Category Archives: Research

DR3005_07_Nice Reading: Atmosphere

Atmosphere

The reading is nice Reading: Atmosphere by P. Zumthor.

Reading it, one word perfectly described my reactions: WEW!
previously, I’ve never thought of about atmosphere of a place in such depth and big consideration. I feel that the article is really eye-opening and unusual. It took into account the things that we think we know but we never really talk/think about it (until we read it)… It is the atmosphere taken for granted that was actually can be designed and engineered.

Honestly, creating and planning such atmosphere seem really attractive to me… Like, I used to justify myself (and my family and friends) to go to places with good atmosphere because it has the ‘mood’. Further thinking about it, it leads up to the ‘ambience’ such places provide in addition the the available facilities (aka WIFI and power plug, and maybe some background music).

But my point is, after reading the e-book, I realised that there are much more than that. The atmosphere does not only consist of what is presence at the moment… it was influenced and created way long before that when one decided to build the place.

WEW. Such an insightful view. Now I kind of see ‘atmosphere’ of places differently.. LOL

DR3005_06_Short Reading: Another Scale of Architecture

Another Scale of Architecture

The reading is Ishigami, J. (2010). Another scale of architecture. Kyoto: Seigensha.

Scale is a really interesting concept, it affects us more than we think it is. We have this perception of how certain scales are meant for certain things. Especially in architecture and design for outdoor environment where the space can be easily compared to the nature, in which the idea of scale is integrated and naturally felt.

Imagine seeing a huge building form the outside and then we look up to see the sky and back seeing the building. The building that at first seems grand and huge become somehow smaller in scale and we receive different feeling and perception of the building than before. It is the power of scale. Something that has been integrated so well in our life that we take it as a natural phenomenon and does not really  take it as something that we, as human, really has control about.

But, what if design challenge it? What if design defy the common perception of scale and created something unusual? Seems interesting 🙂

DR3005_05_Encouragement Reading: Prototyping Takram

Prototyping Takram

The reading is: Tagawa, K., Watanabe, K., & Ogata, H. (2014). Pendulum of Design Innovation. Tokyo: LIXIL Shuppan.

In my opinion, I really agree on the points and importance on prototyping and how it will be able to help in future development. It mentioned that unproductive meeting occurs as discussion are based on abstract ideas and concepts. Indeed when we have prototyped, many more issue come to light hence meeting can be more productive and progress can be seen clearer.

It is something that I feel personally important as the step of prototyping itself will direct the direction of a project. And having to delay such important steps will hinder good progress no matter how good the abstract plan was.

I hope that our project will be able to reach this step soon hence we will be able to see what works and what’s not to be able to improve more on our design. 🙂

DR3005_04_Holiday Reading: Embodiment

Embodiment

The reading is Fukasawa, Naoto, and Jane Fulton Suri. Embodiment. Phaidon Press Limited, 2018.

Reading about embodiment, I do agree that design is not only about shape and form itself. It consist more than that what the eyes see and speaks to the hearts. It also make me realise that an artwork might actually not only consist of one single embodiment… There might be different embodiment throughout the different process, locations, lighting of which it is displayed. It might even changes over time and create an evolving embodiment of the design itself. Actually, maybe the embodiment of a design or artwork might never be constant forever (unless it never being moved and the environment never changes, maybe… But time does change…Well…. ).  A really eye-opening idea.

The topic is a really interesting topic that might not be understood by those who doesn’t really feel it. Not that I understand it the most but I believe it I do understand it more than some people. It happened sometime ago (I can’t remember) when I heard my friend’s comment on travelling artwork saying that the artwork would still be the same wherever it is while in my opinion it will be very different depending on the way the exhibition is held and curated. Well, it is indeed might not be the intention of the artist to have their artwork being displayed in various environment.

I hope more people will put effort to sense more of the embodiment of different things hence able to see things far beyond what the eyes actually see.

DR3005_01_Reflections

Design Noir: The Secret Life of Electronic Objects

The article tells me on the many other point of view of technology. How the common technological devices give more impact than simply serving as what it is. It unintentionally cause behavioural change in daily life that can lead to threatening or dangerous habit and activity. It can unintentionally creates attachment and affection that leads to over-obsession for the users. At the same time, it also literally caused biological danger like radiation. However, many portray such devices  only from it’s good side.

It also leads to the different type of function designs can be planned for and how the intention behind its creation will really affect the design and implementation. Despite the popular design, I am personally more interested in critical design, even though I am not sure about how will it goes.

The Infra-Ordinary

I like this article, it talks about the component of our little things in life, which I now feel ‘why do we even call it little in the first place?’. I feel that it’s not the little thing as it is the life itself. Nowadays, it is more common to hear about the big things that happens in the world, the extraordinary. I won’t go to the extreme of saying that the media is feeding us with lies, but I do feel that many times the thing shared is not what really matters in the readers’ life.

People share the so-called extraordinary to make it sensational and more interesting than what it actually is. But why would one do that? Or more likely, what is so wrong with sharing just the ordinary? Nothing is wrong from that, it just make me question the need of even sharing it in the first place. I have not really follow the news in Singapore but I read some Indonesian media who keep on sharing about others, usually famous people, personal life just for the sake of getting more click. Not more than often accompanied with catchy -sometimes misleading- title. And I just wonder, is that really necessary? Is it so important for a journalist to ‘waste’ their time covering such story and for those who watch or read it, do they not have anything better to do with their time?

Sometimes I feel that the extraordinary achievements share in media make a commoner, like me, to want to achieve big things in life, to go for the ambitions lies within. Starting as coming to Singapore in secondary school, that’s when the concept of meritocracy was firstly introduced to the young me. It made me believe that whatever lies ahead, as long as I have the will there will be a way. Overtime, I keep on looking up to be who I want to be. Yet sometime in the process I neglect the people and happiness around me. It was as if I have become a workaholic, one that does not want to stop to feel ‘busy’ in order to achieve the extraordinary. I feel that I feel restless even during the holiday as I feel the need to tidy up my portfolio, built up my resume and get ready for the next semester – which I didn’t do at the end. But, my mind was not at ease and I take the things in life for granted.

Conclusion

Reading those article, I remember two quotes from my secondary school teachers, back in Indonesia when life was less fast-paced and less-technological advancement. The first one: “Keep on looking up to guide you to what you want to be, but stay aware to where you are walking so that you won’t fall to holes or tripped.” (sorry, it was kind of literally translated). While another one was: “Stop walking, take a step back, look at the big picture and enjoy the scenery.”

These article reminds me that life consist not only the ‘big’ thing but the ordinary as well, of which does not only have one side but obviously a double-edged sword. And it has make me honestly wonder, with the attitude of media and techy lifestyle encouraging a society with high level of achievement, does this fast-pace race running for achievements really necessary for one to live a meaningful life? Will it be really worth it at the end? And yet, when one has been living that way, will there be any way out?