...towards a proposal for Oil-Of-Course

In these drawings/sketches I started to incorporate the fact that it would be housed on the roof of the Byam Shaw main site building. I started to plan the separate pools on each side giving me a rough idea of how it could look in my head. These preliminary doodles were submitted a long with the proposal for the space that still needed to be compiled and sent to the principal of Byam Shaw school of Art - Alistair Warman. These pages are taken from my sketchbooks/diaries in which other bits will be recognised such as my thorough research into sourcing materials or components of the installation. The different companies I have rung up and the different quotes for things etc. (a very important aspect when putting together a proposal if requesting money for the budget).In this image I have tested the concept for building pools using just a frame and a tarpaulin. it failed in keeping the water contained (since the tarpaulin had holes in the mesh fabric) however the concept was a success, and meant that come installing, I could lay them down pretty quickly and efficiently (using the right sourced material that was more durable and less likely to leak).
This next image is a (not to scale) overview of the pools. The Damp-proof membrane roll that was sourced and the cuts I could get out of it. Would this be enough? In this diagram I also needed to think about health and safety, how the viewer/visitor would navigate through the installation. Since the rooftop is also a fire-escape, people cannot congregate on the steps or in the walk way so in a sense it is supposed to be seen as an extension to the rest of the show whereby people walk from exits A - B and vice versa as if passing through. This was essential to be put in the proposal under the detailed risk assessment analysis.
For a while now I have felt that a progression in my work would be to make certain elements of my installations kinetic. For this piece I took a brave new step which was to bring to life a shower pump for one of the pools. this kinetic addition would also add sound to the whole rooftop as well. But this last minute addition was also costly in materials eating away at the contingency of my budget! Nevertheless it proved successful in building and adds a whole new dimension to the interdisciplinary elements which comprise my work. Here are some of the sketches and working out drawings for this shower, pump and external battery.
Finally I must add a thank you contribution to my brother Av who is a qualified mechatronic (mechanical and electronic) engineer who currently works for BAE Systems. His advice in the construction and in the shower development has been crucial to the success of this project, so much so that perhaps one could call this additional element - the work of the "Cohen brothers!". From difficult calculations for finding the weight of each pool needed for inclusion in the risk assessment analysis, to overseeing other aspects I could not have done it as successfully without him. Thanks bro!