Architecture + Design Portfolio by Natalie Tai

CORNER INFILL

74, Calle de Hortaleza, Madrid

The project possesses a challenge for each program which require different levels of privacy. These programs include: livework, office space, childcare and community education center. The project also proposes a solution of natural lighting in the corner condition.

The approach to the corner space was to architecturally highlight the street corner and invite the urban fabric to fill the corner space with urban activity. This corner allows programs such as the office, childcare and community center to share a single gathering space but also become part of the urban fabric; a place to observe the city, a stage for street performers and a place to gather and meet.

Calle de Gravina

Calle de Hortaleza

The program is arranged in such a way that avoids the crossing of views of one program to another. The privacy of each programs are preserved by stacking the most private program such as the live work unit on the top and the least at street level which are the childcare and community education center.

The private and public circulation shows magenta and blue arrows. Magenta represents the public access and views and the blue represents the private access and views.

Child Care Community Center

The building has two vertical circulation. The blue is private circulation and strictly for the accessibility of the live work.

The private and public circulation shows magenta and blue arrows. Magenta represents the public access and views and the blue represents the private access and views.

The project incoporates courtyards and terraces to employ recreational areas within the building and allow natural light to penetrate the building. Each courtyard has different levels of privacy and respond to each program. The most public courtyard is the magenta where steet performers and pedestrians meet and gather the least public is the blue courtyard where it is only occupied by the live work tenants.

This diagram illustrates the two modes of entry, one private (blue) for tenants who may enter from the quieter street of Gravina. On the other hand, the more public (magenta) circulation from Hortaleza street is a more public access.

NORTH WEST ELEVATION

NORTH EAST ELEVATION

SECTION A - A SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION B - B SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION D - D SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION C - C SCALE 1’-1/8”

REINTERPRETATION OF THE SIHEYUAN

Baochao Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing, China

The individual units are divided in two zones: the public located at the front and consisting of the living room, dining room and kitchen and the private at the back consisting of the bathrooms, office and bedrooms. They are connected in plan.

Each zone possesses a courtyard that pulls the program towards it allowing the public and private program to ‘look away’ from each other as they surround the courtyard. This allows the private and public zone to posses their own level of privacy.

The blocks represent the following: Restrooms (yellow) Living room (blue) Kitchen (Purple) Bedroom (green) Study (white)

The project is a single plot that is shared between two residences. The aim of the project was to create a sense of privacy within the plot for each residence.

The two residences are differenciated by diagonal markings that group of residence from the other.

The loop formation of programs allow courtyards to separate one residence from the other where as the courtyards at the center act as a hearth for each residence.

A green roof with openings allow light and ventillation into the compound. It also adds a sustainable and regenerative element into Beijing’s urbanscape.

ROOF PLAN SCALE 1-1/4”

PLAN SCALE 1-1/4”

SECTION B - B SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION A - A SCALE 1-1/8”

Render of colelctive residential units, changing the urbanscape of the old Hutong Village.

Tea House

Jalan Duta Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A Japanese couple has moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Because of their deeply rooted cultural traditions, they have added a Japanese Tea house and a meditation room as part of their home. Tea ceremony is a dying tradition among the young adults, this couple seeks to share the experience with their guest in hopes of preserving the tradition and teaching it to new people. The clients wanted, not only a home but a place where one can seek inner balance, tranquility as well as heart warming hospitality.

URBAN ANALYSIS

Residential + Commerical Commercial Buildings

DATUM LINE DERRIVED FROM MAIN ROAD

JALAN DUTA KIARA

CONCEPT SKETCHES

DATUM LINE DEVELOPMENT

INTERACTION OF PROGRAM WIITH DATUM LINE

INTERACTION OF PROGRAM WIITH DATUM LINE ITERATIONS

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

CONCEPT FINALIZATION: W

12 TEA HOUSE

13 GROUP MEDITATION ROOM

LEVEL 3 PLAN SCALE 1-1/8”

SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION B - B SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION C - C SCALE 1-1/8”

NORTH ELEVATION

Miriam Matthews Public Library

Hyde park, Los Angeles

This design derrives from a reductive process of a collection of lines from a 3 dimensional polyhedra. Planes are added to the remaining wireframe to create surfaces that are thickened to articualte the library space.

Hyde park library is an existing library located in downtown Los Angeles, the problem with the current library is that it is often subject to vandalism by locals, the library was meant to improve the morale of a neighbourhood which possesses high crime rates. The aim of redesigning the library was to encourage more people to visit the library and increase their learning interest.

The project was to derive a functional building from the idea of a hexahedron. By studying and manipulating the faces and edges of a hexahedron, the edges created a new skeletal structure that vaguely held the idea of a hexahedron yet allowed the imagination to encase a building around the new formed edges.

Wooden

Surfaces are added to the skeleton to add abstract voids and structure. This allows for orientation and better understanding of its architectural development and aesthetic potential.

dowels were used to create the renewed hexahedron. By looking at the stick model at different angles allowed me to visualise the potential architecture.

ORTHOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTS

NORTH ELEVATION

A curtain wall is wrapped around the core building and creates a sheltered outside space as if theatrical curtains were ‘lifting up’ to show an architectural performance. The library stands out with its non symmetrical floor plans and dynamic living space, this draws the curiosity to the young people in the neighbourhood, matching their energy and curiosity to promote a greater learning experience for the locals.

SITE AND ORIENTATION

LEVEL 1 PLAN SCALE 1-1/8”

LEVEL 2 PLAN SCALE 1-1/8”

ADA : ELEVATOR

ADA: STAIRS

Developed drawing

1’-3/32”

DEVELOPED DRAWING SCALE 1’ - 3/32”

ADA: RESTROOM

ADA: PARKING

LEVEL 1 PLAN SCALE 1-1/8”

LEVEL 2 PLAN SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION A - A SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION B - B SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION MODEL SCALE 1-1/8”

MUSEUM OF DEMOCRACY RIO DE JANEIRO

Fort Copacabana, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

The museum seeks to bring together people being lifted and stacked it creates an open space free for the public to occupy. The way it is stacked connects the city with the ocean. The ocean views thread throughout the architecture at the lower floor whereas the upper floor of the museum offers an enclosed experience where visitors can appreciate the artifacts without distraction.

The lower ground wall shear wall contains the archieve and office spaces where the loading dock is located. Concreate reinforced columns hold up the structure as well as the vertical core that contains the egress stairs.

The ground floor is held up by reinforced concrete columns. The steel allowed an open floor plan and for the glass curtain to bring light into the interior and conenct the museum lobby space with the surrounding views.

The exhibition space at level 1 is constructed with perforated precast panels and supported by refincorced concrete columns and a 5ft thick support beams between the ground floor and level 1. The roof is supported by the tension created by arches. The arch structure transfers vertical weight to the foundation.

Precast brick panel

Insulation

5 ft thick Structural

Slab

Glass Header

Glass

Glass Sill

Grade beam

Footing

Level 1 Exhibition

Resturant Interior

Exhibition Interior

Museum Exterior

ESPIRIT PRE COLLEGE

Dog Patch, San Francisco, California, USA

This a school for ages 16 to 18. This stage of the students educational career is highly critical, where they decide what they want to pursue for their working careers and preparation for college and adult life. The school develops well rounded students through teacher centered learning and students centered learning by doing so, students have the opportunity to nurture their weaknesses and their talents and interests. The students are encouraged to take initiative over their own learning and interests in order for them to develop and identify their individual talents and interests. Students are encouraged to teach and each other, give talks, collaborate, form clubs for subjects inside and outside of school. The student centered learning spaces allow students with similar learning styles to work together and find the best ways of tackling their academic struggles.

This radical education system takes a different appraoch towards developing well rounded students, It turns away from standardization and encourages the students individual talents and nurtures their weakensses through a balance of teacher centered learning and student centered learning.

The Grid

Abstract Models

San Francisco Open Field San Francisco Grid from Urban Pattern

Concept Diagram : Define becomes Datum for Ambiguity

A field condition would be any formal or spatial matrix capable of unifying diverse elements while respecting they idenitity of each. Field configurations are loosely bounded aggregates characterised by porosity and local interconnectivity.

- Stan Allen, From Object to field: Field condition in architecture and urbanism

Ambiguous Space

Student learning

Library

The library and the ambiguous space both are self learning spaces.

Architectural Student Activity Comparison

Ambiguous space

Student Centered Learning Space. Students are

Defined space

Teacher Centered Learning Space. Students are

Esprit Park, 19th St & Minnesota St, San Francisco

Scale Site Model

Analysing the site context

Annual Sun Path and Shadow Analysis

Annual Sun Path and Shadow Analysis

December 21st 8am -

Section

East Elevation

North Elevation

Cross Laminated Timber Wall Detail

RAINSCREEN FACADE SYSTEM OVER SUPER INSULATED EXTERIOR WALL FRAMING

CLT OR LAMINATED WOOD BEAM

CONCEALED STEEL CONNECTOR

HIGH PERFORMANCE WINDOW SYSTEM

LAMINATED WOOD COLUMN

FINISHED FLOOR OVER LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE TOPPING SLAB

Structural Load Diagram

Structural Wall and Beams

Column Beam

CLT Load Bearing Wall

Floor Heating System

Courtyard Ventillation

FISHERMAN’S WHARFT FISH MARKET

160 Jefferson St, San Francisco, California, USA

The project responds to the site by creating plazas that consist of the program and the site such as streets and neighbouring buildings. The intervention creates these pockets of green spaces holding a variaty of activities and different levels of publics spaces. Between these pockets of space is the fish market offering views to the harbor on one side and access to the city on the other.

December 21 9am

December 21 3pm

June 21 9am

June 21 3pm

Structural axonometric

MIGRANT WORKER HOUSING IN MALAYSIA

Section 51, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Since the pandemic began, reports surfaced regarding the living conditions of migrant workers which led to the nationwide increase of covid cases. These reports are evidence of urgency that we need to address the migrant worker housing not only in a way that dignifies the individual and effectively respond to the pandemic through architecture but additionally find new ways to harmoniously integrate social housing into the urban fabric as an urban artifact.

This architectural thesis will analyze how integrating new ideas such as prefabrication construction and kit of parts enable us to improve the wellbeing and and livelihood of the migrant worker housing in Malaysia as well as reinvision the industrial district by weaving a green oasis of well being into the factory culture.

Section 51, Jalan Tandang, Petaling Jaya

I feel this iteration has the most potential .With the formation of individual ‘L’ shaped units, this massing finds a solution to create public spaces using the roofs of another unit at the same time it creates courtyard spaces at multiple levels. The intricacy of this massing creates shading and organic growth which goes against the grain of a factory regiment. These ‘pockets’ create spaces that are public and private. This iteration also allows air and light to circulate through the project as it continues to stack and expand.

Concept massing

Urban studies 01

Urban studies 02

Urban studies 01 is an abstract of Petaling Jaya and the industrial area. These floating blocks indicate the lack of grid within the city and the nature in which it organizes itself. The blue represent the industrial buildings and the black indicate the commercial and low cost residential buildings. The red is the site. The common observation for all these diagrams is that each block or district possesses its own grid which collides with its neighbors.

Urban studies 02 is a more deconstructed diagram from the first. It ignores the greenery and the commercial buildings and simply looks at the placement of industrial factories (blue) and existing migrant housing apartments ( yellow) The conclusion here is that there are more factories than there are migrant worker apartments.

Urban studies 03

Urban studies 03 uses different textures to indicate different building types including the green areas which surround the industrial zones ( blue). It uniquely shows how the industrial zone is almost scattered and isolated from everything else. The second observation of this urban landscape is isolation of each zone from another which also reflects its poor transportation connectivity and pedestrian friendly walking spaces.

I have created this collage of steel factories and connected them visually, creating a composition of large and small spaces that are joined by a continuous ‘path’ derived from the linear elements found in the factory machinery. It is noted here the presence of the yellow elements and other primary colors used in factories for the purpose of organization and safety. This is collage acts as a source of inspiration for the architecture, where I derive the idea of path and nodes and connectivity.

The L Shape enables me to stack and multiply the units while creating pockets of terraces and varied shared spaces which allows the user the choice to choose the unit that best suit their personality. The different configuration allows for organic growth while maintaining social and individual pockets of spaces at every level.

The L shape also allow me to combine the L in a way to form a cube or a square room with an open floor plan

CONVERTABLE LIVING SPACE

The unit intergrated convertable living. Within the 17 ft by 17 ft space it is equipped with a track that allows the movable furniture to slide between the kitchen space and create a second room for an additional occupant. Thin metal beams act as structure and aesthetics for lighting and ventillation.

The cabinet allows two additional beds to flip out for the occasion. When not in use the tracks on the ceiling allow the cabinet to act as a storage space and move towards the wall to create a larger living space for a single occupant.

The operable polycarbonate skylight and walls allow light through the unit white portecting the occupants privacy. This render shows how the tracks are used to create a larger space for a single occupant.

In the event that the additional bed are not in use, the master bed can be stored into the cabinet and a table can be pulled out of the stove area for dinning purposes. The movable cabinet acts as a partition between the dinning space and living space.

The yellow of the project is to emulate the color from factory safety regulation and is intended to assimilate the project with the industrial environment.

The courtyard shared among multiple units create intimate social spaces between neighbours. The courtyard simultaneously provides light and ventillation to each unit.

This section axonometric drawing shows how the modular system can be easily stacked and organised to create pockets of shared open space.

Section B - B 1’=1/8”

Section A- A 1’=1/8”

This axonometric section shows each unit sharing an open space where various activities such as gardening, recreation and gathering take place.

This section axonometric drawing shows how the modular system can be easily stacked and organised to create pockets of shared open space.

NORTH ELEVATION

1’ = 1/’8” SCALE

WEST ELEVATION

1’ = 1/’8” SCALE

Soil and vegetation

Flashing

Parapit

3” thick Rebar

Sealant

Grout

Welded studs

False ceiling

Prefabricated precast concrete modular system

Roof detail

Scale : 1’ - 3”

Welded plate connection

Flooring tile nish

Steel I beam

Hollow core concrete

Prefabricated precast concrete modular system

Second oor detail

Scale : 1’ - 3”

Prefabricated precast concrete modular system

Polycarbonate wall detail

Scale : 1’ - 3”

Polycarbonate

Steel framing

Sill

bolt

Welded plate connection

Hollow core concrete

Bolted plate

Bent steel anchor

Concrete slab

Footing

Prefabricated precast concrete modular system

Concrete slab foundation detail

Scale : 1’ - 3”

The sustainability strategy involves passive cooling achieved through the use of courtyards, which also provide shading and operable skylights, the ceiling fans encourage hot air to escape through the windows and for cool air to enter. Accompanied with the passive ventillation are air condition cassettes to keep cool the public programs such as laundrymat, mini mart and restaurants.

The project utilizes the rain water for recyling and reuse such as toilets, laundry and irrigation. The pump and cistern are located below the structure.

The project is vertically threaded with steel columns which are grouted to the hollow concrete walls. These provide the structure with vertical support and help transfer the horizontal loads to the foundation. These steel columns also prevent the project from twisting dur to weight or wind loads.

The walls are prefabricated with hollow core concrete. The concrete is a widely available and water resistant material, reinforced with steel, it can resist very heavy loads. This stacking nature allows the project to continue to grow vertically and horizontally based on the users needs. To allow light to enter to each unit, translucent polycarbonate material offer the combination of lighting and privacy.

The ceiling of the lower floor also acts as the floor of the upper floor, this reduces resources needed. The prefabrication method also allows for less workers and flexibility and speed in construction.

Secured with a concrete slab foundation, the walls are fabricated in factories and assembled on site.

Concrete slab foundation

Steel I beam

Level 01 hollow core walls inserted to foundation

Level 01 ceiling and level 02 oor hollow core walls bolted above walls

level 02 hollow core walls inserted

Prefabricated hollow concrete core provides lateral stability .

Steel I beams that are threaded through the oors act as continuous vertical support and prevent the units from twisting.

STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM

VERTICAL CONNECTION

This structural diagram shows the different ways the L shaped unit can be stacked to create multiple iterations of terraces and shading.

The grey represents the unit on the second floor and the dotted unit represents the unit on the first floor.

STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM VERTICAL CONNECTION

Because the unit is assembled on site, one is able to take away and combine multiple walls to create an open floor plan. In this case, the L shaped units are combined to create different sizes of spaces for public programs. The L shaped units above also create terraces and shared spaces above the roof of the public programs.

The lateral system uses self framing concrete shear walls. Walls are self supporting precast concrete . Roof act as oor for unit above.

Continuity

Prefabricated hollow core system walls inserted into steel columns. Walls are self supporting precast concrete using gravity system.

Continuity

The lateral system uses self framing concrete shear walls. Walls are self supporting precast concrete .

Mat slab concrete over site and footing

Steel columns inserted on site with steel plates

Prefabricated hollow core system walls

provided by embeded, grouted steel wide ange columns.

Concrete foundation Steel columns inserted on site

Prefabricated hollow core system walls

provided by embeded, grouted steel wide ange columns.

Large span space use precast T beam for lateral support

Morning render of dwelling unit showing operable skylight and windows.The polycarbonate material allow light and transparency inside and outside the dwelling unit.

Afternoon render of dwelling unit.

Night render of dwelling unit. Prayer hall.

Courtyard showing socialization among migrant workers as well as acting as ‘green pockets’

intergrate the intervention with the factory.

Corridor between the first and second floor, yellow is incoporated from the idea of ‘safety’ used in factories inorder to

Canteen view from courtyard and entrance perspective.

Stackable Cup

Weijenberg. plt, Singapore

The concept derrived from creating a network of cups that would generate as an art piece as a collective. The need to incoprate urganomics opened opportunities to curve and bend the cup surface in a way that allowed the cups to stack vertically as well as horizontally.

DIMENSIONS AND TECHNICAL DRAWING

Office door handle design + fabrication

Weijenberg plt, Singapore

For the purpose of the new office in Delta House, I was assigned to design the door handle on a pivating door. The lines of the design follow the curve of the hand allowing for ease and visual pleasure.

KS Stools

Weijenberg, Singapore

Playing with the idea of folding curves on metal the idea was derrived from how the material would bend outward and create a natural tension in certain areas to allow the design to optimise as a seating object.

This project was first tested with paper then transferred into grasshopper and fabricated in the factory with 5mm steel sheets.

TEAM Zaqi Fathis

Here are 4 iterations for the design’s joinery system. The challenge for this project was to create a foldable chair that would be simple to assemble on site.

The stools are also stackable and create an interesting patterend design wall or partitian.

NYC Public Library Grand Stairs

Stairs are a powerful urban artifact they offer circulation as well as a place to observe the urban environment.

The design project consists of two paird of stairs with varied functions: a public stair that connects the street to the NYC public library and a private stairs that connects the lobby area to the entrance to the library space.

The magenta shows the flow of circulation for both the private and public stairs. The public stairs has minor circulation arrows showing a more privatised path for people to enter around the main gathering space in the middle. This gathering platform also acts as a stage for street performers in order to incoporate urban life into the stairs itself.

The form of private stairs goes against the grain of its enrivonment. The interior of the public library is angular and monotonous the archtiectural response to this was a shape that did not conform to the angular room which draws attention to itself. The ciruclar form also creates an opportunity to view the lobby area and view the streets of NYC in a panaramic way.

Like the private stairs the public stairs incoporates various activities into its design. The raise of the steps converge at the end to create a raised floor for people to dangle their feet and observe the city. A platform is located in the middle for events and act was a meeting place. The steps vary in width creating a kind of rhythm throughout the public stairs. The narrower steps at the bottom encourage pedestrians to circulate whereas the thicker steps encourage the pedestrians to slow down.

On the other hand, the private stairs creates coiled up an intimate space at the center where a lounge is created for users to meet privately,

LEVEL 1 PLAN SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION B - B SCALE 1-1/8”

SHAW CENTERPOINT PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

Shaw Centerpoint is a shopping mall that had recently under gone renovation after 30 years since its construction. The idea of the pesdestrian bridge was to bring a new and youthful energy to Klang.

WEST ELEVATION

EAST ELEVATION ALONG JALAN MELAYU ( VIEW FROM MRT STATION)

SECTION A-A 1:100

SECTION B-B 1:100

WEST ELEVATION

EAST ELEVATION ALONG JALAN MELAYU ( VIEW FROM MRT STATION)

SECTION A-A 1:100

SECTION B-B 1:100

SECTION C-C 1:100

CHILDREN FURNITURE DESIGNS

These designs were created with the user in mind. The animal themed designs encourage engaggement of the child with the product in a fun and charming way. Safety standards, aesthetics, construction and meaning in the design were considered during the development of these designs.

CHILDREN’S FURNITURE DESIGN

CHILDREN BENCHES

Inspired by Japanese joinery systems. this design was created to be able to be fixed together without the use of fasteners or nails. This sturdy design piece is suitable for ages 3-7. The design enables the child to engage with the piece imaginatively and use it in different ways for different occations from play to learning.

TAKUMIDESIGNS.COM

PROJECT:

HIMAWARI_bear_chair

DESCRIPTION:

CHAIR

(Design registration application review by the intellectual Property corporation of Malaysia (MYIPO) according to the industrial designs 1996)

OVERALL DIMENSIONS:

62.6cm H x 36.7cm W x 38cm

PRODUCTION QTY: 5

DESIGNER NOTES:

All units are in cm

Chair requires three wood light(backing and legs), (for seating) and black (for and nose)

all drawings are 1:10 scale

Rubberwood

First coating: teak oil

Second coating: varnish or or laquer or NC (anything VOC)

Third coating: beeswax matt / satin

This is a children’s chair and table set. I felt creating these characters for the chairs was important for children to engage with their surroundings and encourage both learning and play.

Rwanda Chapel

Rwanda, Africa

The center of this project was to create a contemplative ambience using natural daylighting. With the desire to incorporate the natural land and Rwanda’s history we felt using rammed earth was a good way of connecting this. Each line represents the events that have come to pass and the future that is yet to happen. The overall affect of these lines create a stunning visual which is brought into the interior.

Team Tejas Chavan (BlueForm,Singapore)

SOUTH ELEVATION SCALE 1-1/8”

NORTH ELEVATION SCALE 1-1/8”

EAST ELEVATION SCALE 1-1/8”

WEST ELEVATION SCALE 1-1/8” SITE PLAN SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION B - B SCALE 1-1/8”

SECTION A - A SCALE 1-1/8”

Lagos: City on Water

Lagos, Africa

The solution to bring Makoko out of poverty relies on sustainability and regeneration. An ecology that fuels the economy and vice versa. To achieve this we look at corals and how they are a natural buffer which protects coast from waves, storms and floods. Corals also play a large role in nurturing marine life as a source of food and shelter. The idea to incorporate artificial corals as the foundation of the architecture not only solves Makoko’s fishing problem but allows Makoko to sell to the greater Nigeria allowing it to rise out of poverty.

Team Gloria Yew

Lagos is a fast-growing, low-lying coastal city of 13 million people. The most vulnerable area is the coastal slums of Lagos called Makoko, a fishing village that already faces various social and economical problems due to overfishing and competition from chinese fishing boats. This concept focuses on its residential buildings and was designed to preserve the tradition of its residents while elevating their overall standard of living. This concept builds a self-sustaining.

community that has the potential to grow its economy to rise above the poverty line. Inspired by the waffle structure used in the dugout canoes of Makoko, the structure is reinforced with 3D-printed concrete that is used to create a mesh-like facade. This allows the plantation of corals and vegetation on the surface of the design. The intervention aims to be a modular structure that can be replicated horizontally and vertically for the expansion of the village and be adaptive to the rising sea levels. The project integrates an ‘Ecology to Economy’ system that provides an opportunity for residents to grow corals that nurtures small fish. Coral seeds will first be planted in the grooves of the exterior surface, and eventually, supply of fish will increase and residents can sell them catch to generate income.

The building’s tree-like structure has openings at the top that allows for ventilation and sunlight and tall ceilings help to actively regulate interior temperature. The root-like structure below acts as an ideal natural formation for fish to take shelter in. This design creates a relationship between its inhabitants and the environment and gives the inhabitants the initiative to care for the environment. By leveraging the natural relationship between inhabitants and the ocean, a healthier marine ecology will be achieved as balance is restored and the inhabitants become ‘Guardians of the Ocean’.