life · sail

Undoubtedly, the next years will be difficult..
here's words for encouragement

-----> A downturn is the chance to position yourself for the next upturn..
_The recession is actually pushing individuals to reach their next level
_Many unemployed architects have been stepping out of their comfort zones, forcing them to rethink their true potential and ability to venture into other fields
_Many use their architecture degrees and professional experience as a launching pad into other successful careers

-----> There's ups and there's downs, this will rebound, and out of it a new architecture will be born. Mark my words, innovation will prevail..

_We need to stop this mass commiseration, sharing our collective depression is forging a new link in the chain of despair..
_Trying every single day to get to the next day, and remain positive about the future
_remind myself that although we live in this moment, we do not live for this moment

source from Archinect

Labels: 2009, Architecture

this is not the first time, vicky is feeling tired
this is not the first time, vicky want to give up
but this is the first time, I want a break
that is not allowed

May I, stop this moment, stop the satan,
I only .. want a break

Labels: 2007, Architecture

Surgeon general's warning: Architecture causes Sleep Deprivation and may result in Social Isolation, The Depletion of funds, X-acto Fatalities or The Skipping of Other Classes to Complete Assignments, with Ridiculous Deadlines.

Labels: 2007, Architecture

5710 Second lecture 021006

Graduated from the University of Oregon, USA, he has taught at the Bartlett, Kingstion, Nottingham, Liverpool and Oregon universities. He was the architect in the Talkback Thames' offices in London, now based in London, Buschow Henley . He is Simon Henley.

His design, a series of themes, speak loud towards the continuation of the urban surroundings, the idea seemly attracted me as if the simple geometry was harvest with the main key behind the aim of each design in his mind.

He mentioned that architecture equivalent to the economics/politics; society vs happiness. What is the meaning of making a huge scale of something, whether is geometrical or distorted; it's a new illusion, the identity is remove, the 'land' will be lost forever. So, 'make the space you need and you make no more'.

Later on of the presentation, he continued that with claiming the analogue contributes as a process. The Talkback Productions, London, a new building focusing on the need to the organisation to benefit all.

-Atlantic College-

The presentation continued with the digrammatic figures of the design of Atlantic College, Wales, St John Therapy Central London and Waldron Healthcentre, London. Unilever, Port Sunlight and Art & Civic Centre in Goole. The narractive continue, journey from square to bigger square..

The architect lead to a thoughtful relearning process from what is seeing, now. importance of the analogue, degree of enclosure, ideal of void. Then, a shelter that nurtures for all.
www.buschowhenley.co.uk

Labels: 2006, Architecture, UK

Many asked about what 5710 means as a name for this series of lectures. 5710, as a matter of fact, it is derived from Aberdeen's latitude: 57 degrees and 10 minutes north; run by the Scott Sutherland school of architecture students aim to broaden the spectrum of the students and bring in real architectural practice.

The speaker for the first 5710 lecture this year (19Oct06), who began his career giving lecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London, University College, Dublin and the Royal College of Art in London. The renowned architect Edward Jones. He later formed practice Dixon Jones with Jeremy Dixon in 1989. This evening he arrived the university with his lovely wife, Margot Jones, represented the work of the practice, which mainly been involved with arts and university buildings, including RGU's Tower Houses at the Garthdee Campus. The practice is also involved in one of the Mayor's '100 spaces for London' projects, transforming Exhibition Road into a world-class streetscape.

Dixon Jones has an international portfolio of work including Mississauga Town Hall in Canada, 1982, and the Venice Bus-Station, 1991. The practice is also well known for its recent leading role in the Royal Opera House development, and was commissioned as masterplanner for the National Gallery in 1998.

At last, he explained the recently completed Villa Jones in Bargemon, France, of which shared their common touch of childhood. its atrium recalls the layout of a Roman villa and offers views north to the Col du Bel Homme and of the Mediterranean.
Drinks and nibbles held after the talk; a great opportunity to meet students from other years and to speak to the visiting lecturer, or indeed course tutors, in a more relaxed setting.

Start from this year, 5710 become an official society with the RGUnion. I'm looking forward for more renouned architects visiting the school, and the new events such as workshops and day-trips, with the financial support of the RGU union.

Labels: 2006, Architecture, UK

The Oceanfront, a new landmark was introduced, graciously fall oppsite Dophin Fountain and Quayside Village caught in sight. living by the sea while still near to the city was never been better. every morning wake up to the stuning view and the sailing ships, get ready for the weekenders One15 Marina Club at doorstep, and welcoming light brezze from the green; Sentosa Golf Club just minutes away. at night, the world class casino shined up the sky in serene not far away. exquisite backdrop of sun, sea and sky.a rare delight that awaits.


--photo from www.singaporeexpats.com--

a lil bit more to know:
+ the renowned architect of this project; Wimberly Allision Tong and Goo Inc., was also handed over for 'cooking' another project for a half Scottish golf lover, Mr. Trump for the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland. Unmistakably Wimberly's design is well known among investors for the coastline and quayside, and aboveall it's been interpreted well and dazed the eyes.
+ it's now open for investment and encouraging foreign buyers and for rental amount above S$2,500 per month.
+ expected date of legal completion: 30 june 2013
(aged30 at the time..)

Labels: 2006, Architecture, Singapore

To date, China is flooded with world major projects still under construction such as CCTV, Terminal 3, and the Beijing Olympics. Two partners from Arup’s Beijing office —Michael Kwok and Rory McGowan are showing it; CCTV by Rem Koolhaas and partners, the steel towers are beginning to rise. Norman Foster’s Terminal 3 at city airport still supported by a forest of steel; and Beijing Olympics: Herzog & de Meuron’s 'bird nest' wif the water cube framed out next door organized by McGraw-Hill Construction and the China International Contractors Association. It soon to be a great place to be experience, as new counterpoint interplaying of elements in the city. It disprove mine a miss.

Labels: 2006, Architecture, Singapore

300606

phew.. just get back from the completed site, the Nathan Place. I would say it having almost all I want. Awesome levelling landscape gardens plus a pool and water features with fish (good landscape architects) a cosy place surrounded by other condominium. Like wise, the residents have full privacy here. The buffet set at the poolside organised by the contrators to invite the architects, QS and the clients to cheer together for getting the TOP certified.
Thus, this condominium is having some cases which is very different from other projects. Since the colonial time till today, the site has been casted several time, wherea there's one special owner who still hold this huge colonial period house on top of the uncut land until now, so there's actually a piece of land lefted that high, how high? uhmm.. from eye view.. it's a 7-8m from ground level, sound weird right? hehe, but.. there come the perfectionist (he should be) have a nice level from top to ground, who made me to not wow on the hierarchy but to appreciate it. yupe, this is the one word i want to use, appreciate the path.

Then we visited this special mansion, it's really huge! with its own entrance and second entrance from the condomnium, it might be the best place to open a childcare center and takes longest time to complete the game of hide and seek. I dont remember how many living rooms I passed by. The most unforgetable part is a very sunken shower area, haha.. without a bath tub. The owner request to modify the interior but this isn't my taste, i prefer the one opposite..

From the place we sit, the pavilion, which having the nicest view from the highest end, I would say I like this whole environment very much. Seeing the site from my seat, seeing the whole changing from day, to night, the light in the water and the windows slowing show up, wow, how happy if I were to be my colleague who have gone through from beginning, if i were to be the resident, to sit here enjoy every moment of joy. Then I'll montage Australia sky here and Taipei weather, with canon in D and red wine from Hunter Valley, and oops.. an ibook perhaps. my beautiful dream. busy city out there, i'm glad i can't feel you at all.

After visiting the very 'special' case out of the rest and superb buffet, we visited the showroom at the highest level. (haha, we can request to enter anywhere since all the important people are here and drunk..:x ) it does look more like a hotel room. my attention was draw highlighted on the double storey penhouse's big balcony for 2 rooms on top. oh my.
the units have already sold out, dreamer.

now i'm regret couldn't join the last Esparis showcase..

Labels: 2006, Architecture, Excitements, Singapore

Been a bit busy lately, and all, this is it. Learning revit by tutorials, finally I've completed my very first Revit model for a proposed project.

I really think revit is good beacause without giving up the AutoCAD software I can have my model rendered and saved in smaller mb compare to autoCAD 3D. Any change when client request to is automatically coordinated throughout a project, including model views, drawing sheets, schedules, sections, plans and renderings – also provide GFA calculation, with legend provided. or even so we can show design by options so if the client want it to be another way.
It's most likely and easier if desire to produce a green building design using revit building. HIP architects, have been awarded the first annual Autodesk Green Building Leadership Award for their green buildings all over western canada while the stuffs are using revit.

The good thing i like about it is that it easily meet client satisfaction as it's buildable when all material/element type provided in every detail and design options. Today announced that the installed base of Autodesk Revit Building software now exceeds 100,000 seats, due to the speed with which architects and designers around the world are making the move to building information modeling (BIM).

In my opinion, prior to all the benefit of construct a building model easily, there's also disadvantage when using Revit building as everything is limited down to the material and elements available before you actually can redecide. of course we can create our own material and save to the library, but not for all elements.
Also, the interior rendering effect is much detail compare to the outdoor casting in term of lighting.

So far it's really a handy tool.But will Revit ever dominate in 3d area is yet to be seen. Well, it certainly has the right concepts and principles at its core, the function has so far proved popular with its target audience. I fully expect that Revit Structures will make a big impact.

http://www.revitcity.com/

next target: Autodesk VIZ

Labels: 2006, Architecture, Singapore

Architecture through history has been adopting as chief builder. somehow the changing in global industry today has make it a great victim and neglect its chief importance, and confusing mixture of roles and this creates irregular management. architects is dead, dying, do you agree?

What is it that we do or are supposed to do? /the hands of "Project Managers" who turn architects into (useless) drones. For how much more time will architect be able to hide behind the garb of the objectively righteous and intelligent./ -- originally from archnet discussion --
an architect as the magician, dream off. a uk-graduated architect saying himself acting like a prostitute to serve when situation he is needed to do whatever is told. what a shame. all have played "pretend," living like grownups, building houses and homes with the available materials, making the interior arrangements to suit our notions of comfort and all the rest of it. We had helped each other in building, but without the idea of monopolizing. Notably absent in our plays was the concept of profiteering and its token, money.

Often surfing architect-forum online during my college time (wished my findings may be of some interest here) till now i step inside, it's real. of whatever been told, "the good old days" when being an architect meant "knowing much more than the average person" are long gone more than 20 years ago, worldwide.

even education can't change this situation, it's a globalisation. architects have addressed to new meaning. I think with a sense of uncertainty as to what my place would be I should have start to perceive the threat of reality. of which i'm into. when I step out of an institution. perhaps some other field of knowledge have face the similar problems, too.

The thing I learn about the future is that perhaps architects need to band together with the engineers in order to work in today's marketplace.

Perhaps it's much better to see it in student perspective. In schooling, both the student and the teacher are far removed from the real world where they actually go to, to merely rest and recuperate. afterall, seeing it more or see it less, although losing my believe, not to forget architecture is perhaps just a guide.

Labels: 2006, Architecture

This design proposes a space that resonates with the feelings of loss and absence that were generated by the death and destruction at the World Trade Center. A pair of reflective pools marks the location of the towers' footprints. The surface of these pools is broken by large voids. These voids can be read as containers of loss, being close-by yet inaccessible.

The pools are submerged thirty feet below street level in the middle of a large open plaza. They too are large voids, open and visible reminders of the absence. The pools are fed by a constant stream of water, cascading down the walls which enclose them. Bordering each pool is a pair of sloped buildings. These buildings create a sense of enclosure, capturing the exposed outer corners of the memorial site and defining a path of circulation around each pool. They also guide visitors to the site into the memorial itself.

Visitors begin their descent into the memorial by entering one of these buildings. This descent removes them from the sights and sounds of the city and immerses them in a cool darkness. As they gradually proceed, step by step, the sound of water falling grows louder, and more daylight filters in from below. At the bottom of their descent, they find themselves behind a thin curtain of water, staring out at an enormous pool that flows endlessly towards a central void that remains empty. A ribbon of names surrounds this pool and the enormity of this space and the multitude of names lining it underscore the vast scope of the tragedy that took place at this site. Standing there at the water's edge, looking at a pool of water that is flowing away into an abyss, a visitor to the site can sense that what is beyond this curtain of water and ribbon of names is inaccessible.

The names of the deceased appear to be in no discernible order. The apparent randomness reflects the haphazard brutality of the deaths and allows for flexibility in the placement of names of friends and relatives in ways that permit for meaningful adjacencies; for example, siblings who perished together at the site could have their names listed side by side. Family members seeking out the name of a loved one are guided by on-site staff or a printed directory to their specific location. The location of the name marks a spot that is their own.

In between the two pools is a short passageway that links them at this subterranean level. At its center is a small alcove where visitors can light a candle. Across from it, a long corridor leads to a chamber that houses unidentified remains. This space is only open to family members and serves as a private contemplative space.

The end of a visit to the memorial is marked by an ascent back to street level. Visitors are again ensconced by darkness, but now the long and narrow passageway leads up towards daylight. As they emerge from the ramped enclosure, they find themselves back in the open plaza.

The western edge of the plaza is bounded by a cultural building that shelters the site from the highway. The remaining three sides are open and link the plaza to adjacent streets and neighborhoods. Tall pines punctuate the plaza's surface, softening its character and creating shaded areas within this large outdoor room. Designed to be a mediating space, the plaza belongs both to the city and to the memorial. It encourages uses that are both contemplative and everyday. It is a living part of the city.



by Michael Arad, New York, NY

Labels: 2004, Architecture

yesterday we had a lecture by mr tony's fren, arnold lim, about the deconstrution which might be used wisely for now and future.

he acted in a very unique way, left-handed,hmm.. same with me, but wrote from right to left for each alphabet, from lower to upper part. and his wearing, hair style too..
in his style presenting a topic, i found that i will have more enthusiastic and keen to explore moreand is because he gave more opinions and also knowledge apart from those we can read in text, which is like the histories of jewish, the germany, and so on. he also stepped a little bit on some history of china like nampkin war, similarity in singapore and australia(no history/ base on other countries as their history)

he is not weird, he is an artist. i hope i can achieve as good as him in the futureand of course, do good design in the future.

so whatz decons? it is not just the hybrid in design, hmm.. maybe it is the disodered kind of arrangement, the in-between which cant be seen by the lense our view used to be.

decons is actually the look in between, an action which we find the meaning and destroy it. it's a paradox, it breaks down what we assure is correct; a philosophical movement. in other words, it challenges the truth in histories of buildings.

Labels: 2003, Architecture