MA S ITUATE D PRACTICE
APPLICATION PORTFOLIO LUOFEI DONG 45 BRUNSWICK PLACE LONDON N1 6DX +44 (0)7707093038
THE ABSENCE OF LANGUAGE
PROJECT 1
In the first project, I have, with my project partner, explored the possibilities and boundaries of communication process and language using the medium of films projections as spatial intervention. By creating an immersive environment with an overlay of virtual images onto physical objects (i.e. book) in the UCL library, our installation allows visitors to immerse, interact and receive the intended information from us as proect curators. During the project, a fundamental question is provoked: is it possible to experience the process of intaking and understanding information without verbal intervention? — If so, is language still a necessity in our civilisation process? — If not, how far can we go before misunderstanding and miscommuniction becomes a barrier that cannot be overcome?
When devoid of spoken and written language, anyone from any cultural/educational backgrounds has the equal amount of information to start with, therefore replacing the comfortable prerequisite of living in the modern society with a more obscure and provocative environment. The deisgn process of the project is as followed: 1. A book is chosen from the language section of the UCL main library, which is the Icelandic Sagas from the Scandinavian section. The book is supported by a wooden device specifically built to fit in the a small, enclosed corner in the library (where the book was picked up). 2. Six films derived from the two paragraphs of texts in the book are produced, which aims to replace the verbal‘reality’ by the visual ‘surreality’. Each film is a fragmented piece of information. 3. The viewer will be guided through an audio track that gives instructions(i.e. where to pick up to book, which page to open and where to place it onto.) 4. The very act of projecting the films onto the text pages is the manifestation of the idea ‘replacing verbal language with reprocessed visual nodes’. *note: the subjecticity involved in the process of translation should be acknowledged, as it is inevitable and should be thought through dialectically.
REFLECTIVE WRITING OF THE PROJECT
SEQUENCES FROM THE FIRST FILM
PROJECTION OF THE FIRST FILM ONTO BOOK
SEQUENCES FROM THE SECOND FILM
PROJECTION OF THE SECOND FILM ONTO BOOK
SEQUENCES FROM THE THIRD FILM
PROJECTION OF THE SECOND FILM ONTO BOOK
As shown above, the device holding the projector and the book is composed of two mirrors, precisely designed and manufactured so that the light rays from the projector is reflected onto the book with 45 degree reflection angle. The mirroring also adds to the layer of ‘surreality’.
THE DEVICE ON SITE
The pamphlet is given to the visitor before entering the space. It is composed of two layers on old-style kraft paper. Some phrases on first layer is cutout to be replaced by the screenshot of our films, conveying the idea of replacing the existing reality.
PAMPHLET MAKING
THE DICTIONARY OF SMELLS
PROJECT 2
In the second project, perceptional difference time focusing primarily its significance to the memories.
I continue to explore the of our sensory organs, this on the olfactory sense and reminiscence of our distant
The project has been split into two interrelated parts, as I am interested in the ‘in/describability’ of smell: therefore I start to experiment on describing smells both in writing and in drawing. I started to make attempts describing the smells of a selection of objects related to my own memories/ experiences through creative drawings and writings. Therefore, the final outcome of the project is composed of three parts: 1. a physical book containing all the definitive and narrative writings of the smells of 30 objects. 2. a physical book containing all the drawings of the smells of 30 objects. The two books are supposed to be read together, as the drawings correspond to the writings and vice versa. 3. a canvas mapping out the 30 smells in an imaginary, metaphysical space, with a figure in the center and the ‘smell spheres’ radiating outwards from her. 4. the drawings are further developed into three-dimentional digital models produced in Rhino, which are then put together in a virtual space and can be viewed from various angles in relation to each other on the screen. Again it is a very subjective and personal method of working, exploring the realm of individual memories, senses, translation of information through texts, images and digital medias. I believe the subjectivity here is essential, as the topic relating to memories itself is a very intimate/individualistic one. Rather than a scientific and holistic approach, I wanted to explore the more blurry, obscure and creative aspects of the issue.
REFLECTIVE WRITING OF THE PROJECT
DRAFT VERSIONS AND EXEMPLARY PAGES OF THE TWO BOOKS
INDIVIDUAL DRAWINGS PRODUCED IN CORRESPONDENCE TO THE SMELL OF THE OBJECTS IN THE BOOK
INDIVIDUAL DRAWINGS PRODUCED IN CORRESPONDENCE TO THE SMELL OF THE OBJECTS IN THE BOOK
SPATIAL MAPPING OF THE SMELLS ON CANVAS
After creating the drawings on paper, I have realised was actually mapping the smells in a three-dimensional in my head. Thus, after finishing the canvas drawing, I to re-model them in rhino, so that they can have a full in space.
DRAWINGS AND CORRESPONDING RHINO MODELS
that I manner decide volume
DRAWINGS AND CORRESPONDING RHINO MODELS
THE GREENSHELTER PROJECT
PROJECT 3
The Greenshelter project is a small yet ambitious building design project focusing on the computational aspects of architectural drawings and design (using Microstation and Rhino softwares). Our site is located at the starting point of the Greenway next to the Olympic Stadium in London, which is an open green space with a long and narrow belt of walkway in the middle. The fundamental design concept of my project is simple, as I intend my structure to provide three main functions: an enclosed space to shelter from harsh weather conditions; an exotic atmosphere of tropical plantation and Brutalist architecture; a view of the Olympic Stadium and riverside. Therefore, the final design corresponds to the three objectives: 1. The enclosed interior space can be shut completely to hide from strong winds, freezing temperature and storm. 2. The central courtyard with tropical plants evokes an unique atmosphere, especially in comparison to the Greenway in winter, which is rather barren and bleak. 3. The building’s site locates itself in-between the Olympic Stadium and the River Lea, which provides the perfect view of both sceneries. Furthermore, the location of the structure near the starting point of the Greenway also enables it to serve the function of landmarking as well as attention catching.
REFLECTIVE WRITING OF THE PROJECT
ISOMETRIC PERSPECTIVE OF THE DESIGN
ELEVATIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE DESIGN
ISOMETRIC COLLAGE OF THE DESIGN
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE VIEW WITH INTERIOR DETAILS
GENERIC UPON INDIVIDUALITY
PROJECT 4
This last project is a very recent group porject, where we have explored the dialectical and interweaving relationship between the individuality/generic tastes of three households and one showroom in Barbican Estate. After given the brief with the central theme of ‘mutation in the city’, we have chosen the Barbican Estate as our site in the city. However, after research and site visits, our interests shifted from the exterior skin of the Estate to the individual blocks of the residents that occupy and transform Barbican in the innate parts, which are usually ignored in ralated discussions. The central question is raised:
What objects/settings are representational of the residents taste/individuality? If one imagines oneself entering into an apartment for the first time with a camera trying to record the personality/individuality/taste of the domestic environment, what will one’s eyes settle upon? The worn T-shirts lying under the cushions, the brand of tobacco smoked, the tea stain inside the mug, the most-flipped books, the dusty boxes, the food in the fridge, the person’s favourite spot in the room… These objects form the plots of the narrative. They embody untold stories, taste, experiences, routes, traces and temporal quality of the space. The objects and their correlated past can be fragmental/scattered, yet utterly essential to one’s very own existence. The very presence and state of wearing is the consequence of accumulation/thickness in time. On the other end of the spectrum, we paid several visits to the showroom in one of the Barbican towers, which has a perfectly plastic statics to its environment: all the objects are laid out in purposeless yet ‘harmonic’ manners. Objects are all in the trendy nordic style as if they were purchased together at a high-end Scandinavian furniture shop. Therefore, we propose the concept of mutation in this scenario to be the loss of such individuality and identity: to go against time and the existence of one’s taste; to mutate into the generic and the plastic. The final outcome of the project is a film, where we have juxtaposed shots from the showroom and actual residents from the Barbican together to illustrate the main concept.
REFLECTIVE WRITING OF THE PROJECT
Several drawings, photographs and video footages are composed together in this collage to give an overview of the entire project, from the initial stage to the final stage.
REFLECTIVE COLLAGE OF THE PROJECT
SITE COLLAGE AT THE BARBICAN ESTATE
I perceive the medium of film to be a playful intersection between the reality and the fictional world, mirroring each other in creative ways.
ILLUSTRATION EXPLAINING THE TEMPORAL/SPATIAL CONCEPT OF THE FILM
The fundamental purpose of the split screen is for the clear comparison/correlation between two interior settings. The camera is placed on the tripod at a chosen position in the space, undergoing a 360-degree circulation at a constant rotation speed to complete a thourough, detailed and anthropological survey of room settings.
ILLUSTRATION OF THE SCREEN COMPOSITION OF THE FILM
As shown in the page above, we have carried a generic vase purchased from IKEA into the households and placed it in the centre of the composition everytime. It is both a pragmatic and metaphorical choice: the vase serves as the reference object for a constant scale in the composition; it is also a deliberate choice that represents the ‘invasion of the generic upon individuality.
THE FUNCTIONALITY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VASE
Adjustments in the tones, scales, positions and speeds of the original footages are done for everything to be perfectly aligned. Therefore, it gave me a great opportunity to learn and practice my film editing skills using After Effects.
SCREENSHOTS FROM THE FINAL OUTCOME
STILL PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE PERSONAL HOUSEHOLDS
STILL PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE SHOWROOM