Introduction- Reconnecting The Hand & Mind

Week 1.

Reconnecting the Hand & Mind

Task Brief

This week, we were tasked to create a series of abstract physical diagrams that reflect self-introduction. Then, in the second half, we designed a lookout through the diagram, a physical representation of our peers.

Q: Do you have a craft you partake in or interested in? Capture the aspect which appeals to you the most.

I enjoy lego crafting in my spare time, where I reuse old pieces of lego blocks to renovate something new. For example, I have recently structured a new piece of the abstract model from lego, focusing on the atmosphere aspect.

Q: What is one of your favourite buildings or architects and why? Capture the quality that stands out to you the most.

I personally interested in Kengo Kuma’s contemporary architecture work. It is unique how he integrates the traditional Japanese joinery technique and the twenty-first-century structure. The abstract model is carved out, so each cardboard piece joins together.

Q: How would you describe yourself/personality as one core word?

It was a tricky question to describe myself in one keyword to others. But I am a person who likes to explore and is always curious about things wherever I travel. In addition, I usually believe in the process and trust the journey that something great will eventually happen.

We were asked to create a lookout for our partner through diagrams, design, and physical models.

During the Q & A session, I noted down some of the key points that I picked up from Jack after knowing him a bit from his abstract physical diagrams previously taken in task 1.

1. He loves the idea of recycling and renewable materiality and wanted to translate that into the architecture lookout. 2. He has no particular interest in architectural forms or geometric, which has given me a hard time to decide it for him. 3. He likes his internal layout of the space to be in a rigid form that can be easily transformed. 4. He believes that architecture should respect the neighbour and mimic the surrounding site context. 5. The site is to occur in an open green space surrounded by nature.

Rough Sketch of Jack’s Lookout

After the conversation, the key points gave me some rough ideas on translating the lookout design for him.

I imagined the lookout point to be located surrounded by a natural environment. The lookout was situated in a neighbour context because I wanted to provide a sense of community and enclosure. The vanishing point of the lookout was to frame the waterfront. Unfortunately, I could not finish the physical model mainly because I was too focused on the internal space arrangement. This reflects that I was too obtain myself within a particular area and may not have resolved the overall scheme.

What drove/informed design descisions?

In the first task, it was an interesting approach to how we get to work on physical model making to express our self-introduction. Honestly, it was challenging to think conceptually in a short period and under the pressure of others that I had never met before. However, despite challenges and pressure, I enjoyed myself again with physical model making because everything was done through digital formation over the past two years.

Were there any other iterations that you disregarded?

Due to the time constraints, I have no iterations I disregarded.

What was successful/unsucessful?

The task’s difficulty was representing my personality and creating a lookout for my peer. It was due to a limited amount of time, and it has forced me to have no time to think, which may not have been well translated in a physical form.

What did you learn and how might these inform you future designs?

It was very interesting to see how my interpretation of my ‘client’ lookout is not what my client would envision. During the model-making process, some of the decisions were made through my assumption of space. It reflects that the communication between what the client wants and the way I interpret the space will never be the same. Each of us has a different lens to what we desire.