an anthology and reflection of year one architecture 2010/2011one.

the first project that inducted us and prepared us for the ardous journey ahead was the trishaw - a piece of art that was to be entered into a competition for the chinatown mid-autumn festival. this project saw us interacting with our studiomates for the very first time, in preparation for the rest of the group projects that would eventually follow.

trishaw and lights

craft, lines and compositionin the second assignment, we were tasked with creating art with lines of differing line weight. from this assign-ment i explored the effects of differing line weight on the perception of depth. we were also supposed to depict transformation in a picture.

body and placein this project we were directed to bukit pasoh road which is a protected heritage area. we were supposed to find an area which we liked and perform site analysis on it. this was our first encounter with technical drawings, and it was made even more challenging due to the fact that we were not allowed any measuring apparatus but had to use our body to perform estimations on the dimensions of the site.

component and spacein this project, we were tasked to consolidate the characteristics of the previous chosen site and sublimate them into abstract models that brought out similar characteristics. this was our first encounter with model making and it was an exploration of working with different materials for model making that would prove useful for the second semester.

material and formthis assignment marked the further exploration and development of sensitivity towards material, not just with model-making but at the site itself. we were tasked with making a pinhole camera and using it to take pictures of the materials on site. this also marked our first experience with plaster in model making.

stairs and rampsthis assignment was our first exposure to building elements such as circulation. it marked the transition between more artistic and abstract thoughts towards those that are more architectural in nature. in this project i explored more and attempted to develop sensitivity towards circulation elements and the different effects they have on one that is travelling on them. in this assignment, i also learnt to think of ideas and translate them into abstract representations.

modules and patternsin this assignment we began exploring the use of modules and patterns in our designs, but one of the many strategies that architects use in their projects.

joints and detailsin the last assignment of semester one, we focused on joint systems and the finesse that it can provide to a project by giving attention to detail. we were asked to design a working joint and produce a model of it

p01the first project of sem 2 was to propose a new building for the old bungalow at dairy farm road without changing the structural system of the existing house. from this assignment we had to take into account the context of the building. we were to design a personal retreat which was to simulate the client brief in the real world. this was the first assign-ment that we had that was in relation to an actual piece of architecture.

p02the second assignment of semester 2 further developed our sensitivity towards sites and buildings as we were supposed to design a house for a few characters out of select movies. the context was in bukit pasoh road which is a preserved heritage site in singapore, therefore the building had to be sensitive to the site. the nature of the site, which was narrow and long, added to the challenge of building a home that was comfortable and pratical while setting out to achieve specific aims with the characters in mind.

things i’ve learnt in architecture school1. always label your things (this includes your chair)2. if your things go missing, check two studios away (this also includes your chair)3. bandaids are a necessity4. never, EVER fall asleep on your drawing5. always keep coins around for vending machine use6. do not try any strenuous physical activity after 24 hours without sleep7. people will think you’re insane8. you are probably insane9. if blood appears, it is a sign that you’re still alive10. using the scrollsaw in a sleep-deprived state is probably not the best idea11. youtube has a wealth of nonsense meant to keep you awake12. there is no such thing as day and night, just the presence of absence of sunlight (/aircon)13. erasers can and will and often go missing14. white glue is your friend15. sleep is severely underrated

yeo hui wen a0071056m

special thanks tomr ng sansondr chenyunus department of architecture