JOWIN FOO
Jowin Foo | JOB APPLICATION | SELECTED WORKS | 2020
JOWIN FOO RESEARCHER I WRITER I ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER MArch DFPI I The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL jowinfoo@gmail.com I jfxa.work@gmail.com I jfoo@hpair.org jfxa.co
EXPERIENCES 2018-2020_Post-Graduate, The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London(UCL) 2018_Design research, Junior architectural designer, Formwerkz Architects Served in Formwerkz architects' research division, Afternaut to carry out various architecture, spatial and plannings related investigation.
2017-2018_Design Associate, Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations I was responsible for developing the branding for the Asia Conference 2018 with the design director and executive director. Besides, I was part of the bidding team and co-organise together with other members from Cambridge University, LSE, Cornell University, UCL and Sunway University before making the decision with Harvard University
2016-present_Representative, JFXA Independent multidisciplinary design and research practice that focused on the relationship between reality fiction, social politics, and space. Works The paradox of basic-Radical Mutations (2016) Phytobaptism (2015) Lunarisk(2016) No Man's Land (2017) Kingdom City (2018) Hyperospective: Heterogenesis(2016) Academic Guest speaker - People's Youth Exhibition at Badan Warisan Malaysia (2016) Guest lecture - 3rd year Unit Mdrxa at Taylor's University (2017) Guest speaker - Rakan KL exhibition (2017). Title: Iversen Guest Lecturer - 3rd-year Unit B (MDRXA ). Lecturer 02. Title: Bottoms up (Fall 2017) Guest Lecturer - 3rd-year Unit (MDRXA ). Lecturer 03. Title: Potent Narratives and Design Fiction (2018) Guest Lecturer - 3rd-year Unit (MDRXA ). Lecturer 04. Title: Cybernectics and Architecture (2019) Panel Jury - 3rd-year, Interior Architecture, Taylor's University (2017) Panel Jury - 3rd-year, Interior Architecture, Taylor;s University (2018) Panel Jury - 1st-year, Interior Architecture, University of Wesminster (2019) Panel Jury - 2nd-year, Interior Architecture, UCSI (2020) Panel Jury - 2nd-year, Interior Architecture, Taylor’s University(2020)
2016_Co-coordinator, Re:act exhibition Responsible in leading every expect of the Graduation Exhibition from Proposing, Planning, Managing till Execution.
2015-2016_Research and Design collaborator, M3 Design Lab A joint project with M3 design lab to design an Urban Living conceptual furniture for Mr Dream, an international furniture design company based in Guangzhou, China. The design prototype was exhibited in CIFF 2016 ( China International Furniture Festival 2016 ).
2015-present_Co-founder, Two Skinny Monkeys Collaborative and independant design practice co-founded with Ken Lim and Victoria Chew to advocate the idea of sincere design. In 2015, the studio written an urban regeneration proposal entitled ‘Kisah Lorong’ to rethink the context of back-alley of Kuala Lumpur and collaborated with Ngiom Partnership + Think City to further developed the project. The studio has completed a commission installation project for Kenneth Leow, Dusty Attic.
2015_Co-coordinator, Homecoming exhibition Responsible in delegating and managing the task given to the production and planning team. Assisted in the exhibition design and media design processes to ensure the team meet the goal set by the main coordinator.
2016_Design Trainee, Dot Line Circle Executed architecture + design research and supervised junior trainee.
2015_Design Trainee, Blu-water studio Assisted senior designers in every processes that are involved in a commercial projects like W-hotel and etc.
2014-2015_Research assistant, S.A.B.D, Taylor’s University Assisted professors to carry out academic research and experimentations. for Architecture and design faculty. The research topics were about rural and urban regeneration, community building, social design and architecture historical studies. Most of the research projects were publicised in academic paper and exbihitions while some projects were developed into community projects.
2014-2016_Global ambassador, Taylor’s University Represented as an international student delegate and leader to execute various diplomatic+social project local and internationally like Lead Local, Lead Hongkong with HKIED and Asia Pacific Student Leaders Conference, APSSA.
2013_Orientation Leader, Taylor’s University Served as an orientation leader to plan, organise and execute events to facilitates the freshmen. Was a coordinator for the design and sponsorship department. Orientation day is an important event for freshmen as it helps them to adapt and understand how the campus life is.
2013_Part time sales assistant, Machine(MY) apple store 2012-2016_Student Leader, Taylor’s University Represented as a student leader in various departments in Taylor’s University for various projects like the Open Days and Career Days.And was also part of the team that pioneered the Scholar’s@work programme for the university.
2012-2016_Student-Staff Representative, The Design School,TU 2011-2012_Freelance post-production editor 2011_Stock checker, Espirit(MY)
VOLUNTEER Co-coordinator, Re:act exhibition 2016 Responsible in leading every expect of the Graduation Exhibition from Proposing, Planning, Managing till Execution.
Research Project Co-coordinator, S.A.B.D, Taylor’s University Responsible to assist professors to co-lead, manage team members and supervise the projects until the final execution.
Co-coordinator, LEAD Taylor’s University 2013 Responsible in co-establishing a temporary non profit organisation ( The Hope Jockeys ) to fund raise for a public charity project (FundFair) at an orphanage (Rumah Hope). The funds were donated to the orphanage. Next, together with the team we funded another joint project with HKIED (Hong Kong) to study and also help raise awareness of societal issues happened in Hong Kong. The team flew to Hong kong and executed various cross culture projects to understand the social conditions of Hong Kong behind the wall of consumerism and to bridge student leaders in the region of Asia Pacific.
EDUCATION MArch Design For Performance and Interactions, The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL BA(hons) Interior Architecture, Taylors University Northumbria University Foundation In Design, Taylors University Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)
PROJECTS + INVOLVEMENTS Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations Goethe Institute Urban Media Art Academy Architectural Association Visiting School: Streetware KL Asia Pacific Student Leader Conference Kuala Sepetang Rural Regeneration Pangkor Island Festival 2015 Pangkor Island Festival 2014 Lead KL Lead Taylor’s University + HKIED (HongKong)
PUBLICATIONS
KooZA/rch fall 2017 Furnish it Dec 2017 Archreporter 2017 CIFF Guangzhou 2016 Architectural Association Visiting School KL Re:act Exhibition 2016 It’s Exhibition 2016 Homecoming Exhivision 2015 Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival 2019 The Bartlett-Wip Project Faire Early 2019 PostCog:Thought instrument//Here East 20’
AWARDS
Taylor’s National Scholarship 2012 Dean List Award 2013 Dean List Award 2014 Dean List Award 2015
INDEPENDANT COURSES
LANGUAGE
Architectural Association Visiting School
English Malay
MyLab Guangzhou Woodworking Urban Media Art Academy (UMAA)
CERTIFICATIONS Urban Media Art Academy 2017 Taylor’s University Orientation Leaders Taylor’s University Talent Management Programme The Design School Student-staff representative ABRSM classical music
SKILLS Photoshop Sketchup Illustrator Autocad
Premier Pro Indesign Grasshopper Blender
Rhino
Unity
Cinema4D
Python
C#
Mandarin Cantonese French
PostCog 2019/2020
POSTCOG is a speculative project where it looks into a future where human cognitive abilities are degenerated due to our dependancy on tech corp’s source of knowledge and their fast food like knowledge catering based on today’s events. While many are debating about the second coming of surveillance economy and platform domination, i suggest that we may start with the mindcraft as what brings a vision and nightmare to our objective reality really depends on our ability to think; A very fundamental habit that define us the enlightened species. The rise of Brexit and Trump politics has shown us that our thoughts are way easier to be manipulated than we think. And i believed that all happened due to our dependancy on tech to think. Therefore, i proposed thought instrument nor a kind of digital rehab as my manifesto to overcome the impending issue yet to be unfolded by our next mistake. This thought instru- ment would essentially function to decentralise thoughts and force the patient to redirect themselves to form their own map.
US
2018/2019
This is an inquiry on humanity’s a brief relationship with the machines. Today we hate and love our machines at the same time. We trust it because it continually drives us into performing acts that excite us. We brought it with us wherever we go because it gave us access to the information we need. And most importantly, stay connected with the “people beyond our reach.” But all these functions are designed to fulfill our needs, expand our abilities In production and even speculate our potential needs nowadays. Therefore, that is why we are all somehow having an ambiguous relationship with our machines especially the domesticated ones like Smartphones, Smart homes, And Smart companion. The Smartness imposed security and insecurity turning Trust into fear. On the other hand, we know you need this friend, but we also know that it can go against us if things went wrong like pets. Are we capable enough to understand them as they know us?
The Exordium 2018
Last year, space 10 initiated a housing research project called the One Shared House 2030 with Anton & Irene that invite public to participate in the speculative process of future housing. The project was developed as a response to the urban housing crisis that global cities will face in the coming decades. It was clear that the population growth is an inevitable factor as this is a natural phenomenon that we all can’t stop. Are we really short of housing? However, we think that the cost of housing is the achilles heel of the urban housing crisis. Co-Living and Co-Working startups mushroomed in the recent years around the globe with the vision to solve the issue at the same time promote the idea of Homo-Oeconomicus. Somehow it is counter-productive. Though we can’t deny that the “co” movement is indeed successful as this modal has assisted many individuals to achieve their entrepreneur dream whilst liberate many that wanted to sustained their life based on the ad-hoc economy. Furthermore, Paul Virilio was right about one thing in which the invention of the ship also the invention of the shipwreck. This is because we speculate that the success of “co” movement also mark the forthcoming of another crisis like the rise of youth city and the decline of the reproduction rate. We view that the “co” movement is a gateway for youth to migrate into the city as the city is the heart of the market resources and the current co model of housing do not promote the nature of mankind in which as simple as having a family. Thus, if this condition sustained in long term, we fear that our future would be close to the dystopian future, Children Of Men depicted by P.D James. Do we really want to live in the american sitcom, F.R.I.E.N.D.S reality? Is this the end of family ?
No man’s land 2017
Animal and mankind shared the same ground nor space on earth as a home to sustain the existence of their very own species. But for centuries of mankind perpetual strive to create and reinvent their own human-centric utopias that have neglected the coexistence of our fellow ally, the animals on earth. In the process of man-making their utopia to provocate their very own mythology of growth and progress, where it creates various issues like domination of spaces which it directly put some of our allies into the perks of extinction. As facts and statistic retrieved from the humanitarian organization like the World Bank have proven that scale of human civilization are constantly expanding resulting more spaces will be needed to house the entire race of human beings. Many mainstream manifestos along the years of enlightenment seek to resolve the scarcity and the ownership of spaces from massive scale urbanization, self-sustain city to vertical city but not a single vision to insurge spaces for our animal allies to foster their own habitat after mankind has deliberately consumed their habitable spaces to solve our desire and shortcomings. We believe that mankind has the capacity to solve the population pandemic by claiming more lands and spaces that partially belongs to our allies then it is time to envisioned an intervention on making spaces for animals to foster its own habitats to prolong their livelihood
Hyperospective : heterogenesis
If structures were the potent legacy of Elysium Field, then the place is designed with the rhetoric nature of denial, Liberty and democracy is more over the icing of the cake, speech and expression become the suicidal tool of the inhabitants. Where is the next place that is a no place?
Solitude
Unfold
Reveal
Manifest
Lunarisk 2016
Neil Armstrong’s first step on the Moon epitomised mankind’s boundless ambition for exploration. Indeed, a first step of the many to come, as we extend our thoughts on the colonisation of the Moon and beyond. Various agencies worldwide have proposed concepts of establishing infrastructure on the lunar surface. Yet, the process of setting up such a base is often overlooked, in particular the transport of resources to the moon. Through decades of orbital missions, hazardous space debris have accumulated around Earth’s orbit. Travelling at high velocities, these seemingly insignificant debris can cause huge damage to spacecraft, causing danger to the cargo and passengers within. We present a novel modification to proposed supply chain systems between Earth and the Moon. The addition of a harvesting system to spacecraft flying on these routes allows the collection of these debris during the transport process. Upon arrival on the Moon, the compressed debris are sorted based on their composition, similar to waste processing plants on Earth. Collected debris can supplement the main mining operations on the Moon, providing additional resources and keeping these transport routes safe at the same time. These processing plants will be situated near lunar lava tubes, hollow areas left behind by ancient basaltic lava flows. Due to the lack of an atmosphere on the Moon, the lava tubes offer an ideal location for the establishment for settler colonies as they offer protection from various cosmic hazards and drastic temperature fluctuations. It is with great hope that such processing plants are a mainstay of interplanetary colonisation, allowing efficient use of resources and protecting critical trade routes from the danger of space debris.
The paradox of new basics : Radical Mutations 2016
It is the epoch of digital consumption, a race between intangible and tangible realm. It is hypothesised that there’s possibility of architecture evolve into a new state. Perhaps the architecture evaporated itself from the tangible urban to the virtual urban fabric. And this manifesto will be about how the archetype of mall faced a digital revolution that could possibly cause a drastic mutation on the earthly urbanism. It is to argue that the evolution of a past ordinary to new ordinary will cause a snowball effect towards the world of the built environment. But the evolution could be in the positive resolution and mutation. Shopping once holds a spectrum of intensifying programming will face the scenario of decentralisation because the society might no longer need to travel to a shopping mall to purchase their daily needs because shopping online is the norm by then. All they need is a gallery and hub. A pod. The moment when this space consuming complex decentralised and minimise itself into the smallest archetype which the pod. There will be more public spaces and more vacant space to solve the housing density issue as well. Other than that, more public spaces and decentralised places mean more possibilities of explorations which the urban itself has no boundaries and all the programs are weaved together, Perhaps it is called the infinity urbanism which the urban itself become more and more like the virtual world and internet urbanism. Therefore, it is certain that the digital urban has collided with the earthly urban which you need a phone a new digital map for the exploration. In a nutshell, the archetype of mall faced a minimisation and it enlarges itself again by consuming the whole city whereby the city is the mall, the mall is the city. It is site-less, all cities are generic.
FEED 2014