Day 2 in the Lille school of Architecture House........

French students are fascinating. They talk through presentations, they talk through lecturers talking but then when we need to brainstorm they're silent. They are much better than the Brits at their sketching and idea generating and they seem fearless in their proposals. They just scribble away and come up with a bit of magic.

It's also interesting to work in a group and see a different dynamic to one than I'm used to . I am good at being organised, rallying people together and getting things organised. In a group of creatives this is quite important!

I think I learnt this from having my own business and taking on logistically complicated jobs. If you do them in the wrong order it costs you a lot of time which equates to profit. Also as a big sister in a single parent family its been natural since I was knee hight to a grasshopper.

However by staying in this role I don't tax myself, it's comfy and very familiar. Therefore within this charette I have stepped back from this role.  I have stepped into the role of worker bee rather than queen. It's nice not being out front and feeling responsible for so many, it's also nice to be one of the ones who actually gets the work done rather than bossing everyone and slightly suffocating them in that process.A lot of designing is about control but its important to be mindful with that control and power.

 I am also realising that I work really well under pressure. Creatives either freeze or thrive under pressure, I thrive. Secretly I'm realising that I'm not as bad as I thought I was, but don't tell anyone.

Our group tends to be separated into the energetic and controlling ones, the quiet and shy ones and plodders. We shall see how the week progresses and what other characters I see.

Jamie is really interesting with his approach to the charette. He treats us mean to keep us keen(as usual!). He doesn't give us a brief for the week and I think he does this not to daunt us.  This evening he put some money behind the student bar for us to all have beers. He left a deliberately long break to consume a lot of beer and then gave us a 'Japanese style pep talk' and then let us go for the evening.  It's quite interesting firstly to see him apply and stoke up the pressure and then to see him release it. I feel a little like a pawn in a chess game and I have no choice but to trust him. Here goes nothing, tomorrow - stronger concept and refining the master plan.