An urban analysis of Chinatown - Keong Saik Road
study of how the street transforms through its day and night activities
Project 3, intervenes into an existing four storey building, Tan Swie Hian Musuem, 460 Sims Avenue, Geylang, designed by Tang Guan Bee to exhibit and store the artworks produced by Tan Swie Hian, a Singaporean artist.
The chosen artwork, ‘The Blind in the Field’ is by The Institute of Critical Zoologists. Local Artist, Zhao Renhui presents his works through photographs, which investigates the different modes of the human zoological gaze that is, how people view animals.
The blind is a series of images documenting a camouflage cloak for zoologists and nature photographers to observe nature. This cloak allows the zoologist to blend into the surrounding such that the user becomes invisible to the animals. The artwork shows an image of a man’s attempt to try to be one with nature and it is quite obvious that he is not entirely hidden, and a silhouette is formed.
The proposed design is an artist’s studio and gallery showcase for the artist, Zhao Renhui. The intention is to create an experience of one knowing that something is there but not seeing its totality. Through the use of continuous circulations and the translucency in the walls, it further enhances the experience of the interaction between the public and the artist.
There are two interlocking circulation that brings the public to the galleries and the artist to his studios. The two circulations are designed such that the artist and public do not meet directly but instead, through the translucent walls and placement of artworks, it gives them opportunities to interact visually.
The artist’s studio are divided and placed at different levels. While he walks through to the different studios, the public will see the silhouette of him. There are areas where he starts to reveal himself to the public such as having openings to showcase his art objects, while still having access to them. While the public is viewing his works, they are able to look through into his studio. Through the different levels, the public is also able to look down into the artist workspace. Therefore, the artist studios itself also acts as a ‘gallery space’ to showcase what he does.
The layering of a new façade over the original structure becomes a screening that allows various degrees of interaction between the inside and outside. The pattern is derived from the program within. The radius of the perforated metal gets larger at areas where the galleries and artist’s studios are placed. The silhouette of the movement within acts as a showcase to the exterior.
Photos taken at Chefs for A Cause Appreciation Evening Cocktail, that feature the special menu items from each local chef. Donors and sponsors may move around the ballroom to try the selection of food from each chef station.
This event organized by Project Happy Feet, to raise funds for MILK (Mainly I Love Kids) and the beneficiaries of Project Happy Feet. The fund-raising initiative sees a gathering of 10 local chefs to share their expertise for charity.
Held on Monday, 28 December 2009 at Swissotel Merchant Court Singapore, the 10 chefs will specially cook up a 3-course meal for some 600 children beneficiaries of the MILK Fund. On the same day, the 10 chefs will also launch a cookbook comprising their specialties. All proceeds of the sale of the cookbook will be donated to the MILK Fund and Project Happy Feet.
Order your Chefs For A Cause Cookbook TODAY ! more info on www.projecthappyfeet.org
The journey to Project Happy Feet Hanoi had been both fruitful and fulfilling. I am very grateful for this opportunity to be part of the PHF family, to be able to contribute and do my small part in helping the under privileged. The visit to the various families and orphanages was a good reminder to how fortunate I am back home. While we start to wonder how they could live in a house filled with flies and dust, do we realise that what is more important to them, is their hope in providing enough food and education for their children. I am looking forward to the day that i will be able to design and provide better living conditions for these people to live in.
不管那是大江小江，
还是大海小河，
水到之处就有浪花。
浪花激起就能打开人们的视野，
甚至进而触动人们的心弦。 - 易一
The sharing sessions with the 3 beneficiaries, KOTO Hanoi (Know One Teach One), Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation and HSCV (Humanitarian Services for children of Vietnam) were good learning experiences and i was encouraged by how much these organizations had done for them. It is through their act of giving that transformed the lives of these youths greatly. They’ve not only provided them with the basics, food and shelter, they’ve also given them the right education. By equipping them with a precious set of skills, it becomes the key to their future, and in many cases, their family’s future as well. What truly inspired me was how the street kids that had gone through these life-changing processes, are looking forward to becoming social volunteers so that they could help the less fortunate around them. That’s the return. It becomes a powerful ripple effect that transforms lives, one at a time.
孩子们玩乐的笑脸，让我看到了世人神奇奥妙的一面。他们的内心照耀出如斯单纯的真善美。
他们要的很简单 : 能存活下来就足够了。
Money is one way that could help make a difference to their lives but does that really make a problem disappear ? Sometimes all it takes is to give some of our time to show some care and concern, be it painting of their houses or fixing a desk and chair. It is the moment when they truly smile.
孩子们是我们未来的主人翁，现在扶他们一把，对你我的未来，有深远的影响。
Special thanks to my dearest friends and teachers for the donations made. I really appreciate all the help given. These children have a whole life ahead of them, and it is because of your kind generosity and assistance that touched and made a difference to their lives in future.
Charmine Gan - $100, Geraint Wong - $200, Louis Ang Rong Hui - $100, Leow Jia Quan - $50, Lim Hao Wen - $50, Tian Min - $50, Tan Yun Liang - $100, Azizah Sudar, Eden Wee Guan Pu, Derrick Chua Wei Xiong, Chua Zhen Hao, Gay Wei Kean, Ho Hon Loong, Chong Wei Rong, Zun Pwint Phyu, Stephanie Choong, Zenas Deng, Oliver Ong, Lydia Chua Min Li , Stacy Peh - $157
Once again, a big thank you to all fans of Project Happy Feet ! Without your support and trust in us, we could not have done what we did :D More updates of the trip at Project Happy Feet Hanoi 2009 Blog
With Love, Stacy Peh
The Project Happy Feet Team will be heading to Hanoi, Vietnam this year in support of the following organizations:
- Humanitarian Services for Children of Vietnam
- Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation
- KOTO Hanoi
During the trip, the team will be visiting schools to present them with school supplies, villages to present them with food and a culinary school that provides opportunities for street youths to learn a skill and gain employment.
Making footprints of change. for more information and regular updates, please visit
Project Happy Feet and Heading to Hanoi
Please spread the word for this cause. No Amount is too small. To make donations, send an email to stacypeh@hotmail.com
Exhibition
24 – 27 Nov 2009
10:00am–8:00pm daily, except 27 Nov 10:00am - 6:00pm
Free admission
Suntec City, Halls 402 & 403 (Co-located with the Icsid Congress Exhibition)
The Portfolio Show for Young Designers presents the best collection of portfolios by young Singaporean or Singapore-based designers. It is presented as an exhibition across all design disciplines, presenting the progression and ambitions of Singapore design.It aims to benchmark the standards of young designers in Singapore, inspire current and future design students towards excellence, and to communicate their potential to established designers and design clients. The show provides exposure for these young designers, who would otherwise have little or no such opportunity.
The Portfolio Show features work from the best graduating designers from the Class of 2009 and young design agencies with less than five years of practice. For more info : DesignSingapore Council
will be bringing the models down for setup tomorrow evening. Weirong, Haowen and my works will be exhibited at this portfolio show. One of my st nicks classmate, Si Ping will be there as well !
A VOID EXPERIENCE is a collaborative design-based multi-sensory exhibition by Lim Si Ping, Pixel Pastry and Tribal DDB Singapore that observes the mainstream asocial behaviour of HDB residents in Singapore.
here’s my latest submission for the digital design module ! the assignment was to design, model and present a set of multi-level spaces connected by vertical circulation using 2D & 3D softwares like rhino and autocad, as well as Ecotect to analyse and test out insulation stuff. so the site is located at the Singapore Botanical Gardens, and my design intention is to allow interaction with the surrounding greens. haha, nature again ! mine’s rather simple and conceptual, the curved wire mesh was enough to kill my computer. seriously lags my lousy laptop. anyway, the main objective is to use digital media to present our stuff. getting the hang of rhino software, but sketchup is so much more friendly ! haha especially for 3D idiots like me : ) done with all submissions, two more papers to go ! cant wait for dec to come, vietnam trip ! Making footprints of change at Project Happy Feet
Project 2 - Atmosphere
10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 x 5
natural vs artificial
chosen site : abandoned railway located at Sunset Way.
As one walks along the railway tracks, there is an experience of distrust, which makes one constantly aware of what he/she is stepping on. The sense of fear and uncertainty starts to creep in as we start to wonder what is hiding in the tall grass. As compared to the manicured and well maintained landscape around us, the plants on the site just keeps growing and starts to take over the tracks and concrete slabs. We can assume that generally people are afraid or uncomfortable in wild nature.
The design intention is to help address children’s fear of nature through involvement. By bringing them close to nature, it could allow them to embrace and confront their fears, and at the same time, have a better understanding of wild nature. The program of the space is designed for the children nature society. The main focus is the circulation, whereby the teacher will guide them through a series of spaces, 1) walkthrough 2) close to nature and communities 3) story telling 4) gallery, which showcases different species of plants and insects.
The site is naturally covered with wild nature and instead of destroying the existing qualities of it, the architecture will be placed on the existing concrete slab. By opening up spaces, the gaps and cracks would allow the surrounding greens to encroach into the building. The materials employed will react over time. Concrete gets stained easily and cracks while steel rusts and corrodes in relation to the climate changes and surroundings. After a period of time, wild nature will start to encroach and creep into the building and the whole design would eventually blend and be part of the site.
Proposed design panels :
well, crit was alright. the design could definitely have been better and more into detail. two projects down, two more to go for next semester ! looking forward to it !
products taken at NAFA studio. product photography is not easy ! there’s so much to learn..
Louis, Hendry, Rongzi and i did a presentation for the ideas module last week. Our two objects were egg crate and aluminum drinking can. We had to analyse the physical properties and describe the emotive and associational impact of it and from there, we proposed ideas on how to undo and redo it. Our main idea was to tackle the problem of fragility of eggs and to design such that it is more portable.
Wed’s final submission for project 2. that’s damn fast, 5 weeks just zooooom past like that ! spent like 4 weeks doing site stuff and now it’s production time. will update on that soon once crit’s over. hopefully my first indv work will be go well.
I was asked to do a Project shoot for the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The team will be organising the International Convention & Expo Summit 2010 next year around march.
Anyway, tomorrow’s the start of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit taking place in Singapore from Nov 8 to 15. My brother Alvin, will be one of the forty who will be part of the annual Apec Voices of the Future programme. They will be interviewing Apec leaders and these reports will be up on the Apec web everyday.
overdue portrait photos taken few weeks back, ready for submission soon ! thank you Yuchen, Priscillia and friends for taking time off to be our models, really appreciate it ! i enjoyed doing these portrait shoots, though the lighting part was not easy to grasp, getting the hang of it. products next !
would you take the stairs or the escalator ? it makes walking up the stairs a whole new experience haha, though i would still choose to take the escalator. im a lazy person.
What is Nature ? Nature is outside, everything around us.
But Nature is also inside, who we are. Human Nature.
The result of human nature is Culture.
Bamboo is a natural material. But it is also a cultural material.
We studied about bamboo and found that it has many qualities:
soft, bendable, a grass.
The outside is hard, resistant, tough.
The inside is soft, vulnerable, destructible. Much like us.
This is not natural bamboo - selected, treated.
It has been processed.
So, we processed it further.
What is inside ? What is outside ? How are they related ?
This is outside, i am standing in an outside space.
If i have a platform to stand on, am i now inside ?
And if there is a wall, which side of the wall is inside ?
Which side is outside ?
What if there is a floor ? can the outside come inside ?
Sometimes, even though we are vulnerable inside,
it is better to let the outside in and take the risk.
Sometimes it is necessary to go outside, express yourself, to show the world who you are.
I found that nature is not static but changing, growing, dying;
It is cyclic and infinite.
I found that it is natural for man to design, to make things, to create.
I found that in the process of making things, we also destroy, waste and pollute.
We are not sustainable.
I found that it is not easy to know what is right and what is wrong.
It is not natural for humans to fly,
but it is natural for humans to want to fly.
It is natural to dreamt what we dream of is not of the natural world.
So, what happens when we make our dreams come true ?
Is that natural ?
it was interesting to see what the different studios came up with. photos i’ve taken shows the different explorations, designs and jointing methods of the different groups.
so yup, the write up above kinda sums up my studio’s focus and what we did for the first project (6 weeks). questioning the idea of nature & culture. understanding of the material itself. coming up with different possibilities - making paper, flying bamboo lantern, clean and woven joints. creating spaces - inside outside, for meditation, a canopy and dancing bamboos. final critique went quite smoothly, it was quite well received, the whole presentation was interactive and fun with the dancing bamboos and meditative space in the middle ! overall, it was a good experience, and i’ve definitely learnt a lot from my studio mates, from technical to design stuff, everything ! studio 13 : )
glad this whole bamboo thing is over man.. like finally.
totally zen !
bamboo,
a symbol of strength and purity,
representing the beauty in nature.
schematic design done at the initial stage. design of a space created to be as natural as possible to open up possibilities for users to be creative and imaginative, at the same time getting in touch with nature.
hungry ? serving up some pasta !
here’s a short film about communication. thought it was interesting to share.
i did a photoshoot for Tristan’s 2nd Birthday few weeks back ! more uploads soon after project 1.
here’s the animation we presented during the happy office competition last year : ) super late but still, watch it ! it’s exactly what was built out to 1:1 scale. enjoy.