portfolio // journal vincentlai . yeefoo
vincentlai . yeefoo diploma in architecture singapore polytechnic 2009-2012
vincentlai . yeefoo My fascination with arts and design started when I was exposed to different education system, infrastructures, art exhibitions and historical monuments in Malaysia, America, China and Singapore at a very young age. This ignited my passion in arts, sketching, drawing, piano and any design work. As I grow older, I travel to different countries in Europe, UK and Southeast Asia to immerse myself into their dynamic cultures. Every countries visited heightened my curiosity on how existing infrastructures influence people’s behavior, activities, daily routines and lifestyles. Experiencing how chamfered corner of Hanoi shop houses potentially creates informal eatery corners, the efficiency in Hong Kong’s elevated walkways, that usually goes unnoticeable to everyday user. In my perspective, Architecture is like a piece of craft. A craft that enhances social cohesion. A craft that has the ability to influence our behaviours, social interaction, activities, mood, efficiency, etc. The craft is created from a combination of social, political, economic and environmental factors. This massive influence or conflicts then creates a craft for humanity. A great peice of craft usually juxtopose itself between great function and aesthetic.
CO N T E N TS
DAN CE O R GANIS M
DWELLIN G 3214
UR BAN MUSCLE
architecture 2011/2012 final year project
architecture 2010 ASEAN competition
master planning 2011 international competition
STRENEOUS CO NNECTION primer project 2009 Year 1 primer
FR AGILE
THE INTERLACE
SYNERGY
O BJ ECT // ATMOSPHER E
workshop 2011 AA visiting school 2011/2012
architecture 2009/2010 year 1 final project
architecture 2010/2011 year 2 project
primer project 2011 Year 3 primer
Project Type: Commercial, Insitution (Architecture) Project Site: Armenian Street, Singapore Tutors: Lorain Kok, Phyllis Low, Swee Bing Year: 2011-2012 (Final Year)
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he 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.
Surrounding Buildings typology
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.
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CONCEPT ILLUSTRATION DIAGRAM catogorisation of human organ systems to spatial organisation of dance centre
CONCEPT ILLUSTRATION DIAGRAM 2
IDEAS SKETCHES
trannsformation of human blood vessels to public circulation paths for dance centre
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CONCEPTUAL MODEL
Conceptual Model
MASSING MODELS
Massing Model 1
Massing Model 2
Massing Model 3
SPATIAL STUDY MO DELS experimentation
structure experimentation dance studio 1
blackbox
form experimentation
SPATIAL ORGANISATION
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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3 1 overlooking into central courtyard 2 front of DANCE ORGANISM, overlooking dance studio 1 & resource room 3 back of DANCE ORGANISM, blackbox
SITE PLAN
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CENTRAL courtyard
JOURNEY THROUGH THE ‘HEART’ OF DANCE CENTRE 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.
SECTIONAL DIAGRAM + INTERIOR PERSEPCTIVE
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section B-B 1 section B-B 2 management office
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FLOOR PLANS 1st mezzaninie 2nd storey plan
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BLACKBOX theatre (v iew from balcony)
BLACKBOX theatre (audience seats)
FLOOR PLANS 3rd storey plan
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SECTIONAL DIAGRAM
section A-A DESIGN 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 to give a whole new experience in discovering contemporary dance. For example, 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. 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. For example, 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.
FLOOR PLANS 4th storey plan roof terrace plan
SECTION + ELEVATIONS
NORTH-EAST ELEVATION
SOUTH-WEST ELEVATION
NORTH-WEST ELEVATION
DESIGN PROCESSES
FACADE EXPLORATION
SPATIAL STUDY
SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
FEATURE SPACE STRUCTURAL MODEL ( blackbox facade web & main suspended structure)
FEATURE SPACE STRUCTURAL MODEL ( intermediate floors structural system)
DETAILINGS featured staircase railings
DETAIL 3
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM AXO
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DETAILINGS roof terrace & control room
DETAIL 1
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DETAILINGS blackbox roofing system
DETAIL 2
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D W E L L I N G 3 215 Project Type: Eco-friendly & ‘Green’ concept design of an affordable house for low income people (2010 Science, Innovation & Technology Design Competition) Award: 3rd Prize Project Site: Flexible (within Asia, Tropical region) In collab with: Choo Xin Wenn, Toh Hui Ping, Aint Zar Chi Lwin, Ei Phyu Phyu, Joshua Tan & How Kwang Yi Organised by: ASEAN Academy of Engineering & Technology (AAET) Year: 2010
Exterior perspective of dwelling 3215
MASTERPLAN dwelling 3215
PROGRAMME & MASTER PLANNING The main idea is to have a small community to share a common space. As this small community grows larger, a larger community is formed and they will then share a larger common space which include facilities such as wells which serves as a meeting point for every family. Finally, when this community grows even larger, a small town is form with efficient transport system such as roads. A small community is form when 4 houses come together. these 4 houses or 20 people will share a communal area where they can meet up with their neighbours to interact or share items. Most importantly, they will be able to get a feel of their neighbours’ lifestyle and hence realise that there may be others whose life is harder than theirs. A larger community is formed when 12 houses combine in a single plot of land. These 12 houses or 60 people will then share a common well and a farm.
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DESIGN PROCESSES
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FLEXIBLE UNIT CONFIGURATION change as you grow
The layout of each individual unit can be configured to suit the needs of people of different ages as well as different family sizes.
Dining Area
Living Area
1 1 exterior of 4 combined dwellings 2 master bedroom 3 kids room
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3
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SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
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ANOMETRIC DIAGRAM materials and structural breakdown
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Compound within 4 combined dwellings
STRUCTURAL DESIGN The structure design to incorperated the four units together. The conlumns and beams are shared between untis to minimise structural elements.The structural material can be either recycled “I� section steel column or reinforce concrete to minimise the cost of the house. As for the walls and slabs, recycled timber and other wood material are mostly used throughout the house. In addition these material are locally available with affordable price in most of the third-world countries. Method and Estimated time of Construction for 1 Dwelling Unit Cast in-situ concrete floor slab Precast concrete column Basic infrastructure Total Time Required: 2 to 3 months
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UR BAN MUSCLE Project Type: Masterplanning (International Open Competition) Project Site: Somerville, Boston (USA) Site Area: 48 acres (19.4 hectares) In collab with: Kevin Ng, Matthew Kek, Goh Wei Peng, Suphatta Low, Lim Qian Ye Organised by: Build Boston 2011, Boston Society Architects (BSA) Year: 2011
The Vision takes cue from the human anatomy study of Muscles. Envisioned as a masterplan which incorporates “Healing”, both literally and metaphorically for Sommerville, this scheme explores further into being an expandable and a flexible entity as muscles would. Working towards a sustainable masterplan which caters to the need of today’s working professional and their life 30 – 50 years thereafter, medical facilities have became the main infrastructure focus in this scheme followed by a “green” initiative accomodated to simulate life rejuvenating qualities.
Newly proposed MC Grath highway
Residential Units
Relating to the fact that tendons and muscles works together, the Medical Office takes shape of an tendon and becomes an anchor point for Sommerville. Muscles of residential areas , commercial spaces and recreation parks fills in the gap and ties in a connection to achieve an integrated living. The site is transformed to maximise the green on ground level to promote healing spaces. The Explandability of muscles. Muscles grow under adequate exercise and sufficient nourishment. As each household exercises self grown crops, these connection chains form a network of self-sustainable city.
U R B A N M U S CLE ma s t erplan axo
Flexible Medical Pods & park
S T R E N U O U S CO N N E CT I O N EXPERIENCE ESSENCE OF ABSTRACT ART THROUGH ARCHITECTONIC SPACES
Project Type: Primer Project Site: Pasir Ris Park, Singapore Tutors: Mdm Juneita, Low Poh Sing Year: 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.
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n 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. He is described as one of those famous abstract art painters of his generations. 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 & plane, each conveys a certain message. Line can be viewed as the product of force, while different arangement of lines potrays different feelings or emotions.
Looking at an abstract art is quite challenging for some people because an abstract art can consists of unlimited meanings. It depends on how each individual interpret the ideas from the painting. In all circumstances, people will judge an abstract art by how nice or appealing it is. Then they will start to figure out the meaning of the abstract art and it can be painful some people. Therefore, I separate the whole journey of the hub into 3 sections: first impression, confusion and understanding. My concept is to make the hub into a place of discovery.
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Walking through my hub, a person will be able to slowly understand the characteristics and styles of Kandinsky’s painting- Overlapping, Intersecting, Contrast and geometry. By the end of the journey, they will be clearer of how Kandinsky’s style of painting differs from other abstract art artist. Starting of year 1930, Kandinsky’s started to change his style from fanciful colours to geometrical shapes to expresses his emotions. He always mentions that different shapes and background colours can set different mood in an art piece. Therefore, I use a lot of dynamic shapes such as triangles, trapeziums and sharp angled planes for my hub. 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 of the whole structure. Curve lines are also a contrast with straight planes. The site is very potential in creating a sense of discovery because of the slope. The peak of the slope cuts in between the Hub and the walking path from the car park. When walking down the path towards the beach, the slope starts to gentle. Therefore, bit by bit of the Hub is being revealed, which gives a sense of discovery.
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APPROACH The selected art piece for this project is ‘twogreen points’ by Wassily Kandinsky. Dynamic shapes such as geometical shapes of triangle were used to create a sense of energy which is a characteristic of an abstract art. Overlaping planes suggest many layers in painting that expresses multiple ideas at a specific moment. Spiral stairs were designed to allow a sense of discovery.
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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”. However, it is not obvious. Thus, I used elements like curves projecting from the ground and gradient increasing planes to form a centre point at different part of the Hub. It starts to bring elements form the nature such as grass into the Hub which also connects to the site.
3 1 dialogue between 2 major spaces & geometry 2 entrance, initial stage of experience 3 structural connection to ground
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1st Storey Plan
2nd Storey Plan
Side Elevation
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SPATIAL EXPERIENCE To create a space for discovery, sense of mystery must be incorporated to entice and provide a sense of progression in user experience. Therefore, a sense of confusion is placed into my first half of the hub. By going through the dynamically confusing portion, the person will experience the pain in trying to understand the meaning behind the Hub structure. However, there is still hope in allowing exploration by the play of lights. Lights penetrate through the spaces through slits, corners and paths ahead. Users are lead through the spaces by light.
2 1 overview of hub 2 entrance to hub
Dynamic shapes with overlapping layers became are exagerated in the main space, allowing user to appreciate the structure. The huge space is showered by light rays penetrating through brunch-like structure on the roof to give a special effect. In the main space, all the styles of Kandinsky’s painting are being transformed into 3D structural form.
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FR AG ILE AA visiting school 2010 / 2011 “Explore the fragile state of our surroundings and inform alternative uses to the banal. Located within the city-state’s contrived urban setting, the workshop will investigate the idea of surplus as a shift in design strategy. Linking multiple scales and looking at how the excessive availability of goods has transformed needs into excess, we will generate new forms and uses emerging from ordinary mass-production.” - AA This 10 day workshop have gave me an insight and broaden my perspective on everyday materials and objects we have today. By constantly experimenting and observing their characteristics and behavior, we are able to manipulate and recreate countless different forms, connections and structures.
CABLE TIE The basic function of cable tie is to secure object. The teeth is design to lock the tie. Therefore, the lock has to be attach to its tile or another tie for connection. However, there are more than one way create that connection. The length of the cable tie 200mm. Divided with the interval of 25mm (The first connection of the cable tie is at 25mm from the end) The cable tie length decrease the size (length and area) of the loop increase. We experimented with various combinations and possibilities with the cable tie. Then, we study and test the behaviour and characteristics of each combination. Thereafter, we apply the modules created into a larger context. The logic behind the scales and manipulation of the cable tie accross the site are influenced by the environmental and social factors.
A + B +D
A + B +D _ varies in size
- The size will affect the density of the fabric - The size will affect the elasticity of the module - The size will affect the form
Patterns
pattern 1
pattern 2
pattern 3
Opacity & elasticity Tests
directions a
pattern 1
1 point pattern 2
pattern 3
pattern 1
2 points pattern 2
pattern 3
pattern 1
3 points pattern 2
pattern 3
pattern 1
4 points pattern 2
pattern 3
b
c
Tests analysis
Pattern 1 can increase 13-29 % from its original size. The biggest increasing created when its pulled along direction a
Pattern 2 increased 22-62 % from its original size. The biggest increasing created when its pulled along direction a
Pattern 3 increased 11-30 % from its original size. The biggest increasing created when its pulled along direction a
Tests analysis _ conclude
facade Pattern at road side 1
Physical Elements Mapping
Schematic pattern of cable connection
facade Pattern at road side 2
protruding balcony
additional shading
door sized window
signboards
windows
an installation that replaces modernity?
impression
THE INTER LACE Project Type: Residential Housing (Bungalow) Project Site: Pasir Ris, Singapore Year: 2009-2010 (1st Year final project)
DESIGN CONCEPT
SITE PLAN
The concept is to allow the client (an enginner) to experience a tranquil environment that connects with the nature. the client loves to keep everything organised. therefore, different function of spaces are created to interlace with each other, creating a dynamic experience.
DESIGN STRATEGY
In order to achieve a connection with the nature, I will have to marry the function of spaces together with the nature to give a visually interlaced effect. using louvers and pure architecture elements are useful out the purity of contemporary design. features such as sound of water flowing and indoor water feature gives a pleasurable sense of calmness.
SITE
Located few meters away the coast of Pasir Ris Park, the site provides a view of the sea breeze and greeneries when viewed from 2nd storey. Within the site, the ground segregated into half by one meter elevated ground towards the North.
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3 1 exterior of THE INTERLACE 2 guess room (mezzanine level) 3 living room (1st level)
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1st STOREY PLAN scale 1:300
SECTION A-A
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MEZZANINE STOREY PLAN scale 1:300
SECTION B-B
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4 1 front view, looking from swimming pool 2 looking into outdoor dining space 3 floating platform on reflective pool
2nd STOREY PLAN scale 1:300
FRONT ELEVATION
5 4 roof garden above mezzanine storey 5 looking into master bedroom (2nd storey) & guest room (mezzanine storey)
S Y N E R GY Project Type: Multi-residential Housing (Bungalow) Project Site: Redhill, Singapore Year: 2010 / 2010 (Year 2 project) DESIGN CONCEPT
The main idea behind this project revolves around the 2 distinct site context of urban and nature landscape. It is by analysing the lifestyle of the clients and site context, the idea is to combine and synergize. In this sense, the concept of ‘synergy’ is formulated, which bridges the significant force between the urban and nature landscape together. At the same time, the architecture reflects upon the current uniqueness of its site characteristic.The flow throughout the architecture should also be directional, leading and directing users to experience the space through an unprecedented journey.
DESIGN STRATEGY
The gap between nature is to be bridge by creating a seamless flow throughout the space of the building. The overall design is to be kept to a minimalist design while the purity of the form itself should shine.
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synergy
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O B J E C T / / ATM O S P H E R E Project Type: Installation / primer In collab with: Shawn Koh, Kevin Ng, & Fukkin Ho Tutor: Lorain Kok, Teoh Swee Bing Year: 2011
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IDEA & INSTALLATION
We aim to create a sculpture or art installation that ecentuates the relationship of object and it’s atmosphere. Showing a visual interaction between the surroundings and the source. This aims to define a new way of looking at art, movements, dance, the atmosphere, etc.
EXPERIMENTATIONS
By taking strokes of calligraphy as example and translating it into human movements. Certain movements are evoked and it’s effects are expressed in the atmosphere by striking moving particles. Human movements expressed through calligraphy displays certain emotions. The expressions of human motion can be choreographed by calligraphy through stroke directions and intensity.
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obje c t / / at mo s ph e re
ground strike motion
motion pushes through space
kicking motion
ground strike motion
vincentlai . yeefoo vincentlai1992@gmail.com