Grant's Blog

Closing of the blog.01/08/06
This blog, though it was not completed in its entirety, has served its purpose. It will shortly be moved to another part of the website and be replaced by a more current project.

Dacha Display Village25/05/06
Last week, I discovered a display village for Dachas. "Many urban Russians spend weekends at their dacha (summerhouse) in the countryside. The average dacha is only a simple shack and sits on a very small plot of land. " (2006 Encarta) I have seen, from the train window, whole villages out in the country made of these dachas, on my way in and out of the country.

Many of the dachas in this display village, and indeed, many of the dachas I saw in the country were made of wood, fairly small, and very very different from the style of houseing found in the city. Most families live in apartments due to the number of people in the city and the small land area covered by the city. Another note of interest; it is rare to find an office/apartment building less than 4 stories or higher than 6 stories in the city. I have been told that this is due to the law that was put in place during the soviet era that disallowed the construction of any building higher than 5 stories if there was no elevator installed. Not sure how true this one is...

31/05/06 Correction: I mentioned the size of buildings as being between 4 and 6 floors. This is true for most of the city, including the city centre, but there are parts of the city that have been built later where the apartment blocks are much higher. This can be seen in one of the photos taken down on the canals showing some graffiti and the high rises in the background.

Reference: Microsoft 2006, Russia- MSN Encarta, viewed 25 May 2006, http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761569000&pn=7.

from outside looking in on the display village. click to enlarge

two rendered dachas. click to enlarge

A fluero dacha. mmm, interesting. This style of design is very uncommon for St. Petersburg, and most other places I believe. I might mention now though that our house in Australia is painted in the same colours internally, replacing the orange with a bright purple.

this is just a single room. it may have been an office for all I know, rather than a holiday house.

a brick dacha. click to enlarge

a dacha i found appealing to my interest in something like teuton style architecture.

and again. click to enlarge

a more common style dacha. click to enlarge

another commonly found wooden style dacha. click to enlarge

and another wooden dacha. click to enlarge

The next dacha, of which I have taken quite a few photos, was very cool. I am not quite sure what the architect was trying to achieve in the design of this dacha, but he/she has created something very interesting at least. This dacha appears to be aimed at an even higher upper class with a pricing of half a million USD and the use of a coast line setting in the concept photomontages.

outside. click to enlarge

internal staircase. click to enlarge

concept posters. click to enlarge

inside, second floor. click to enlarge

Bolshie veshi/Big things24/05/06
This entry, about big things refers to products that come in a rather large manner. It has only a minor effect on St. Petersburg's design culture, but it is of interest to myself.

Note: You may have heard of Russia's large drinking population. I had as well, but it was still very surprising to walk into a small supermarket not unlike IGA or a small Woolworths and find that 3 of 8 aisles are devoted solely to alcohol. The pictures below of 'huge' bottles of alcohol have something alongside to try and depict their size.

click on the large item to enlarge

This photo of a Chuppa Chup was taken the first day I arrived in Russia. I got in trouble from security for taking the photo. I think it cost something like $30-40AUD.

click on the large item to enlarge

Cigarette Advertising23/05/06
During my multimedia degree, I have become increasingly observant to the way in which products are advertised. One category of products which I usually find quite amusing to analyse is cigerette advertising. I find that quite often, the product, and especially it's effects have nothing to do with the way the product has been advertised. One of the first things I think of when I refer my mind back to cigarette advertising is a picture of some beach in the tropics. Though the advertising might be affective in its associative linking, it is also rather absurd. Quite absurd.

The following is a collection of posters I have been able to find on the streets of St. Petersburg.

Here is another angle for advertising cigarettes, portraying luxury and etiquette as being hand-in-hand with 'Epique'.

Muratti 'Super Slims'. A 'super slim' gigarette, or 'super slim' body for females? There is actually another poster that I noticed when first arriving in St. Petersburg but I did not have a chance to photograph it before it was taken down. It portrayed in a photograph, a 'Michaelangelo' style, beautiful lady with outstretched arm and pointed finger amongst flowing garments. The words appeared 'super slim'. I was dumbfounded at first, not knowing what this poster could be advertising. Tampons? I was informed by my little sister that it was actually for some cigarettes.

This is the only poster for cigarettes that I have found to be in Russian only. This is uncommon for advertising for other products.

Viceroy. One of these quotes reads something like "Why 'Viceroy'? because I don't like regret after the event." The right choice??

Wings. I'm guessing that this is the 'party cigarette'. It reads "Be different- be yourself".

Art Installation??22/05/06
Is this an art installation? Actually, no, it's just an example of the dodgy wiring found throughout the city. This is a lamp post. No design culture here...

click on the image to view a larger version

Graffiti 117/05/06
I have just recently gotten back from Finland where I had to renew my visa. I picked up a whole bunch of brochures as part of my collection of graphic design examples to bring home. I also, while talking to some students of a metals art exhibition, was introduced to the importer for Corona beer into Finland, who was also the mother of one of the designers of two of the brochures I had picked up. Very interesting. Anyway, to the point: Here are some photos of graffiti I have taken around the place. The most interesting examples were found down by the waterfront on the canal walls.

It appears as though there are two forms of graffiti. The spray can and the sidewalk chalk both seem to be common in some areas.

click on the image to view a larger version

A couple more examples: one of a stenciled piece, and another of a 'thistle' (more likely cannabis) close to our apartment.

click on the image to view a larger version

Of course, there are also many many taggings around, many of them being up 5 stories off the ground like this one.

click on the image to view a larger version

Intel01/05/06
I know that this isn't a Russian company, and I'm not even sure that these three street posters were designed in Russia, but I guess they should still be included as they do make up part of the overall design culture.

click on the image to view a larger version

Restaraunts30/04/06
I'm going to look at a few restaraunts ins this entry. The first one is McDonalds, one of those restaraunts that wants to be everywhere. There are two Maccas restaraunts that I will look at here; one on the outskirts of the inner city, and one right in the centre.

click on the outer Maccas to view a larger version

click on the inner Maccas to view a larger version

Chainaya Lochska (Tea spoon) is a chain restaraunt here in Russia that serves the famous Ruski blini (pancake). Yummmm....

click on the image to view a larger version

This is a restaraunt I found on one of the islands of the city, opposite one of the first buildings ever built in the city; Peter the Great's hunting lodge.

click on the image to view a larger version

Troitskii Bridge Cafe: a solitary building between the apartments close to the inner city.

click on the image to view a larger version

This is a grungy setting, but the shape of the shadecloth caught my eye. It's not really Russian though...

click on the image to view a larger version

Roy Lichtenstein27/04/06
Whoa! It's been way too long since I did anything here. Ok, this entry's about a store I found, where the wallpaper was a bunch of images by Roy Lichtenstein. I entered a shopping complex, with 5 levels. Even so, with 5 levels, the shopping centre is not too large. Though there was an exotic pet store (inlcuding a croc), a grocery store, gym, cafe, book store, etc. the complex consisted mainly of high end boutiques for women. I was able to take a few photographs out of sight of centre security (I'd already been busted once for taking photos in this centre).

click on the image to view a larger version

Contrasting ages18/04/06
I love this image. The contrast found in these two pictures is beautiful. In the signs, you find a 'high tech' sort of portrayal, but it's all on a building that appears to be hundreds of years old. The contrast is even more apparent in the second photo, where you can see the sculptured figures that run the length of the building.

click on the image to view a larger version

Elegant Lady13/04/06
A couple of days ago, I passed a young lady on the street who was done up to the nines, smoking a cigarette in its holder. I continued walking along, but decided after a few minutes to go back and ask if I could take a photo of her. I think she was happy for me to do so. This isn't any form of graphic design, but it was fun taking the photo, and then editing it afterward, and fashion does help to make up part of a country's design culture. NB: I have been told that this sort of clothing is usually reserved for more mature ladies, and is not commonly seen.

click on the montage to view a larger version

Beatle's Shrineno date
I was taken through a back street by my father to a small courtyard, with both sides of the courtyard leading through to poster plastered alleyways. The posters mainly dealt with upcoming concerts and events, but there was one section titled as a shrine to the Beatles. The courtyard too, was surrounded by plaques, and Beatle's related graffiti.

click on the montage to view a larger version

Lahti to Sankt-Peterburg06/04/06
I woke up at around 5AM this morning (I think mainly because of a 7 hour time difference) and went for a walk outside at around 6. There were rabbit footprints in the fresh snow, and walking tracks off the side of the road. I went along one of the these for a while, past some snow covered crops, and back along the same path. Some dogs I'd seen had obviously done their business along the way as there were patches of yellow in the snow.

After a scrumptuous breakfast with sweet muesli and yoghurt (frukt joggurt), I was taken to the train station by my host where I took a 5 hour train ride to St. Petersburg. My documents were checked on the way, including passport, visa, letter of invitation, train ticket, and immigration papers. I also spent some time speaking with some of the fellows on the train, who turned out to be Finnish. In fact, I think most of the people in my car were Finnish, rather than Russians on the way back.

on the way from Lahti to St. Petersburg

again, on the way from Lahti to St. Petersburg

I arrived at the platform in St. Petersburg to be greeted by family, and was taken into town by metro to my first Russian restaraunt experience; a blini (blee-nee) place. Blini's are like pancakes/crepes with savoury or sweet stuff in them. Yummy yummy. Sorry, no photos. I probably would have been kicked out of the restaraunt if I tried to take any, but I may have some photos later on.

We travelled home then by bus, and up the five flights of stairs. I'm sure we passed at least a dozen bronze statues today. They're everywhere.

Start of a journey05/04/06
Yesterday, I hopped onto the plane bound for Hong Kong for the start of my journey to Russia. It was a very pleasant 8 hour trip with Qantas. The inflight entertainment was top notch compared with other airlines I've been on. I managed to squeeze in a few movies, my favourite being 'Pride and Prejudice'.

I arrived in Hong Kong, used the inernet to send an email, then flew to Frankfurt, Germany on a 12.5 hour flight. After another 5 hours or so in Frankfurt airport, I then took a 2 hour flight to Helsinki, Finland, and a 1 hour bus trip to Lahti, Finland. NB: At Frankfurt airport, I was surprised to find myself at the front entrance to the airport, free to leave the terminal and enter Germany, with only a single check of my passport to see if I was the same person as that in the photo.

I stayed with some friends of the family in Lahti, where I walked in the snow for the first time I remember. :D I was pleased to find that the abnormal weather for this time of the year had brought some snow for me. The snow covered pine forest behind the house I stayed at reminded me of Narnia as shown in the new movie. Things were good until I poked myself in the eye with a leafless branch. My eye is quite sore. The family I am staying with are quite lovely too, though I have only seen them for a little while.