En pointe

I feel kinda like I'm on the top of the world now.

Today marked the end of one of my four courses, Architectural Design, and it ended with a presentation of our assignment. If you recall, this is the one where we had actual clients come in and talk to us. the lovely ladies from High Tea with Mrs Woo were back again and this time to see the final work. Yeah, like all presentations I was feeling a little jittery, but confident that I had done a good job.

We were being assessed by two student tutors, one being my own tutor and the other from another group with whom I've had no interaction with. There are twelve groups in total, each divided into groups of ten. Through this time the lecturer (ie person-in-charge of this course) walked around sitting in for various presentations. The two clients did the same.

It so happened the lecturer and one of the clients was there for my presentation. (I was secretly pleased they were, because they were the best critiques, and were not obliged to be "nice" in any way) Halfway through presenting I realised both clients were there. And they liked my work! Apart from my assessors complimenting me on my technique, idea and flow of the work,(this was sufficient) the clients were interested enough to com up to where I was to look at my work more closely. The feeling was indescribable. JR, the lecturer was complimenting me on my drawings and saying things like far better for a first year student's work. The clients took up my model to hold and look at. Haha. JR commented on the form of my building saying it was pleasing to look at as well.

So, with that, he now knows my name. Watch for it, John Siow architects. (Insert REALLY big grin) I still know that my work is not perfect and it'll take awhile before I reach perfection. But that is why it's so fun, the journey.

But, what goes up must come down and I have to quickly ground myself for the reaming three assignments.

Speaking of highs, check out what I came across: Heels to kill

I think they look stunning, in a morbid kinda way... Every step a torture.

Links to the site: http://members.fortunecity.com/tchb1/balletboots.htm

Sight

It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.
-Helen Keller

Apple tunrover

So, I tried my hand and baking pastry. The first batch was a tad burnt... But tasted ok.

Apple with mixed berry turnover

Apple turnover

Ok, I cheated.. The pastry was premade and frozen... But baby steps.

Wednesdays

Wednesdays make Tuesday nights worth staying up for.

Reflections@Keppel

I was browsing the net and came across Daniel Libeskind's work. I was actually looking at his Jewish Museum (He's of Jewish descent.)


I quite liked his concept and went to browse his site... And what do you know, I found a piece of architecture in Singapore designed by him! It just goes to show how much more I have to learn.

I'm not sure I like all his work though.

Lindt’s Excellence Chili Chocolate

I've been having this habit of purchasing a bar of good, dark chocolte from the supermarket whenever I do my grocery shopping. (With the exception of two weeks ago when they ran a promo for buying two bars. How could I resist?)

I found Lindt’s Excellence Chili Chocolate and had to try some. What caught my eye was actually the bright red chilli. It pretty much stood out in the sea of chocolate-coloured packaging. I first heard about the fantastic chilli / chocolate combination from Joanne Harris's Chocolat, which went to be made into a film. Judi Dench's character was initially surprised at the mention of the combination but on first taste, fell in love with it.

The initial taste of this chocolate is creamy and even though it's dark chocolate, perhaps is a tad sweet. The chilli taste doesn't hit you till after you swallow, when the superb flavour of cocao dissolves to give way to this gentle warmness, more so around the back your throat. A very delicate balance of falvours. I try not the eat too much. Oh I try.

Jessica Alba The Stare Response

For those who don't know... Jessica Alba made a video response to Kevjumba's challenge to the stare. I thought it was cool that she actually responded. Eventually it was posted to youtube (originally from ibeatyou.com) and a whole lot of men started posting very lewd comments. I think it's just sad that some men are like that. And it also made me think (for a short while) on the wonders of technology - how it bridges people from different walks of life.

And then as I was watching the video I thought the track was pretty darned catchy. Very nice beat to it and made me wanna dance! After some searching I found it. So, here it is, Tribulations by LCD Soundsystem. Didn't quite like the rest of their tracks though.

Uber cool wine decanter

This one's for all the wine lovers out there. I suppose Nadia would love this.. Coz I do.

http://the-strange-decanter.blogspot.com/

Bad weather

Oh, love this one.

http://www.raindropsto.com/product/Adult_Umbrellas/Unique_and_Novelty/index.html

Hole-y cow. This is sick

No camera tricks here - that's a hole in each cow. The holes, called fistulas, allow scientist to perform experiments on the cow's digestive system.

I think it's sick.

Missing

'missing' by nobody & co., is a set of seven uniquely designed yet similar chairs.

Cool Word clock

Designed by Simon Heys: http://www.simonheys.com/wordclock/

Word Clock is a typographic screensaver for Mac OS X. It displays a fixed list of all numbers and words sufficient to express any possible date and time as a sentence. Word Clock displays time by highlighting appropriate words as each second passes.

Church of Santa Monica in Madrid, Spain

Posted by TrendInsights

3rd URBANbuild House

Oh man, the lucky students! I wish I were there!

From http://lifewithoutbuildings.net/

Just last January, The Tulane School of Architecture broke ground on their 3rd URBANbuild house. Now, barely 5 months—5 months!—later, the new home is almost complete and it's their best one yet. Designed by students over the course of a semester, each URBANbuild house has been an investigation into a new building technique, with this most recent home utilizing Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs).



Besides gaining experience in construction and a more practical sense of materials, students are also learning what it's like to leave the computer and their own private, design headspace and actually work together as an office. And yes, that means there's a client. In this case, it's the Neighborhood Housing Services, who obtain the lots, set the size and budget restrictions, and eventually find familes to occupy the complete homes.



Students were given the difficult task of fitting a comfortable 3 bedroom home in only 1200 sq ft of space. In the above photo, an interior stairwell is programmed for both circulation and storage while it also separates the living space from the kitchen.



In a city that's still very much suffering in the aftermath of Katrina, the URBANbuild program truly serving an important purpose in the community by creating in-fill housing in neighborhoods where it sometimes seems like every other home is still abandoned. It's helping to bringing back a density and sense of community while teaching students and introducing contemporary architecture (informed, of course, by the vernacular) to an area that's never really seen anything like it. This is really just a terrific program that keeps getting better every year.

That's sick!

I’ve come to want to hear those words uttered by my group members when it comes time to show each other our progress in our archi work.

You see, the guy who says this is a pretty good student, and when he says it, he means “wow”.

So, this was the fruit of my labour: 9 plans, select three and produce models of 1:50 scale. I chose three main themes - “T” for 2, Journey and Heaven meets Earth - and expanded each three times.

“T” for 2 because the clients’ name is High Tea with Mrs Woo and it’s a simple concept of stacking two letter T’s on each other and oscillating one of them to a slight degree. The overlapping areas create sense of void and space which define the rooms required. This was initially my favourite design, and I thought there was no question that I would choose this.

This was the last concept to come to mind. The clients seem
to have a great liking to nature and a private garden space. Hence the idea of a rooftop garden came to mind. As a bonus, since I designed the 1st floor almost like a glass house which equals a very hot space, the rooftop garden actually helps ease this problem. I don’t know if I got too carried away with the design process and perhaps certain aspects have become excessive.

What started as the more difficult one to work with became the most interesting model/process. The concept here is a journey, (The essential brief being two rooms, and how they connect) So basically you enter from the smaller end, and because of the curved interior, can’t see the other end of the room. When you come to the curve near the end do you see garden. The general idea is the room is closed, and the window at the end is completely open, in contrast to the lack of big windows in the room itself.


It is difficult because the walls are curved and this makes functional uses a challenge to plan for. But I think I will use this plan as this has a stronger concept (the other being “T” for 2)
The submission model is to be made only with greybox board – the material these models are made of, but no plastic sheets are to be used to represent glass, meaning I doubt the models would look as impressive.

But then again, my lecturer was saying it’s about the form. And that is something I try to go back to – not to be too distracted with anything else. Oh, I try.

Chinese eyesight test

If you cannot decipher anything, try pulling the corner of your eyes as if you were Chinese.

It works.

Of quiches and palaces.

Ok, first the boring stuff. I made another quiche, the best one so far I think! Smoked salmon, spinach and mushroom. I always put too much milk in them I think and end up baking it longer than I hope to. Nonetheless, turned out great.

Ok, now, it's 4.41am and I've been up doing models. It's so fun! Haha. Maybe I won't be saying this next year. But for now I am enjoying it.

A couple of years ago I received an email with picture attachments. I have always been fascinated with it. Pictures like this:

So I tried it out. It honestly looks like crap now, but it is my first. And to me, it looks like a palace. Haha. But I suppose I can only get better no?

And the break is over...

First day back to school today. Oh, and that's the best substitute for Indomie on the right. Everybody eats Indomie and sometimes it's outta stock in the supermarket... so you gonna know what's the next best thing!

I couldn't sleep last night... Was in bed, thinking about the time left before the semester ends.. And there's not much time! And I'm worried I wouldn't do as well for the second half as I did for the first. Naturally things in the first part are always easier.

Well, it was that or the tummy ache. And I'm not sure if it was the increased intake of milk or the fact that I bought cheaper orange juice. Well, it was a quick-sale and the juice was half the price! It's not expired yet though...

Went out for a unit dinner on Saturday. Well, it was supposed to be a unit dinner until quite a few decided not to go, so it was just three of us. We ate at Eight Ounces, a pizza and bar. It was good - we ordered eight slices between us, which we polished off, to the surprise of the waitress. The serving was kinda unique, served on a plank of wood which was longer than the table. After dinner went for coffee at Goldberg's. In the picture, Victor from Sweden and Steffen from Norway.

On Saturday night we had a water fight too - in the unit. That's where I was standing when I was given a sho

wer in the living room.

And made my second quiche on Sunday! It's a vegetarian one this

time and it's got capsicum, eggplant, zucchini and onions in it.

Get laid

Was looking up some quotes on computers and technology. Love this one:

"1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d"

Another me

There will never be another now -
I'll make the most of today.
There will never be another me -
I'll make the most of myself.

Helen Keller