Akira Dove

Having fun with some holiday illustrations 🌴🥥

😍 Dreaming of hot beachy days

One of our recent commissions for a logo design for a food blog!

Check out the blog on Instagram to see what they are up to.

Creating some luxury spaces, however, looking to create more variety in the next few weeks.

For my thesis project I'm looking at a city in South Korea. Looking into proposing a feminist district which will focus on education and culture that is currently lost is this new and modern city.

This is a quick collage for some of my intial thoughts about people taking back the massive highways which dominate this technology driven landscape.

I'm hoping to showcase a little more of my process for this project through this platform so keep an eye out for it's progression.

Quick changes in materiality enables you to see a multitude of possibilities for your spaces, what might work best without spending loads of money on furniture and materials which might not work well in the space.

Another view for interior layout options.

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Had quite a few queries about visuals recently so I thought I'd pop a few new views on here.

(Sorry I've been so quiet, been a little busy with masters work)

Let us know if this is something you might want for your property development work

My story about my journey through architecture so far is now live on Global Welsh. Thank you so much for sharing my story and giving me the opportunity to reflect on my amazing adventure.



Link in bio

This week we've been working on webinar presentations for a client.

Quick & easy way to look professional to your clients/colleagues.

Drop us a message if this is something that might be of interest for you.

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Final section of 5th year work

Abstract:

This dissertation focuses on smart cities and their implementation in China. It explores who benefits most and least from their application, through themes of economic, environmental and social considerations. Initially understanding smart cities by broadly reviewing existing literature, we gain an idea that they provide much more than making lives ‘easier’ for those living within them. The rapid generation of smart city pilots within China alerts a wave of caution when evaluating the possible reasonings.

Using secondary academic research and policy sources, including an in-depth interview, the dissertation delves into understanding the implementation of smart cities at a national level, before exploring Shanghai’s approach. The dissertation demonstrates that the application of smart cities in China benefits a multitude of sectors, especially the government through the funding they provide and those living there through smart city initiatives.
It also addresses those living in rural areas who will not have the support from these advancements. For example: those suffering through the development and those who have given their lives and health to provide these future cities, not knowing the implications when taking the job to support their families.

Examining the environmental impacts of the application of smart city technology, we see a lack of supporting evidence for development in this sector in these environmentally challenging times. China’s drive to be equal with Western counterparts is explored through the quality of the cities produced and the improvement to economic strength.
Overall, the conclusions indicate there is still a lack of environmental consideration, smart cities’ economic strength continues to grow advocating government benefit, and social factors are clearly important, judging from their central role in policy. However, it is not clear if this is fully represented through the lives of the people.

Welcoming this new season🍂🍁

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Process for making the large concrete slab for the base of our 1:1 model

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Placement and organisation of certain spaces on the site, this was a series of process models we made to see what would work best.

Finding some peace in these unusual times, a solitary flower providing all the beauty through my window view. Something so simple and delicate to brighten and improve your day wherever you are.  

All school project work - 01

Silicone mould making for the tiles used within our 1:1 model

Final tile designs for our 1:1 model

Further prep work for the 1:200 site model

⚠️🔔Something new and exciting!🔔⚠️

Blog now on the website, go and check it out for weekly new content and my journey through my final year and inspiration for design and everyday life

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Akiradove.co.uk

Link also in the bio 🕊️🕊️

Another aspect of this project was making a 1:1 scale model of a specific part of the building. This was our "feminist detail" on a large scale.

One of the first parts of our process was to test a series of tile making techniques, tiles being our main contributor to the final piece of work. The idea of changing floor finish to indicate different space uses.

This was a particularly fun part of the project which we were all able to get involved in the making process.

Final 1:200 scale model of our reuse project on Stretford Road. This was an interesting model to make due to the uncertainty of COVID, the process of building the model had to be organised to ensure we could complete it within the time remaining.

Exterior view of the intended redevelopment of the original site. Utilising an old petrol station, redevelopment of the canopy to create an interesting outdoor space

(MArch 1st year group work)

Interior views throughout the reuse project.

(MArch 1st year group work)

Have a great weekend everyone

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Semester 2's work to follow

So I've been offline for quite a while now.

Maybe you've noticed, maybe not.

I've been taking some time away to enjoy the last few weeks I've got off before starting my final year of my masters degree. It has been quite nice to take a break and not having to worry: have I posted today or not?

I'm back now though and I'll be documenting my last few bits of coursework and then planning to document my journey through my final year studying through this page as well, including my freelance work too!

Looking forward to an unusual year in university.

Other aspects on the site include a raised communal walkway and sheltered walkway at the ground floor level of the building.

You don't always need to know where you are going, sometimes you can find something great from going somewhere unexpected

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Linking the surrounding building from the high street strategy we had previously developed. 🏡🏘️

Encouraging usage of the two streets either side of the site for events to take place and over spill into the central communal garden as well. 🌱🌾

The use of part pedestrianisation at the weekend to enable street fairs and markets, whilst easily rerouting traffic to parallel roads. 🚗

🏘️🏡This image demonstrates the key communal and private garden spaces. 🌿🌾🌱

The large central communal garden, is open and available for both residents and locals to the area. The space is utilised for further development of the high street strategy which was initially created. Allowing for events to over flow into this space.

The roof top gardens were detailed in the previous post, used by residents as a places to relax and also grow food.

There will be more of this images describing certain aspects of the building over the next few days.

THE ARCHITECTURE

Within the building design there were four specific elements which enriched the architecture of the building.

These included:

1. The Roof top gardens, used by the residents to create spaces for food growing and engagement amongst all who live there. 🌱🌾🌿

2. The balcony with its yellow 💛facade, providing solar shading and privacy for residents.

3. The first floor entrances for the residents living in the houses within the complex. Creating a clear entrance way whilst also providing shelter from the weather and for additional storage of prams and bikes. 🚲💜🌂

4. A semi private threshold between the street and the entrance to community spaces on the ground floor of the building - linking to high street outside to a space partially inside, encouraging meeting places. ☔🤼

🚨Check out our updated business card!

Now that the website is up and running we've got this link to include on the new business cards.

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If you haven't already done so go and check out the new website.

🌐 akiradove.co.uk 🌐

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There is a range of different areas to explore, a section demonstrating past work from previous clients to give you an idea of the type of content that can be achieved for your business venture.

Whilst also illustrating some visualisation which can give an idea of how a space will look once the development has occurred.

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Feel free to drop a message on this page, or on the website to get a quote or for any enquiries that you might have.

💥💥💥Something exciting coming to the website in the next few weeks keep an eye out on social media for it's announcement 😉
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Another elevation, more appropriate for today's weather! 🌧️🌧️
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To see more of my portfolio in its entirety check out the website:

Akiradove.co.uk
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Link is in the bio! 🕊️🕊️
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One of the elevations for this project.
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A main feature of this housing scheme was the colour coded spaces, the 3 colours, yellow, blue & purple represented the types of housing. For example the yellow that you can see here, which create the balcony screens were the apartments.
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I chose to make the 3 typologies into one unit that was replicated across the site. The ground floor was community space, then there were two storey supported living housing, followed by three storey townhouses for adoptive/foster children and finally located on top, the apartments.
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Trying to link all of these aspects together so they were able to support each other. Making the spaces feel safe and secure. Providing opportunities for meet ups in stair wells and on the roof top gardens or raised walkway or central communal garden.
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To see more of my portfolio in its entirety check out the website:

Akiradove.co.uk
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Link is in the bio! 🕊️🕊️
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Hello, been a little quiet on here recently, taking a bit of time off just to have a mental break.
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I'm sure loads of you are find lockdown, etc challenging. And we all need a little break sometimes.
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Anyways moving onto a more productive week ahead 🤞🤞
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This is an overall view of the building I designed for my intersectional housing scheme. There is a few aspects I would change now, including the visual aspects, but I guess that is the process and the experience of the learning.
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Will bring some more exciting content this week. Hope you're all having a lovely Sunday in the intermittent sunshine 🌥️⛅
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This week I'll be showcasing some of my first semester work. 🎓
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Following on from the high street strategy, this was the start of my housing scheme. The ground floor of the building contained communal spaces with different functions for residents and locals to utilise.
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This week I'll be showcasing some of my first semester work. 🎓
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We worked on High Street strategy development and moving onto an intersectional housing scheme. 🏘️
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This week I'll be introducing some of my university work. Some of you may have already seen it on the website but I'll be going into a bit more detail this time. 📚📑🖋️✏️
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Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday afternoon 😊
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Looking forward to a productive and exciting week ahead 👍🕊️
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Please check out the website if you haven't already. Link in the bio
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⚠️⚠️The website is LIVE!!⚠️⚠️
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Go and check it out! Link in our bio too
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akiradove.co.uk
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Definitely think the website is better on PC/MAC as opposed to the mobile version 🤭 - just a heads up
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⚠️🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨⚠️
The Website will be live later today!
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A great deal of time has been spent editing and adjusting all of the features on the website over the last month. We hope it'll be exciting to look through all of the content on the webpage, and you'll find something useful or interesting for you or your business 👍
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Will post later once it is up and running!!
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