As I mentioned in a previous post, I would discuss what I'm learning in my CSC Principles of Construction Documentation course. In our first week of classes, our modules covered both ethics , and the history and new developments in specification writing. Because I'm taking the course, I'm not sure how much I should ethically … Continue reading CSC: Principles of Construction Documentation Course – First Week
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Questions I have for the world around me based on what I’ve seen and experienced.
CSC: Principles of Construction Documentation
I spent 8.5 years in school* learning how to be an architect; learning how to design, and mostly learning what a long road ahead of me I had in the field. I am at the end of 3.5 years logging hours to get licensed; I have completed my NCARB ARE exams (7, including one that … Continue reading CSC: Principles of Construction Documentation
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Labs: CEAL
The other day Daily Planet presented a segment on a lab that studies the effects of unique planning conditions on the body. The iDAPT Centre for Rehabilitation Research in Toronto consists of 12 cutting-edge labs, workshops, and other reasearch spaces to safely study how adults, specifically those with disabilities, interact with their environment. Inside this lab, they have … Continue reading Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Labs: CEAL
Lecture: Hospital of the Future
The University of Toronto John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design has a lecture series every year and I attended Wednesday night's lecture on the Hospital of the Future, by Dr. Ernesto Morales, a researcher from L'Insitut Universitaire de Geriatrie de Montreal (IUGM). Dr. Morales was recently invited to participate in a project with the Research Centre … Continue reading Lecture: Hospital of the Future
Seeing What Others See: Real-Time Brain Scans and Virtual Reality
I'm back from my recent hiatus and planning to post more frequently. A friend sent me a link to an article from the Toronto Star, reporting how real time brain scans create distorted images of what people are actually watching at that moment. Its kind of amazing. Though the representation is uncannily accurate, I'm struck more … Continue reading Seeing What Others See: Real-Time Brain Scans and Virtual Reality
Hospital Wait Times vs Long Term Care
Last week the Vancouver Sun had an interesting article indicating why hospital wait times are so long. The study comes from the Wait Time Alliance, which puts out hospital report cards, and breaks down results by province. According to the article: "The data show that the system is barely functioning as a system at all, as too … Continue reading Hospital Wait Times vs Long Term Care
Ghost Cities in China?
"If you build it, they will come." Field of Dreams. Gail Vaz-Oxlade, a personal finance guru and host of the television show 'Til Debt Do Us Part' posted a link to a Journeyman Pictures video on YouTube, entitled Ghost Cities - China. The video shows several newly built cities in China that remain unoccupied, and … Continue reading Ghost Cities in China?
Can Technology Help with Alzheimer's?
I follow a LinkedIn group called the 'AIA Academy of Architecture for Health' (AAH), and through it I discovered the organization The Institute for Patient-Centered Design, Inc, which publishes a newsletter called Perspectives for design professionals and patients. May 2011's newsletter contains an interesting article entitled 'Simple Technology Makes a Huge Impact,' which focuses on the Simple C Companion. … Continue reading Can Technology Help with Alzheimer's?
Understanding the Living Building Challenge
On Wednesday last week, I finally attended a 6 hour seminar on Understanding the Living Building Challenge (LBC) , part of the Living Future Unconference here in Vancouver. I wanted to attend the Roadshow, but time didn't permit until now. I have to say, I'm really impressed by both the LBC and the attendees. The Challenge … Continue reading Understanding the Living Building Challenge
Contaminated Drywall
Imagine for a moment, you have a brand new home, or renovation. You move in, and those familiar smells are there: plastic, paint, rotten eggs. You think you just need to get used to the "new home smell" and begin building your life there. Now imagine not only do you have to get used to … Continue reading Contaminated Drywall
Hands-free Taps and Bacteria
Yesterday, an article caught my attention in the Toronto Star; a study done at John Hopkins Hospital found more bacteria in hands-free faucet models than in manual ones. The electronic faucets have been replaced. I find this study fascinating. According to the article: "the bacteria is able to grow in this one style of faucet because … Continue reading Hands-free Taps and Bacteria
3 Day Novel Contest
I learned about the 3 Day Novel Contest completely by accident. The concept intrigued me: write approximately 30,000 words in three days, creating a manuscript between 90-150 pages, and have a witness sign a statement indicating that I wrote it over Canada’s Labour Day weekend.
Heather Button 