A Serious Update!

Look at that, I'm back!! It's about time I update you isn't it......

I feel so bad that I haven't written anything since February!!, and a lot has happened since then!

I'll try to update you the best I can without writing too much about everything, and I won't write everything at once in this post, so stay tuned. This will be a long post, but don't worry it won't be all text, there will be many many pictures for you to enjoy.

To start, I had a project during Christmas that I didn't work much with then to be quite honest, so when I came back after the holidays I worked my butt off every day and night to make it before due date!! I remember that week..God was I stressed out.

I had everything planned out in my head though, so all I had to do was to get it on paper.

I loved this project; YIDA - Young Interior Designer Awards. 5 out of 54 students in my class would go on to the YIDA competition which in the brief said that you were to produce innovative and unique design. I didn't make it to the top 5, but I got a great mark and like I said; I loved this project.

I did a Scandinavian design type of project, though I called it "A Northern Haven". This was more fitting as I didn't just use Scandinavian design and products in my project.

Here's my two boards with the result, and I must say I'm proud of it.

And some of the photos from the boards so you can see some of the actual work.

* I've taken away the big photos as I am afraid of people copying. 

If you wish to see my portfolio, please contact me *

This project was a real challenge because for the first time ever I had to design everything from scratch. I didn't even have walls to decorate on the start of this project, so I had to be an architect as well as an interior designer and design a 450 square metre floor plan. Hard? Yes.

I was so relieved when I handed this in, though it wasn't the end.. I had a photography assignment due the day after as well. I've never really worked with photography and SLR-cameras, so this assignment was a challenge. But I believe I have an eye for photography, so I wasn't too worried.

The assignment was to capture an interior set, a location set and objects in focus.
You can check out my photos here.

You want more?

Alright. For you who don't know, I was lucky to go on a study trip to New York in the end of February!! I must say, I am still struggling to process everything I did and saw, because I was there for 6 days and did about everything that is tourist must-see! (Except for the Rockefeller Centre).

I'll give you New York in pictures mostly because it's simply too much to write about.

New York is a funny city. On the first day, that is Saturday, we came in late (we being me, Eli and Rebekka). So we decided to see Times Square since it was evening, because we thought we wouldn't have the chance again. 

What can I say about Times Square... It's not like in the pictures. In the pictures everything stands still. Times Square doesn't stand still!!! Times Square is the craziest place I've ever been at, crazier than standing on The Strip in Vegas. You can only look at all the flashy stuff for 5 mins, then you're outta there!

Don't misunderstand me, The Square was fascinating and very cool, but also a little too much.

And the reason for why I say New York is a funny city is because no matter where we walked in the city centre, we always seemed to find our way back to the Times Square!

On Sunday we went to the 9/11 memorial. This was a very peaceful place, as you can imagine.. What they have done white the location is very beautiful. 

"Dedicated to those who fell and those who carry on."

After the memorial we took the Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.

It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be!

The Coast Guard was extreme....

And here we have the beautiful skyline of New York City.

Skyline a little more close.

We explored SoHo that day, and we took a long stroll up 5th avenue and did some shopping (mostly window shopping) (except for when the other two girls went nuts in Victoria's Secret, haha).

Another evening we decided to visit the top of the Empire State building. I think this was the best experience I had in the city. Standing on the roof to see the city 360 degrees was _amazing_.

Empire State Building from outside.

The beautiful Crysler Building.

All that light down there is Times Square!! It's THAT flashy.

That corner building is the famous Flatiron Building in the Flatiron District.

Just amazing. Here as well the photos can't describe the amount of amazingness I felt standing there on the 86th floor! And don't you think the views are georgeous??

While we were in New York we attended a lot of school events. It was mainly a second year trip, so as third years students we could tag along to the second years' events and tours, and we did. As a school event, we went to the Design & Decoration building to get inspiration and input from American interior design. This building is 14 stories high and we started on top (thinking it would be easier and go faster??) and really, this place was incredible! So many great interiors and decoration! But by the time we got to the 6th floor we just wanted it to end, haha. Waaay too much information at the same time for our brains to process. I took loads of pictures though, so now I can go through what I saw again and use the inspiration for my Final Major.

Here's a photo from the DDBuilding. Interiors are so different in this country than what I'm used to in Norway. Very inspirational!

After that we ate Sushi and it was Rebekka's first time! I thought it was YUUM!!

Also as a school event, we visited Radio City Music Hall. The Grammy's and MTV's Video Awards have been held here, as well as basically all music legends have held concerts here.

The building is an Art Deco building for you who are interested, and was yet another fascinating place to see in New York.

The entré blew me away! But when I came into the actual music hall I got speechless...

Look at the tiny people down there at the stage!

Sooo many incredible things in New York. I actually feel like I've processed some of my impressions now just by writing this post, going through some of what I've experienced over there.

But to be quite honest I don't think I can't write any more for now. I'm about half way through my New York visit, we just did sooo much that it's hard to go through all of it at the same time.

I'll leave you with this for now, but stay tuned for the next part of this incredible trip.

- vic -

Daily Life

So I'm well into working with school now. I have three assignments going on at the same. One is an essay based on consumerism where I have to write 5000 words. I've decided to investigate how alternative designers and artists are affected or unaffected by the gobalization of the world, and how some of them use old techniques and preserve values and culture, or use the authentic elements within cultures in their work.

The second project is a 6000 word practice dissertation with an additional practical part. I will be writing about how people should avoid using too much white in their interior spaces, and rather use colours that really reflects who they are and their perspoalities. I don't like a white wall.

I'd rather have a red wall.
Wallpapers & Paint.

Or at least drown my white wall with art, books and photography, and add colours in furniture etc.
Cabein.

Or drown my white wall like this.
Now this reflects personality!

My third assignment is a live project. With this I'm going to take on mine and Lars' apartment in Trondheim, which we plan remodel next year, when I return from the UK.

I've not come very far with ideas and sketching, but together we have many ideas for changes whithin the apartment, like tearing down some walls, hehe... So far I'm on a retro inspired idea when it comes to the concept, and I get a lot of muse and inspiration from this picture:

Love the interior, and the georgeous colour.

Other than that the girls and I went to the movies the other day with two german girls from their class, and saw the movie "Midnight In Paris" which was _amazing_! I recommend it to everyone who are interested in litterature and art, and Woody Allen - who is behind it. It's beautiful and charming, and it takes you through the streets of Paris in a way that makes you fall in love with the city even more, if you haven't already. At the same time makes you feel like you for a moment go into this sweet and magial world.

Go see it!

This upcoming weekend I'm going to Bristol and meet my friend Therese, and we're going to a Katy-B concert!! I can't wait, that's all I can say!!

Katy B - Katy B On A Mission

Katy B - Perfect Stranger (With Magnetic Man)

That's it for now folks!

- vic -

The club scene, and London again!

The past weekend the girls and I checked out the club scene here in Southampton. Friday night we went to Junk which was, well just okay. I mean, we had fun, but the place wasn't fun. And the DJ(s) played annoying music, because they would play an intro to some hit and then go on to the next intro. So we NEVER got to hear a whole song.

Saturday night we went to my friend from Sykkylven Sarah's place. This is where we started our evening and got to know three other girls that she knows. We continued to Orange Rooms this time and this place was way better than Junk. I actually read that they have won Southampton's Best Bar Award. Here's a picture of the interior from their website.

I loved the interior, and the place was packed, so the atmosphere was really great! (Also the music was normal in comparison with Junk...) I'm not dissing Junk, it's probably a great place on other evenings when they have more people and other music-themes. Just, not this Friday...

Before the weekend, actually when I was in London on Tuesday and met Marianne for the coffee, we talked about me coming back for this weekend for 100%DESIGN. That's basically a huge event where a lot of designers and companies gather to promote their products and prototypes. I really wanted to go, but didn't know if I would really be in shape for it after two days out in a row. BUT, I found myself up and running at 8 o'clock Sunday morning, sat on the bus to the Central Station at 9, and had my butt placed in the train to London at 10! I'm very pleased with this achievement.

I met Marianne at Earls Court, where we later met Runa (from my class in NKF). I really didn't know that Earls Court was as big as it was, I had only heard about the name. 

But, it was this big.

And actually that's just half of it.

So as you can see, this place was big enough to have fun for hours. 

But after 4 hours you're pretty tired and don't have any more space in your head to take in what's left.

I've made another slideshow for you, (I think I'm gonna stick to this when posting loads of pictures...), and they show some of my favorites from Channels, darestudio, Il Vetro Dei Dogi and Melin Tregwynt.

I stayed in London for the night with Marianne. On Monday before she left for her first day of school, she showed me a place called Brick Lane. Basically this street is a designer/artist/musician street, and you can find many cool vintage shops, not-so-known-(yet) designer stores and a great music store called Rough Trade. I loved this little colorful strip.

When we said our goodbyes for now, I went to the Victoria and Albert museum that I had heard many great things about. Sure enough, this place was filled with amazing art and design from different periods. Divided into different styles and countries, it was way too much for my head to see absolutely everything. That is why I stuck to checking out the Asian part with beautiful decorations, handmade furniture, ornaments and amazing and colorful textiles. I am very fascinated by the Oriental art and culture. Maybe this is something I can use in my coming dissertation later on this semester?

I also checked out the iron section, the glass section (mostly window glass paintings), and last but not least the performance and theatre section - something that I'm also very interested in. I love both the stage part of the theatre and the costumes. I love colors and patterns, and think the idea of forming a role or a character's clothing is very exciting, with all the different textiles and masks and what not.

Here's a little bit from the V&A museum.

There were extremely many cool things at both 100%DESIGN and at V&A that I will take with me in future projects. I gathered very much inspiration before school-start, and think that when I've digested all the impressions and sights, I will be ready for this coming year. And it's all starting on Monday October 3rd!

After everything I'd seen and learned I decided to go be a real tourist before I headed back to Southampton. I'm not going to tell you much about that, because everyone who's been in London have probably done the same things as I did, which was seeing Picadilly Circus and take a stroll through Chinatown and Covent Garden. After that my head nearly exploded, so I took the next train at 1635, 1 1/2 hour earlier than planned. 

Picadilly Circus.

When walking in Covent Garden, I stumbled upon this place, a dear memory from the days back in high school, when visiting London for a week together with my dancing class.

Pineapple Dance Studio.

London - you showed me Way too much - but I loved it!

- vic -