P O R T F O L I O Selected Works
Nic holas Tai
National University of Singapore (NUS), M.Arch. The University of Hong Kong (HKU), BA(AS)
Happy Ending: Holy Men in Sin City M.Arch, Graduation Thesis Project, 2020 NUS; A/P Erik L’Heureux Complete thesis: https://issuu.com/nicholastai92/docs/200501_thesis_report Short Text: Border, as shared between two separate nations, can exist in various forms depending on the geographical conditions in which it sits. It is an agreed representation of land ownership by both the government and the mass. However, the border plays many roles where it controls geopolitical issues from not only a national scale but also internal problems at the regional level for those who live within borderlands; closely linked to matters of culture and history. This is especially relevant in the regions of Southeast Asia (SEA) that has undergone waves of colonization and oppression for centuries. This thesis situates itself on the borderlands of Thailand-Malaysia, specifically between Rantau Panjang in Kelantan (Malaysia) and the infamous seedy town of Sungai Golok (Thailand). With only a river separating between Rantau Panjang and Golok without any forms of physical barrier and active monitoring, the border is practically open to citizens from both sides who not only hold different citizenship and identity but were also brought up under opposite political and cultural backgrounds. This thesis challenges the roles and limitations of architecture within chaos, order, religion, culture, security and sovereignty in a familiar yet foreign context to the natives living within this borderland by infusing contradicting elements into one single architecture; canceling contradictions, leading to a happy ending.
Site (via Google Map)
Scenography of happenings on site
Key drawing depicting space, section, colour
Key drawing depicting space, section, colour
Temple/Mosque/Block/Market
Temple interior
Market/Block/Temple
Mosque/Market/Block
Mosque interior
Mosque surrounding context
Physical model
Physical model close-ups
Thin Wall, Thick Air M.Arch 1 Design Studio / 2019 Seoul Biennale of Architecture & Urbanism, 2019 NUS; A/P Erik L’Heureux Team: Nicholas Tai, Luh Astrid Mayadinta Short Text: The project defines the idea of the collective as an accumulation of the informal that are happening in present Ho Chi Minh city. The act of addition and subtraction, as seen and defined throughout the city becomes an important tool of aggregation that forms up what the city is today. It is this informal that sums up the city and its people - an unknown that perpetuates throughout buildings in the city without specific function(s). With this unknown in mind, our proposal reacts to the urban fabric by adopting the existing form of the site, an acknowledgment of the past. By adopting the maximum site boundary and having a courtyard, the design takes on the idea of layering of spaces whereby spaces are now generated towards the middle part of the courtyard. This allows a differential change in spatial hierarchy terms, creating a gesture of change from public to private as the layering translates from the outermost part of the site boundary towards the inside. By acknowledging the humidity known as ‘thick air’, the architecture adopts the climate by designing the ‘air’ (void space). The void now functions as the main envelope; envelope as structure, performative tool and space for aggregation. The brie soleil thus, becomes a secondary envelope. The circulation within drives the various moments of experiencing the void; one has to pass through the void in order to access other parts of the building, allowing a rich spatial experience at various points within the building. The void is designed to ‘grow’ and ‘age’ with time, being a space of the ‘informal’ which is seen as an inevitable phenomena in the city.
Building as a shell
Aggregation and growth
Precedent Study
Facade Opening
Exploded axonometric showing section and air flow
Close -ups of final model Unfolded planometric drawing
A Space Of Affordance M.Arch 1 Design Studio, 2018 NUS; Michael Leong, Director, SAA Architects Individual studio Short Text: A Space of Affordance is an attempt to introduce complexity onto the existing hospital design of Woodlands Health Campus located in Woodlands, Singapore. It is a mixture between the idea of play and circulation which redefines what a public space should be within the context of a healthcare environment. By adopting the ideas of Dutch architect Aldo Van Eyck who projects are driven by the subject of play and children, the public plaza becomes an active zone serving the community of Woodlands and users of the hospital. By identifying design issues found in existing public spaces of hospitals in Singapore, the core function of this plaza serves not only as a temporary social space, but also as a space to dwell, play, activities organization and more. It becomes a space with high functionality rather than just being another public space that is normally seen as leftover space.
Planometric
Composite exploded axonometry
Various moments depicting spatial usage within the park
The Falling Wall BA(AS), Graduation Project, 2016 HKU; Olivier Ottevaere Individual studio Short Text: Located in one of Singapore’s prime location near the Marina Bay, the The Falling Wall is a response to its unique yet complex site condition that is being surrounded by highways. Inspired by ‘The Concrete Island’ written by J.G Ballard, this project aims to tackle issues of occupying negative spaces created as a result of development at modern times. The idea of an evolving mass slab block along the site becomes a methodology of engaging and connecting the site to its surrounding. The idea of ‘fall’ is also in relation to the surrounding building heights and conditions that change from commercial high rises to natural landscape. The series of rise and fall creates pocket of spaces that caters different programs while the variations of gradient on the block surface results in different housing typologies that range from vertical high rise simplex units to duplex housings and lastly, courtyard housing units. This form of transformation occurs throughout the 500m length of the site boundary that allows different housing conditions to exist in the same block, an existing condition in Singapore where different housing typologies are clustered together on the same street. The issues of integrating living and working in a single building and area were also being studied in this project where work is translated into a more localized manner such as hawker centers and food markets.
Site plan (via Google Maps)
Details of building systems
Duplex unit section
Vertical tower section
Courtyard unit section
Conceptual ‘wall’
‘Wall’ is divided
Structure aligns boundary
‘Wall’ deforms
Study models
Sectional models
The Famed Disappearing Act Underground Bathhouse Ideas Competition (ArchOutLoud, 2016) Team: Nicholas Tai, Byungchan Ahn, WilsonExterior Tam perspective of the bathhouse Role: Concept stage design, Design development, Drawings
As the water diminishes through use, the users notice that more spaces are being revealed...
Short Text:
Short Text:
We believe that architecture is an agent of positive change. Socio-political change should be seen as a continuous progression, from the current condition to an ideal future. The DMZ should We believe that architecture is an agent of positive change. Socio-political change should be seen be a site where architecture actively pacifies the surrounding tension by providing a space that is as a continuous progression, from the current condition to an ideal future. The DMZ should be a site independent from the various elements of the conflict. where architecture actively pacifies the surrounding tension by providing a space that is independent from the various elements of the conflict. The goal is to have both sides of the conflict to collaborate on eliminating the boundary. The proposal allows the architecture to achieve this simply through its use; as a result, the architecture begins to The goal is to have both sides of the conflict to collaborate on eliminating the boundary. The protransform relationship to thethis shared use through of the space. posal allows in thedirect architecture to achieve simply its use; as a result, the architecture begins to
transform in direct relationship to the shared use of the space.
01 - Project Introduction Graphical analysis of conflicts between the North and South Korean government Graphical analysis of South - North Korea relationship
Author: Tai Nicholas Han Vern, Byungchan Ahn, Wilson Tam
Bathhouse site on the demarcation Exterior perspective of the bathhouse
When the soldiers first step enter, they only see the presence of water and wall before them...
Until they come to learn that they are sharing the space with who they thought were the ‘other’...
And soon they realize that the use of water starts to provide a means for physical connection...
Finally being able to share the joy of being liberated from the confines of the border.
Overall section
The Loop BA(AS), Y3 Design Studio, 2015
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HKU; Christian J Lange
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Individual studio Short Text: Cheung Chau (‘Long Island’ in Chinese) is a small island 10 km southwest of Hong Kong Island. It is nicknamed the ‘dumbbell island’ due to its shape. It has been inhabited for longer than most other places in the territory of Hong Kong with a population of over 30,000 people. Traditionally the island was a fishing village and there are still fishing activities occurring around the harbor. However in recent years the island has become a major tourist attraction, offering a mixture of beach, seafood restaurants and traditional Chinese culture. The site is situated around the shipyard which is located at the southern part of the island, facing the sea. As it is situated at the boundary between the main boulevard and the western part of the island (ferry pier), the function of the library should be more than just a conventional reading space. My design focuses on the function of the library being a social space, allowing users to loop around the library through different orientated slabs which allows them to experience both the interior of library and its surrounding context at the same time.
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BL LIC ICS SPA PA C EC
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Program arrangements
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Spatial study diagram
Site plan (via Google Maps)
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03 - Physical Models
03 - Physical Models
03 - Physical Models Cross section across library towards the sea front
03 - Physical Models
Cross section across library towards the sea front Cross section across library towards the sea front
03 - Physical M
Detail cross section showing beams and other structural elements
Detail cross section showing beams and other structural elements
spatial reveal Cross section across librarySection towards- background hill
Sectional detail
Detail cross section showing beams and other structural elements
Cross section across library towards background hill
Cross section across library towards background hill
Study Models
Study Models
Study Models
Final Models
Final Models
Final Models
Study models
Work Experience Schematic Design, Detail Design, Competitions (details hidden due to copyright)
Project Type: High-end Residential Role: Design, Render
Project Type: High-end Residential Role: Design, Construction Drawings
Project Type: High-end Residential Role: Design, Construction Drawings
Project Type: Mixed-use, Residential, Urban Planning Role: Design, Model Making (mock-up + study)