Chapel Update and England Study Tour

These last few weeks have been both busy and computer-less, and such a combination is not conducive to sound blogging. Now, with a spare moment to catch up on website writing, I find myself unsure where to begin. Blogging, for all of its merits, does not work for me as a form of retrospective writing. Events and moments a month old seem to have lost their place within this digital conversation. Time marches on, and so does the blog. At any rate, I feel compelled to give a brief account of the past month, but will likely keep it brief so that I can return to the present work and conversations.

Progress on the monastery chapel is going well. The chapel's bell tower is now complete with the bell, floor system, and roof all in place and secured. The timber frame trusses are raised and in place. Purlins are lapped and fastened to the rafters. This last week saw us drying in the roof among a few other odds and ends. 

I pulled away from working on the chapel for a couple of weeks to help lead a study tour trip in England. Quite a rare treat to play a part in teaching students about architecture's rich and enduring history. England continues to serve as a strong reminder that old buildings can become a community's heirloom and not a liability. Whilst in London, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with a couple of folks from the Prince's Foundation. Bold strides are being made by these folks in the direction to cultivating enduring communities. Many thanks to Lauren and Simon for taking an interest in my work and also sharing their own work. Groups that foster engaging work and dialogue are always a pleasure to be around.

Whew, trying to recount the thoughts and experiences from a month ago whilst not writing a book in the process is akin to pulling teeth. Hopefully, this serves as a decent update that will allow me to mentally begin blogging about what the present work.