The Story So Far....
Phil Close and I have just graduated with our Masters degrees in Engineering from the University of Edinburgh; Phil, in Structural and Fire Safety Engineering; myself, in Structural Engineering with Architecture.
Two years ago, Phil suggested I take a Fire Science and Fire Dynamics course taught by Prof. Jose Torero. He had transferred into the fire degree the year before and said Jose was the best lecturer and his courses were the most interesting. I attended a class, and so began my shift to Fire Safety Engineering.
The following summer, I took a position as a fire intern with the global firm Arup in their Washington DC office, encouraged by Jose’s global reputation in fire engineering circles. I wrote my thesis with Jose as supervisor on the Maximum Potential Damage of Structures in Fire. Phil wrote his with Jose on Timber Construction in Fire.
It happened that, following my fire internship last summer, I attended Burning Man for the first time. Having only heard fleeting things about it before, I was attracted by the Metropolis art theme, the opportunity for an adventure and even an epiphany. Without friends or family able to come as well, I found a ride and camp on craigslist and went alone.
What followed was all I had hoped for and more, truly one of the most amazing weeks of my life. Apart from the whole culture, society and experience of Burning Man itself, the dedication and efforts behind people's artwork was awe-inspiring. I was blown away by all the fire art, and went and talked with the FAST crew at centre camp to learn more of how it was all organized. The temple in and of itself was profoundly moving...arguably the most important installation at the festival after the Man itself. Here, all 'citizens' write personal messages on its walls, all to be burned and sent into the ether on the final night. One of my messages was to Phil, who had been subject to a nightmare of a summer. Of all my friends, I knew he needed to see this city, and I vowed in writing to bring him the following year.
Flash forward. We were finishing up our theses, I saw on Facebook that a guy I had met at the Irish Decompression, along with his crew, had been awarded the honour of building the temple. I contacted him, curious about how the burn was organized and if there was any way I could get involved with my background. I was ecstatic to be told I could be involved in it and, following a conversation with Kiwi, the head of the project, I realized that my input could be considerable in the Temple Burn.
After relaying this to Phil, with his thesis on timber in fire, we agreed to audaciously take the project to Jose himself and see if the university wanted to get involved. To our delight, Jose was fascinated and said he would support our involvement.
I am now co-fire lead of the Temple Burn, and will be joining the International Arts Megacrew in Reno on August 3rd. On August 13th, I will venture with the crew out to the playa to help built and prepare the Temple for this year's Burning Man, running from August 29th-September 4th. With direct support from the Principal of the University of Edinburgh, Phil will attend his first burn, arriving when the city gates open at midnight. Furthermore, Prof. Torero, one of the world's lead fire experts, will arrive on Friday, September 2nd to witness, among all the incredible feats in fire on display, the Temple Burn, on which he has already provided valuable consultation.
With funding from the Edinburgh University Students Association, we purchased a camera and have been documenting our involvement in this amazing project and the support we have received from the university. This includes, apart from Jose's advice, use of the Fire labs for testing methods of ignition and timber burning rates.
Since our graduation on June 28th, we have parted ways for the summer on our respective adventures. Phil has been travelling with his girlfriend Carolin across British Columbia. Returning to Edinburgh in mid August, he will touch base with the University before flying to San Francisco. Meanwhile, after a month of making my way from Edinburgh through London, New York and Washington DC, I will set off for Reno on August 2nd to join the International Arts Megacrew. We plan to document our journeys from hereon in via this site as is possible through my early arrival in the temple build, our reunion at the start of the festival...
...culminating in the Temple Burn.
-Alex
Two years ago, Phil suggested I take a Fire Science and Fire Dynamics course taught by Prof. Jose Torero. He had transferred into the fire degree the year before and said Jose was the best lecturer and his courses were the most interesting. I attended a class, and so began my shift to Fire Safety Engineering.
The following summer, I took a position as a fire intern with the global firm Arup in their Washington DC office, encouraged by Jose’s global reputation in fire engineering circles. I wrote my thesis with Jose as supervisor on the Maximum Potential Damage of Structures in Fire. Phil wrote his with Jose on Timber Construction in Fire.
It happened that, following my fire internship last summer, I attended Burning Man for the first time. Having only heard fleeting things about it before, I was attracted by the Metropolis art theme, the opportunity for an adventure and even an epiphany. Without friends or family able to come as well, I found a ride and camp on craigslist and went alone.
What followed was all I had hoped for and more, truly one of the most amazing weeks of my life. Apart from the whole culture, society and experience of Burning Man itself, the dedication and efforts behind people's artwork was awe-inspiring. I was blown away by all the fire art, and went and talked with the FAST crew at centre camp to learn more of how it was all organized. The temple in and of itself was profoundly moving...arguably the most important installation at the festival after the Man itself. Here, all 'citizens' write personal messages on its walls, all to be burned and sent into the ether on the final night. One of my messages was to Phil, who had been subject to a nightmare of a summer. Of all my friends, I knew he needed to see this city, and I vowed in writing to bring him the following year.
Flash forward. We were finishing up our theses, I saw on Facebook that a guy I had met at the Irish Decompression, along with his crew, had been awarded the honour of building the temple. I contacted him, curious about how the burn was organized and if there was any way I could get involved with my background. I was ecstatic to be told I could be involved in it and, following a conversation with Kiwi, the head of the project, I realized that my input could be considerable in the Temple Burn.
After relaying this to Phil, with his thesis on timber in fire, we agreed to audaciously take the project to Jose himself and see if the university wanted to get involved. To our delight, Jose was fascinated and said he would support our involvement.
I am now co-fire lead of the Temple Burn, and will be joining the International Arts Megacrew in Reno on August 3rd. On August 13th, I will venture with the crew out to the playa to help built and prepare the Temple for this year's Burning Man, running from August 29th-September 4th. With direct support from the Principal of the University of Edinburgh, Phil will attend his first burn, arriving when the city gates open at midnight. Furthermore, Prof. Torero, one of the world's lead fire experts, will arrive on Friday, September 2nd to witness, among all the incredible feats in fire on display, the Temple Burn, on which he has already provided valuable consultation.
With funding from the Edinburgh University Students Association, we purchased a camera and have been documenting our involvement in this amazing project and the support we have received from the university. This includes, apart from Jose's advice, use of the Fire labs for testing methods of ignition and timber burning rates.
Since our graduation on June 28th, we have parted ways for the summer on our respective adventures. Phil has been travelling with his girlfriend Carolin across British Columbia. Returning to Edinburgh in mid August, he will touch base with the University before flying to San Francisco. Meanwhile, after a month of making my way from Edinburgh through London, New York and Washington DC, I will set off for Reno on August 2nd to join the International Arts Megacrew. We plan to document our journeys from hereon in via this site as is possible through my early arrival in the temple build, our reunion at the start of the festival...
...culminating in the Temple Burn.
-Alex