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BAROMETER MARCH - APRIL 2022
HALF TERm 4
CONTENTS: Field Day - Year 9 Science Museum - Mr Bowman The Endurance of Time Markus J Inter-Trib Geography Quiz Oliver B and Edward P Mufti Day - Henry B and Ramtin L A Pyramid of Hope - Alex P Year 10 - Duke of Edinbugh Oscar F Year 12 - Duke of Edinbugh Devan S Review: Blood Brothers - Ali J Fake News: What Steps Can You Take To Mitigate It? Kaveh K Field Day - Year 7 Drama Felipe E
The Mystery of Delta Force Sam M Inter-Trib Sponsored Spin Ben D
Competition - Marty V The Greatest Civilisation - Alex P
Geography Scholars - Devan S
Field Day - Year 9 Art Alexandre N
London’s Sewer System Daniel W
Beijing Winter Olymics 2022 Sam M
Field Day - Year 12 - Freddie W
Contemporary Architecture Frederick B
Understanding NFTs - Gerald P
Experience Day at HSBC Rufus D
Classics Reading Competition - Zach G
Antonov An-225 Engineering Marvel Comes To A Sad End Stepan K
How Apple Just Changed Laptops With Apple M1 Pro And Max - Deni D
Belfast Film Review - Theo W
World Book Day 2022 - Zain S Field Day - Year 8 Geography Giovanni G Counties Swimming
Front cover photograph Miss S. Smith
Field Day - Year 9 Science Museum Mr Bowman writes... Forty pupils from Year 9 visited the Science Museum on Friday 18th March with Mr Astbury, Mr Bowman, Mrs Neilsen and Mr Oxley. After prepping for the trip at Hannah House we made our way to South Kensington, managing to fit in a walk through Hyde Park. The boys were able to explore multiple exhibitions including ‘Exploring Space’ and ‘Making the Modern World’ with the highlights being an object hunt around the Winton Gal-
lery which explores the history of mathematics and a trip to the IMAX cinema for a documentary on Antarctica. It was a beautiful day with boys enjoying the good weather during their lunch break and many choosing to remain at the Science Museum or visit the nearby Natural History Museum at the end of the day.
The Endurance of time Markus J, Year 7 writes... One hundred and ten years ago in Norway history was made. In 1912 a ship with a deck the colour of the finest gold and the hull like a blazing red fire. This was the finest ship of its time. Originally it was supposed to be used to get tourists to travel the world, but in 1913 Shackleton’s eye saw the beauty. Unlike any other eye, he saw a ship that could plough through the Antarctic ice, as it was one of the most durable ships in the early 20th century. Between1913 and 1914 he bought the ship in Sweden for 225000 kroners/ 11,600 pounds (approximately £464,000 now). Finally, in 1914, December 12th the Endurance left the bay of Sweden. Little did they know this would be the last time they would see it for the next one hundred and ten years.
June 1915 after six months of sailing in relatively calm weather they made a stop at South Georgia for a month. Soon after they faced their biggest threat yet. They entered packed ice (packed ice is a type of ice that is hard to break and does not melt easily unless in a warm environment; it is also the ice you see when you go skiing) and were in it for two months. Until they got stuck, many of Shackleton’s crew were scared out of their wits, although there were in it for only three days.
After they escaped the packed ice, they had smooth sailing for a week until they got stuck again! This time it would end a lot more tragic than the last. After a while of the Endurance sitting in the ice, her bow could not take the pressure anymore, and eventually, the Norwegian pine plywood broke like a branch under someone’s foot. However, she did not sink just yet; she was stuck there for the rest of the winter. This allowed Shackleton’s crew to escape the death trap they were in.
they were rescued by another crew and finally arrived at proper civilization in Chile. Now 107 years later, when no one thought we could find the Endurance, on 5th March 2022 the world was proven wrong. By the Antarctic 3,008 meters deep (9,869 feet) in the Weddell Sea, the ship was found, it was then the news released that the Endurance was not a lost cause. Ghostly pictures of the mysterious shipwreck were shared in an instance all over the internet.
After many months of rowing, they came to Elephant Island near South Georgia, they were stranded on the island for 16 months (1 year and 4 months) while only being able to eat penguins and seals as they ate most of their food supply! Then eventually
I do think it soon could be very hard to study unless we get it out of the water because when winter comes the water over the Endurance could freeze meaning it would be hard to get to. However, taking it out of the water is very risky because it could destroy some valuable evidence.
Inter-trib GEOGRAPHY Quiz Oliver B, Year 10 writes…
Edward P, Year 12 writes…
This year’s geography quiz was a closely heated contest. Participants where quizzed on topics within the GCSE or A Level syllabus, but also on compelling geographical facts. For example, a notable question was, “What is the most common colour across all flags?” (Answer: red).
Recently, Wetherby hosted a geography quiz during which five groups of three boys answered challenging geography-related questions to earn points for their Trib. An incorrect answer resulted in a negative point; this sparked excitement and a competitive spirit within the live audience. To further enhance this suspenseful atmosphere, the Geography Department provided each team with a buzzer which they were only allowed to press once the question had been fully read out (or else points were on the line), so this was a game of speed as much as a game of knowledge. After 45 thrilling minutes, the scores were counted up and Tyburn were in the lead with 45 points. In second place with 40 points was Ravensbourne and in third with 30 points came Walbrook. I, along with everyone who took part, thoroughly enjoyed it and would like to thank the Geography Department for organising it all.
A buzzer system was used, so boys were tested on quick-thinking and reaction time. Miss Maroudi, the quiz master, would read out the questions and the boys could only answer once the whole question had been asked. Points were deducted for incorrect answers and pressing the buzzers too early. Trib competitions at Wetherby are a great way for boys in different year groups to build relationships and work together in teams. This was the first time that a quiz took place during a whole-school assembly. As a result, the intense atmosphere and inexorable community spirit were even more noticeable than usual. The contestants did exceptionally well and the competition was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Results: 1st Tyburn 2nd Ravensbourne 3rd Walbrook
MUFTI DAY Henry B, Year 13, and Ramtin L, Year 12 write… Each of Wetherby’s five houses is named after a tributary of the River Thames and they are all represented by a colourful emblem. The theme of this term’s mufti day was “Trib colours.” Everyone embraced it as an enjoyable way to raise money for the school’s charities: Save the Children and Steel Warriors. It was quite challenging to come up with a creative interpretation of one’s Trib colour scheme. Notable outfits were Year 11’s matching red football t-shirts (red for Fleet). Since the event took place on the same day as Wetherby Senior’s annual inter-Trib geography quiz, the sense of community and team spirit was better than ever. Save the Children aims to provide education, food, and medicine to countless children in need across the world. So far, they have supplied aid to over 45 million children in multiple countries, with over 600,000 supporters helping them to reach their goals.
We were fortunate to welcome a spokesperson from the charity who attended one of our wholeschool assemblies and gave us a sense of the contributions that our donations are making on a global scale. On the other hand, Steel Warriors build gym equipment using the metal from knives that are confiscated by the police. These gyms promote healthier lifestyles and encourage communities to become closer. Moreover, Steel Warriors enable young people to turn in their weapons without any legal consequences, preventing young people from committing crimes and allowing them to build themselves a more successful future. Wetherby Senior raised over £500 to support the brilliant work of these two charities.
A Pyramid of Hope Alex P, Year 8 writes... The Devonshire Emerald is arguably the most famous uncut emerald in the world as we know it, weighing just under 1,400 carats. After being extracted from the Earth in a mine in, Muzo, Colombia, it was quickly sold to the Duke of Devonshire by Pedro the First of Brazil in 1831, hence the name. Later on, it was displayed in the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. The whereabouts of the emerald were unclear from then until it reappeared at the Natural History Museum in 2007. A few weeks ago I visited this museum to see this along with many other precious gems and rocks. So, here’s what I found out along the way… The first thing that caught my eye was the rainbow calcite. Calcite is a carbonate material most commonly found in sedentary rocks and limestone in particular. It is notoriously difficult to shape into gems because it fractures and scratches easily. However, this
particular one, found in Bolivia in 2018, was expertly cut with the twinning plane (an invisible internal surface) - at an angle so that light is separated into the spectrum of rainbow colours, creating iridescence. The optical effect of this is that light passing through is split into two rainbow rays. I also found something called Butterscotch crystals. These particular ones were found in a Glove mine in Arizona in 2006. 1958 produced some of the world’s most spectacular wulfenite crystals. Most were destroyed or smelted for the ore they contained. This surviving plate of delicate butterscotch-coloured crystals was recently bought by the Museum. It is one of the best examples known from this mine, which is now closed. Last but not least is the Pyramid of Hope. Despite the name, it is actually more like a 2D triangle than a pyramid but probably just as amazing, let me explain.
Coloured diamonds are extremely rare. Only one in 10,000 is considered fancy - outside the normal range of colourless to light yellow. It has taken over 40 years to assemble this stunning array of 296 gemstones, which is considered one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of naturally coloured diamonds. When viewed under ultraviolet (UV) light, some gemstones reveal a hidden property. Energized by UV light, they exhibit fluorescence and glow. These colours are different to those seen under normal light. The collection represents the natural diversity of the Earth. Named after the aurora borealis the dramatic coloured lights in the northern sky - Aurora was also the Roman goddess of dawn, symbolizing hope for a new beginning. The owner wishes for the collection to be considered a work of art, its beauty inspiring all who view it to protect our shared natural heritage.
The Devonshire Emerald
The Pyramid of Hope
Butterscotch-coloured crystal
Year 10 - Duke of Edinbugh Oscar F, Year 10 writes…. 16th and 17th March saw Year 10 complete their practice expedition for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award and, as some of the first expeditions to take place after the passing of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, there certainly was an air of something special. It was a stunning weekend, filled with excitement and exhaustion, moments of clarity and moments of getting terribly lost, but most of all truly was a unique experience to be left alone in an unfamiliar part of England for the better part of a few days. Day 1 Bright and early on a balmy Friday morning, groups of us shuffled into Hannah House Hall with a nervous excitement lingering in the air. As time flew by and the haze of an early morning cleared, we drove, no longer than an hour and a half, to some of the best scenery England’s south-east has to offer: the Chiltern Hills. With nothing more than an all-too heavy backpack, a compass, and a map, we set off (somewhat blindly) further and further into unfamiliar territory. Excitement certainly carried us for the first few hours which was mostly spent navigating the winding roads of towns, but exhaustion did catch up to us quickly, especially with us
much more magnificent than anything a London park can even attempt to offer.
getting lost just shy of the 12pm mark. That’s when we sat down to eat; climbing up hills and trying not to fall down descending into valleys ate away at our energy, but never our motivation. We passed by another group and heard their equally terrible tales of getting loss and also saw another group in front of us. The final stretch of the day saw us revitalised as we walked for just a few more hours before reaching camp a little after 3pm. Just wanting to sit down, we pushed ourselves to set up our tents before finally having a chance to sit and enjoy nature
As the final groups arrived at the campsite (after having trekked the wrong way for a good few hours) and the light began to fade, we got to cooking. We used a piece of kit called a Trangia – essentially just a larger, easier-to-use Bunsen burner. Some kept it simple with pot noodles and some… well, some managed to burn pasta (although it evades me as to just exactly how!) Eventually, after a bit more running around, night fell and one by one we fell asleep.
Day 2 The second day of our trip started, for many, not much later than 5am. A combination of the cold, some rather loud chatter and an early sunrise made for early waking for everyone. Every group seemed determined to get out of the camp quickly – some motivated by being first, and some perhaps by the prospect of returning home. Whether we did leave the campsite as early as we’d hoped was a different story but either way after a breakfast of porridge for most we were ready for the second day. The second day ended up following a similar pattern to the first with us getting lost once again shortly before lunch, however, a considerably larger portion of our journey was winding through town streets which proved a new challenge, appearing only as faint small lines on our OS map. We once again took our lunch
break – this time along the winding canal of Berkhamsted – and decided on a final, dedicated sprint to the finish line. We trekked up a final hill, took a wrong turn, walked back down and then back up before finding our route on the side of a roundabout and walking the final few hundred metres without even thinking about stopping. Finally, with the bus in sight, we dried our tents, repacked them and made sure the trangias were intact. Finally, we thought over the few days – our strengths, our weaknesses and what we need to keep on top of when it comes to our assessed expedition, and then we were off, still with a beautiful blue sky, headed back to our much more familiar metropolis. As many of us woke up after falling asleep on the warm bus with rolling fields to our left and right, we arrived back at Hannah House, just before 5pm on Saturday and feeling somewhat self-conscious lugging backpacks that went from our head to toe around the streets of London, that was the end of our practice expedition. Our assessed expedition is scheduled to take place in May,
for which we’re only more excited after this fantastic trip – even if we’re wishing it’ll be a little warmer at night. It’s important also to remember that the Duke of Edinburgh award is not just about spending a few days camping with friends, but also holds us to complete months ofpracticing a skill, doing physical activity and volunteering. I’ve heard of people choosing all sorts of great activities from picking up a language to packing supplies for refugees in Ukraine and that is exactly what Duke of Edinburgh is all about.
Year 12 - Duke of Edinbugh Devan S, Year 12 writes... On Thursday 17th March, two Silver DoE groups left School at 7am to take a bus to the Chiltern Hills. We had a briefing about our kit and what was going to happen during the three days. Afterwards, we split up into our respective groups, each with a designated instructor who would supervise us during our practice expedition to help or guide us. We planned our routes for that day and headed off towards the first campsite. Along the way, we refreshed ourselves on the skills that we would be needed, such as taking a compass bearing or looking for ‘check off ’ features to make sure we were headed in the right direction. The weather was great, making walking through lush fields and dense forest even more enjoyable. As part of the Silver DoE requirements, we had to be out for at least seven hours, whether that be walking or taking a break, which I was extremely fond of. We arrived at the campsite around 5 pm, just before it started to get dark, giving us time to put up our tents and start making food, as well as planning our route for the next day. For that night, pasta with tuna was on the menu. Simple but effective and full of protein which I’m sure Mr Sullivan loved!
Review: BLOOD BROTHERS Ali J, Year 11 writes... On 20th January, the Year 10 and 11 GCSE Drama pupils were privileged enough to go see Blood Brothers at the Young Vic. After reading and analyzing the play for so long during lockdown it was extremely eye-opening to watch the play be performed for the first time in a proper theatre. The play follows two twin brothers (Mickey and Edward) who are separated at birth, Mickey stays with his birth mother in a poor family, but Edward is adopted by a wealthy family, known as the Lyons, where he lives a much more privileged life. But as chance would have it they reunite and become best friends never knowing the truth that they are actually brothers. Willy Russell (the playwright) explores the theme of nature vs nurture and whether genetics or family upbringing and privilege make you. Overall, he never picks one side of the argument but instead illustrates that it is both that make you the person that you are.
One of the most interesting characters in the play, in my opinion, was Mickey as the actor who played him fantastically brought to life his childish behaviour. This makes most moments in the play very funny to watch, such as when he rides on stage with an imaginary horse.
This cheerful atmosphere was directly contrasted at the end of the play when Mickey finds out
that Edward has been having an affair with his wife and longtime best friend Linda. This leads us to the climax of the play where Mickey confronts Edward about this at the court where he works carrying a gun. After a few minutes of tension, Mickey also learns from his mother (also present in the court) that Edward is his twin brother and he could have lived the wealthy lifestyle of Edward if he had been swapped over to the Lyons’ household instead of him. In a sudden and tense instant, Mickey accidentally shoots Edward and is shot himself, by the police, only seconds later. The intensity of this moment was conveyed through the striking suddenness of the moment. With a blink of an eye, you could have missed the white flash consuming the stage and the loud gunshot sound effect filling the theatre as both brothers lay dead on the floor. Overall the experience of not only this moment but the whole play was incredible as we got to witness Blood Brothers in a new perspective and I would highly recommend anyone to watch it in the near future.
Fake News: What Steps Can You Take to Mitigate It? Kaveh K, Year 10 writes... Fake news has become increasingly prevalent with the rise of electronic news sources, and the growing reliance of people to use social media as their primary news source. Services like Twitter and Instagram allow news to be broadcasted in realtime, with news stories reaching users within minutes of events occurring. This is mostly positive, warning people of danger near them, and alerting the public to breaking news, though it can also lead to social manipulation, agenda pushing and more. The term “fake news” covers a broad topic area and can mean many things. Originally used in the 1890s to describe sensationalist headlines, though today it can refer to things like misinformation, disinformation, Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour (CIB) and more. So how can you verify if what you are reading, watching or listening to is correct, and what steps can you take to reduce the risk of falling for fake news? Often sites that publish incorrect or over-glamourised information use sensationalist (clickbait) headlines, designed to lure in a reader. Skim the article and check the claims made: Do they seem too good to be true, or extremely unrealistic? Does the headline make the subject more engaging than it actually is? You should only get information from news sources you trust. Check the reliability of the source on a fact-checker like
allslides.com. Often, checking what side of the political spectrum a news source is can help filter out biased content in a news source. All news is biased in some form, so getting news from news sources that are on contrasting sides of the political spectrum can help give you a broader view and prevent you from falling into an echo-chamber of misinformation, where you may be online reading incorrect or agenda-pushing content. Make sure the source is not a satirical news site like The Onion, and instead a more reliable news source, like the BBC. A 2018 study by MIT researchers of over 126,000 rumours and false stories on Twitter discovered that false news stories were 70% more likely to be retweeted than real news stories. To add, it took real stories six times longer to reach people, and often the most popular false news could reach up to 100,000 retweets. This behaviour is not exclusive to Twitter: almost every social media source is susceptible to this. Most false news is spread in good-faith and unintentionally: this is misinformation. However, some entities create and spread false information with the aim of deliberately misleading readers or pushing a point of view. This is known as disinformation, and the difference is important. Techniques exist for this, such as “astroturfing”, where the sponsors of a message are masked and instead made to appear as normal people and participants. This creates a façade suggesting that people believe that an entity is credible, when they are anything
but. Facebook (or Meta, as it now known), is surprisingly important in the field of combatting misinformation, publishing their reports for actions they take. They coined the term “Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour”: coordinated campaigns designed to manipulate the public point of view. Often this is done via “botnets”, huge collections of automated accounts designed to look like real humans. Sadly, its often incredibly hard to notice this behaviour, even if you know what you’re looking for. Fake news techniques are increasingly being developed and mastered to maximise how much they are spread. Always remember to check the source, the content, author and biases of an article, and you should be as protected from fake news as you can get.
Field Day - Year 7 Drama Felipe E, Year 7 writes... On Friday 18th March, Year 7 had their Drama Field Day (spoilers included). It all started off with the most beautiful UK weather in months, and Year 7 arriving on time in the drama studio. we started with a drama workshop, led by Miss Twomey, in which we acted out the entirety of Romeo & Juliet with Year 7s stepping into the characters as she narrated the plot. We played Drama games we explored Shakespearean insults and enjoyed a well earned break. After the break, Mr Tibbles and Mr Hayes took over. We started with two games, then used an extract from Romeo and Juliet, we had to look at the punctuation and walk around the room and then switch when there was any use of punctuation. We then put our English heads on and analysed what happened. We thought that this was because events in the story were moving very quickly, and Juliet was trying to catch up. After that, we headed off to Hannah House greeted again by some beautiful hot weather. It felt weird seeing the canteen so empty. After lunch, we headed to the ping pong terrace on the second floor. The weather greeted us again, blue skies without a cloud in sight. Afterwards, we were back to Bulstrode to pack up our belongings. Once we arrived, Mrs Atkinson put all of us into groups, which would be the teachers we would be with for the rest of the day. I was in Mr Hayes’s group. After our safety briefing we made our
way to Bond Street tube station, from there we got the Central line two stops down to Tottenham Court Road. I was amazed at the size of the station. A friend pointed out that because Elizabeth Line services will run from that station, they have had to upgrade it to make it bigger. After getting through the marvels of Tottenham Court Road tube station, we embarked on a short walk over to Shaftesbury Theatre. It was all dressed up in & Juliet, the play we were going to see. Once in the theatre, we were greeted to an amazing stage with fancy lighting. Just as the play started we saw stunts from Niko Omilana and other actors. They showed us signs about the mask requirement and that no cameras or phones were allowed. The show got off to a brilliant start with Shakespeare coming up through the trapdoor. We
were introduced to a supposed Romeo and Juliet play but instead, we were introduced & Juliet. After that, we saw the nurse. The speeches were very good and showed us a different reality than your typical Romeo and Juliet play. We then saw a band performing a song called Roar. Juliet was very emotional during the play talking about how she was always being forced into decisions without properly thinking about it. She then said that because Romeo died she could now have a life based on her not based on some folklore story. Romeo then suddenly sprang up and surprised Juliet. Juliet has already married someone else and said I have to reject you as I can’t go back on a wedding. Then the man who decides to marry her goes back on it. I thought the way the play brought in members of the LGBTQ+ community within the story was excellent.
The Mystery of delta force Sam M, Year 9 writes... The ongoing military mystery special force known as Delta Force has puzzled many people for years if not centuries. Delta Force are an elite American all-terrain counterterrorist unit which was said to have been established in 1980 by a man named Charles Beckwith.
Delta Force’s insignia is a specific combat knife in a red arrowhead. This specific historical combat knife was known as the Fairbairn– Sykes fighting knife. The size of this highly classified force is unknown to the public and even the United States President did not know about the Force’s existence until 2016, and people estimate it to be in the hundreds due to its brutal training regime to get accepted and the small percentage of people who make it through normally being within the margin ten to fifteen men a year. The headquarters of Delta Force is Fort Bragg in North Carolina in the United States. This Force is so secretive they only receive orders from the highest ranked military officials. Delta Force has only been
disbanded once due to the lack of workforce in its numbers as they were too low for the Force to embark on any high government ranking approved missions. Delta Force has released extraordinarily little information on their topsecret missions around the globe. People have not really accepted Delta Force’s existence to this day as it has not been confirmed this Force is in existence to the public, instead they go off legends/stories of soldiers working alongside these mystery figures but have never seen their faces, but their shoulder patch insignia on their uniform is enough to tell who they really are. This Force has grown a notorious reputation of being the best elite special operation force in the world getting in and out without a single shot being fired by any side whether it being in a hostage situation or a firefight. They are typically known to be the best of the best, no less no more. They have only released the names of dead or retired Delta Force Commanders to commemorate them and their efforts on the front line. One man in this
Force is the equivalent of over 100 army personnel combined. No one fits the definition of a perfect soldier more than these mysterious figures. Delta Force’s history traces back to World War Two when the United States military produced the idea of men operating behind enemy lines without the enemy knowing while being able to operate in all sorts of terrain and while being equipped with the best combat gear at that time. Legends about this group first started when news struck the frontline that a group of men with red insignia patches had been going around completely undetected killing their targets without a single finger being raised to stop them because no one knew who they were or where they were. This is where their fame skyrocketed as they kept making insanely hard military missions look like a video game set to easy and they have been doing so ever since their founding back in the 1940s. These men are perfect soldiers.
Inter-Trib SPONSORED SPIN Ben D, Year 12 writes… On Wednesday 2nd March, Wetherby Senior ran its firstever sponsored spin competition which saw pupils from all year groups participate in a 12-hour long competition for charity. It was a race to see which trib could collectively cycle the length of the Thames the fastest. From 7:00am to 7:00pm, boys competed and cycled as fast as they could, for 30 minutes, to help their trib reach the 346km distance the fastest.
Together, we had over 100 pupils and teachers take part, with a collective distance of over 1,000 miles being cycled. The School’s sponsored spin champion was Walbrook who managed to complete the entire length of the river before any other trib. Aside from the competitive aspect of the event, we were able to raise an astonishing £5,000 for our School’s charities: Save the Children, Crisis and West London Mission. This spin competition is
now the largest charity event the School has ever undertaken, and money raised will help combat homelessness and child hunger, both in our community and the wider world. Overall, I can confidently say it was one of the best events ever organised by the School. A big thank you to both Mr Thornton, for organising it, and to all the boys who took part, is definitely in order.
Geography Scholars Devan S, Year 12 writes... This year, the Geography Department launched a new society: the Geography Scholars. It consists of enthusiastic geographers all the way from Year 11 to 13, who are or thinking of pursuing the subject at A Level and degree level. The meetings are always something to look forward to, a highlight this year has been the quiz where Year 11 and sixth formers went head to head, with sixth formers narrowly taking the win at the end. Following applications of interest, Devan and Nur were voted in as co-presidents and given the opportunity to run the Geography Instagram for a day.
Most recently, on 14th March, there was a trip to UCL where a geography lecturer took us on a tour around campus and spoke about what to expect at degree level, how to write a good application and all that UCL has to offer. We were lucky enough to be met by two alumni, Leo K and Antonio D-B, who are currently studying at UCL and answered many of our questions about social life, accommodation and cafes. Across the year we’ve also enjoyed many trips to the Royal Geographical Society, some of our favourite and most thoughtprovoking lectures have been on plastic pollution in the ocean, positive tipping points of climate change and how humans have altered the evolution of species.
London’s sewer system Daniel W, Year 8 writes... History of the sewers It was when a cholera outbreak in mid 19th century England spread through the practically open sewers of the River Thames and the overwhelming stench of the Great Stink during the hot summer that prompted the creation of a modern sewer system to support London’s growing population. To construct the extensive sewer systems, the government hired their top engineer Joseph Bazalgette and started the project in 1859 that was designed to intercept and feed the outflow of sewage from other sources to the main sewer network. Furthermore, the project suffered difficulties from the increasing population in relation to the projected two and half million people it was intended to serve, to the developing underground railway conflicting with the sewer network and the fact that areas such as Chelsea or Deptford would need support to flow the
sewage and provide sufficient flow. Sewage treatment Despite this, the sewer was interconnected to most of London by 1866 but unfortunately Joseph Bazalgette died in 1891. After Bazalgette’s death, issues of the gravity-based sewer system rose that stemmed from the fact that there was a flaw that expelled sewage into surface waters (such as the Thames in London) from rain overflowing the system and triggering a failsafe to not overflow homes. However, it was proposed by a cotton mill owner named James Smith that instead of entirely diverting the sewage into waters, sewage could be used practically as a fertilizer for agricultural purposes. However, this technique has many disadvantages such as the fact that fertilizing soil is only required in dry weather that can benefit plant growth, but sewers generate waste at a consistent rate which could lead soil to become more septic and would soon become less feasible due to the ever-growing population in London. Even using sewage as a fertilizer would risk spreading pathogens to animals and insects who feed on fruits or crops.
As an alternative to sewage farms, the advancement in technology in the late 19th century would allow the use microorganisms to decompose organic matter and remove pollutants in the sewage. In 1913, the activated sludge process was discovered to separate sewage from clean water by blowing air and oxygen into raw sewage and create a biological “soup” to digest organic matter and pollutants and produce a sludge. This is accomplished in a large tank called an aeration basin that injects air into the sewage and a settling tank which feeds the microorganisms to survive, to keep a balanced ratio of microorganisms, organic waste and oxygen are sent to a clarifier that clumps them together and settle into activated sludge. The sludge can either be recycled back into the aeration basin to allow significantly more microorganisms or thickened into fertilizer. Future of the London sewers and the Thames Tideway Scheme To cope with London’s almost 9 million population, Joseph Bazelgette Ltd started to construct and upgrade the London sewer system in 2016 as a response to how the original sewers would
produce and spill untreated sewage into the Thames. The new developing sewer, called the “super sewers”, plans to intercept the runoff and diverted underneath the Thames so it can be treated at a treatment plant and is expected to last for 100 years. Since the start of the construction there have been questions about if the sewers would disrupt people or locals who live alongside them and how that could take up space. However, Joseph Bazalgette Ltd
responded to this issue by creating a code of construction practice to reduce any disturbance on any of the sewer construction sites and to manage the climate in the environment. Furthermore, there are concerns over the need of a new tunnel in the first place and some would prefer a method that would be three times as expensive to build. The alternate method
proposed would be a sustainable urban drainage system that would have small pumping stations and could potentially prevent infiltration of rain into the sewers with the added benefit of building green infrastructure and more. Surprisingly, there were minor archaeological discoveries in the sewer construction such as finding a 500 year old skeleton in the mud at Chamber’s Wharf, Bermondsey and a World War Two bomb whilst tunneling under Chelsea.
In conclusion, the Thames tideway scheme is still a developing sewer and we can’t predict what might delay or hinder the construction but what is certain is that we may have to deal with issue in the far, far future and that we will have to expand the sewers to cope with an even bigger population than today. As we near the completion of the super sewers in 2025, we can reflect on the ingenuity of Joseph Bazalgette and the marvel of the London sewer network.
Field Day - Year 12 Freddie W, Year 12 writes... This Field Day, Year 12 were invited to a tour around St Mary’s University, Twickenham. When we met under the Big Clock at Waterloo station, there was a sense of excitement within the group, as we shuffled onto the train, bags packed for the day at St Mary’s. We had heard a lot about ‘campus universities’ and were all very interested in this opportunity to see one up close, to help us decide if we want the ‘campus experience’. The train whisked us off to Twickenham and we were soon standing by the campus gates to St Mary’s University, Twickenham. It still felt like London, which my peers and I agreed was nice. We saw the Library, with its lovely study pods where you can rent out laptops and work with friends to collaborate on group assignments. We saw the Students’ Union and learnt about the different activities on offer and the services the SU provides.
We were shown the lectures halls and got a glimpse of the on-site accommodation. The student ambassadors who gave the tour told us they lived on campus in the first year and then many moved to Richmond or Kingston as they wanted to experience living on their own. They went on to talk about how a smaller campus university, such as St Mary’s, have the advantage that almost everyone knows each other, there is a lot less pressure and so it is very easy to settle into life there. Finally, we saw the excellent sports facilities on offer, including well-equipped sports halls and a large field for football or rugby. Whilst it probably won’t be our top choice for university destinations, this was a really useful day out. It showed us what a small, campus university could be like (a friendly community, not overwhelming but still buzzing with student activity) and what it would be like to study at a London university, further away from the city centre.
Understanding NFTs Gerald P, Year 10 writes... What is an NFT? Non-fungible tokens, commonly known as NFTs, are things that cannot be copied or replaced. They are mainly purchased in the cryptocurrency Ethereum. NFTs have been available for purchase since 2014, but they have only recently become popular with the public, having gone viral on social media last year. While I was thinking about what to write for The Barometer, I chose NFTs because people are minting, selling, and discussing them all the time – from business meetings to break time at school. How do NFTs work? An artist/creator will mint an NFT, meaning to create it inside the blockchain. Once it has been minted to a common minting and reselling platform like Opensea. io or Superrare.com, the creator must make a contract that can be used when the NFT is sold again from a reseller or a buyer,
which could be someone like you or me. This allows the creator to have a royalty on the NFT so that every time it is sold, they receive a percentage of the sale price. There are many problems with NFTs and the blockchain, as with most new things. There are high risks of online crimes, fake versions, and stolen wallets. These criminal acts are much more likely to happen online as it can be done from one’s bedroom and the only tools needed are a computer and the internet. The risk of crime is not the only limitation: creators must pay a price in order to mint NFTs to websites like Opensea.io; it can cost the publisher upwards of $70. When the artwork is being sold, there are high fees that come with the cryptocurrency. This is similar to the high commission rates that deter certain shops from accepting American Express cards. How can one buy an NFT? With all the above in mind, I will provide some basic tips on how to
buy your own NFT and start your collection. You will need to get a crypto wallet, which could be an app on your phone or a website on a computer. I would recommend that you do this all from a computer as the functionality is much wider and accessible. Once you have got a crypto wallet, you need to choose your non-fungible token on a website like Opensea.io and connect your wallet to the site. Then, buy the chosen coin which will most often be Ethereum. You can think of your crypto wallet like a piggy bank where you store different currencies, but this is coin online like Eth, Sol and Btc. Once you have bought your first NFT, you will have entered the crypto world and will be able to claim yourself a proud owner of a non-fungible token. If you decide to dive into the world of crypto and NFTs, make sure you stay cautious and be careful; you are travelling from Hawaii to the bottom of the Pacific.
Classics Reading Competition Zach G, Year 12 writes... Walking through the halls of the famous Westminster School into the hall for the reading competition was really exciting to me, especially as I’ve always had relatively small Latin/Classics classes. Due to this, I don’t really get to see larger groups of classicists very often, making it an even greater experience as more students began to enter the hall. The Latin reading from all groups and levels of competency
were all fantastic from start to end. Hearing and watching other students perform in Ancient Greek, a language that I’m less familiar with was also great, exposing me more to a part of classics that I don’t know quite as well. While exciting, going up to read the poem, Catullus 8, was hugely nerve racking, even more so considering I’ve always had stage fright. While I had some nerves, it was a fun to do and allowed me to get involved with a part of Latin that I don’t interact
with often, as it isn’t taught as a spoken language. While I didn’t place on the podium this year, I’m hugely excited to come back next year and hopefully do even better with the experience from this year. I’d have loved to have done it in the past, but due to COVID-19 it hasn’t been possible for the last couple years, but now it’s taking place once again, I’d highly recommend it to any of the younger pupils with an interest in Classics.
HOW APPLE JUST CHANGED LAPTOPS WITH APPLE M1 PRO AND MAX Deni D, Year 12 writes... In November 2020, Apple released its M1 MacBook Pro & M1 MacBook Air, departing from using Intel as the processor in Mac. These laptops were a milestone in Apple’s custom processors (called Apple Silicon). M1 featured an advanced signal processor (enabling better quality video calls and images though the webcam). M1 featured industry leading performance per watt. In October 2021 Apple unveiled the new 16 inch model and for the first time ever an all new 14 inch MacBook Pro fitted with M1 Pro or M1 Max, both of which have broken the barriers of what’s possible with a 14 inch laptop. A normal laptop Shape LineApple’s M1 Pro and M1 Max processes have, yet again, revolutionised the industry. You see making a normal pro laptop requires using a powerhungry CPU and GPU. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) provides processing power and instructions on what the computer needs to do to complete a task. The more powerful this CPU is, the faster your computer completes its tasks. Such a CPU is also built with ‘System Memory’ which temporarily stores data and instructions for the CPU’s use. A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a processor designed to accelerate graphics rendering (the process of generating photorealistic or non photorealistic images in a computer). This GPU also has its own memory so can hold on to (and ultimately complete) rendering of complex images on
your device. The CPU and GPU also needs to send data back and forth to each other. M1 Pro and M1 Max M1 Pro and M1 Max aren’t just processors. They are Systemon-a-Chip processors (SoC for short). This means, unlike any other processor with individual components mounted (such as an individual CPU, GPU, System Memory etc), M1 brings them all together, allowing for up to 10 CPU cores in M1 Pro and Max and up to 32 GPU cores in M1 Max. M1 Pro and Max also combine a ‘Media engine’ with a CPU, GPU, System Memory, graphics memory and more. What this means This incredible architecture in M1 chips enables them to complete tasks with higher performance than n whilst using less power. Apple showed-off multiple different graphs and it can be rather difficult to understand them so we’ll go through two of them below.
Faster Fans As the graphs suggest, Apple’s chips use less power to reach a certain performance. This means that MacBooks fitted with Apple Silicon are able to use less power to conduct tasks, resulting in the battery lasting an incredibly long time when conducting tasks compared to other PC laptops. Moreover, Apple’s fan design mean that the 14 inch and 16 inch Macs are able to move up to 50% more air even at lower fan speeds. Such fan designs enable MacBook Pros to deliver phenomenal sustained performance. This also means that, paired with M1 Pro or M1 Max, fans don’t have to turn on for most of the tasks you do daily. MacBook Air: thermals reimagined MacBook Air has absolutely no fans. It just relies on a heatsink (which absorbs excess heat) and passive cooling (slowing down performance of CPU), like the iPad and iPhone. This is all thanks to M1 MacBook Air’s new SoC processor. Meaning MacBook Air is quieter than ever.
As the graphs suggest, the gap between Intel and Apple is greater than ever before. Apple’s M1 Max is more power efficient and delivers incredible battery life paired with unparalleled sustained performance. As Apple continues to innovate the gap between Apple and the competition will be incredible. As Apple continues to advance its SoC processors, we are certain the entire laptop industry will continue to be impressed by Apple Silicon.
Graphs and images delivered by Apple Inc.
World Book Day 2022 Zain S, Year 9 writes... World Book Day 2022 was on Thursday 4th March. To celebrate this, there was a book donation, a book swap, and Years 8 and 9 got to attend a talk from the author Tom Pollock. Instead of their usual English lesson, Years 8 and 9 went to Hannah House Hall for the talk and book signing by Tom Pollock. He has written five books so far in his career – the Skyscraper Throne trilogy, a fantasy series set in London; White Rabbit, Red Wolf, a book about a maths genius who suffers from severe panic attacks, who must solve the attempted murder and kidnapping of his mother using his maths skills; and Heartstream, a book set in the near future about the dangers of social media.
The author told us about his own personal experience with panic attacks and how they inspired him to write a book about someone with similar experiences. At around 14 years old, Tom was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. He wanted to create a book where the protagonist (Pete) suffers from mental illness without making that the central subject of the plot. In his talk about the book, he said: “One of the things your brain can tell you is that you are your mental illness, that’s your life. It tells you this is what you are, this is what you’ve been, this is all you ever can be. But that’s a lie.” After this inspiring talk, we got the opportunity to buy White Rabbit, Red Wolf and Heartstream, and to have them signed by the author himself. In White Rabbit, Red Wolf, he also signed, ‘23-17-11-54’,
numbers which have significance to the book.
Field Day - Year 8 Geography Giovanni G, Year 8 writes... On Friday 18th March, Ms Maroudi, Mrs Smith and Mr Avroutine took the two Year 8 classes on a field trip to Stratford, east London, to dig further into our geography studies of the economic changes in the UK. We all met up in Hannah House at 8:25am, ready to take the Central line from Bond Street directly to Stratford. Once there, we headed straight to Westfield Shopping Centre, which has been built in 2011 and is one of Europe’s largest urban shopping areas with more than 300 stores. We were given a map that showed all the shops before the redevelopment of that area and we realised that many local shops were converted into popular chains. Then, divided into groups, we started interviewing people, asking them questions on the significant social and economic change that happened in 2012 for the Olympic Games. On that occasion, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park became the main landmark of Stratford. People seemed to be very happy about the transformation of the area after a long period of severe economic decline which had started in the late 20th century. One of them, a middle-class gentleman said: “The regeneration has brought more job opportunities for many of us”. On the other hand, a kind lady brought up the issue that with Stratford becoming such a luxurious area of London, a cappuccino now costs around £5. It seems to me that as a result, the majority of people benefitted from the change, whereas it has
made some lives harder due to the expenses. Walking through the streets, we had a more in-depth look at some different living areas that we had to score based on appearance. Some of them looked modern and some others looked older. After that, we settled down and had a nice and relaxing lunch in a nearby park. Thankfully it was sunny so we got to eat in lovely weather. Following lunch, we were lucky enough to have the time to visit one of Britain’s largest piece of public art: the ArcelorMittal Orbit. If you don’t know this is the world’s tallest and longest tunnel slide, measuring 178m that has been built by one of the richest men in the world, the Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal. This huge red giant overlooks the River Lea and West Ham’s home stadium. We had a great time visiting “the capital of the east” and we were all back in school by 4pm. Definitely worth a day out!
Counties swimming comPETition Marty V, Year 7 writes... I am doing this competition called Counties. This is two weekends long and where all the swimming clubs meet and battle each other out to see which team is the best. To get into Counties, you must get or beat the qualifying times. For me, I beat all the times for all the disciplines except for the 800m and the 1500m Freestyle. On the first weekend, I did all the 50m races and the 100m IM (Individual Medley, one length on each stroke). The 50m races include the 50m Breastroke, 50m Fly, 50m Backstroke and 50m Freestyle. You would first be put into heats with people with the same times as you and then, depending on what time you get, depends on if you go into the finals or not for your age group. I went into the finals for all the disciplines on the first weekend. For the 50m Fly, I got into the finals, and got bronze.
I really did not expect to get bronze in that discipline because I am not a fly swimmer. It wastes a lot of energy from my point of view. The next race was the 50m Backstroke. Backstroke is my worst stroke to do in a sprint. I got into the finals, but I ended up getting in 6th position. I really did not mind as I am not really a backstroke swimmer.
The next day, I had to do the 50m Breaststroke, 50m Freestyle and the 100m IM. The first race was the 50m Breaststroke and I got into the final, as did my friend Konstantin K who is at Wetherby Senior. He was swimming for Chelsea and Westminster. I ended up getting a gold while Konstantin got 6th. The next race was the 50m Freestyle. I got into the finals and drew 3rd with a boy from Chelsea & Westminster called Luke - same seconds, same milliseconds. That must have been the coolest part of the competition. The last race was the 100m IM. I got into the finals but got 4th, 2 seconds away from third. I was happy and ready for next weekend. Next weekend I turned 12. My birthday is 12th February and that was the day I was competing!
I had to race on my birthday and did many races. I enjoyed all the races, except the 200m Fly. Overall, I had an exciting birthday, even though I had to race. I would rather not race on my birthday but hey, that is my life. I love swimming.
The next day I did not have many races, only the 400m Free and the 200m Backstroke. I thought that could not be the worst race but I was wrong. The 400m Free was much harder than I thought it would be, and I ran out of breath and energy.
The 200m Back was nice but I had to go at full-on speed. It was going faster every 50m until you are going your fastest. After this, there are Regionals. Here you will do the same races that you did but the only way to get there, is to get or go faster than the qualifying times that Swim England have set. I have qualified for most of the races so, hopefully, I am going to be back here telling you more about that soon.
The Greatest CiviliSation Alex P, Year 8 writes... What is the greatest civilisation? Greeks or Romans - to answer this question, we must first examine what makes a civilisation great. In my view, there are eight fundamental factors. Administration of justice, technology, integrity, economy, leaders, military might, art, and government system. We will define these concepts, rank the top civilisation under each one, and conclude which civilisation was the greatest of them all. The Administration of Justice According to Aristotle, the key element of justice is treating like cases alike. This means it is the impartiality of judgement from a court of law. It is the maintenance or administration of what is right in a fair and impartial way and according to a standard. The Greeks invented this concept and the concept of democracy hence, they were ahead of the Romans however the Romans improved the idea of citizenship by allowing slaves to become citizens if they worked hard enough (something the Greeks did not do). So I think both Greeks and Romans are equal in this sense and there is no clear winner so far. Technology When I say technology in this context, I mean the scientific, mathematical and technological advancements of a particular nation/country. I think that all of the Roman’s inventions are nothing in comparison to what the Greeks did. They invented the catapult, anchors, water mills, maps, lighthouses, urban planning, showers, central heating
and plumbing. There are so much more to add to this list but I couldn’t fit everything so the best, for now, is that they came up with the idea for automatic doors; a steam-powered hydraulic system, using air heated by fire, opened the very first automatic doors belonging to a temple in Alexandria. And last but not least... forget all you know about Apple, Bill Gates and Microsoft, the very first computer, an analogue computer, was found by sponge divers concealed in the wreckage of a ship, off the shore of the Greek island of Antikythera in 1901. Said to date back to around 87BC, the Antikythera mechanism, as it’s known, was encased in a wooden box and consisted of a clockwork mechanism of about thirty bronze gears and was used to calculate astronomical positions and eclipses, for use in calendars, and other astrological goings-on. The Antikythera Mechanism is now kept at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece. The Romans did make improvements to these inventions but did not really make many technological advancements
as the Greeks, so the Greeks win.
Integrity According to the Cambridge Dictionary, integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles you refuse to change. This is fundamental for the functioning of markets and hence a strong economy. It is difficult to judge but I came to a conclusion after going through Britannica.com’s many articles on this matter that the Romans had a flawed or otherwise weak economy at times and sometimes corrupt leaders. I couldn’t find any evidence about Greece as it was all covered up by the economic crisis they had a few years ago. So my conclusion is that there is no winner or loser here because there is insufficient evidence.
Leaders This goes without saying but a good leader is made from his or her qualities. They need to be compassionate, strategic, inspiring, just, wise, intelligent and must be prepared to put their soldiers before them. Throughout history many have been “great leaders” but none come close to the legacy of Alexander III of Macedon or more commonly known as Alexander the Great. He cared about his soldiers as he did not drink if his soldiers had no water. He would come to the aid of the weakest flanks during battles, this would both motivate and inspire his soldiers to fight even harder as he fought side by side with them. He was also both strategic and intelligent as he conquered the majority of the known world at the time by the age of 33. Wisdom and justice were shown by him as he could have killed all the highest-ranking officials of the king of Persia but chose not to. In these ways, he has shown all the qualities mentioned and, in my view, is the best leader in the history of the world. Many of you may be thinking about Caesar, however, Alexander the Great was a better military strategist as he conquered the known world at a younger age than Caesar and if he hadn’t have
died they would have been sure to concur much more. Even Caesar himself acknowledged this when he saw a sculpture of Alexander the Great’s face where he came to his knees and cried. He said that if only he had conquered the world at Alexander’s age. So Greece wins again. Military Might The Roman Empire was bigger and lasted far longer than the Greek empire. They also conquered Greece itself so it’s the Romans who are the clear winner, with little left to be said. Art Classical Greek art far exceeded the beauty and sophistication of Roman art that was arguably copying the Greek style. So Greeks come on top in terms of art.
Government system As we mentioned before, the Romans had a superior system to the Greeks in that slaves that worked hard could become citizens and progress to the top levels of society. They both had similar democratic systems. Here the Romans win. Overall the Greeks come first as they won in three of the factors (art, leaders, technology) and Romans only two (military might and government system). And even though the Greeks did win, let us not forget that the Romans started off as a Greek colony.
Field Day - Year 9 Art Alexandre N, Year 9 writes... Last Friday, Year 9 had great fun going on a field trip to east London to discover street art with a guide. Some might argue that street art, such as graffiti, is not “real art” but I assure you it is because you can create art with a spray can. Some of the pictures shown here are just a snippet of the impressive art awaiting to be seen in the area around Brick Lane. Just a few meters after leaving White Chapel tube station, we are shown a tag, “10FOOT”, a signature for the graffiti street artist Samuel Moore, who is well known in the street art community and around the world.
A few minutes later, we come across a massive black and pink neon portrait- so realistic it looks like a giant printed photo. Immediately, the incessant click of phone cameras begins, as everyone admires the impressive artwork. On to the next graffiti -this time giant helium balloons in silvery blue tones cover an entire wall, again these are incredibly realistic and one cannot help but wonder how, with just simple colour sprays, these artists can
manage to achieve such grand results. A few minutes walk later, we reach a giant heron spanning the entire height of an industrial building. Painted by the anonymous Belgian artist ROA, the heron seems to be peering down the street and seems to come alive despite the use of monochrome colours.
Having been to the Wynwood district of Miami which brought the world’s greatest graffiti artists onto the world scene, I can tell you that London street art is on its way to becoming just as worldfamous and I would encourage you to discover it by yourself. Street art is ephemeral, as other streets artists take the space to create new art, or buildings get renovated, so you should admire it when you see it and enjoy it each time you come across it!
Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 Sam M, Year 9 writes... The Winter Olympic Games faced a lot of criticism as China’s cotton farms were exposed to the world dealing a harsh blow to their reputation with petitions by many countries to call off the impending Games, which were set to take place in Beijing, and have it moved to a different country altogether. The IOC (International Olympic Committee) was even called upon by the United States Olympic Committee for the Games to be boycotted, which meant a lot of diplomats from countries around the world will be barred from being able to attend the Games. Despite all the outrage sweeping across the globe about China, they were able to host the Winter Olympics with the IOC’s final decision to keep the Games in China rather than controversially moving the Games, at the last minute, to a different country without encountering too much hassle would have been evident in the process if the decision been made. The United Kingdom
kicked off their start to the Games in style with a spectacular win in curling on the first day of the Winter Olympics. Although there is significantly less viewership in the Winter Games, than in the Summer Games, the Olympians still take as much pride in their work as the summer athletes do. You know when it is Olympics season, each host country never fails to make an impact on the Games by spending billions of dollars on the opening and closing ceremonies plus athletes’ facilities competing in their Games. Beijing’s Games have been estimated to cost around 25 billion dollars (about $77 per person in the US) this year if not more. China has also recently unveiled a 5G high-speed bullet train to get athletes from one venue to another in quick time. Right now, the route only consists of four stations in between venues and is handy to get tired athletes back to the Olympic Village from the venue they have just competed at. Also, China’s technology department has been highly
active around the Games with the addition of moving assistance and wellbeing robots about the village. The dining hall has been upgraded with moving dishes by a conveyor belt-like system which has gone viral due to its unique implemented design. The Beijing Winter Olympics architecture has been a hit with Olympic fans around the globe with the recent building addition of the grand ice ribbon arena which took a total of three years to build. Team GB ended their Games on an extremely high note with the women’s curling team winning gold against Japan in a tense final, with the men pulling up not far behind them on silver from their final against Sweden after coming short on the last play of the game. None the less, it was a great result for both sides. Team GB ended up walking away from the Winter Olympics with only two medals on the medal board thanks to the supreme efforts of the curling teams. In 2026, let the hunt begin for gold.
Contemporary architecture Frederick B, Year 7 writes... Contemporary architecture is something you may be quite familiar with, it is 21st century architecture, but there is so much more to cover than just cool, futuristic spaceships. In the 20th century, the architecture was called “modern” architecture which is when you try to make things look pleasing and hide how useful it really is – minimalism if you will. Some examples of this would be Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright (a real estate company is named after him). This was so special because it was placed on a steep hill, and because it had a stream running through it – hence the name Fallingwater. The house was also built on large pebbles that could topple any second. It was made in 1936, back when the journey to the site would be treacherous and expensive. The building was closed shortly after because of stability issues. The point is, however, that this house was revolutionary and still had purpose and meaning. Back to the point, contemporary architecture is almost the opposite, trying to stand out in its own circumstances. Within contemporary architecture, there are many different features, brutalism, rounded edges, asymmetry and abundant windows to name a few. My favourite example of this would be Jørn Utzon’s Sydney Opera House and a good handful of stunning libraries by Utzon, but the Sydney Opera House is so special, I think, because it has so much sense to it. It was also one of the first
examples of contemporary and expressionist architecture in the 60s. The Sydney Opera House required high level geometry to show all the concrete “shells” while still maintaining structural support of the halls underneath. There are 14 “shells” and, if placed together, they are supposed to form a perfect sphere. Utzon said that he got inspiration from an orange peel, palm trees, shells and clouds to name a few.
Morocco and was stunned by the tall, clay structures. In 1949, he went to Mexico and America where he found pyramids for inspiration. Utzon was blown away and said that the Mayan temples were: “One of the greatest architectural experiences in my life”. In America, Utzon visited Frank Lloyd Wright’s home in the Arizona Desert where he was given tips by this world-renowned architect.
Utzon was born in 1918 in Copenhagen and was the son of a naval engineer. His passion for design was sparked from early on as he started to become interested in what his dad was doing. Utzon almost became a part of the boatmaking industry, but his parents were so influenced by art that, in 1937, he joined the Royal DanishAcademy for Fine Arts and was taught by two renowned, Danish architects: Kay Fisker and Steen Eiler Rasmussen.
In the 1950’s, Utzon set up his own office and built Denmark’s first ever open-floor plan for his own house. Utzon still wasn’t done yet exploring the world. In 1957, he went to China where he loved the harmony and the collaboration with plants, which relates to his Nordic backgrounds. After that, he went to Japan and India to “feel
Following his graduation in 1942, Utzon wanted to travel the world, in search for inspiration for his first build. In 1948, he went to
the difference between interior and exterior”. His final move was to Australia, where he designed the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Opera House took 14 years to build and when it was finished, he won the Pritzker Architect Award for it. Today, you can visit the 100-milliondollar marvel which sits in Sydney Harbour, which was declared a World Heritage Site in 2007. Libraries are very often designed by architects because you don’t need so much demand and service as a house would require, making them a good platform for architects to portray their brilliance. Libraries are also known as the “gateways to
knowledge and culture” by Louise Hay, an American author. My favourite example is the Riverside Library, designed by Li Xiaodong in China – this structure is so special because
it leans over the Yangtze River which allows for stunning views. The structure is built on an old pier and has a traditional, Chinese entrance which leads through the bookshelves to the reading area.
Experience day at HSBC Rufus D, Year 10 writes… Westminster Council promoted a number of opportunities during half-term, one of which was called Mastering Your Future and enabled young residents to have behind-the-scenes visits to the main businesses based in Westminster. They had the Royal Albert Hall, COS clothing and property investment firm, Derwent on offer, but I applied to spend an afternoon in HSBC’s flagship branch in Victoria. I decided to attend this day as I was interested in finding out something different about banking and I thought it may be helpful to understand how to get into this career. A lot of people think banking is just stocks and investments but the majority of employees work
with ordinary people on their ordinary banking needs, such as opening bank accounts, paying in money, paying bills, small loans and general advice. HSBC call this retail banking, and this was the area of banking I experienced for the afternoon. I met a lot of people who deal with day-to-day personal banking , which meant I saw a lot of human interaction with customers. In particular, we all learned about different types of scams and how to avoid them. We also went through the various job roles that exist in a retail branch, which ranged from relationship manager, which is the main way of dealing with people and offering advice; to wealth managers, who deal with customers with more money and offer advice on investments. I also met an apprentice, who was working part-time, while at
university, learning how to be a branch bank manager. This type of banking is not as well known to me as investment banking, which I sometimes see films about, so I found it insightful to see it in action. It was fascinating to see how everything coordinated, and the range of jobs available. I think it is an interesting career as there is a big career path with a variety of jobs available.
Antonov AN–225 Engineering Marvel Comes to a sad End Stepan K, Year 12 writes...
their testing. To combat this, they split up the tail, which made the In 1982, the Soviet Union begins plane more stable and, as a result, to airlift massive components from more accessible to fly and, more the state’s western side to Baikonur importantly, land. cosmodrome; they used the 1950s converted bombers, which struggled to lift huge components of Energia Buran, the USSR’s answer to the American space shuttle. Unlike the Americans With all these upgrades, the ANwho could use barges, planes, and 225 became a marvel of airtime their vast railway system to bring construction and was set to be in the shuttle’s components to the service carrying the Buran for the launch site, the Buran components coming years. However, in 1989 were too large to fit through the USSR was going bankrupt, railway tunnels, and there were and the Buran program was the no available canals either. With least of its problems, because of the Soviet state being so desperate this the AN-225 was retired to for an answer, they turned to the an airfield in Ukraine and left largest plane the Soviet Union to rust for several decades, until could offer. the 2000s, when the AN Bureau saw that they could fill a small niche in transporting cargo with this massive plane. By chartering out the plane for private transportation, Antonov thought it would be a profitable business. With the aid of 20 million, they were able to bring back the plane from neglection and once more In development at the time, the it was able to fly. In the first six Antonov 124 would already months of operations, the plane become the largest plane in the set new records for cargo carried, world, yet even it was just too destroying all previous records. small to transport the Buran safely. The Antonov Bureau came up with a unique and colossal craft. The AN-225 would shatter all world records linked to cargo planes, lifting twice as much as any western counterparts. To do this, the designers would increase the wing size to 88.4m, lengthen the fuselage to 84 meters, and add two more engines for a total size of 6. The engineers found out that the Buran would interfere with the rear stabilizers throughout
The unfortunate part was that, with the recent horrible events unfolding in Ukraine, the plane was destroyed, and some estimate the repair cost could exceed 3 billion pounds. From an engendering standpoint, this plane was the pride of the Soviet Union back in the 1980s and seeing it in such a state is heartbreaking, as so much went into this plane. Overall, it could be said that this plane was born on a political notion to show the west that the USSR had the same capabilities as them. It was just unfortunate that it came at a time when the stability of the state was deteriorating, and it ended up nearly killing the plane altogether. Thanks to its restoration, it could fly over 1,000 routes carrying some of the most oversized cargo ever transported by a plane.
BELFAST FILM REVIEW Theo W, Year 12 writes... Magazine lead times being what they are, you will by now know (as I do not) whether Belfast has justified its favouritism at this year’s Academy Awards. Set in 1969, in a very concentrated area of a divided city, this charming movie tells a story based on the real-life childhood experiences of one of our finest actor/directors; the great Kenneth Branagh. The film opens on wide shots of the city, including the iconic Harland and Wolff shipyard which built the ill-fated Titanic, 60 or so years earlier. This is a story of an everyday working class family struggling to make sense of their lives in a city suddenly plagued by deep divisions between Catholics and Protestants at the height of the Troubles. The film stars Jude Hill, in his first major role, playing a young boy named Buddy growing up in what opens as a dream-like
tight knit community in which young children play sports and run around carefree on streets in which they know, and are known by, everyone. This urban idyll quickly turns viciously violent as the two Christian religions turn on each other. The family must decide whether to stay in the city and community they love, or move abroad to safer, if unknown, streets, schools and cities. Should they give up and run from all they know and everywhere they are known for, for the possibility of safety? Can they stay with the terror that is unfolding around them? Branagh creates almost unbearable emotional tension through the complexity of a strained marriage, a childhood crush and, perhaps, the most touching grandparents cinema has seen. All this plays out in stylish yet poignant black and white cinematography against Van Morrison’s quintessential Northern Irish soulful singing —
one hopes that by the time you are reading this the film has won an Oscar for Best Soundtrack — not least for the genius inclusion of Everlasting Love by Love Affair. At the centre of this exquisite movie is the powerful bond between the young boy and his extended family, which features Ciaràn Hinds and Judi Dench, but Branagh brings out brilliant performances from Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe, playing Buddy’s parents, as well.
Belfast is a must-see movie. Not only is it a magnificently well-told tale of a family’s life, but it also paints a vivid picture of what life was like in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s. This will be a cinema experience to treasure and a movie to which you will return again and again over the years ahead.