Vincent Lai Yee Foo
design projects portfolio
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2017
V I N C E N T L A I
DESIGN PROJECTS
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This portfolio is a palimpsest to Radicle (published in 2017). The process of re-choreographing aims to present a clearer design lineage culminating in the production of architecture or installation. This version is also a reification of my thoughts and techniques through collage abstraction, design research, tectonics & typological experimentation and spatial narrative.
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Vincent Lai Yee Foo
Masters of Architecture candidate 2019 University of California , Berkeley yeefoo_lai@berkeley.edu +1-510-570-5285
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100 The sunken and sinking Pier
Mediapolis Arcadia 42
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Future workspaces
Veneration of Craft Making pilgramage to mecca of artisanal retail
Digital Indeterminacy
123 Deployable office for tech company
Chronological Antiquity
159 Ceramic museum in Balestier, Singapore
Dance Organism
187 Dance center at Armenian street, Singapore
Harmonial Deflection
211 Water folly & water cube experimentation
Strenuous Connection
229 Abstract painting to architectonic spaces
CONTENTS
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01
San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100 The sunken and sinking Pier
Instructor: Mark Anderson Independent Project University of California, Berkeley M.Arch Fall 2017
San Francisco Pier is a sunken and sinking Pier. Sunken metaphorically because culturally and historically, we have lost one of the busiest port in the world. That sense of identity it gave to the ferry building. With the introduction of the bay bridge, the significance of ferry building being the point of arrival and departure diminishes and now normalized into commercial usage. Sinking physically because rising sea level is going to engulf close to 1 kilometers of land into the pier in 100 years time. San Francisco pier’s identity morphed tremendously throughout the past few decades and will continue to change in years to come. The project seeks to pursue a new typology that addresses these two conditions as an effort to make San Francisco city a continuous city culturally and physically. As a reminder of what has been the image of San Francisco Pier, the architectural mass floats and sinks according to sea level tidal changes, creating a visual ephemerality of ships docking and un-docking at the port. Spatial function dictated by the variability of tidal changes provokes a way of rethinking how we can co-inhabit with water in near future. Programmatically, this intervention incorporates a maritime aquarium museum. The nature of the museum resurfaced traces of the past to project possibilities into the future. By transiting between wet, semi-wet and dry zones, one could begin to assimilate and adapt to the constant changing atmosphere around the pier. This is the new agenda for the pier as an effort to a continuous city culturally and physically.
1849’s Gold Rush San Francisco was the busiest and most important port in the West Coast during the Gold Rush period in the 1850s. In 1898, Ferry Building was erected on the pier. It became the icon of the port with its Beaux Arts tower and rhythmic arcades, serving as a gateway to the world. With the introduction of the Bay Bridge in 1933, the port’s importance decreased exponentially as goods transportation found a more efficient means. Since then, Ferry buildings and other piers have repurposed to offices, commercial and public usage.
San Francisco in the 1850s
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
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Pier condition during 1950s 1. Ferry Building 2. Old docks once attached to Ferry Building 3. Pier 1 4. Market Street
* red demarcates the transformation of waterfront condition
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
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Pier condition in 2017 1. Ferry Building 2. Ferry Building new extension 3. Pier 1 4. Embarcadero Center 5. Market Street
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Urban Tectonics Continuity (Embarcadero Center urban studies) The 4 tall lineage composition of Embarcadero Center commercial blocks (designed by John Portman) posit a visual division, a sense of delineation between the North and South of San Francisco urban fabric within the Embarcadero region. Coincidentally, the pier 1 building (leading to all 45 piers) is situated along the coasts where Embarcadero Center commercial blocks end. With strategic architectural insertion, it will serve as a proper ‘gateway’ to all the piers to enhance their rich historical values.
Site Axon
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
Constant and Variant (conceptual provocation) The visual ephemerality of ships docking and un-docking along the pier is contested in the very first conceptual provocation as to what architectural insertion is appropriate to the pier. What techniques can we extrapolate from the site to allow the new insertion to serve as a reminder to the past? Apparent along the piers are the structural piles, drilled deep into the seabed. Upon demolition of some piers, a number of these piles were left unattended, allowing tidal changes to reveal and conceal certain parts of the structure throughout the day. In a way, there’s a certain poetics that is inhabited along the San Francisco pier itself unnoticed . The structural element and tidal changes ultimately provoked the conception of constant and variant relationship in this project. What if the architectural insertion is able to adapt to tidal changes, creating a theatrical spatial and volumetric effect that addresses the impending sea level rise and reflects on the deep historical values of the pier.
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
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Conceptual Provocation
San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
San Francisco tidal chart (year 2017) The average tidal height is roughly 838mm with miniumum at -487mm and the peak at 1828mm. By setting the mean tidal height as transition zone to allow sea water to infiltrate the space, the internal space transits from dry zone (between -487mm to 838mm) to wet zone from 838mm to 1828mm, and vice-versa. Radically, this architectural insertion seeks to programatically challenge the conventional museum opening hours with incorporation of tidal changes. Throughout the year, opening hours varies according to tidal behavior (chart to the right), augmenting public’s awareness to tidal changes along San Francisco coast.
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
short section
longitudinal section
highest highest tide tide (1828(1828 mm) mm) Transition Transition Zone 2Zone 2 (1333(1333 mm) mm) Transition Transition Zone 1Zone 1 (838 mm) (838 mm)
Low Tide
highest highest tide tide (1828(1828 mm) mm) Transition Transition Zone 2Zone 2 (1333(1333 mm) mm)
San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
Transition Transition Zone 1Zone 1 (838 mm) (838 mm)
High Tide Transition Zone 1
highest highest tide tide (1828(1828 mm) mm) Transition Transition Zone 2Zone 2 (1333(1333 mm) mm) Transition Transition Zone 1Zone 1 (838 mm) (838 mm)
High Tide Transition Zone 2
highest highest tide tide (1828(1828 mm) mm) Transition Transition Zone 2Zone 2 (1333(1333 mm) mm) Transition Transition Zone 1Zone 1 (838 mm) (838 mm)
In the event of Sea Level rise
Adaptive Buoyancy Tank concept 23
Initial flotation of augmented buoyancy tank (aquarium museum)
Site Axo
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
Basement 1 scale 1:700
Basement 3 scale 1:700
Section D-D scale 1:700
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
Inside augmented buoyancy tank (aquarium museum) when sea water infiltrates the vessel
Section C-C scale 1:700
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
Augmented buoyancy tank (aquarium museum)
Small buoyancy tank (small exhibits)
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B2 C
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Augmented gears system
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
Buoyancy Tank Dynamics Part Section A-A (scale 1:130) water level @ 838mm
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100 Peripheral corridors water level between 1333mm & 1828mm (transition zone 2 & highest tide)
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100 Basement 3 (small exhibits level) water level below 838mm
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
Part Section B-B
(scale 1:130)
water level @ 1333mm
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
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San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
San Francisco Pier 1900 - 2100
part model of the museum vessel structure 41
02
Mediapolis Arcadia
Instructor: Florian Schätz In collaboration with: Shirley Lee National University of Singapore Year 4 Semester 1, 2017
Arcadia, defined by us as ‘life lived naturally’, was a notion we followed throughout this project in the context of Mediapolis and the future of work, both of which are increasingly saturated and defined by the digital media in our daily routines. As the research progressed, we ended up with 3 concepts that would define our architecture: The Collective is the Power; as a reaction to the site of Mediapolis, the heart of media. It is a metaphor of the current state of media and a dynamic that we wish not to exclude, even as we tackled with issues of the site on a masterplan level. Connecting the Mediapolis site to issues in Singapore and the larger neighbouring region, our proposal critiques the responds to the successes and failures of the current masterplan. Distance as Power; with distance signifying a consolidated power. This imbues identity on the context of a ‘nonspace’ – where the space is defined by a lack of context, with much of its previous history flattened out. Grappling with such a site, we did numerous massing explorations at 1:50 scale to test how our proposal respond and mend the rifts of the site. Simultaneously, we looked at our programmes and planned our spaces through the viewpoints and narratives of 3 major users of the building: the resident, the start-up founder, and the events visitor. Building as the Zone; with the Zone eluding to a soft power – the power to lure, with the strong and repeated language forming its prominence and character. We interviewed media veterans, start-up founders and venture capitalists to grasp a sense of how our proposal can remain relevant and contribute to Singapore’s media industry. We also visited a co-working space, the Hub, whilst researching on the history of office typology and critiquing the successes and failures of different models. These debates formed the backbone of our proposal of architecture in the future of work. We are influenced by the typology of the courtyard, as seen in Trinity College, as a means of social integration.
Thomas Eakins, Arcadia, 1883 “Arcadia is presented as the spontaneous result of life lived naturally, uncorrupted by civilization.�
Mediapolis Arcadia Thomas Eakins’s Arcadia, 1883
Thomas Eakins, Arcadia, 1883
“Arcadia is presented as the spontaneous result of life lived naturally, uncorrupted by civilization.”
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Thomas Cole: The Course of Empire (1833–36) This series of paintings reflected popular American sentiments of the times, when many saw pastoralism as the ideal phase of human civilization, fearing that empire would lead to gluttony and inevitable decay.
2 The Arcadian or Pastoral State The images reflect an idealized, pre-urban ancient Greece. This work shows mankind at peace with nature. It symbolizes that the environment has been altered, but not so much so that it or its inhabitants are in danger.
3 The Consummation of Empire The height of a city’s glory. The decadence seen in every detail of this cityscape foreshadows the inevitable fall of this mighty civilization.
4 Destruction A city in civil war.
Mediapolis Arcadia
1 The Savage State The visual references are those of Native American life, nature unchanged by mankind.
5 Desolation The remains of the city in the livid light of a dying day.
THOMAS COLE: THE COURSE OF EMPIRE (1833–36) This series of paintings reflected popular American sentiments of the times, when many saw pastoralism as the ideal phase of human civilization, fearing that empire would lead to gluttony and inevitable decay.
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1985s
Mediapolis Arcadia
‘Your office is where you are.’ - Philip Stone and Robert Luchetti
Taylorism
1950s
1970s
1980s
1990s
Burolandschaft
Tayloresque (open office)
‘Deep plan’ office building
‘Activity based working’
office ‘cubicle’
networking & hardware
Mobile phones
cube farms & ‘systems furniture’
cooling space
People connected to people NOT desks
accomodate cables (engineered, expensive & inflexible buildings)
6 factors transport city sustainability technology demography culture
office works is diverse (dinimishes hierachy in workspace)
future ?
‘Intelligent’ building to accomodate personal computers and servers
HISTORY evolution of office typology
Evolution of Office Typologies Origins of office spaces prioritizes white collar factory and efficiencies of production. Offices became an avenue to celebration of class divide, roles and relationships between manager and ‘workers’. Eventually, management mantra of the era - work supervised & quantifiable inputs by workers, demarcation of working day by clocking in and out. Separation between administration and factories/ extraction industries made possible with the advent of transportations and communications. 48
Mediapolis Arcadia
Taylorism
1950s Prominent Figures: - Eberhard - Wolfgang Schenelle
1980s Scandinavian Air Sciences (SAS) by Niels Torp
1970s Prominent Figures: - Robert Propst
1990s Polycentric city!
HISTORY evolution of office typology
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Mediapolis Arcadia
Trinity College
Learning from Historical Cross-pollination Model
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Quads are spaces surrounded by two or three storeys high college buildings. These spaces forged a potential for collaborations and intermingling of students and faculties from different faculties as seen in Trinity College. “The rise of portable devices, ubiquitous wireless connectivity and cloud-based storage and software mean that the office will no longer house infrastructure. It will become increasingly HISTORICAL MODEL OF CROSS-POLLINATION ‘thin’. Work today is about connection, interaction and collaboration. “Movements around floor plate through ‘dis-adjacencies’ are attributes for tomorrow’s innovation-centric, knowledge-based organizations.” Serendipitous meetings andspaces unplanned encounters Quads are spaces surrounded by two or three storeys high college buildings. These forged a became impetus in future workfor space. potential collaborations and intermingling of students and faculties from different faculties.
Mediapolis Arcadia HISTORICAL MODEL OF CROSS-POLLINATION Trinity college
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0: How it all started 52
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1: The Start-up guy 53
Re-Masterplan (GFA analysis) Reshuffling of plots and reconfiguring vehicular circulation route (demarcated in red) to cater higher GFA allowable.
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Plot Ratio: 3.5 GFA: 20,000
Plot Ratio: 3.5 GFA: 20,000
Plot Ratio: 1.5 GFA: 16,000
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Plot Ratio: 4 GFA: 41,000
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Plot Ratio: 3.5 GFA: 20,000
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Plot Ratio: 3.5 GFA: 28,469
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Plot Ratio: 3.5 GFA: 22,000
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Massing Iterations 57
Project Masterplan
Our final proposal is a building that fosters a natural state of living and social integration – what we defined as the Arcadia at the beginning of our inquiry. To push the concept of power and a strong identity in the site, our proposal reflects an even clearer definition from the surrounding buildings. It stands as a building that holds its own unique identity and atmosphere – aspiring to be a destination in Mediapolis - or as a critic remarked, an ‘Instagram-able building’.
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Start-up / collabrative space
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Mediapolis Arcadia
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BUSINESS PA
scale 1
1. permanen 2. temporal 3. collaborative space (taking on pas 4. amenities ar
Business Park Storey 1. permanent workspace 2. temporal workspace 3. collaborative space (taking on past precedence of courtyard typology) 4. amenities areas (eg. cafe)
Mediapolis Arcadia
ARK STOREY
1 : 200
nt workspace workspace st precedence of courtyard typology) reas (eg. cafe)
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External corridor (tropical facade & vaulting structure)
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Mediapolis Section 1. retail 2. business park 3. start-up / collabrative space (taking on past precedence of courtyard typology) 4. lift & circulation core (fire escape) 5. residential area (top 3 floors) 6. main atrium 7. amenities areas (eg. cafe) 8. skylight
MEDIA
Mediapolis Arcadia
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APOLIS SECTION scale 1 : 200
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Residential unit view
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Tropical Modularity & Porosity
Our modular systems consist of the floor slab to column module, which is multiplied and slightly modified throughout the building, in addition to the tropical faรงade module. The porosity offered through the optimised floor slab to column module design allows natural light to penetrate deep within the building. The arches also work to hold up the weight of the building, creating open spaces for collaborative work, as well as a flexibility to modify the modulated floor slabs as needed. The modular tropical faรงade is designed to provide sun shading and rainwater collection properties, adding diversity and tropical protection to the open-air working spaces.
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Workspace Exterior Corridor
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Additive Manufacturing
We iterated our floor slab to column and tropical façade modules, all the while experimenting with 3D printing and deliberating on the opportunities the technology offers us in construction. Hence, we foresee our proposal as a 3D printed concrete building. Following our iterative process, our final proposal surprisingly eludes to the Baroque and the Rococo style formally. Despite similarities to these styles that are highly aestheticized and decorated, however, our proposal remains unyieldingly structurally logical. As 3D printing quickly integrates itself into the construction industry, our proposal perhaps suggests that as the construction process becomes more automated, there will be a nostalgia for styles that modern architecture has long abandoned – the celebration of the attention on craft and detail that has suddenly become very feasible.
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Mediapolis Arcadia
SECONDARY STRUCTURAL RIBS
STRUCTURAL FACADE BRANCHES CONNECT TO STRUCTURAL COLUMNS
Mediapolis Arcadia
MODULAR FLOOR PLATE
RAINWATER COLLECTION
STRUCTURAL BRANCHES
MODULATED FACADE
STRUCTURAL FLOOR PLATE CONSTRUCTION MODULARITY detail axonometric
FACADE
Modularity detail Axonometric 85
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Printing Orientation (peripheral components)
Printing components
1 Vaulting Structure
13 components to print for a structural vault. 4 components to print for a structural slab 87
2 modules of Facade Structure
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Printing Orientation (peripheral components)
Printing components
1/2 module of Facade Structure (tropical facade)
A total of 4 separate components to print for 1/2 of the structural facade 89
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Veneration of Craft Making pilgramage to mecca of artisanal retail
Instructor: Fong Hoo Cheong Independent Project National University of Singapore Year 3 Semester 1, 2015
As Singapore enter to the age of progressive development, the act of buying and investing is a reflection and engine of economic growth. As such, increasing number of commercial retails are set up to exploit on foreigners and locals purchasing power which leads to high consumption rate, in other words, high consumerism. High consumerism leads to pollution caused by industrial factories, poverty, and numerous social and ecological problems. Such problems are denied of any links to consumerism in the interest of profit by major shareholders. Current commercial retails typologies are designed to entice you with dynamic advertisement and store diversities. This quality is done through an implementation of countless and almost mesmerizing amount of store at every level in a mall as shown in sectional diagram in the following page. This project intends to posit a cessation of consumerism by decreasing the frequencies of retail exhilaration through establishing new vertical spatial relationship with profound appreciation for the making process of crafts or artisanal products. New urban configurations can be instrumental in affecting a humans psyche and provide social benefits that provide a renewed sense of contentment not through materialistic consumption but an entirely new urban lifestyle.
Veneration of Craft
1 Ais building Japan
2 Orchard Ion Singapore
3 Plac Unii, Warsaw Poland
Current Commercial Typologies Most of the commercial malls we see today exhibits continuous row of retail shops one after another tightly knitted on each floor, provoking a sense of excitement as one shopper progresses in their journey. Such excitement will lead shoppers to be blinded by the attractiveness of products, potentially leading them to purchase the goods regardless of their needs. 92
2 Veneration of Craft
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1 Anada Temple
2 Veneration of Craft
Pantheon
3 Angkor Wat
4 Borobudur vertical pilgramage
Temple Metaphor
spatial reference in celebrating and worshiping of craftsmen Crafted or artisanal products should be deemed as scared operation/ ritual. Instead of just publicizing/ selling the final product, the making process should be celebrated and perceived as a sacred endeavor. The spatial sequence and quality to artisanal worshiping could potentially cross reference with the existing temple typologies. 94
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Veneration of Craft
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Plans
Sections
Main space (climax) Preamble to main space Open-space, free-flowing space (introduction space)
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Why Vertical ?
Typological Comparison By providing another dynamic and tightly knitted space to new retail will result in another typical retail typology in Singapore. Therefore, to allow for greater appreciation in the making of crafts, the shopping experience should be broken down into multiple layers vertically, allowing shoppers and crafts enthusiast to appreciate each making of craft one floor at a time as they climb vertically with injection of meditative spaces. This process of shopping allows for greater appreciation on the intricacy of craft-making, which is the central idea of how JTC wants to celebrate Artisanal works. To assist in a more sustainable/ ethical retail, consumer should have enough time for research and decision-making. The new retail landscape is a palace of making, educating the public to appreciate the making of craft. This ultimately will be a total fresh new concept for retail in Singapore where the idea of exciting and fast-paced retail experience in a typical mall is dismissed.
Retail Distribution
Veneration of Craft
wo r s h i p s p a ce
Circulation Concept
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Site Location
The site is situated along the road of a highly popular commercial shopping district in the heart of Singapore, Orchard Road
Site Strategies Vehicular Access
Seclusion from Commercial Zone the programme of new retail should start above the roof level of surrounding commercial mall, cutting away any relations.
Veneration of Craft
loading/ unloading of goods will be channeled through the minor road to minimize traffic congestion on major roads.
Ground Public Space level 2 (public space on ground floor starts here)
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Veneration of Craft
Chinese Landscape Painting as precedence
The Chinese landscape painting embodies a similar character and setting to the veneration of craft. It portrays mountains with tranquil environment for contemplation. The emphasis of the painting also lies in the gaps between mountains covered by misty clouds, the ‘气’ in Chinese term. Trails and staircases walked by mountain goers experience a sense of calmness as they progress in their journey upwards. It is a journey of making pilgrimage to experience the nirvana of nature. 100
Veneration of Craft
Relevant vs Irrelevant Programmes The ratio between relevant spaces (retails, designer showcase, artisanal workshops, event hall, F&B) and irrelevant spaces, ‘气’ (public, resting and meditation spaces) are equally distributed vertically. It is essential to interject equal amount of irrelevant spaces for shoppers to think, meditate and rest as they appreciate and worship the making of craft. At every intermediate floors of the climb, public spaces with seating areas and greeneries are introduced as resting or meditation space. In addition, these spaces encourage interaction between artisans and shoppers as well as a possible nest for a variety of activities to be held. 101
Veneration of Craft
Tower Study Models The retail spaces should clearly develop a distance from each other, allowing for public meditative, and craft celebration space to be inserted at every intermediate levels. Myriad forms of meditative spatial qualities are generated by combining independent towers of different retail configurations, from fully opened, partially sheltered to fully sheltered.
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Veneration of Craft
Tower Morphology This is an initial conceptual morphology of the artisan retail. Layering in a ‘mountain’ like form, public circulation are designed to spiral up each tower through meditative spaces. During the journey, public can walk into every artisan’s retail stores too.
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Central Area
An inner oasis of artisanal workshops and retails are connected by vertical circulation (staircases) with intermediate sanctuary spaces
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View from neighbouring tower (UOB tower)
The arrival to the top of this architecture invites one again to another sanctuary space. A strategy utilized to slow down the pace of high consumption behavior
Section B-B
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8th storey plan
10th storey plan
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Section A-A
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Veneration of Craft
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artisan’s workshop & retail space
meditative space
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Spatial Relationships
(meditative, public, retail space) 115
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Part Sectional Perspective
meditative space and public courtyard spaces in relation to artisanal retail spaces 119
Detail 1
Veneration of Craft
Detail 2
Detail 3
Structural Concept tower A configuration
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04
Digital Indeterminacy Deployable office for tech company
Instructor: Neo Sei Hwa Independent Project National University of Singapore Year 3 Semester 2, 2016
New media companies possess a unique form of working rigour, constantly inventing and improving applications that feeds on the relentless cycle of social media. Social media is always changing and updating itself and this runs almost as parallel to the idea of deployable or flexible architecture. Instagram was chosen as protagonist in this project mainly because it is one of the commonly used application on smart phones and the relationship between the creators and public users can be potentially enchanced for the benefit of improving the application. Hence, giving rise to the idea of connecting people and the virtual environment through an appropriate agglomeration of intriguing architectural spaces and tectonics. The project site is located along the fringe of central business district and residential zone in Newton area. Threshold of such polarities strategically creates a potential of gravitating public circulation through the site, connecting residents and office workers indefinitely, enriching the demographic on site. Majority of the office programmes hover across the site creating an extensive ground area for multi-purpose activites. Activities on ground area acts as ‘inspiration backdrop’ to the creators and programmers working above. In order to allow for easy deployability of each hovering office space, light-weight steel hexagon modules are secured onto 4-point mast structure with the aid of steel cable system. The modules also possess the flexibility to be modified and multiplied on site through asysmmetrical configuration according to the extent of Instagram’s growth and spatial necessity.
Postulating on the future of Office Typology With the advent introduction of biophilia and open plan design in working environment in recent years, it enhances the notion of sustainability and interaction within the office. However, instead of applying a one size fits all approach to the future office space, this project seeks to investigate into the organization and programme necessity to develop a unique strategy to define sustainability and interactive space of its own.
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Digital Indeterminacy
Site Overview Located at the central area of Singapore, Newton area is contiguous to central business district area. The given site marks one of the last building structure in the Newton zone.
Anchoring facilitator of Urban Markers The site has the potential in emanating Newton’s identity by serving as anchor point to surrounding urban markers. Strategically, exploration of Newton district starts and ends on the site.
Most pedestrain frequent sheltered walkway to connect from Newton MRT, office and residential area due to the hot climate of Singapore, resulting in minimal time spent on open ground area. Therefore, the site could designed for microclimate to enchance ground activities.
Digital Indeterminacy
Frequent Connectivity
Restoration After massive construction of Newton Downtown train line through intense land excavation, the site is left with empty grass land. Hence, this presents a great opportunity to restore the environment with lush greeneries. Potentially, since Scotts road is a bridge between Newton residential zone and Orchard city centre, it creates a green buffer between two polarities.
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Site Zoning The site serves as connection to the relentless flow of pedestrian crossing between residential zones, public transport amenities (Mrt & bus stops) and office buildings throughout the day. The main strategy is to clearly define the zones of respite towards back of site, office spine on the periphery and open public space in accordance to current condition shaped by surrounding infrastructures and elements. While to create a comfortable introspective environment, permanent office corridor spine posits as a means of enclosure to the internal courtyard.
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Pedestrain circulation through site
Aerial observation & activities rentention zones
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Facilitating observation & activities
Informal vs formal work spaces
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Service zones & vehicle access
Overall zoning
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Programme Distribution The core programmes (offices, conference rooms, library and administrative spaces) are distributed in radial arrangement. Gravitating towards the center holds a multi-purpose hall and Instagram exhibition within the realm of public space. Such configuration enables the possibility for aerial observation of public activities serving as backdrop or inspiration for the programmers’ on daily basis.
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Digital Indeterminacy
Programme Distribution Massing Explorations 1. initial conception of creating hovering structure that accommodates office spaces observing public activities below 2. series of visual funnel accentuating a sense of focus over ground activities 3. massing development of office and public programmes 4. tectonic development of flexible and permanent construction modules, where spaces among flexible modules are well nested within the inner site bounded by permanent spaces towards the north-east
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Tectonics Explorations 1. basic scissor joint frustum pyramid unit 2. the module develops a flexibility for retracting and expanding based on the tectonics of umbrella 3. spatial exploration of permanent and indeterminate space of office and public spaces 4. eventual module illustrating the spatial and structural potential
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Tectonics Massing Experimentation The process of deriving a modular system was initiated by the basic geometry of cube. The cube is then subtracted by angular cuts coupled with the various methods of stacking to enhance the degree of vertical spatial connection visually and physically. Further development of the module incorporate pivoting joints for ease of dismantling and assembling. 136
Digital Indeterminacy
Tectonics Circulation Angular undulating surfaces are designed to maintain a continuous visual and spatial connection between levels, allowing users for exploration through multiple floors indeterminately. The modules are able to multiply 90 degree vertically and diagonally 45 degree in elevation.
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Ground condition making spaces below programmer’s offices
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open plaza
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Digital Indeterminacy perspective from Bukit Timah road
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Aerial Observation Hovering position and angular tectonics of each programmers’ office module enabled a degree of observation over ground floor open plaza. Each suspended module is latched onto 4-point steel mast structure, reinforced with steel cable.
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creators’ and programmers’ office space
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construction diagram 151
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flexi module part section 153
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Circulation Sequence Office circulation occurs mainly on the periphery and office spaces hovering above the plaza allowing for observation onto public circulation happening within the conditionmaking boundary below.
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M&E Services M&E risers & toilet discharge pipe are embedded within the mast structure. Whenever a unit is deployed, it is conveniently connected to the services. On the ground floor, the M&E piping is concealled underneath modular timber decking.
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Digital Indeterminacy
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Chronological Antiquity Ceramic museum in Balestier, Singapore
Instructor: Roland Flores Sharpe Independent Project National University of Singapore Year 2 Semester 2, 2015
This project explores the curratorial process of ceramic pieces through centuries which serves as guiding parameters for the implementation of ceramic museum in Balesteir community, Singapore. The manipulations of ceramic arrangements in accordance to their history, popularity and sizes reflects directly on the spatial sequence and tectonics developed. Sequential progression of the museum is experienced through the medium of constriction, layering and expansion enforced with the manipulation of natural light. Balestier Road is seen as a basin of traditional, old shop houses and public housing surrounded by pockets of new condominiums. In addition to being a populated residential zone, the commercial strip along Balestier Road appeals mainly to food & beverage stores and old retail malls. With the advent of conserving shophouse typologies and history of Balestier, heritage trails are paved for the tourists and whoever interested in history of the place. This mixture of demographic inspires a strategy in creating a space for social convergence. The ceramic museum coupling with ceramic studio, cafeteria, temporary exhibition space strikes a congenial effort in gravitating towards a nodal gathering space in Balestier. To achieve that within the hustle and bustle built up zones, the museum is elevate from the ground, allowing for organization of myriad events and to traverse directly through the site with ease. Such is an effort to return communal space back to the community and generate possibilities for activities within the locality.
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Ceramics Categorization
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Ceramics Categorization by Time-line A trend or pattern could be traced when we analyse the ceramic pieces in terms of the origin date and place. Shipwreck ceramics spans widely through the dynasties whereas early to global ceramic trades occur in a sequential manner. Since majority of the ceramics can be timely linked to every shipwrecks ceramics of every century, hypothetically, the discovery of shipwrecks ceramics is a tipping point in unveiling other ceramics in later centuries.
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Distribution Diagram
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Curatorial Sequence A chaotic display of ceramics in shipwreck section possess a sense of enigma, immersing visitors to the early discovery of ceramics. Gradually, a sequential introduction to ceramics popularity and global influence unfolds itself accordingly along the way, reflected by expansion of spatial width and porosity. Insertion of transition space could potentially incorporate outdoor garden spaces or spaces decorated with miscellaneous ceramic pieces.
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Commerce Radius The front of the site along Balestier road is highly packed with multiple programmes with retails, services, hybrids, hotels and 24 hours convenience stores being the closest. These programmes generated constant pattern of highly intensive circulations and activities throughout the day. Towards the back of the site (Whampoa residential), the programmes are less intensive, compromising of only f&b and retails serving mainly the residents near the locality.
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Directing the Public The strategy to undulate the landscape to direct and nest the crowd is strategically crafted by analysing the entry point of circulation around the site. Cores or vertical circulation to the gallery and studio space are placed on the edge of site to create a outdoor central plaza on ground area.
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Massing Explorations 1. massing 1 addressing the polarity of informal (Whampoa residential) and formal zone (Balestier Road) 2. massing 2 mantains ground porosity and the anchoring of studio and gallery space to enhance the understanding of ceramic making 3. development of study model incorporating the progression of level and spatial arrangement 4. scaling down to increase spatial intimacy in response to miniature size of ceramics
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Longitudinal Perspective
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China Core gallery space with sky terraces
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Chronological Antiquity Shipwreck section museum + museum office
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Globalisation of Ceramics Collection gallery section
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Programme Distribution 175
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Retrospecting on chronological progression 3rd floor sky terrace
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Circulation Sequence
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Approach from Whampoa Market
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Huge volume space signifies ceramics’ globalisation surrounded by studio displaying the making process & public space beneath Part Section A-A
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Progression of Gallery Spaces with Ceramic Studios above and Public Spaces below
Ecentuating 2 volumes of Internal spaces with Open public spaces
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Feature Space Tectonics In this sectional model, one can see a choreographed chronological progression of gallery spaces to it’s final celebration of China Core from the early discovery of ceramics. The idea of learning through exposure of internal studios to the public is also coherent with the treatment of architectural joints and enclosures.
The tectonics of the space and architecture elements takes on the analogy of exposed ‘intestine’. Spaces are planned to wrapped around each other to enhance the interactiveness and energy of learning ceramic history and making processess. In conjunction to that, the elements of the building peals off from the skin and envelope to influence the spatial atmosphere. Therefore, the internal spaces evokes a certain deconstructed form as compared to the exterior. 185
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Dance Organism Dance center at Armenian street, Singapore
Instructors: Lorain Kok, Teoh Swee Bing, Phyllis Low Independent Project Singapore Polytechnic Year 3, 2011-2012
The building concept explores the relationships between the human heart, lungs and blood vessels and using them as analogies to the circulation and programme organization of the building. The idea of rejuvenation of blood cells in our body strikes a similarity to a dance centre that seeks to influence and rejuvenate the public’s mind on contemporary dance. Therefore, the public are like ‘blood cells’ while dancers act as ‘lungs’ that disseminates oxygen. In order to maintain identity and to ‘tread lightly’ on the existing site, a significantly large banyan tree is kept as the ‘heart’ of the development in a Central Courtyard. Main activities and circulation throughout the building revolves around the Central Courtyard, which is designed to be a relaxing and comfortable space for users to mingle around. In the human circulatory system, the heart acts like an engine in our body that circulates the flow of blood cells. Hence, blood cells have to pass through the heart in order to be pumped to other parts of the body. This concept is adopted and applied to the ‘heart’ of the development, which is the Central Courtyard. The journey throughout the building starts and ends at the Central Courtyard.
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Site Response Located in the midst of Singapore’s Central District is the site that will house one of Singapore’s well-established dance schools- T.H.E Dance Company. With the site being surrounded by historical buildings, lush greeneries and a modern urban grid, it has the unique potential for ‘social centralization’- providing a meeting point/ gathering place for different user groups that may pass through the site. Instead of creating an isolated identity within a density, this project aims to create a passageway, a thoroughfare that connects to the public through the ‘heart’ of dance culture. By doing so, the architecture creates a sense of place instead of just space.
Site Potentials
Diversifying nodes rejuvenation of public’s mind on contemporary dance through analogy of human respiratory system
Dance Organism
the potential of gravitating people from different areas to sculpt contemporary dance
Peripheral footprint Circulation to central courtyard
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Applying Human Respiratory System analogy to Spatial Configuration Oxygen is supplied to blood cells as it passes through the human’s lung via blood vessels. The process of oxigenating act as analogy to the ‘oxygenation’ of public’s mind on dance culture. Therefore, using the analogy of blood vessels as public circulation route serving as main artery through the dance centre.
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Spatial Organisation In order to attract and create more public activities on the Ground Floor, major spatial programmes such as the Dance Studios, Black Box (experimental performance space) and Management Offices are elevated and situated on the 1st Storey Mezzanine and above. This allows the ground floor to be porous. The key functional spaces on the Ground Floor are CafĂŠ, Retail, Ticketing Booth and Alfresco Dining, which cater more towards the public needs. The key strategy towards spatial distribution of the main spaces is in accordance to formal vs. informal spaces. The front part of building, facing Armenian Street, accommodates spaces such as the Management Office (formal) and is linked via a bridge ramp from the main lobby. The change in level and narrow circulation gives a sense of demarcation between the informal and formal spaces. The major functional spaces are designed to be sprawling and distributed in order to create an exciting journey of discovery for the public. Therefore, the 2 Dance Studios, Management Office, and Resource Centre are broken down into smaller parts and distributed vertically throughout the building. Placements of service cores are at the edge of the building. By doing so, the public circulation paths are able to freely puncture through all functional spaces throughout the entire building, enabling a smooth and seamless vertical transition between levels for the public.
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Programme Zoning
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Journey through the ‘Heart’ of Dance Center The public’s ‘Journey of Dance’ starts at the Central Courtyard of the development through the central free-form feature staircases and pathways. Throughout the journey, ‘chance encounters’ are designed to occur between dancers and the public as the pathways of the public & private realm cross each other. Every space in the building is designed through stages of experiences and experimentation of the human behaviour. Every path or corridor throughout the building provides a certain sense of mood or discovery. Therefore, the journey and spaces unfolds gradually to a climax. Multiple linking paths are created to link the existing public circulation paths into the heart of the development (Central Courtyard). The Central Courtyard is designed to be sunken to create an internal green sanctuary that provides reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city and the existing urban infrastructure out of the site. The linking paths meander intricately downwards to give a sense of unpredictability when entering the building.
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Public Circulation Paths
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Central Courtyard
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Exterior perspective of Dance Centre from Fort Canning Park
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Section illustrating combination of Public & Private spaces
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Multiple Perspectives in discovering Dance Movements One of the most prominent features in this project is the meandering pathways, which act like blood vessels carrying the ‘blood cells’ (public) into the ‘heart’ of the development. These meandering pathways direct people from the entrances at Fort Canning Link and Armenian Street into the building. Once inside the building, dynamic punctuations of circulation paths into dance practice spaces are created in providing a whole new experience in discovering contemporary dance. For instance, the public is able to view dance activities from multiple angles and slits. Sounds of dancers shuffling between Dance Studios & the rhythmic resonance of dance footwork also make the spaces come alive.
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Section A-A cutting across Central Courtyard, Resource Room, Management Office, Dancer’s Dressing room, Blackbox & Alfresco Dining
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Chance Encounters & Spatial Demarcation In order to rejuvenate the public’s mind on contemporary dance, multiple ‘chance encounters’ between dancers and public are introduced within the communal and private corridors. This usually happens when public circulation paths cross the main corridor paths used by dancers and working staff. The design of fluid, open spaces provide opportunities for dancers and public to interact and mingle. In this project, experimentation on the shifts of floor levels is important to differentiate different spatial programmes and for the process of rejuvenation. There are some private spaces where the public are not supposed to enter. Instead of using a mere concrete wall to segregate the spaces, the design of level differences creates a sense of invisible demarcation between the private and public zones, but yet still able to overlook each other.
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Part Sectional Perspective
Blackbox, Alfresco Dining & Roof Terrace
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Harmonial Deflection water folly & water cube experimentation
Instructor: Chaw Chih Wen Independent Project National University of Singapore Year 2 Semester 1, 2014
“Playlist for an extreme occasion: Part Six’ by Silk Road Ensemble is the backbone to an architectural translation of the water cube project. My focus sets to seek and express the dynamic and indifferent yet harmonic tunes caused by collision of sounds from different instruments. The deflection of multiple distinct tunes within a realm introduces a hybrid and new species of sound. Ultimately, this project is a series of experimentation to concretise the harmonial deflection of the audible. As a driver and influence to a water folly sets in Fort Canning Park, it harnesses the potential of dead fallen leaves to enhance the 4 realm of senses to create the spaces. The smell, taste, touch and hearing senses heighten according to the interaction between the tectonics articulation, dead leaves and water at different part of the folly.
Abstraction Translation “Playlist for an extreme occasion: Part Six’ by Silk Road Ensemble This 2:42 minutes classical piece is unique in its way because of the marriage of instruments, traditional and modern. In the start of the composition, different instruments are played repetitively with myriad trajectories. At 1:10 min, the first clash between all instruments came together, clashing into the first realm of chorus. Sequentially, the second half of this classical piece presents a divergent of ensembles into their independent realm as combination of different instrument changes.
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Impression and Analysis of “Playlist for an extreme occasion: Part Six” by Silk Road Ensemble
Yee Foo . 2014
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The Audible Translation
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Fallen Leaves collection structure
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Chambers of Senses (development of water folly) Since the water folly will be situated in a tropical setting with lush greeneries, combining water and leaves heightens our sensorial sensitivity. In the vignette above, starting sequentially from the left, depicts the multi-sensorial dimensions within the water folly. 1. Touch The touch of rain water droplets as it filter through leaves that are caged above 2. Hearing Within an enclosed space, water flowing through fallen leaves produces rustling sounds As one progresses through the folly, stepping on fallen leaves produces rustling sounds 3. Smell Within an intimate space, the smell of dead leaves can potentially be transformed into pleasant wooden aroma coupled with water 4. Taste Transpiration of leaves under clear glass enclosure provides a chance to taste fresh droplets of water
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Water Folly on site (fort canning park) Near a flight of staircase leading to the peak of Fort Canning park, an open grass patch covered with big canopy of trees and infinite fallen leaves offers nothing more than a great potential for a water folly insertion. Fallen leaves possess distinctive wooden aroma, rustling sound when stepped on and offers certain poetic element in nature. While through transpiration of living leaves, droplets of fresh water can be extracted for tasting. Therefore, this water folly aims to extract the charm of the leaves, delivering it through four medium of senses (smell, touch, hearing and taste).
Site Plan
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Harmonial Deflection Folly entrance, consistent rhythmic introduction
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Harmonial Deflection Water tasting realm, produced by leaves transpiration process
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Harmonial Deflection Inclination to sense of hearing space, curated leaves collection area 227
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Strenuous Connection abstract painting to architectonic spaces
Instructor: Mdm Juneita, Low Poh Sing Independent Project Singapore Polytechnic Year 1 Semester 1, 2009
“ There are 3 forms of visual art: Painting is art to look at, sculpture is art you walk around, and architecture is art you can walk through”- Dan Rice. In this primer, we are tasked to design a Hub that pays tribute to either two great artists, Wassily Kandinsky or Piet Mondrain. I choosed Wassily Kandinsky’s paintings as it fascinates me with expressive strokes, colours combination, geometrical elements. Interestingly, my first few encounterance of his paintings seemed like a solodification of music onto a canvas. I can feel a sense of tonality, melody and rhythm by looking at the paintings. Kandinsky’s paintings are often broken down into three different categories: point, line and plane, each conveys a certain message and mood. Line can be viewed as the product of force, while different arangement of lines exudes different emotions.
‘Two-green-points’ by Wassily Kandinsky Dynamic shapes such as geometical shapes of triangle emulating a sense of energy, a characteristic of an abstract art. Overlaping planes suggest many layers in painting that expresses multiple ideas at a specific moment. Starting of year 1930, Kandinsky’s started to change his style from fanciful colours to geometrical shapes to expresses his emotions. He mentioned that different shapes and background colours can set different mood in an art piece. In translation, dynamic shapes such as triangles, trapeziums and sharp angled planes are utilised in the hub’s design. It gives a very strong protruding force that suggests that there are no boundaries in abstract art. Curve lines that form a bridge-like form on the Hub gives a sense of connection to the whole structure. To extrapolate the multilayer readings from ‘Two Green Points’, the whole journey is layed out into 3 sections: first impression, confusion and understanding. The concept is to instill a sense of discovery into the hub. As one’s journey progress, he/she will slowly learn the characteristics and styles of Kandinsky’s painting- Overlapping and Intersecting of contrasting geometry. By the end of the journey, a clearer understanding of Kandinsky’s style will suffice.
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Approach The approach to the Hub is strategically positioned behind a little hill. The peak of the slope stops directly at the middle of the Hub. Therefore, as one approach the Hub, the structure reveals incrementally, giving a sense of discovery. In Kandinsky’s painting, there were two green points situated on the top centre of the painting which relates to the title “Two Green Points”. That being the node of painting which eventually be translated into the space. Two elements, curvature structure projecting from the ground and gradient increasing planes leads to the climatic space (yellow coloured zone in diagram above).
Spatial Experience Firstly, visitors are confronted by dynamically extruding planes in the start of the hub, emulating a sense of confusion as how one initially confronts an abstract painting. Consequently, the play of lights serves as spatial direction guidance. Light penetrates through the spaces through slits, corners and paths ahead. Users are lead through the spaces by light. Dynamic shapes with overlapping layers are exaggerated in the main space, heightens the visitors appreciation for the structure. The huge space is showered by light rays penetrating through roof’s branch-like structure. In the main space, all the elements of Kandinsky’s painting can be experienced in a 3D structural space.
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Entrance to Hub
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Dialogue between two distinctive spaces & geometry
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1st storey plan
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2nd storey plan
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Entrance to Hub
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Vincent Lai Yee Foo
Masters of Architecture candidate 2019 University of California , Berkeley yeefoo_lai@berkeley.edu +1-510-570-5285
Vincent Lai Yee Foo
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design pro jects portfolio
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2017