in front of me obscuring my view of the skyline as they stare contemplatively over it. They are quickly joined by a group of people who take the mandatory pictures of the group where so many had fought before.

25. A lady crouches on the low wall behind the cannon, Doesn’t she know that she’s supposed to ride the cannon? Possibly not as her partner bends low, lower than I can bend without my back acting up to take a picture of her doing the peace sign.

26. As I’m about to pack up for the day, a man sets up a tripod on the battle worn, trampled grass, with a heavy duty SLR on board to take a photograph of the sunset.

[lancj]

Hour 1

25/02/2020

13.30-14.30

Just did my first hour up at Calton Hill!

Like to start this off by saying it was so incredibly cold and windy that it really was Snow Joke.

I sat on second bench in front of the City Observatory so I could get the best view of people coming/going.

I made a lot of interesting observations despite the bad weather and watched as the general public baffled me and braved the elements! Some of the observations I made were that: -

1. Numerous people enjoyed standing on the Peninsula War Memorial.

2. Numerous People Enjoyed standing on the Cannon.

3. People went into the City Observatory throughout my sitting.

4. Numerous people took photo’s of the city skyline.

5. Numerous People took photo’s with the War Memorial.

6. A father was taking his two children around the hill, I believe teaching them about the artefacts on it.

7. Bad weather chased most people off Calton Hill, watching them struggle down the hill did bring me a form of happiness as I was stuck.

8. A madman stood on the wall at the bottom of the hill so that he could see the sheer drop of the edge of Calton hill (very wet and slippery wall!).

9. Strange moment as I looked up and numerous people at different positions surrounding the War Memorial were simply staring at it (all groups were unrelated) almost eerily.

10. Observed a Lady with a walking stick struggle to walk down from the City Observatory down the hill.

11. Observed an unofficial Photo shoot as a lady got her partner to dive in all forms of acrobatic positions to get the best photo of her, got very mucky very quickly, arguably romantic, possibly just whipped.

12. Two individuals read the description about the cannon! (40 minutes in and they’re the first!)

13. Lady was walking her dog, it pooped, she ran to clean it up.

14. A group of people read the sign at the entrance to Calton Hill explaining what everything was (first people to do so that I’ve seen 45 minutes in).

15. Man does James Bond Pose with Cannon, very impressed tat his creativity, not sure if it’ll replace the Beretta 418 though,

16. As I left, half frozen, half soaked (was being attacked from the right by the wind/rain), left a dry patch on the bench where I sat, will call it Jamie’s Island.