Category Archives: My Work

Tidal Sanctuary | Redesigning the Rocky Shore at Labrador Park

DV3003 Spatial Design
AY19/20 Semester 1

In collaboration with Jiaman (https://oss.adm.ntu.edu.sg/a160043

At the beginning of this assignment, we wanted to work on it as a continuation of our first wayfinding submission – which was to position Labrador Park as a convenient location for a variety of sensory experiences. Despite not being a very popular recreation space, Labrador has a rich natural and cultural heritage, containing both a nature reserve and the remnants of Fort Pasir Panjang, one of Singapore’s colonial wartime defences. We would also find out later on that Labrador is home to Singapore’s last stretch of pristine, untouched coastline along its Southern coast.

Target audience

Based on this, we decided on young families and their children as our target audience; Labrador Park could be a place for them to learn about a wide variety of topics, such as heritage and nature. Other users would consist of anglers using the jetty, as well as residents engaging in recreational activities and the working population from nearby commercial buildings.

Initial strategies

We decided to work on this project under two main strategies

  1. To pitch Labrador Park as a space to slow down and watch as nature changes
  2. That Labrador Park has untapped potential as an educational park – it is not just a park, but also a home to nature and others

Labrador Park is a space wherein many natural features are available for visitors to experience nature in a multisensory way – to touch, smell, see and hear. 

A space to slow down and watch as nature changes

In this project, we would like to encourage visitors to slow down and observe the changes and transformational forces of nature; these changes are slow and as transitory visitors, we often fail to recognise them.

Thus, there is potential to create opportunities for visitors to literally slow down, and observe the world around them. 

For this concept, we explored and derived inspiration from creative projects that embodied this concept of change and seasonality, as well as the need to slow down and observe the world around us.

Inspiration 1: Great Big Story “Recording the sounds of extinction” 

We felt that this project reminded us that humans inherently need contact with the natural world as this helps with their physical and emotional wellbeing. At the same time, nonphysical elements of a space are still important in defining its identity and what it does. 

Inspiration 2: 林子大了by YooYao

In this project, mechanical woodpeckers were built and programmed, thus creating a pattern of sounds in a forested space. We considered that this was an example of how sound could open up our awareness of the space and asked ourselves, could this be a way to get people to start noticing and appreciating the little details in our environment? Encouraging a sense of wonder and discovery could possibly provide intangible benefits in a fast paced environment such as Singapore’s.

Inspiration 3:  Sea Organ in Croatia

Other examples we looked at included the Zadar Sea Organ. Built as a stepped seawall and incorporating acoustic functions that resonated with the waves, it invites people to get close to the water and observe. People are encouraged to sit down and enjoy the acoustic effects as time passes; natural forces were harnessed and converted into a unique experience. 

We also studied a park project from China, where a physical sand and water feature embodied the idea of time passing as well. In that project, water is allowed to flow serendipitously through the sand feature. Nature and man both are able to sculpt the flow of water; this would’ve created a poetic/therapeutic experience, that reminded us of how interactivity could encourage people to slow down and observe how these phenomena change over time. 

Educational park

Revisiting our first assignment, we also wanted to retain this idea of learning and education in our placemaking phase as well and this was something we considered in the development for this project.

Initial design explorations

We explored the idea of a space where people could congregate in small communal spaces that surrounded a central feature, which could embody the idea of slowing down and observing the surroundings. 

One concept used the sand pit feature and modifying the terrain to provide spaces for park users.

 

Design proposal – Tidal Sanctuary

We decided to simplify our proposal for a more elegant solution, and focus on providing spaces on which users could build their own experience, yet tie in the idea of slowing down and observing changes in the environment.

By simplifying our proposal it also allowed us to focus and identify our goals for this project. 

Our main goals:

1. The idea of slowing down and observing the surroundings. 

  1. To bring the visitors closer to nature and not hinder the sensory experience nature provides. 3.To make the existing sights, sounds and textures of nature the main attraction in our space. (need edit)

 

Location and siting

In our proposal, we plan to utilise the Rocky Shore at Labrador Park as our placemaking site. Through our research, we found that Rocky Shore plays an important ecological role as it is the last 300m stretch of pristine coastline along Singapore’s southern coast. As a rocky tidal shore, it is also home to corals, crustaceans and other tidal marine life. 

The Rocky Shore is the final stretch of Singapore’s southern coastline yet to be modified by humanity

During our site visit, we felt that the existing structures, fences and barriers were hindering the view of the coast and it creates a visual and physical barrier between the visitors and nature, making it difficult for visitors to closely appreciate the importance of the Rocky Shore.

https://forum.fishingkaki.com/discussion/283856/labrador-park-jetty-reopened-to-the-public-today
https://forum.fishingkaki.com/discussion/283856/labrador-park-jetty-reopened-to-the-public-today

 

What we have learned is that the Rocky Shore used to be open to public visitors, but has since been fenced up to protect visitors from injury and to prevent damage to the wildlife; the stretch of Labrador Jetty closer to the shore has regulatory signage forbidding anglers from fishing in the waters, indicating the unique nature of the Rocky Shore. Furthermore, there isn’t much done to the coastal area, it is now just a green fence which give the space a very harsh and oppressive environment.

Development

We wanted to expose visitors to the importance of the rocky shore, by bringing the coastline closer to visitors; inspiration was taken from stepped seawalls, such as the example of the Zadar Sea Organ, and even the stepped walls of the Singapore River. Thus visitors, would be able to get closer to the sea to view the cyclical changes of the tides and how the Rocky Shore changes over time. 

Some exploratory illustrations were done to explore the various possible configurations of the space.

Illustration – Current scenario of the Rocky Shore

Exploring segmenting the space with sheltered pods; we felt this detracted from the simplicity and elegance we wanted from the space
Conveying the idea of the undulating waves through organic forms for the stepped seawall
Exploratory sketches – could we use a low wall as a barrier?
Quick renders to explore how to configure the steps – this created undulating coves and modified the terrain to provide for imaginative uses of the space
Inspiration for the use of undulating coves
Close to final form – however, the fence barrier still seemed a bit obtrusive

By bringing visitors closer to the shore, there was a risk of damage to the Rocky Shore, but we explored various ways to implement a softened barrier. We used sketches and 3D modelling to visualise this, but realised that these barriers were still quite rigid. After consultations, we decided on visual hints and standoff distances to create a safety barrier between the Tidal Sanctuary and the shore; this was implemented with a wide pebble strip that differs from the concrete we plan to use in the rest of the space.

To embody the undulating waves, we designed the steps of the space to vary and curve slightly, which creates spaces of various dimensions. This could cater to different group sizes and a wider range of activities in the Tidal Sanctuary. Organic undulating surfaces were also included to provide spaces for play and encourage exploration of the space. These could be used for play by children, while adult users could potentially use these as lounging and resting spaces.

CAD model snapshot of the pebble strip and undulating stepped seawall
Quick render to illustrate the standoff distance created by the wide pebble strip

Similar to the current scenario, we would propose that physical access to the Rocky Shore is allowed only for guided tours with park rangers. However, the broadened space would enable people to get closer to the waters without having to enter the shore.

Night experience

Labrador Park currently does not have much in terms of programming and activities for night time visitors, other than a cluster of BBQ pits for park users. Additionally, lighting is mostly functional, and doesn’t enhance the visitor’s experience. We wanted to extend the usable time of the Tidal Sanctuary into the night, by designing a lighting programme for the space.

Lights are proposed to be embedded into the stepped space and as individual spots in the curved areas. Strips of lights mimic the movement of the waves, as they travel from one end of the tidal Sanctuary to the other. Another group of lights are scattered around the Tidal Sanctuary and glow as if there were stars reflected in the waves. These lights would then be programmed with a breathing, flowing pattern, embodying the undulating waves and wind that surrounds Labrador Park, providing an alternative experience for visitors. 

3D rendering simulation of the night time experience

Safety lights will be placed near the water’s edge, to remind visitors to stay away for their safety.

Summary

In summary, the Tidal Sanctuary is a 

  • A place for visitors to slow down and enjoy the sensory experience. (We have made the existing sights, sounds and textures the main highlights of the space)
  • Step closer to the coast/nature of what Labrador Park can provide (View is not obstructed, people can sit nearer to the coast, encourages them to explore the coastal ground when the timing is right)
  • Softens the coast allowing a more gentle and inviting experience for the visitor.
  • Becomes a resting space for intimate conversations (The narrow curves for people to sit)
  • Becomes an activity space with a good view to enjoy (The wider curves for picnics, yoga etc) 
  • An attraction at night with delightful/magical light shows. 

Final visualisations

Project Luna – Meta-assignment Theme 5: Law

In this time and age, the major nuclear powers have finally managed to agree on withdrawing their nuclear arsenals, making the Mutually Assured Destruction doctrine a thing of the past…

With an explosion in the education levels of the global population and the worsening of global warming and its results, the United Nations General Assembly gradually became a sort of Parliament for deciding on humanity’s actions to resolve its issues.

A decade before Project Luna, the UNGA was renamed the World Parliament, yet it was thankfully not Nineteen Eighty-Four but the result of a global awakening and worldwide conversion to freedom and democracy. In North Korea, even!

The World Parliament would take over the UN’s territory in New York City and set binding global policies, while states had the leeway to adjust these policies for their own implementation….

(to be continued/edited)

DN1006 Assignment 1 – Process

As described in my Research post, I would be working on the following themes: construction worker, police officer, architect, bird keeper…….

Composition 1: Construction Worker

Initially, I wanted to use aluminium foil to form the “hoarding” used in this concept. This took a lot of effort, however, and did not look aesthetically pleasing:

dsc_1162dsc_1161

I chanced upon aluminium sheeting in Art Friend which looked much more realistic, although at the start I was still not sure of how to shape it… but all I needed was a steel rule to put it into shape!

dsc_1239

The shaped aluminium sheet was then trimmed to shape and spray painted to give the texture of an actual construction site hoarding:

dsc_1243

A smaller piece of aluminium was then covered with a printed label and then placed onto the shaped aluminium to come up with the final piece of work:

dsc_1244

Composition 2: Police Officer

First, I made a stencil digitally and trimmed out the unwanted portions with a craft knife. Blue spray paint was then used to colour in the cordon design on a receipt paper roll.

dsc_1164

dsc_1166 dsc_1251-1

The scene was set up outside the ADM handicapped lift to replicate a crime scene. However, I tried to use a simpler set up so as to highlight the “cordon” as the more dominant part of the image. Hence, I avoided using the more cliched imagery such as blood splatter and such markings.

Composition 3: Bird Keeper

I used cornstarch and white glue to form the white part of the bird poop, while polymer clay coloured with black acrylic paint was used to form the darker part.

dsc_1157

The bird poop was placed specifically to form my initials but without being too obvious.

Watercolour helped to make the bird poop look a little more realistic by staining it, as well as the newspaper below and making the latter slightly crumpled and aged.

dsc_1252-1

Composition 4: Landscape Architect

This composition was initially supposed to be of an architect only, but I wasn’t able to attain a suitable look and got stuck with it. With a suggestion from a schoolmate, I tweaked it slightly to change the composition into that related to a landscape architect instead.

 

The illustration was done using Inkscape.rect5149-5 rect5149-6

 

DN1006 Assignment 1 – Research

For this assignment, we were supposed to create 4 typographic portrait compositions using our name, initials, or parts of those based on a probable future job or occupation.

I started identifying potential ideas by sketching out some thumbnails.

1 2 3

At the end, I decided on the following “occupations” for this assignment: Construction Worker, Police Officer, Architect, and Birdkeeper.

For the construction worker theme, I decided to explore making things (partially given that I am heading to Product Design as my major and that I really like hands-on work) and came up with the idea of using the ubiquitous “Danger – Keep Out” signs as a starting point:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9f/Danger-keep-out-sign.jpg

To add on to the symbolism of this sign, I decided to include a related texture in the form of the metal hoardings commonly found at construction sites:

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/34/53/3345321_4b257feb.jpg

For the police officer theme, I decided to use the police cordon tape as an element:

I decided on a photographic method for this theme, which would then be based on a crime scene cordoned off with police tape. In this theme, I would replace the “POLICE” text with my name.

For the architectI explored the use of architectural blueprint-like drawings to illustrate my initials as part of the building… however, this would not turn out the way I hoped it would be, and so I decided to change it….. this is further explained in my Process post for this assignment!

 

DN1002 Assignment 2 – Part 1 – Quotes

Here are the quotes that I have selected for this assignment:

“If we can’t make memories, we can’t heal” from Memento (2001)

Segment from WALL-E (2008)

“Give me the plant”, from WALL-E (2008)

“This is a battle, a war, and the casualties could be your hearts and souls” from Dead Poets Society (1989)

“I hate Mondays” from Garfield (2004)

In the next post, I will show the process of iteration from the initial ideas to the finalised design that was silkscreened onto the tote bag.

 

My Line is Emo (15 Aug)

18 Emotions

Fondness – affection or liking for someone/something

        

Passion – strong, barely controllable emotion

        

Elation – great happiness and exhilaration

Zeal – great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause/an objective

 

Contentment – a state of happiness and satisfaction

Pride – a feeling of satisfaction derived from an achievement

Optimism – hopefulness and confidence about the future/the success of something

Surprise – feeling of astonishment and shock

Grouchiness – bad tempered, tending to complain and grumble

         

Fury – wild, violent anger

Envy – a feeling of discontented or resentful longing for someone else’s possessions or qualities, etc

Agony – extreme physical or mental suffering

        

Hopelessness – having no expectation of good or success, despairing

Guilt – a feeling of responsibility for doing something bad or wrong

Alienation –  a feeling of isolation, estrangement 

     

Alarm – an anxious awareness of danger

Panic – a sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour

Uneasiness – lacking a sense of security

Artist featured in project brief:

Cai Guo-Qiang

Born in 1957 in Fujian, China, Cai is known for using explosives in his artwork. He also choreographed the fireworks show of footprints leading towards the Olympic stadium in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

 

Will be uploading the work from last week’s monoprinting and mark-making lesson when I’m able to find a scanner :-)