Spiral

We usually talk of a "downward spiral" giving the word rather negative connotations, yet one of the earliest applications of the form was as an Archimedes Screw which was all about raising water from one level to another for the irrigation of crops.

This particular spiral is located in the new Informatics Forum at Edinburgh University, which is where I spent much of my morning. I think the building itself is interesting but unspectacular from the outside, but inside it is really quite something. The full height atrium with a glazed roof reminds me of the Victorian architecture of the main hall of the National Museum, but the interior glazing and glass lifts add a modern feel. Blocks of colour in differently painted hallways add a playfulness, while the suspended spiral brings an Escher-esque surreality. I rather think this particular spiral is a good thing - it certainly elevated my spirits!

I was there for a really good meeting finding out more about what Informatics Ventures are up to, and then to attend a networking meetup.

Since then I've spent the last few hours on a detailed patent analysis which is hurting my brain, and later I'll be visiting a charitable organisation that I am exploring joining the board of.

This is fairly typical of my days at the moment. I'm really looking forward to a quiet weekend...