Woah. Mix emotion. Happy or sad? The last blog post of the course. @.@
This semester have been hard. I have to admit I'm not so good into handling stress, and compared to seniors who took 7 subjects last semester in semester 4, I only took 6 and I've already going to reach the limit soon. Anyway, I felt like I've grown a lot somehow. @.@ Less emotion break down compared to previous semesters. But have understand myself even more, found more and more bad qualities of myself, and my friends did remind me about that too. Would try hard to change it, this bad attitude, that I'll look extremely dark face when I've faced problems with any of the assignments, and led to my friends feeling so uneasy. @.@
Yea, semester 4. Have had 2 very good lecturers in design, yet, I guess they'll be vomiting blood because of us. I've seems like have not reach the level of design 4 studio. Working not hard enough, and this sem have been non stop pushing myself to upgrade myself and also the works. Even the attitude and disciplines and all, punctuality. Design 4 have been looked very heavy into that, disciplines.
Others still the same. 6 subjects in one sem with all the submissions almost clashing together is really "too much fun". But I've really enjoyed the Science 2 classes learning about lighting and acoustics with the humorous Mr Siva. CAD2 lecturer Mr Kamal had been very nice and gentle to us as well.
Of course the Theories Class. Frankly speaking, submitting essays every week is kind of torturous. hahaha. Reading the long essays with the critical thinking and all. At first I was thinking having exam maybe will be better than writing blog. Luckily after the 2nd essays, the essays are easier to read compare to the concept of space and Heidegger's thinking. I've learned a lot of these theories actually, although some that isn't really fully understanding. :s I like the last essay. =) About the sensuality, pleasure of architecture, seduction and so on. Yea, feels like architecture is such lively things, part of our lives! *love*
Before having this theories class, my mind was like architecture is only designing whatever shape you want with a concept, as long as it looks nice for people. But through this class, I've learned that architecture is not just that. It suits a lot of philosophies. Heidegger's thinking, concept of place, ruins and aesthetics, and so much more. I love the old buildings as well, the spirit in it, not only for Kellie's Castle, even the older building outside. Sometimes after some thinking, it's kind of dilemma which side to stand, when people demolish buildings for new development, it was so saddening, so many energy wasted in between. But if that doesn't happen, there wouldn't have better development in the country. What to do? which side to stand? hmm.
Besides, I also learn what does it means by concept. Maybe not truly understanding but at least have a clearer idea now through all the discussions and thinking. Get to know a lot more bout buildings all over the world too, especially the great Jewish Museum by Daniel Libeskind. Gained a lot of useful and super valuable knowledge that we couldn't really get to learn and know in other classes. The thinking mind has been developed a little more. :D
I guess the best moment in this sem was the time going to Kellie's castle. I love trips and I like the journey inside the bus. I love the story behind Kellie's castle. I like getting out of the city. Beside, the other best moment is when I look around me, I found a lot of friends around me, working so hard together, encouraging each other, taking care of each other all these whiles. Suddenly feel so grateful and happy with all of them around. Of course and also my supportive family too.
Worst moment would be getting a "F" in the design project 1. aih. Then the stresses coming all over from all the other subjects in once. Then idea that was developed for quite a long time got banned during crit. The helplessness and the feel-like-giving up-feeling. Yes, the stress. It's kind of killing sometimes. But yet when we accomplished anyone of them, feel like I've learn and grow a little more again. Going through all these stress, made me become tougher a little more again. Seeing my friends around that was staying outside, not in their house, I somehow feel like I'm so blessed staying with my families. I wouldn't have the homesick feeling while feeling helpless over assignments.
If got chance I would like to go outside and study in the future, to feel most of my coursemates feel, I guess that would have make me become an even more tougher and stronger person. Would like to shout out to my friends here to give them some support here, to strive hard til the end of the sem, til the end of the course for our dreams... Never give up!
(Aww. but through all the sleepless nights, the skins and face condition got so much worsen, omg, gotta apply 100 layers of masks during holiday everynight. LOL )
Philosophy? I'm not sure whether I did have a philosophy or not. But I'm quite into the environmental issues. I think people should have care for the nature and Earth more. I would like to build all my buildings environmentally friendly, green buildings. Besides I would try my best to reach all the fragments of the pleasure of architecture in the last essays while designing, and applied the genius loci. *deeply in love and inspired by the last essay actually * Putting life into the building, having our own idea and feeling, concept with spaces. We must love our own design, with our own deep though expressed, only then people could feel it. Ouch, it's hard to reach that!
Work hard and work smart then. lol
The ambition of stage designer is still there. Just that I would like to strive my very best in becoming an architect as well. Architecture is so interesting and attractive to me after all, like another fantasy world, to be created. Yea, it's a tough path I know. I may be broke down one day, but for surely I must try my best to do everything to not having any regrets, for regrets did kill a person very sadly. lol.
At first when just read the first part and intro of this passage, I would have thought that it was all about sexuality and architecture together. Only that I know it was not only about that, but the attraction of architecture to the people, giving pleasure to the people. Very nicely deliberate metaphor.
Firstly the oppositions. Order and disorder, structure and chaos, ornament and purity and so much more. All these are oppositions that have different characteristics. Over the years, of so many architects, there were different style they have been possessing. They have their own moral about the style they are using and following. The more classical versus the pure form of modern versus deconstructionism style, for me, I think they are no right or wrong in it. They have their own way of attracting people, of creating that desire in people, in sexuality, or in feeling the spaces and experiencing the architecture.
Anyway, the fragments really have very nice points of architecture, of sensuality, of desire, of pleasure, of sexuality and so much more!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Double Pleasure
* The pleasure of space * The pleasure of geometry and, by extension, the pleasure of order --- the pleasure of concept.
They both can't live without each other. People could experience the soul, the uniqueness of one space; as in, from our feet, to the ceiling above, to the nearest walls and partitions, or furniture around us, we could feel the presence of the space, and the atmosphere that it creates.
Then the pleasure of the concept, when, all these assemblies above, actually being put together, matching the concept, the message the designers or architects would like to convey through the architecture.
I thought of the example in the restaurant in gasoline. A full of theme cafe restaurant. The first time I visited this place was at Sungei Wang when I was form 4 or 5. It was based on the haunted house or something with a lot of super natural thing. Lighting was dark. Wall paper was interestingly scary. lol. even the photo is blurred, the eerie feeling was a little stronger. Went back few years later, atmosphere was still the same. I guess it's the concept and the way they let people experience the space that attracts all the youngsters to come over for tea.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gardens of Pleasure
After second thought after reading, it's quite true that designing a landscape architecture isn't really that easy. To express through plain plane, plain ground, it really needs a lot of creativity and thought. It's not about placing the vegetation, the elements in any disorder way, it needs design, for expressions.
There are a very nice garden in Bukit Jalil, with alot of different architecture in all over the world gathered there. My parents likes to go over there very much. It was actually designed like zones, from places to places. And there are actually bout 3 parks linking with each other all over Bukit Jalil. A very big recreational area. A lot of people going there for exercising in the mornings. Can visit here. ahhahaa
The passage wrote that gardens anticipated the history of cities. Here the garden, or actually a recreational park showing flash back of the architecture and histories of different places.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pleasure and Necessity
I would have remember one of the architecture term from History 2 class, bout non functional here. Uselessness. Some people would say extra decoration, idea, creativity are useless, when related to financial and monetary aspect. There we can see most of the commercial buildings, terrace house, shoplots, the design are mostly the same. (anyway, for repetitive houses, the houses could be limited for construction purpose, easier ). I guess only for special building, like art gallery, museum, and for owner who would willing to pay, could have special ideological design of architecture. And there are really super limited architects in this world that could do this, special design showing their ideology of architecture. We still live in a plain terrace house without extra ornaments. It's a question whether that extra decorations are a "need" or just a "want". It is now all leave to the architect and owner, to weight, which is more important to them, financially or pleasure of architecture, the uniqueness of the architecture on their building. A piece of art like what had been described like the "fireworks" in the passage. =)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metaphor of Order - Bondage
Bondage of architecture with theories, histories and other precedents. The bonds enhance pleasure, it says. The more numerous and sophisticated the restraints, the greater the pleasure in architecture. I guess it's the challenge, the techniques of bonding all the rules and regulations, the restrictions, the "must-apply-in" theories and others, when all these could blend in so well, matching, creating a piece of art that present, so outstanding, people could actually feel the pleasure inside, the complication of bondage could be the significance of that architecture. Just now how we are trained in our design classes now, with a lot of research, precedent studies, concepts, organizations, principles, when all these met, with clear expression, only then we have did a good design that could talk within itself, that showed what we wanted to tell others in that design. @@
People have go beyond everything and challenge every limit on earth. And some have go over the line of rationality, with upside down houses. However people find these special. In Japan: http://www.digital-pros.com/mt-static/archives/000032.html
Eroticism is not the excess of pleasure, but the pleasure of excess. @.@ Same as the fragment before, it is said that neither space nor concepts alone are erotic, but the junction between the two is. The ultimate pleasure of architecture is that impossible moment when an architectureal act, brought to excess, reveals both the traces of reason and the immediate experience of space, this can be explained with the "Bondage" fragments as well.
It could create an attraction, a focal point, of making people having the desire towards the architecture when everything bonds in so well while having the concepts and space blends into each other perfectly as well.
However by seeing this word "Eroticism", somehow remind me of another couple restaurant in PJ. I have heard a lot about it from the couple couple friends and saw online before but never been there. However I think that the concepts and space have created a very... eroticism feeling for the couple I guess. @.@ Don't really know how to describe it. LOL. The Cave @ SS2, PJ.
Each couple could take one private "cave" for themselves. marogalfoodparadise.blogspot.com The open area, as if dining inside a cave. marogalfoodparadise.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metaphore of Seduction - The Mask
The mysteries behind the architecture. It was described as architecture as like wearing many layers of mask. Unveiling every one of them, there will still have another one behind. Only through this way people could feel pleasure, with seduction, to explore it. Very fun way the passage comparing architecture seduction with flirting acts.
Every elements in the architecture could have resemble something else, with its very own reason. Only through knowing the stories and mysteries behind it, people could understand the building. Only then the people could be amazed. Oh NOno. Should be the place itselves have been very amusing and amazing, the mysteries and reasons behind it will add on the surprises of the purposes of every elements and the standing of the piece of art there.
People likes excitement I guess. People like curiosity. People like to discover new things.
Like the design of shops and shopping malls, for example the pavillion, it is made of glass, showing partial of the building and for shops, surely displaying the items with mannequins, this will generate curiosity and desire of people to know what's more inside the shops and shopping malls, what nicer stuffs could have be selling inside the shops. This is a normal reaction of people.
Another example will just be the Berlin Jewish Museum. The design of this museum seduce people to walk through all the spaces with different experiences moving through all the difference spaces and axes.
I really like all the reasons and how Daniel Libeskind had designed. Every design elements in the museum had been representing something. History of the Jews in Berlin through the spaces of axes; the anguish, the angers through the angular form; the sadness, hollowness of the humiliation or abuse through the void space with the fallen leaves of steel faces, the cracking sound. omg. @.@ everything so well thought.
It is said that before knowing all the representations, it already had been speaking itself of all the emotions it wanted to express, after knowing all the meanings of everything, I guess no one would have wanted to deny the greatness of this piece of art.
To talk about pleasure, it's actually easy to create but certainly not in architecture. Only when the art of illusions can be mastered, breaking points that are flexible to be created, and expectations and wantings had been fulfilled and reached. Idea and concepts being convey through architecture clearly, however with a mask of mysteries behind all these that will create desire. No matter orderly or through conflict, as long as it's interesting and fulfill all the concepts and expectation, special, people might can feel the pleasure of the space and concept.
Not only through orderly way of classical, nowadays, creativity and innovations are very much fonded by people of architecture, of modernism, of special space quality. But with all the other fragments merge well together. @.@
special excess, differences and left over, go beyond the formal, previous classical dogmas and principles. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Advertisements for Architecture
Hahaha. here the passage wrote that architecture could not be performed in books. I somehow disagree with this. @.@ Only through books and pictures, and passage, people who could be access to the place could know more and feel more about the place, the architecture that it's too far to reach. And there comes the importance of photography skills.
yea, it will be definitely different thing by feeling with all the seven senses ourselves in the real space with reading a book, just a 3D pictures in a 2D paper. However this type of advertisement have been a very crucial one to let people knowing places.
The last sentence wrote that: as there are advertisements for the architectural products, why not for the production ( and the reproduction) of architecture? Things are always easier to be said than to be done. It has a lot of considerations and restrictions for a single reproduction of architecture I guess.
I'm not sure whether had I truly understand this fragments. There might be pros and cons of the advertisements of architecture. True also that it is said that it triggers the desire for something beyond the page itself, sometimes by reading the Ikea book, we just read and put aside, without really feeling interested in it, but we'll feel like buying it when we touch it in the Ikea store. @.@ hmm. very much confused. But I still support the advertisements and productions of books anyway. lol. There could be mysteries to be unveil that people loves behind the pictures, with the right photography skills. :)
So many metaphor in this passage. Architecture with language. Both contains fragments that form them.
Architecture with walls, rooms, streets, ideas; real fragments and virtual fragments; memory and fantasy; ---- Architecture stands in between. Balanced? Desire. What a big word. Another metaphor. Each setting and fragments in a movie was aimed at seduction, but always dissolved at the moment it was approached. Then each time it would be substituted by another fragment. Desire was never seen, yet remained constant. This is the beauty of it, the hard-to-get-approached of desire.
And architecture was said it was the same thing. A piece of architecture is architectural because it sets in motion the operations of seduction and the unconscious.
It is full of possibilities. It allow us to express what we wanted, the unconciously-wanting in our mind, and spread this to the others as a seduction. "It cannot satisfy the wildest fantasies but may exceed the limits set by them."
I might be able to create something in the Harry Potter story, and from the movie "Inception", create another of my own world, create desire for the people. Architecture has a lot of great possibilities.
The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible. - Arthur C. Clarke-
Kellies Castle is symbol of love, like the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. And in the architecture, there is definitely some moghul influence visible.
Kellie's Castle was built by a Scottish planter called William Kellie Smith. He built the castle for his wife. Smith himself was from a little town in Scotland: Kellas. He built the castle for the same reason as Shah Jahan a few centuries earlier the Taj Mahal: Love
Shah Jahan built the Taj as a monument for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The original idea was to build a black and a white Taj on both sites of the river. Shah Jahan didn't come further then the known white Taj. Smith however, never had the idea of building two castles.
Mr William Kellie Smith had a great fond over the Indian and Moghul style, therefore the mansion was built in Moghul and Indian style. Even the materials and workers were all "imported" from India.
At the Kellas house, some of the structures had been neglected since long ago. Somehow with the growth of plants within the bricks, and the structure left in it's own state, such as a stairway to no where had been a nice thing to be seen, At least we could trace it's history and feeling it wanted to achieve. haha.
It's nice to keep this structures here. The abandoned ruined structure kept gave a mysterious feeling to the people who see it. And through this way, the great idea of love, of history, of culture, could be seen and much appreciated by the future generation. Gave a soul to the site itself, and to the people who see it. =D
Lifeless without experiencing the spaces through the senses!
Eye, ear, nose, skin, tongue, skeleton and muscle. When we used all these senses in experiencing a space, the space could be live up, but not bare image in front of our eyes without any meaning.
As like what it was said, we human actually being dependent and rely on the vision so much in our daily life. A lot of perceptions was made final with the sight we seen through our eyes. Like we like to see beautiful things. However I think, if we actually dependent solely on only one of the senses, we couldn't really feel the world. Not only architecture, spaces, but the world.
I used to cry when I watch some korean or japanese soap drama, quite easily. :p However got once, the TV was muted, and I watched back some very saddening scenes in the drama, without music and sound, with only the motions in the TV, I couldn't feel anything. Vice versa, when I was busy doing assignment and my sis was watching some soap drama as well, my back was facing the TV, I was just hearing their conversations in the drama with sad musics, without the motions, there wasn't any feeling, or urge that could cause my tears falling. hahaha. What an example. I think with only the combination of two or more senses, feeling could be created more easily, more lively. Except if one have an extraordinary imaginary mind. I once have a colleague that could cry listening to radio fm's story. lol
Back to the topic of senses, my own experiences. Hmm.
I actually love the smells of the books. I like the smell of the bookstores, the library, even more if the library is old, with a lot of old books. When I stepped into the library or bookstore, if the smell of the books isn't there, the feeling of liking the space, the description and perception of my mind toward this library would decrease. It wouldn't really feel like a library for me. Flipping through the yellowish books with the old book smells, it feel like there is a lot of stories to be told inside the book. Just the smell of an old book could create such a feeling for me, what's more when I stepped into a bookstore with hundreds of books which smells the same! how wonderful, it seems like the library/bookstores have contained thousands of mysteries itself inside the space. Therefore, smells actually can create a sense of space, make a space live up a life.
There is actually another more realistic example which is the bank. I actually thinks that the bank has a smell of money, that makes a "bank" a "bank". haha. I guess if one stepped into a bank without the ability of other senses but with only smell, he would guess correctly over it that it's a bank.
Birds chirping, insects producing squerking sounds, by listening to these sound we could actually know it's near a forest or more to a greenery space.
Standing and playing inside an arcade game space, without the loud noise of the stereos and arcade machines, the people who's playing wouldn't really have the mood to play. Exception for those who are just tend to waste their time there for nothing, most of the people playing there actually would like to express their anger, their unhappiness and release some stress by playing there, "bombing" their ears and emotions right there. ( Sometimes I tend to do this, that's why O.O only sometimes). The hearing actually creating the mood inside the arcade center. Imagine yourselves playing in an arcade center with no noise, no sound at all, there would be so dull and uninteresting, the life of the arcade center wouldn't be there.
The echo produced inside a cave gave me an impression of deep space inner but got covered with solid stones all around. so mysterious!
Actually some certain things are meant to be felt and experienced. Such as when we look at the durian's sharp edges, by just looking at it, though we could feel it's sharp, but it's not real. I think we should touch it gently to feel it. Though sharp and might be harmful, but could bring heaven's taste.
As for space, like when we go for jungle trekking, inside the forest, I'll tend to touch the trees around to feel the texture of the tree's skin. This makes the forest live to me that the nature's all around me, where I could truly feel through touches.
In sem 1, mei yin and me went to Ar. Lok Wooi's house for a visit. His house was totally made of exposed brick and timber, we have been touching the materials to feel the texture, that made us closer to the space, to feel the house. @.@
as for tongue, i actually don't really know how to experience spaces through this. Maybe when i came into a candy and chocolate shop, I'll tend to feel like tasting the food inside. I think this will be more like a type of imaginary. Rubble stones on the floor that looks alike with jelly beans, the tongue that will have a reaction to feel like trying it? @.@
Movement. I guess the best experience that I could sense the space through this would be in the "Pasar Malam". The movement of the crowd along the long street of night market, especially in my favourite night market of all, the Taman Connaught night market in Wednesday. The street is really long with a lot of stalls. The crowd grow bigger and bigger as the night go deeper. The people wouldn't feel sick over the crowd but they enjoy the movement of the flow of the people all along the streets. Couldn't really say enjoy, but the movements show the presence of human / people all around. This movements make the night market significant and live a life.
If a night market that has no people with no movement, it would be so dead.
Actually all the senses that made life. If just depend on just one, there will be lack of something no matter how. The space couldn't be feel and appreciated truthfully. Just like the example as we go into the japanese garden, I went to the Colmar Tropical Village in Fraser Hill, everything there was just a pleasure. A relaxing Hill station. From the French village architecture, to the Japanese Village where they have very nice smell plantations, we can smell, we can see, we can feel, we can touch, we can even taste the natural water around. The atmosphere is a total pleasant. Such a lively place. A lot of tourists were attracted to this place for holiday as well when I last visited there.
I found that in Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi), there was once a workshop, where the title was: How to experience space through the senses? There have got two experiments,
1. One sense at the time
They tried to explore how the other senses other than visual influence our perception of space.
“Vision separates us from the world whereas the other senses unite us with it.” (1)
They made sure that only one of the senses could be used while they escorted a group of participants through several different spaces. They asked them questions about their experience of the individual spaces. Is the space big or small, light or dark, or high or low?
2. Experience space by movement
They did a number of (dance) exercises in 3 different spaces at the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi) to get to know the spaces. Some of the exercises were: walk around, finding lines, relax in space, and walk towards and away from each other. The idea was to find out different aspects that define space by using all our senses. Aspects like orientation, focus, reference points and how we felt in these different environments.
In the end result, it showed that perceiving solely with vision gives us a distorted perception of space, especially in comparison with the separate use of smell and touch. They tend to describe space a lot more accurately.
Reading through and after some researches on the Berlin Jewish Museum, understand about the design of Daniel Libeskind, it's quite incredible to have those ideas blended in the design of the building.
In my opinion, the Jewish Museum is successful in commemorating the dead. Though the 3 axes which indicate the 3 realities of Jewish life in Germany, each of them have explained clearly of the overall of the history and presence of the Jews in Germany.
The 3 axes that went to different path, in a story line of the Jewish' History in Germany through the architecture of the Jewish Museum
From what I have researched, the Jews actually led to a very hard life in Germany and Austria in the older days, since year 1930-s. First axes that lead from the old Baroque building to the new building of Jewish Museum. This had represented the Jews the continuation of the Jews' living in Germany. German - Jews, related to each other.
Second axes that lead from the new building out to the Garden of Exile and Emigration outdoor. From year 1933 to 1939 in the history of Jews in Germany, a great amount of Jews had fled from Germany to other countries, due to the degree of pressure placed on the Jewish community in Germany and the willingness of other countries to admit Jewish immigrants. The Garden with slanted pillars represented the instability of the emigration period that time and the plants on top of the pillars represented hope. References: http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005468
While the third axes was the dead end of Holocaust, where a huge number of Jews remaining in Germany had been killed during the Holocaust time. T.T Such hopeless resemblance. References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust
Even the openings of the building was design according to the history time line of the Jews during their hard time in Germany. And the Voids inside the building, all the mysteries and truth that could not be revealed.
A lot of considerations have been made and it's like a story a person could experience during the journey inside the building. Despite all the monuments and things being displayed inside the museum, the building itself has already been a story to tell itself, as a background, enhancing the history of Jews.
So-get-inspired suddenly by this Jewish museum. @.@ I really thinks it did commemorate the life of the past of the Jews successfully.
The mosaic art on the facade of the National Museum showing the development of Malaysia
For the local example, the National Museum, with the blend of traditional Malay architecture with modern lines, despite being stimulative from the point of tradition also presents a panoramic view of the development of Malaysia, as depicted by the two large murals of Italian mosaic, which extend across the facade of the building. This two big arts of mosaic that tell the story, the development of Malaysia is aspiring. through the story line on wall, people would know more about Malaysia in an interesting way. The people that live during certain period, the ancestors, the dead could be commemorate when being put on a big display on a main facade of a building. References:http://www.aseancultureandinformation.org/coci/files/archive/The%20National%20Museum%20of%20Malaysia.pdf
But for the best example of commemorating the dead and past in Malaysia, could be the National Monument where a sculpture of the soldiers of comrades being placed. It had been standing there since 1966. The soldiers had been fighting hard to protect our nations from the Japanese and Malayan Emergency. The monument embodying seven bronze statues also represents the triumph of the forces of democracy over the forces of evil. Each of the bronze figures symbolizes leadership, suffering, unity, vigilance, strength, courage and sacrifice.
The National Monument with Bronze sculptures of our Heroes of Malaysia as a respect and commemorating them.
The monument was placed in the monument complex encompasses five main components; the National Monument, fountains, pavilion, a war memorial and the surrounding gardens. All these was aimed to commemorate the dead who had fought for our nation. References: http://www.malaxi.com/kuala_lumpur/tugu_negara.html
By looking at the sculpture standing there, I guess the family of the fallen comrades will feel very much relieved mentally, as their ancestors being remembered, their effort being appreciated, standing for decades in the city center of Malaysia. Just by looking at it, the people will feel so proud of our own nation. I felt the same way when I visited this place when I was just 11 years old and it's still the same during the last visit on May this year. Sitting at a very nice location by facing the fountain, with a war memorial, it has been a very important spots in Kuala Lumpur.
I think as to be seen in site planning wise, the Monument Complex is very near to the Lake Garden, Parliament Building Malaysia, National Mosque, National Museum and a lot of important buildings. All these are having the objectives of representing Malaysia and some, show the idea of Malaysia, history and same of commemorating the dead and past as well.
Best way of commemorating the heroes of Malaysia, hmm. By looking at the example of the Jewish Museum, I felt so @.@ great of that idea in commemorating the dead. The architecture did speak about the story of the Jews first, and as a great background of the past. Of course although the National Monument didn't bring as big impact to me as the Jews Museum, I think it's great to have it there as an appreciation and commemoration towards the heroes of Malaysia. It bring a great significance to the KL city as well.
By having a museum for the heroes, with the same method of using the language of architecture as well, making a short film, showing the sacrifices and hard fight they had in protecting the country ad display just beside the National Monument, making the whole area a place for the Heroes, enhancing the impact of the National Monument that bring into the people's mind. I think they could have been commemorated well, being known by the future generation and whoever who visited the place.
Mies van der Rohe. "Less is More". A pioneer of modern architecture. Well known, and mostly people recognized him for his works, all those years he was an architect. Little did people know about his starting and challenges he faced before he succeed, what had mold him with the minimalism style he possessed.
He developed his style from his mistakes, after the fiasco of this Kroller House.
It is through growing up, through learning, through the environment, that shape the personality of a person, then reflects it in the person's work, in terms of anything, art, or architecture or what so ever. Like for the malay vernacular architecture, Malay house, most of the characteristics were built to suit the weather, environment, site and culture.
As we grow and going higher and higher in our education here, we learn more and were being exposed to more knowledge and works of others. Through that too our mind would start developing and going to the direction of our preferences.
It was said that our childhood home gave a vast impact on the understanding of place and architecture. I guess I never think much when I was young. I just felt very safe staying at my home, and it's the centre of the world for me by that time. Just like traveling inside the car, my dad driving. I never know where I am if I don't know the streets name, I just sat inside the car to wherever the car brought me. HAHAHA.
ah, out of topic.
Houses for me last time was shaped to only 2 types basically. Normal dwellings, that are having red pitch roof, this is how I, or normal kids draw their home. With one door, 2 windows. Another type was fairy tale type of castle. The result of reading and watching too much of fairy tales cartoon like cinderella, beauty and the beast, snow white, little mermaid etc. HAHAHA. Oh, Aladdin have islamic architecture of castle, with the onion head. Through all these stories, I was exposed to the types of architecture inside. But in some of the anime and cartoon, the normal dwelling, houses are having flat roof. @@ Super solid type of houses.
From the age of 1 until 11, I've been staying in a town house. The upstairs was my family's home, while the downstairs was my uncle's home. In term of spaces, it was kind of small but merely enough for us, when my sis and I was still young. My sis and I spared a same small room together with a double deck beds. Parallel to the bed, just bout half meter or a little more from the bed, was 2 study tables lining side by side. Between the tables and the bed, was a walkway in the room. The room was just about 6m x 4m big in plan. Of course there was fun inside the room as well. My sis once fell down from the higher deck of the bed last time. haha. Then I have to exchange place with her, I slept at the higher bed. But I don't really mind, I like to climb the stairs up there.
Kind of small. hahaha. Just by viewing the size of the room, the house actually is small as well, maybe when now we've move to a bigger size house. I actually thought that all houses are the same size with the house I was staying that time. But of course we did pay visit to dad's colleagues and some relatives with bigger house. There my mind developed further. The house plan for the town house home
That home, having a long staircase from group floor car porch, straight up to my home. one way, with one landing in the middle. I like it when my mom washed the floor, when she pour the water from upstairs, the water rushed and flowed down, forming a waterfall there. So much fun I had there. How good if every house have this staircase. But my mom used to throw our stuffs down the staircase when she was too frustrated. LOL. I played game with my sister at that staircase as well. I guess I just love staircase so much, until now I actually likes to see staircases' design. (any relation? @.@ )
The staircase where my mom pour water when washing the floor that create a small waterfall space for me to play around.
Another part was the balcony. I actually would like to have a balcony at my house. The original design of my house was having a balcony, just like how my neighbor's house had. My dad wanted to make the house have more interior space, he covered the balcony wall with glass windows. I always couldn't understand his reason of closing up the balcony until now I think back. The living room have became bigger with that balcony space. But I still would like to have the balcony space being opened up without the windows. haha.
The living room and the dining area basically was just one beside another. The living room was the place where I spent most of my precious quality time with my family. It's just in front of the staircase, and there was a piano at the dining area. The area there, the dining area and living room was the most open space. It's not very big. There was a room beside the living room, the master bedroom, if there's any chaos outside the living room my parents would know very soon. haha. Besides whenever my sister played the piano, the whole house will be filled with music and melody. For the piano was placed at the center of the house. And that's why we like to hang out in the living area. Whoever back from work or school, we could give them a warming welcome as well when they appeared from the staircase place. I think this is so heartwarming and would like to have something like these in my future home.
There was another room just beside my sis n my room, which was my dad's working room. It was small as well. There was a big table and a small book shelve inside. This room can say as a mystery room for us. Curious but fear over the room. It was my dad's room and seems like it was filling with a lot of mysterious stuffs. we once found a "don't-know-it's-real-or-fake" centipede. We were so scared like hell, quickly threw it back into the drawer and closed it up, never open it again. I think it must have a fun mysterious place in a house, to make it interesting? hahahahhaa.
The kitchen was a place not to mess with where my mom did all the cooking. But the place to catch mouse that was hiding above the ceiling. We can always hear the noise that the mouse ran over here and there above the ceiling. At night my parents would put bait inside the mouse trap and we could find a mouse inside the cage the next day. Must learn how to prevent mouse and other pest next time when designing houses.
The car porch place was the place the car was parked and where the clothes was hung. On mid autumn festival, we played candle there as well. My mom planted a lot of plantations and last time even vegetables there too. There was once a cat outside always came in and we gave him food at the car porch there.
There was a green field just opposite my house, easily access. But the residence there seldom loiter around there, and so did I. My parents didn't allow as well. One point was it was there was a big drain seperating our side with the field. And second point was the grass wasn't cut and they grew really tall. My mom always scare me that there will be snakes there. I think the main purpose of the field was actually to gather up the neighborhood for recreational purpose, however it failed. I think this kind of space was kind of nice but need maintenance. If I were to design a residential area, I would like to have a big open space for sports and all type of activities that the community can gather around, just like how I saw in "karate kids", in china. This could make the gap between human and neighbour more narrow, and could get close to each other, not like the society now, that we never know who's our neighbor. Anyway, we used to be very "friend" with our ex-neighbor there last time. ^^
Every spaces in home have their multi functions, with different memories. It more or less gave some impact to the idea of spaces for me. Like the staircases, and the open space of the living room with the piano, and the mysterious room in the house.
There are different things that I learn while growing up, observing things. Like once I went to another uncle's house, I like it where his son's room was painted in blue and I like the sleep on the floor concept. Wake up, just tidy up the bed and, there are more space to use. hahhaa.
Another thing was I was kind of influenced by my dad. He was a contractor in glass and aluminium. I don't know how, I like to use the glass. Feel that it looks quite elegant. Actually most of the windows in my home were all fixed by my dad, got from his company, some designed himself. haha. * love them * . In many of my design projects, I used a lot of glass.
And through all the course and crits and review, there developed our own style as well. Especially from history classes. To learn from all the history and styles. When we open up our view, our observations, our perspectives of viewing the surrounding especially architecture, we will be learning much and being influenced unconsciously sometimes.
Because that the normal thing we see is always squarish with pitch roof, we tend to get out of the box. And therefore, I don't know how, my design tend to go quite curvy, with a lot of curve lines.
Relationship of man and God in the context of dwelling
In the essay, mentioned by Heidegger, with the example of the Greek Temple. It is the architecture and make a place, the earth presence. The art does not represent but present. The figure of the god was enclosed and this created a holy precinct with the presence of the god.
3 very important points about what to be preserved in the truth of art. 1) the temple makes "the god present". 2) the temple fits together and shapes the destiny of human being. 3) the temple that makes all things on earth visible.
This could sound a little exaggerated but I think it is possible if we really see through. For example that I know, Mayijima Shrine in Japan, with the Torii in the sea, it enables us to view over the sea, the sky, and everything on earth.
In a website article, "The god or goddess was represented by a cult image— usually a seated or standing statue— which occupied the central place in the temple." "The greek temples were meant to serve as homes for the individual god or goddess who protected and sustained the community. Their houses were the finest, equipped with a staff of servants to look after their every need." http://www.odysseyadventures.ca/articles/greektemple/greek_temple.htm
This can see that when the temples was treated as a home for the god, the god or goddess must be staying inside, and the temple being holy, there when the human go inside, they will feel very near to the god, with their presence inside, visually can see the figure in the center of the temple.
It is mostly centralized form in the arrangement of the sacred places like temple, mosque, church. Church's having an axis, and centralized at the place where the pastor and father would stand. Normally with a big cross in the middle, and I guess through this way, the people would feel the relationship between them with the god. However, in christian, where I heard from my friend, god is always living in everyone's heart as long as u believe god's existence. Controversy?
Fourfold of earth, sky, mortals and divinities, which are mirror to each other. and we really used to think of world in terms of physical, social or culture structure, but we forgot about other important thing, which is the nature. Very true as described in the essay! And the mirror-play mention above constitutes the world, an open "between". Everything's actually staying in between. man in between sky and earth, birth and death,joy and pain etc.
With nature as the concrete things on earth, it actually shape human beings. However in this decade, I realize human no longer wanted to live in "between". They go beyond, into the space outside earth. They never appreciate the site and nonstop digging the resources no matter it's recoverable or not. In the end, the nature will still get back the side effect on us, which can be seen at the green house effect that's happening . ==================================================================
Place and Space
Heidegger with a concept saying "Things visit mortals" with an example of jug and bridge. The bridge gathers the earth as landscape around the stream. it gives some kind of live to the land through structure. It does not just connect banks that are already there, but they emerge as banks only as the bridges crosses the stream. The bridge thus makes a place come into presence. Earth and landscape is not merely topographical concepts here anymore.
Here compliments the thought that was brought up in the essay last week, how a spot become a place in human's eye, and from place to space. Last week was with the psychological setting of human, when we know the place and it plays a significance matter, the space would become a space. And here in the same way, when a structure of art, of architecture, is there, the things all around will be gathered and it would be place. It's the art that makes all the things present.
and everything on earth have become one, as a whole of totality.
Space, what is within the world, is within space. Still going through the same type of theory last week, a space could be describe and classified with words such as below, above, on top and so on. ===================================================================
Language
Language have been one of the art as well. In the essay, it was said that nature was somehow could be expressed in away of language, of poetry. "Itself was poetry, in the essential sense" and "Language by naming beings for the first time, first brings beings to word n to appearance"
and same theory as the place and space, the language, when a things was first name, then it would be recognize. Quite agree with this as well. When we never name it, it never could have been a real object. However, even if we name it, it could be one of the legend that happens before, jsut like the hanging garden of Babylon, with a lot of stories yet nobody really know it's existence.
Language as been a very useful tool to capture eternity. Words, poems. Like the literature we study in secondary school, "Sonnet 18", William Shakespear wrote that his lover's beauty, would now be captured eternally in his poem, even after a century or forever, as long as someone's reading his poem, they would know her beauty, is uncomparable for him. So beautiful. So touching. But I guess technoloogy created pictures, could save memories as well., lol
Language keeps the world. People could only understand things in language. I guess not only words. There are pictorial language, braille which uses the touching sense as well. As long as the human being could understand and communicate. With art, and without words, can a building be telling us stories and meanings underneath it, this is a very important point.
so amazing when the nature could be express poetically through a myth story in language, the god and goddess, zeus, mnemosine and so much more. ===================================================================
Dwellings
There Heidegger says human dwells between "work and word". Amazing. Where things are actually in mutual relationship, in a tension. The word opens up a world and the work makes the world present. woooohoo. And there, the human nurse n nurther the things that grow, and construct things that do not grow. Human nowadays seldom nurture things anymore, instead, they cut down trees, kill animals for their own benefits.
Buildings are constructed things, which gather a world and allow for dwelling. When thr's a piece of art, of architecture, when the nature has been gathered , the place could be an inhabited and known landscape.
RE
Likes: Tofu Oyako . Kpop . SJ . music . stage design
Dislikes: jerks
wishlist: Tofu Oyako set . DSLR . new phone . new clothes . Ipod . A's
Super Ordinary human on earth.
?: Love as if you were never hurt before,
Dance as if no one can see you,
Love as if you were never hurt before,
Sing as if no one is listening,
Work as if you don’t need money,
Live like it is the last day of your life…
??: Life's short,
Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly,
Love truly,
Laugh uncontrollably,
Dont regret anything that made you smile.
Woah. Mix emotion. Happy or sad? The last blog post of the course. @.@
This semester have been hard. I have to admit I'm not so good into handling stress, and compared to seniors who took 7 subjects last semester in semester 4, I only took 6 and I've already going to reach the limit soon. Anyway, I felt like I've grown a lot somehow. @.@ Less emotion break down compared to previous semesters. But have understand myself even more, found more and more bad qualities of myself, and my friends did remind me about that too. Would try hard to change it, this bad attitude, that I'll look extremely dark face when I've faced problems with any of the assignments, and led to my friends feeling so uneasy. @.@
Yea, semester 4. Have had 2 very good lecturers in design, yet, I guess they'll be vomiting blood because of us. I've seems like have not reach the level of design 4 studio. Working not hard enough, and this sem have been non stop pushing myself to upgrade myself and also the works. Even the attitude and disciplines and all, punctuality. Design 4 have been looked very heavy into that, disciplines.
Others still the same. 6 subjects in one sem with all the submissions almost clashing together is really "too much fun". But I've really enjoyed the Science 2 classes learning about lighting and acoustics with the humorous Mr Siva. CAD2 lecturer Mr Kamal had been very nice and gentle to us as well.
Of course the Theories Class. Frankly speaking, submitting essays every week is kind of torturous. hahaha. Reading the long essays with the critical thinking and all. At first I was thinking having exam maybe will be better than writing blog. Luckily after the 2nd essays, the essays are easier to read compare to the concept of space and Heidegger's thinking. I've learned a lot of these theories actually, although some that isn't really fully understanding. :s I like the last essay. =) About the sensuality, pleasure of architecture, seduction and so on. Yea, feels like architecture is such lively things, part of our lives! *love*
Before having this theories class, my mind was like architecture is only designing whatever shape you want with a concept, as long as it looks nice for people. But through this class, I've learned that architecture is not just that. It suits a lot of philosophies. Heidegger's thinking, concept of place, ruins and aesthetics, and so much more. I love the old buildings as well, the spirit in it, not only for Kellie's Castle, even the older building outside. Sometimes after some thinking, it's kind of dilemma which side to stand, when people demolish buildings for new development, it was so saddening, so many energy wasted in between. But if that doesn't happen, there wouldn't have better development in the country. What to do? which side to stand? hmm.
Besides, I also learn what does it means by concept. Maybe not truly understanding but at least have a clearer idea now through all the discussions and thinking. Get to know a lot more bout buildings all over the world too, especially the great Jewish Museum by Daniel Libeskind. Gained a lot of useful and super valuable knowledge that we couldn't really get to learn and know in other classes. The thinking mind has been developed a little more. :D
I guess the best moment in this sem was the time going to Kellie's castle. I love trips and I like the journey inside the bus. I love the story behind Kellie's castle. I like getting out of the city. Beside, the other best moment is when I look around me, I found a lot of friends around me, working so hard together, encouraging each other, taking care of each other all these whiles. Suddenly feel so grateful and happy with all of them around. Of course and also my supportive family too.
Worst moment would be getting a "F" in the design project 1. aih. Then the stresses coming all over from all the other subjects in once. Then idea that was developed for quite a long time got banned during crit. The helplessness and the feel-like-giving up-feeling. Yes, the stress. It's kind of killing sometimes. But yet when we accomplished anyone of them, feel like I've learn and grow a little more again. Going through all these stress, made me become tougher a little more again. Seeing my friends around that was staying outside, not in their house, I somehow feel like I'm so blessed staying with my families. I wouldn't have the homesick feeling while feeling helpless over assignments.
If got chance I would like to go outside and study in the future, to feel most of my coursemates feel, I guess that would have make me become an even more tougher and stronger person. Would like to shout out to my friends here to give them some support here, to strive hard til the end of the sem, til the end of the course for our dreams... Never give up!
(Aww. but through all the sleepless nights, the skins and face condition got so much worsen, omg, gotta apply 100 layers of masks during holiday everynight. LOL )
Philosophy? I'm not sure whether I did have a philosophy or not. But I'm quite into the environmental issues. I think people should have care for the nature and Earth more. I would like to build all my buildings environmentally friendly, green buildings. Besides I would try my best to reach all the fragments of the pleasure of architecture in the last essays while designing, and applied the genius loci. *deeply in love and inspired by the last essay actually * Putting life into the building, having our own idea and feeling, concept with spaces. We must love our own design, with our own deep though expressed, only then people could feel it. Ouch, it's hard to reach that!
Work hard and work smart then. lol
The ambition of stage designer is still there. Just that I would like to strive my very best in becoming an architect as well. Architecture is so interesting and attractive to me after all, like another fantasy world, to be created. Yea, it's a tough path I know. I may be broke down one day, but for surely I must try my best to do everything to not having any regrets, for regrets did kill a person very sadly. lol.
All the best to my mates and myself!
=)
Thanks lecturers!. :'D
10:03 AM ● Taboo and Transgression: Architecture and Desire
At first when just read the first part and intro of this passage, I would have thought that it was all about sexuality and architecture together. Only that I know it was not only about that, but the attraction of architecture to the people, giving pleasure to the people. Very nicely deliberate metaphor.
Firstly the oppositions. Order and disorder, structure and chaos, ornament and purity and so much more. All these are oppositions that have different characteristics. Over the years, of so many architects, there were different style they have been possessing. They have their own moral about the style they are using and following. The more classical versus the pure form of modern versus deconstructionism style, for me, I think they are no right or wrong in it. They have their own way of attracting people, of creating that desire in people, in sexuality, or in feeling the spaces and experiencing the architecture.
Anyway, the fragments really have very nice points of architecture, of sensuality, of desire, of pleasure, of sexuality and so much more!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Double Pleasure
* The pleasure of space * The pleasure of geometry and, by extension, the pleasure of order --- the pleasure of concept.
They both can't live without each other. People could experience the soul, the uniqueness of one space; as in, from our feet, to the ceiling above, to the nearest walls and partitions, or furniture around us, we could feel the presence of the space, and the atmosphere that it creates.
Then the pleasure of the concept, when, all these assemblies above, actually being put together, matching the concept, the message the designers or architects would like to convey through the architecture.
I thought of the example in the restaurant in gasoline. A full of theme cafe restaurant. The first time I visited this place was at Sungei Wang when I was form 4 or 5. It was based on the haunted house or something with a lot of super natural thing. Lighting was dark. Wall paper was interestingly scary. lol. even the photo is blurred, the eerie feeling was a little stronger. Went back few years later, atmosphere was still the same. I guess it's the concept and the way they let people experience the space that attracts all the youngsters to come over for tea.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gardens of Pleasure
After second thought after reading, it's quite true that designing a landscape architecture isn't really that easy. To express through plain plane, plain ground, it really needs a lot of creativity and thought. It's not about placing the vegetation, the elements in any disorder way, it needs design, for expressions.
There are a very nice garden in Bukit Jalil, with alot of different architecture in all over the world gathered there. My parents likes to go over there very much. It was actually designed like zones, from places to places. And there are actually bout 3 parks linking with each other all over Bukit Jalil. A very big recreational area. A lot of people going there for exercising in the mornings. Can visit here. ahhahaa
The passage wrote that gardens anticipated the history of cities. Here the garden, or actually a recreational park showing flash back of the architecture and histories of different places.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pleasure and Necessity
I would have remember one of the architecture term from History 2 class, bout non functional here. Uselessness. Some people would say extra decoration, idea, creativity are useless, when related to financial and monetary aspect. There we can see most of the commercial buildings, terrace house, shoplots, the design are mostly the same. (anyway, for repetitive houses, the houses could be limited for construction purpose, easier ). I guess only for special building, like art gallery, museum, and for owner who would willing to pay, could have special ideological design of architecture. And there are really super limited architects in this world that could do this, special design showing their ideology of architecture. We still live in a plain terrace house without extra ornaments. It's a question whether that extra decorations are a "need" or just a "want". It is now all leave to the architect and owner, to weight, which is more important to them, financially or pleasure of architecture, the uniqueness of the architecture on their building. A piece of art like what had been described like the "fireworks" in the passage. =)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metaphor of Order - Bondage
Bondage of architecture with theories, histories and other precedents. The bonds enhance pleasure, it says. The more numerous and sophisticated the restraints, the greater the pleasure in architecture. I guess it's the challenge, the techniques of bonding all the rules and regulations, the restrictions, the "must-apply-in" theories and others, when all these could blend in so well, matching, creating a piece of art that present, so outstanding, people could actually feel the pleasure inside, the complication of bondage could be the significance of that architecture. Just now how we are trained in our design classes now, with a lot of research, precedent studies, concepts, organizations, principles, when all these met, with clear expression, only then we have did a good design that could talk within itself, that showed what we wanted to tell others in that design. @@
People have go beyond everything and challenge every limit on earth. And some have go over the line of rationality, with upside down houses. However people find these special. In Japan: http://www.digital-pros.com/mt-static/archives/000032.html
Eroticism is not the excess of pleasure, but the pleasure of excess. @.@ Same as the fragment before, it is said that neither space nor concepts alone are erotic, but the junction between the two is. The ultimate pleasure of architecture is that impossible moment when an architectureal act, brought to excess, reveals both the traces of reason and the immediate experience of space, this can be explained with the "Bondage" fragments as well.
It could create an attraction, a focal point, of making people having the desire towards the architecture when everything bonds in so well while having the concepts and space blends into each other perfectly as well.
However by seeing this word "Eroticism", somehow remind me of another couple restaurant in PJ. I have heard a lot about it from the couple couple friends and saw online before but never been there. However I think that the concepts and space have created a very... eroticism feeling for the couple I guess. @.@ Don't really know how to describe it. LOL. The Cave @ SS2, PJ.
Each couple could take one private "cave" for themselves. marogalfoodparadise.blogspot.com The open area, as if dining inside a cave. marogalfoodparadise.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metaphore of Seduction - The Mask
The mysteries behind the architecture. It was described as architecture as like wearing many layers of mask. Unveiling every one of them, there will still have another one behind. Only through this way people could feel pleasure, with seduction, to explore it. Very fun way the passage comparing architecture seduction with flirting acts.
Every elements in the architecture could have resemble something else, with its very own reason. Only through knowing the stories and mysteries behind it, people could understand the building. Only then the people could be amazed. Oh NOno. Should be the place itselves have been very amusing and amazing, the mysteries and reasons behind it will add on the surprises of the purposes of every elements and the standing of the piece of art there.
People likes excitement I guess. People like curiosity. People like to discover new things.
Like the design of shops and shopping malls, for example the pavillion, it is made of glass, showing partial of the building and for shops, surely displaying the items with mannequins, this will generate curiosity and desire of people to know what's more inside the shops and shopping malls, what nicer stuffs could have be selling inside the shops. This is a normal reaction of people.
Another example will just be the Berlin Jewish Museum. The design of this museum seduce people to walk through all the spaces with different experiences moving through all the difference spaces and axes.
I really like all the reasons and how Daniel Libeskind had designed. Every design elements in the museum had been representing something. History of the Jews in Berlin through the spaces of axes; the anguish, the angers through the angular form; the sadness, hollowness of the humiliation or abuse through the void space with the fallen leaves of steel faces, the cracking sound. omg. @.@ everything so well thought.
It is said that before knowing all the representations, it already had been speaking itself of all the emotions it wanted to express, after knowing all the meanings of everything, I guess no one would have wanted to deny the greatness of this piece of art.
To talk about pleasure, it's actually easy to create but certainly not in architecture. Only when the art of illusions can be mastered, breaking points that are flexible to be created, and expectations and wantings had been fulfilled and reached. Idea and concepts being convey through architecture clearly, however with a mask of mysteries behind all these that will create desire. No matter orderly or through conflict, as long as it's interesting and fulfill all the concepts and expectation, special, people might can feel the pleasure of the space and concept.
Not only through orderly way of classical, nowadays, creativity and innovations are very much fonded by people of architecture, of modernism, of special space quality. But with all the other fragments merge well together. @.@
special excess, differences and left over, go beyond the formal, previous classical dogmas and principles. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Advertisements for Architecture
Hahaha. here the passage wrote that architecture could not be performed in books. I somehow disagree with this. @.@ Only through books and pictures, and passage, people who could be access to the place could know more and feel more about the place, the architecture that it's too far to reach. And there comes the importance of photography skills.
yea, it will be definitely different thing by feeling with all the seven senses ourselves in the real space with reading a book, just a 3D pictures in a 2D paper. However this type of advertisement have been a very crucial one to let people knowing places.
The last sentence wrote that: as there are advertisements for the architectural products, why not for the production ( and the reproduction) of architecture? Things are always easier to be said than to be done. It has a lot of considerations and restrictions for a single reproduction of architecture I guess.
I'm not sure whether had I truly understand this fragments. There might be pros and cons of the advertisements of architecture. True also that it is said that it triggers the desire for something beyond the page itself, sometimes by reading the Ikea book, we just read and put aside, without really feeling interested in it, but we'll feel like buying it when we touch it in the Ikea store. @.@ hmm. very much confused. But I still support the advertisements and productions of books anyway. lol. There could be mysteries to be unveil that people loves behind the pictures, with the right photography skills. :)
So many metaphor in this passage. Architecture with language. Both contains fragments that form them.
Architecture with walls, rooms, streets, ideas; real fragments and virtual fragments; memory and fantasy; ---- Architecture stands in between. Balanced? Desire. What a big word. Another metaphor. Each setting and fragments in a movie was aimed at seduction, but always dissolved at the moment it was approached. Then each time it would be substituted by another fragment. Desire was never seen, yet remained constant. This is the beauty of it, the hard-to-get-approached of desire.
And architecture was said it was the same thing. A piece of architecture is architectural because it sets in motion the operations of seduction and the unconscious.
It is full of possibilities. It allow us to express what we wanted, the unconciously-wanting in our mind, and spread this to the others as a seduction. "It cannot satisfy the wildest fantasies but may exceed the limits set by them."
I might be able to create something in the Harry Potter story, and from the movie "Inception", create another of my own world, create desire for the people. Architecture has a lot of great possibilities.
The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible. - Arthur C. Clarke-
Monday, August 9, 2010
5:19 PM ● Field Trip: Asthetics, Ruins & Space
Get to do some research about Kellie's Castle.
So famous about it being haunted! *exciting* !
But behind all these, it's famous for it's love story behind too, just like the scenes from movies. Haunted Mansion? lol.
Found a website where the author had been describing and comparing the Kellie's Castle with the Taj Mahal. The great love beyond this big mansion.
Kellies Castle is symbol of love, like the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. And in the architecture, there is definitely some moghul influence visible.
Kellie's Castle was built by a Scottish planter called William Kellie Smith. He built the castle for his wife. Smith himself was from a little town in Scotland: Kellas. He built the castle for the same reason as Shah Jahan a few centuries earlier the Taj Mahal: Love
Shah Jahan built the Taj as a monument for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The original idea was to build a black and a white Taj on both sites of the river. Shah Jahan didn't come further then the known white Taj. Smith however, never had the idea of building two castles.
Mr William Kellie Smith had a great fond over the Indian and Moghul style, therefore the mansion was built in Moghul and Indian style. Even the materials and workers were all "imported" from India.
At the Kellas house, some of the structures had been neglected since long ago. Somehow with the growth of plants within the bricks, and the structure left in it's own state, such as a stairway to no where had been a nice thing to be seen, At least we could trace it's history and feeling it wanted to achieve. haha.
It's nice to keep this structures here. The abandoned ruined structure kept gave a mysterious feeling to the people who see it. And through this way, the great idea of love, of history, of culture, could be seen and much appreciated by the future generation. Gave a soul to the site itself, and to the people who see it. =D
Monday, July 19, 2010
5:21 PM ● An Architecture of the Seven Senses
Lifeless without experiencing the spaces through the senses!
Eye, ear, nose, skin, tongue, skeleton and muscle. When we used all these senses in experiencing a space, the space could be live up, but not bare image in front of our eyes without any meaning.
As like what it was said, we human actually being dependent and rely on the vision so much in our daily life. A lot of perceptions was made final with the sight we seen through our eyes. Like we like to see beautiful things. However I think, if we actually dependent solely on only one of the senses, we couldn't really feel the world. Not only architecture, spaces, but the world.
I used to cry when I watch some korean or japanese soap drama, quite easily. :p However got once, the TV was muted, and I watched back some very saddening scenes in the drama, without music and sound, with only the motions in the TV, I couldn't feel anything. Vice versa, when I was busy doing assignment and my sis was watching some soap drama as well, my back was facing the TV, I was just hearing their conversations in the drama with sad musics, without the motions, there wasn't any feeling, or urge that could cause my tears falling. hahaha. What an example. I think with only the combination of two or more senses, feeling could be created more easily, more lively. Except if one have an extraordinary imaginary mind. I once have a colleague that could cry listening to radio fm's story. lol
Back to the topic of senses, my own experiences. Hmm.
I actually love the smells of the books. I like the smell of the bookstores, the library, even more if the library is old, with a lot of old books. When I stepped into the library or bookstore, if the smell of the books isn't there, the feeling of liking the space, the description and perception of my mind toward this library would decrease. It wouldn't really feel like a library for me. Flipping through the yellowish books with the old book smells, it feel like there is a lot of stories to be told inside the book. Just the smell of an old book could create such a feeling for me, what's more when I stepped into a bookstore with hundreds of books which smells the same! how wonderful, it seems like the library/bookstores have contained thousands of mysteries itself inside the space. Therefore, smells actually can create a sense of space, make a space live up a life.
There is actually another more realistic example which is the bank. I actually thinks that the bank has a smell of money, that makes a "bank" a "bank". haha. I guess if one stepped into a bank without the ability of other senses but with only smell, he would guess correctly over it that it's a bank.
Birds chirping, insects producing squerking sounds, by listening to these sound we could actually know it's near a forest or more to a greenery space.
Standing and playing inside an arcade game space, without the loud noise of the stereos and arcade machines, the people who's playing wouldn't really have the mood to play. Exception for those who are just tend to waste their time there for nothing, most of the people playing there actually would like to express their anger, their unhappiness and release some stress by playing there, "bombing" their ears and emotions right there. ( Sometimes I tend to do this, that's why O.O only sometimes). The hearing actually creating the mood inside the arcade center. Imagine yourselves playing in an arcade center with no noise, no sound at all, there would be so dull and uninteresting, the life of the arcade center wouldn't be there.
The echo produced inside a cave gave me an impression of deep space inner but got covered with solid stones all around. so mysterious!
Actually some certain things are meant to be felt and experienced. Such as when we look at the durian's sharp edges, by just looking at it, though we could feel it's sharp, but it's not real. I think we should touch it gently to feel it. Though sharp and might be harmful, but could bring heaven's taste.
As for space, like when we go for jungle trekking, inside the forest, I'll tend to touch the trees around to feel the texture of the tree's skin. This makes the forest live to me that the nature's all around me, where I could truly feel through touches.
In sem 1, mei yin and me went to Ar. Lok Wooi's house for a visit. His house was totally made of exposed brick and timber, we have been touching the materials to feel the texture, that made us closer to the space, to feel the house. @.@
as for tongue, i actually don't really know how to experience spaces through this. Maybe when i came into a candy and chocolate shop, I'll tend to feel like tasting the food inside. I think this will be more like a type of imaginary. Rubble stones on the floor that looks alike with jelly beans, the tongue that will have a reaction to feel like trying it? @.@
Movement. I guess the best experience that I could sense the space through this would be in the "Pasar Malam". The movement of the crowd along the long street of night market, especially in my favourite night market of all, the Taman Connaught night market in Wednesday. The street is really long with a lot of stalls. The crowd grow bigger and bigger as the night go deeper. The people wouldn't feel sick over the crowd but they enjoy the movement of the flow of the people all along the streets. Couldn't really say enjoy, but the movements show the presence of human / people all around. This movements make the night market significant and live a life.
If a night market that has no people with no movement, it would be so dead.
Actually all the senses that made life. If just depend on just one, there will be lack of something no matter how. The space couldn't be feel and appreciated truthfully. Just like the example as we go into the japanese garden, I went to the Colmar Tropical Village in Fraser Hill, everything there was just a pleasure. A relaxing Hill station. From the French village architecture, to the Japanese Village where they have very nice smell plantations, we can smell, we can see, we can feel, we can touch, we can even taste the natural water around. The atmosphere is a total pleasant. Such a lively place. A lot of tourists were attracted to this place for holiday as well when I last visited there.
I found that in Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi), there was once a workshop, where the title was: How to experience space through the senses? There have got two experiments,
1. One sense at the time
They tried to explore how the other senses other than visual influence our perception of space.
“Vision separates us from the world whereas the other senses unite us with it.” (1)
They made sure that only one of the senses could be used while they escorted a group of participants through several different spaces. They asked them questions about their experience of the individual spaces. Is the space big or small, light or dark, or high or low?
2. Experience space by movement
They did a number of (dance) exercises in 3 different spaces at the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi) to get to know the spaces. Some of the exercises were: walk around, finding lines, relax in space, and walk towards and away from each other. The idea was to find out different aspects that define space by using all our senses. Aspects like orientation, focus, reference points and how we felt in these different environments.
In the end result, it showed that perceiving solely with vision gives us a distorted perception of space, especially in comparison with the separate use of smell and touch. They tend to describe space a lot more accurately.
Reading through and after some researches on the Berlin Jewish Museum, understand about the design of Daniel Libeskind, it's quite incredible to have those ideas blended in the design of the building.
In my opinion, the Jewish Museum is successful in commemorating the dead. Though the 3 axes which indicate the 3 realities of Jewish life in Germany, each of them have explained clearly of the overall of the history and presence of the Jews in Germany.
The 3 axes that went to different path, in a story line of the Jewish' History in Germany through the architecture of the Jewish Museum
From what I have researched, the Jews actually led to a very hard life in Germany and Austria in the older days, since year 1930-s. First axes that lead from the old Baroque building to the new building of Jewish Museum. This had represented the Jews the continuation of the Jews' living in Germany. German - Jews, related to each other.
Second axes that lead from the new building out to the Garden of Exile and Emigration outdoor. From year 1933 to 1939 in the history of Jews in Germany, a great amount of Jews had fled from Germany to other countries, due to the degree of pressure placed on the Jewish community in Germany and the willingness of other countries to admit Jewish immigrants. The Garden with slanted pillars represented the instability of the emigration period that time and the plants on top of the pillars represented hope. References: http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005468
While the third axes was the dead end of Holocaust, where a huge number of Jews remaining in Germany had been killed during the Holocaust time. T.T Such hopeless resemblance. References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust
Even the openings of the building was design according to the history time line of the Jews during their hard time in Germany. And the Voids inside the building, all the mysteries and truth that could not be revealed.
A lot of considerations have been made and it's like a story a person could experience during the journey inside the building. Despite all the monuments and things being displayed inside the museum, the building itself has already been a story to tell itself, as a background, enhancing the history of Jews.
So-get-inspired suddenly by this Jewish museum. @.@ I really thinks it did commemorate the life of the past of the Jews successfully.
The mosaic art on the facade of the National Museum showing the development of Malaysia
For the local example, the National Museum, with the blend of traditional Malay architecture with modern lines, despite being stimulative from the point of tradition also presents a panoramic view of the development of Malaysia, as depicted by the two large murals of Italian mosaic, which extend across the facade of the building. This two big arts of mosaic that tell the story, the development of Malaysia is aspiring. through the story line on wall, people would know more about Malaysia in an interesting way. The people that live during certain period, the ancestors, the dead could be commemorate when being put on a big display on a main facade of a building. References:http://www.aseancultureandinformation.org/coci/files/archive/The%20National%20Museum%20of%20Malaysia.pdf
But for the best example of commemorating the dead and past in Malaysia, could be the National Monument where a sculpture of the soldiers of comrades being placed. It had been standing there since 1966. The soldiers had been fighting hard to protect our nations from the Japanese and Malayan Emergency. The monument embodying seven bronze statues also represents the triumph of the forces of democracy over the forces of evil. Each of the bronze figures symbolizes leadership, suffering, unity, vigilance, strength, courage and sacrifice.
The National Monument with Bronze sculptures of our Heroes of Malaysia as a respect and commemorating them.
The monument was placed in the monument complex encompasses five main components; the National Monument, fountains, pavilion, a war memorial and the surrounding gardens. All these was aimed to commemorate the dead who had fought for our nation. References: http://www.malaxi.com/kuala_lumpur/tugu_negara.html
By looking at the sculpture standing there, I guess the family of the fallen comrades will feel very much relieved mentally, as their ancestors being remembered, their effort being appreciated, standing for decades in the city center of Malaysia. Just by looking at it, the people will feel so proud of our own nation. I felt the same way when I visited this place when I was just 11 years old and it's still the same during the last visit on May this year. Sitting at a very nice location by facing the fountain, with a war memorial, it has been a very important spots in Kuala Lumpur.
I think as to be seen in site planning wise, the Monument Complex is very near to the Lake Garden, Parliament Building Malaysia, National Mosque, National Museum and a lot of important buildings. All these are having the objectives of representing Malaysia and some, show the idea of Malaysia, history and same of commemorating the dead and past as well.
Best way of commemorating the heroes of Malaysia, hmm. By looking at the example of the Jewish Museum, I felt so @.@ great of that idea in commemorating the dead. The architecture did speak about the story of the Jews first, and as a great background of the past. Of course although the National Monument didn't bring as big impact to me as the Jews Museum, I think it's great to have it there as an appreciation and commemoration towards the heroes of Malaysia. It bring a great significance to the KL city as well.
By having a museum for the heroes, with the same method of using the language of architecture as well, making a short film, showing the sacrifices and hard fight they had in protecting the country ad display just beside the National Monument, making the whole area a place for the Heroes, enhancing the impact of the National Monument that bring into the people's mind. I think they could have been commemorated well, being known by the future generation and whoever who visited the place.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
1:27 PM ● Remembering the Home
Mies van der Rohe. "Less is More". A pioneer of modern architecture. Well known, and mostly people recognized him for his works, all those years he was an architect. Little did people know about his starting and challenges he faced before he succeed, what had mold him with the minimalism style he possessed.
He developed his style from his mistakes, after the fiasco of this Kroller House.
It is through growing up, through learning, through the environment, that shape the personality of a person, then reflects it in the person's work, in terms of anything, art, or architecture or what so ever. Like for the malay vernacular architecture, Malay house, most of the characteristics were built to suit the weather, environment, site and culture.
As we grow and going higher and higher in our education here, we learn more and were being exposed to more knowledge and works of others. Through that too our mind would start developing and going to the direction of our preferences.
It was said that our childhood home gave a vast impact on the understanding of place and architecture. I guess I never think much when I was young. I just felt very safe staying at my home, and it's the centre of the world for me by that time. Just like traveling inside the car, my dad driving. I never know where I am if I don't know the streets name, I just sat inside the car to wherever the car brought me. HAHAHA.
ah, out of topic.
Houses for me last time was shaped to only 2 types basically. Normal dwellings, that are having red pitch roof, this is how I, or normal kids draw their home. With one door, 2 windows. Another type was fairy tale type of castle. The result of reading and watching too much of fairy tales cartoon like cinderella, beauty and the beast, snow white, little mermaid etc. HAHAHA. Oh, Aladdin have islamic architecture of castle, with the onion head. Through all these stories, I was exposed to the types of architecture inside. But in some of the anime and cartoon, the normal dwelling, houses are having flat roof. @@ Super solid type of houses.
From the age of 1 until 11, I've been staying in a town house. The upstairs was my family's home, while the downstairs was my uncle's home. In term of spaces, it was kind of small but merely enough for us, when my sis and I was still young. My sis and I spared a same small room together with a double deck beds. Parallel to the bed, just bout half meter or a little more from the bed, was 2 study tables lining side by side. Between the tables and the bed, was a walkway in the room. The room was just about 6m x 4m big in plan. Of course there was fun inside the room as well. My sis once fell down from the higher deck of the bed last time. haha. Then I have to exchange place with her, I slept at the higher bed. But I don't really mind, I like to climb the stairs up there.
Kind of small. hahaha. Just by viewing the size of the room, the house actually is small as well, maybe when now we've move to a bigger size house. I actually thought that all houses are the same size with the house I was staying that time. But of course we did pay visit to dad's colleagues and some relatives with bigger house. There my mind developed further. The house plan for the town house home
That home, having a long staircase from group floor car porch, straight up to my home. one way, with one landing in the middle. I like it when my mom washed the floor, when she pour the water from upstairs, the water rushed and flowed down, forming a waterfall there. So much fun I had there. How good if every house have this staircase. But my mom used to throw our stuffs down the staircase when she was too frustrated. LOL. I played game with my sister at that staircase as well. I guess I just love staircase so much, until now I actually likes to see staircases' design. (any relation? @.@ )
The staircase where my mom pour water when washing the floor that create a small waterfall space for me to play around.
Another part was the balcony. I actually would like to have a balcony at my house. The original design of my house was having a balcony, just like how my neighbor's house had. My dad wanted to make the house have more interior space, he covered the balcony wall with glass windows. I always couldn't understand his reason of closing up the balcony until now I think back. The living room have became bigger with that balcony space. But I still would like to have the balcony space being opened up without the windows. haha.
The living room and the dining area basically was just one beside another. The living room was the place where I spent most of my precious quality time with my family. It's just in front of the staircase, and there was a piano at the dining area. The area there, the dining area and living room was the most open space. It's not very big. There was a room beside the living room, the master bedroom, if there's any chaos outside the living room my parents would know very soon. haha. Besides whenever my sister played the piano, the whole house will be filled with music and melody. For the piano was placed at the center of the house. And that's why we like to hang out in the living area. Whoever back from work or school, we could give them a warming welcome as well when they appeared from the staircase place. I think this is so heartwarming and would like to have something like these in my future home.
There was another room just beside my sis n my room, which was my dad's working room. It was small as well. There was a big table and a small book shelve inside. This room can say as a mystery room for us. Curious but fear over the room. It was my dad's room and seems like it was filling with a lot of mysterious stuffs. we once found a "don't-know-it's-real-or-fake" centipede. We were so scared like hell, quickly threw it back into the drawer and closed it up, never open it again. I think it must have a fun mysterious place in a house, to make it interesting? hahahahhaa.
The kitchen was a place not to mess with where my mom did all the cooking. But the place to catch mouse that was hiding above the ceiling. We can always hear the noise that the mouse ran over here and there above the ceiling. At night my parents would put bait inside the mouse trap and we could find a mouse inside the cage the next day. Must learn how to prevent mouse and other pest next time when designing houses.
The car porch place was the place the car was parked and where the clothes was hung. On mid autumn festival, we played candle there as well. My mom planted a lot of plantations and last time even vegetables there too. There was once a cat outside always came in and we gave him food at the car porch there.
There was a green field just opposite my house, easily access. But the residence there seldom loiter around there, and so did I. My parents didn't allow as well. One point was it was there was a big drain seperating our side with the field. And second point was the grass wasn't cut and they grew really tall. My mom always scare me that there will be snakes there. I think the main purpose of the field was actually to gather up the neighborhood for recreational purpose, however it failed. I think this kind of space was kind of nice but need maintenance. If I were to design a residential area, I would like to have a big open space for sports and all type of activities that the community can gather around, just like how I saw in "karate kids", in china. This could make the gap between human and neighbour more narrow, and could get close to each other, not like the society now, that we never know who's our neighbor. Anyway, we used to be very "friend" with our ex-neighbor there last time. ^^
Every spaces in home have their multi functions, with different memories. It more or less gave some impact to the idea of spaces for me. Like the staircases, and the open space of the living room with the piano, and the mysterious room in the house.
There are different things that I learn while growing up, observing things. Like once I went to another uncle's house, I like it where his son's room was painted in blue and I like the sleep on the floor concept. Wake up, just tidy up the bed and, there are more space to use. hahhaa.
Another thing was I was kind of influenced by my dad. He was a contractor in glass and aluminium. I don't know how, I like to use the glass. Feel that it looks quite elegant. Actually most of the windows in my home were all fixed by my dad, got from his company, some designed himself. haha. * love them * . In many of my design projects, I used a lot of glass.
And through all the course and crits and review, there developed our own style as well. Especially from history classes. To learn from all the history and styles. When we open up our view, our observations, our perspectives of viewing the surrounding especially architecture, we will be learning much and being influenced unconsciously sometimes.
Because that the normal thing we see is always squarish with pitch roof, we tend to get out of the box. And therefore, I don't know how, my design tend to go quite curvy, with a lot of curve lines.
Relationship of man and God in the context of dwelling
In the essay, mentioned by Heidegger, with the example of the Greek Temple. It is the architecture and make a place, the earth presence. The art does not represent but present. The figure of the god was enclosed and this created a holy precinct with the presence of the god.
3 very important points about what to be preserved in the truth of art. 1) the temple makes "the god present". 2) the temple fits together and shapes the destiny of human being. 3) the temple that makes all things on earth visible.
This could sound a little exaggerated but I think it is possible if we really see through. For example that I know, Mayijima Shrine in Japan, with the Torii in the sea, it enables us to view over the sea, the sky, and everything on earth.
In a website article, "The god or goddess was represented by a cult image— usually a seated or standing statue— which occupied the central place in the temple." "The greek temples were meant to serve as homes for the individual god or goddess who protected and sustained the community. Their houses were the finest, equipped with a staff of servants to look after their every need." http://www.odysseyadventures.ca/articles/greektemple/greek_temple.htm
This can see that when the temples was treated as a home for the god, the god or goddess must be staying inside, and the temple being holy, there when the human go inside, they will feel very near to the god, with their presence inside, visually can see the figure in the center of the temple.
It is mostly centralized form in the arrangement of the sacred places like temple, mosque, church. Church's having an axis, and centralized at the place where the pastor and father would stand. Normally with a big cross in the middle, and I guess through this way, the people would feel the relationship between them with the god. However, in christian, where I heard from my friend, god is always living in everyone's heart as long as u believe god's existence. Controversy?
Fourfold of earth, sky, mortals and divinities, which are mirror to each other. and we really used to think of world in terms of physical, social or culture structure, but we forgot about other important thing, which is the nature. Very true as described in the essay! And the mirror-play mention above constitutes the world, an open "between". Everything's actually staying in between. man in between sky and earth, birth and death,joy and pain etc.
With nature as the concrete things on earth, it actually shape human beings. However in this decade, I realize human no longer wanted to live in "between". They go beyond, into the space outside earth. They never appreciate the site and nonstop digging the resources no matter it's recoverable or not. In the end, the nature will still get back the side effect on us, which can be seen at the green house effect that's happening . ==================================================================
Place and Space
Heidegger with a concept saying "Things visit mortals" with an example of jug and bridge. The bridge gathers the earth as landscape around the stream. it gives some kind of live to the land through structure. It does not just connect banks that are already there, but they emerge as banks only as the bridges crosses the stream. The bridge thus makes a place come into presence. Earth and landscape is not merely topographical concepts here anymore.
Here compliments the thought that was brought up in the essay last week, how a spot become a place in human's eye, and from place to space. Last week was with the psychological setting of human, when we know the place and it plays a significance matter, the space would become a space. And here in the same way, when a structure of art, of architecture, is there, the things all around will be gathered and it would be place. It's the art that makes all the things present.
and everything on earth have become one, as a whole of totality.
Space, what is within the world, is within space. Still going through the same type of theory last week, a space could be describe and classified with words such as below, above, on top and so on. ===================================================================
Language
Language have been one of the art as well. In the essay, it was said that nature was somehow could be expressed in away of language, of poetry. "Itself was poetry, in the essential sense" and "Language by naming beings for the first time, first brings beings to word n to appearance"
and same theory as the place and space, the language, when a things was first name, then it would be recognize. Quite agree with this as well. When we never name it, it never could have been a real object. However, even if we name it, it could be one of the legend that happens before, jsut like the hanging garden of Babylon, with a lot of stories yet nobody really know it's existence.
Language as been a very useful tool to capture eternity. Words, poems. Like the literature we study in secondary school, "Sonnet 18", William Shakespear wrote that his lover's beauty, would now be captured eternally in his poem, even after a century or forever, as long as someone's reading his poem, they would know her beauty, is uncomparable for him. So beautiful. So touching. But I guess technoloogy created pictures, could save memories as well., lol
Language keeps the world. People could only understand things in language. I guess not only words. There are pictorial language, braille which uses the touching sense as well. As long as the human being could understand and communicate. With art, and without words, can a building be telling us stories and meanings underneath it, this is a very important point.
so amazing when the nature could be express poetically through a myth story in language, the god and goddess, zeus, mnemosine and so much more. ===================================================================
Dwellings
There Heidegger says human dwells between "work and word". Amazing. Where things are actually in mutual relationship, in a tension. The word opens up a world and the work makes the world present. woooohoo. And there, the human nurse n nurther the things that grow, and construct things that do not grow. Human nowadays seldom nurture things anymore, instead, they cut down trees, kill animals for their own benefits.
Buildings are constructed things, which gather a world and allow for dwelling. When thr's a piece of art, of architecture, when the nature has been gathered , the place could be an inhabited and known landscape.
lol. even the photo is blurred, the eerie feeling was a little stronger.
Went back few years later, atmosphere was still the same. I guess it's the concept and the way they let people experience the space that attracts all the youngsters to come over for tea.
The open area, as if dining inside a cave. marogalfoodparadise.blogspot.com
http://www.newswit.com/enews/2009-06-03/31013ede1773a3704013cc1feb354857/
http://tokyo.metblogs.com/2006/02/25/tokyo-show-windows/
