JENN

Mindmap 01

What?
Is a chronic disease condition where the amount of glucose in the blood is too high because the body is unable to use it properly.

Why?
According to Ministry of Health, In 2014, around 440,000 Singapore residents aged 18 years and above had diabetes, that’s about 11.3% of our population. Estimated by 2030, the number will rise to 670,000 in Singapore. Diabetes is also the 10th leading cause of death in Singapore accounting for 1.7 percent of total deaths in 2011. Long-term complications of diabetes develop gradually. The longer you have diabetes — and the less controlled your blood sugar — the higher the risk of complications. Eventually, diabetes complications may be disabling or even life-threatening. Type 2 Diabetes can be prevented or delayed through cultivating a healthy lifestyle which includes eating right and be physically active.

Who?
Current attention on Type 2 diabetes is not targeted towards children. The reason maybe Type 2 Diabetes used to be diagnosed after the age of 45 therefore not seeing a need to introduce to the younger age. However, diabetes patients are getting younger. Children between the age of 7 to 12, when they start to learn and make their own decisions. Childhood is the best time to learn good habits that last for life.

Where?
Could be placed in primary schools in Singapore or set up as a booth in health fairs and exhibitions. Advertising about the campaign could be at bus stops or shopping malls to raise awareness about Type 2 Diabetes.

How?
Through a book with illustrations and simple activities to guide children through the journey of discovering Type 2 Diabetes and cultivating a healthy lifestyle as a prevention.

Possible Approaches 01

Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic disease that can be prevented and controlled by cultivating a healthy lifestyle. Here are some possible ways to introduce Type 2 Diabetes to children in Singapore.

As one of the topics/chapters of the Health Education periods in Singapore primary schools
Since 2007, a destined period per week of primary schools has been assigned to the teaching of Health Education. There is a recommended curriculum time for 3 different health dimensions, Physical health, Environment and your health and Emotional and psychological health, that spread across 6 years. The curriculum time per week is about 30 minutes which includes time for both content and activities.

As I know of, health education periods are taught by Physical Education (PE) teachers. There is also “An Active and Healthy Me” workbook for all levels.

Might be looking into creating a set of a toolkit for PE teachers to go through and assist the pupils during the health education periods. The toolkit could include introduction videos, some role-play or group games, worksheets and even elements for an outdoor activity.
As a Movable Campaign
Looking at a movable bus or booth set up with videos, little activities or gameplay that not only raise awareness but also able to introduce Type 2 Diabetes to children. After which a little booklet or merchandise can be given out as a souvenir. It can also raise awareness through social media by uploading and share information of the booths.

Other than not affecting the normal load and workflow of the health education periods in primary schools, it can also be placed outside of a school context or in healthcare fairs and exhibitions.
As an Interactive Space
To raise awareness and introduce Type 2 Diabetes to children through a place they would love to visit, a playground or space. A designed space that has a plot or story which explains the causes and ways of prevention of Type 2 Diabetes.

Having a huge carpet or flooring with 3-dimensional elements or characters that will bring the children through the journey. Creating an interacting space that present or leads people to realised the ways of prevention for type 2 diabetes.

Post 000

I hope to reach out to more people to be more aware of children well-being in Singapore. Introducing children in Singapore the term of ‘living healthy’, and hope they will be more aware of the food and beverages they are consuming, to be able to cultivate a healthier lifestyle for the benefit for themselves.

Reflection

We started out by deciding on the topic of Mapping Asia. It was pretty hard to decide on what we want to focus on, as there are many ways and directions that we can look into. So after many discussions, we narrowed down to focus on the colonized route by the British Empire. From then, we chose four main countries to further research about. They are India, Burma, Singapore and Hong Kong.

After which, we went on to decide on how we want to set up our exhibition so that the viewers can have a better view and experience of the colonized route by the British Empire through these four countries we chose. We did it by having a large scale printed map on floor and the shape of the four countries being raised as a platform, followed by the object labels hanging down. More ideas came about as we discuss, decided to have the route lighted up as the visitors walk pass, and even ships by the sides to indicate the places that the British once stopped at, and even having the wall text curved out to make it more obvious. The whole exhibition will be held in a dark room.

The whole process of making the mini exhibition was very fun. Even though it’s the first time we are working together, I am pretty impressed that we all seems to be very sure of what each other should do even without assigning one by one. The whole process of making just flows so well. However, we were too engrossed in doing and forgotten to take photos of the process. But, the result was amazing! I really love the outcome out our mini exhibition! Check the photos out below!

Final: Chosen Object, Object Label, Catalogue Entry (Individual)

Chosen Object

Old terrace shophouses along Trengganu Street Singapore, 1919
Taken from book Chinatown: an album of a Singapore community, page 92
digital photo collection
National Library Board Singapore 2009
Singapore: Times Books International, 1983

Object Label

‘Shophouse’ comes from the rewording of the Chinese (‘dian wu’ in Mandarin and ‘tiam chu’ in Hokkien) were credited to the businesses operations at the first two floors, and having the top level for accommodation. This idea of building standardized buildings, each having a private porch, was by the founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles. Every shophouse shares a party wall with each other, which then joins together as connecting blocks. Outside will be a walkway that is five feet wide (known as the “five-foot way”) for pedestrians to be sheltered while going pass.

These forms took on creative structures, which were necessary under rapid population growth unmatched by housing stock. Even when the British was always trying to introduce a clear and orderly city with clear walkways, ended up found themselves in conflict with the locals whom took spatial norms from home and commercialized and re-appropriated the walkways. Notice the crowd at the right bottom of the image, which the British colonial disliked the way the locals extended their business into the “five-foot way”. This causes conflict, and the way in which the locals concurrently subverted and acquired the colonist’s notions of the proper use of these spaces. However in the mid of tension, the Chinese settlers in Singapore also manage to imitate the British rulers in their lifestyles, education, and mostly, image and architectural.

The designs of shophouses are a great mixture of influences from the British and the locals, especially Chinese and Malay. Observing the buildings in the image, you can see standard French windows, canonical columns and “British” coverings on top of the buildings, which were very popular over the years. Through the exploration of Singapore’s ever-present shophouses, we will reveal the British colonial empire in its social-economical context in Singapore!

Catalogue Entry

Architecture is the sum of form, function and spirit. Many shophouses truly conserved structural cultures in Singapore during and after the British colonial years. Most have been either reestablished or reconstructed to beautiful buildings with many colors. These well-loved buildings are not only recognizable as an architectural but also for their significance as an important reflection of Singapore’s societal history and development.

The architectural language of the five-foot ways of shophouses showed the fusion bounded by the British and the locals (Malays and Chinese). The buildings were built in a way that replicate the mixture of the operations and usages too. The ‘five-foot’ way is an example of the immense public spaces of Europe, but in a smaller form. Renaissance-style colonnades and French windows were seen everywhere of the buildings in Singapore, just like the Doric and Ionic columns are very popular during the colonial period. All these features, examples are the French windows and canonical columns and conventionally the “British” coverings became very popular in the style of buildings during the course of the later years of colonial period. Courtyards are also very common across the Chinese architectural tradition, which were often recognized by colonial administrators. At a point, the spacing seems to be for public usage, but in truth stayed as private. Even when those columns still separated properties, commercialization and privatization still continued. These spaces maintained the transitions processed of the temperament between the public spaces and enclosed buildings, which collaborates the Chinese and Malay cultures of the semi-detached houses. All these variations added on to provide more spaces to the locals for private usages. The result was wide-ranging and cross- ethnic enlightening the exteriors.

Most of the Chinese trades took place in provincially specific areas, smaller trades businesses found in the narrow shophouses. Known that commercials are being done in small housings, space became then very limited. Furthermore the locals often expand the interiors and therefore reducing the already overcrowded residential area. Within each individual house, each were squeezed in very packed rooms that are most in uttermost states that are as small as forty square feet. Which is when they expanded the shops into the spaces of the ‘five-foot’ ways and regard the spaces for their own business usage like advertising and sales. Therefore there is an unclear line of the usage of the ‘five-foot’ walkways, whether it is for the public or as private space for commercialization, which debarred the full colonial control.

However, the British did not tolerate this kind of use for commercialization in the ‘five-foot’ way. Or maybe, these kinds of act were being treated as a way to provide an unchecked permission of the public and private spaces. Which meant, the spaces should be used as public spaces for pedestrians to pass through the stress while being sheltered, and not for shops misappropriations. The British treated these spaces to be open and a form of practice as for public services but the Chinese sees those spaces as private and as their self-governing area.

References

Actually,. (2013). Shophouse in Singapore – Actually. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.actually.sg/shophouse-in-singapore/

Ho, J. (2012). Shophouses: Our Heritage in Architectural Form. Comesingapore.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://comesingapore.com/travel-guide/article/332/shophouses-our-heritage-in-architectural-form

Hong, T. (2010). Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.fom.sg/Passage/2009/12shophouse.pdf

Actually,. (2013). Shophouse in Singapore – Actually. Retrieved 22 October 2015, from http://www.actually.sg/shophouse-in-singapore/

Katz, J. (2014). Children of Diaspora. Dartmouth.edu. Retrieved 22 October 2015, from http://www.dartmouth.edu/~quarterly/vol1/children-of-diaspora.html

BookSG,. (2015). A digital collection of Singapore and Southeast Asia’s print heritage. Retrieved 22 October 2015, from http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/printheritage/detail/1ad2a6ae-3907-4f9b-8020-b0ae076dec88.aspx

Draft 03: Chosen Object, Object Label, Catalogue Entry (Individual)

Chosen Object

Object Label

‘Shophouse’ comes from the rewording of the Chinese (‘dian wu’ in Mandarin and ‘tiam chu’ in Hokkien) were credited to the widespread businesses operations at mostly the first two floors, and having the top level for accommodation. This idea of building standardized buildings, which each have a private porch, was by the founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles. Every shophouse shares a party wall with each other, which then joins together as connecting blocks. Outside will be a sheltered walkway that is five feet wide (simply known as the “five-foot way”) for pedestrians to be sheltered while going pass.

These forms took on creative structures, which were necessary under rapid population growth unmatched by housing stock. Even when the British was always trying to introduce a clear and orderly city with clear walkways, ended up found themselves in conflict with the locals whom took spatial norms from home and commercialized and re-appropriated the walkways. This certainly causes conflict, and it is the way in which the locals concurrently subverted and acquired the colonist’s notions of the proper use of these spaces. However in the mid of tension, the Chinese settlers in Singapore also manage to imitate the British rulers in their lifestyles, education, and most of all, image, architectural and otherwise.

The designs of these shophouses are essentially a great mixture of influences from the British and the local ethnics, especially Chinese and Malay. Through the exploration of Singapore’s ever-present shophouses, we will reveal the British colonial empire in its social-economical context in Singapore!

Catalogue Entry

References

Actually,. (2013). Shophouse in Singapore – Actually. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.actually.sg/shophouse-in-singapore/

Hong, T. (2010). Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.fom.sg/Passage/2009/12shophouse.pdf

Actually,. (2013). Shophouse in Singapore – Actually. Retrieved 22 October 2015, from http://www.actually.sg/shophouse-in-singapore/

Katz, J. (2014). Children of Diaspora. Dartmouth.edu. Retrieved 22 October 2015, from http://www.dartmouth.edu/~quarterly/vol1/children-of-diaspora.html

Draft 02: Chosen Object, Object Label, Catalogue Entry (Individual)

My part is to focus on the art pieces/architectural and it’s social-economical context that have emerged from the British colonies in Singapore. While my group mates will be focusing on other countries such as India, Burma and Hong Kong that will bring us through the other impacts and social-economical context of the British Empire in Asia!

Chosen Object

Object Label

The term ‘shophouse’ is a direct translation from Chinese (‘dian wu’ in Mandarin and ‘tiam chu’ in Hokkien) were credited to the widespread businesses operations at mostly the first two levels, leaving the third level for convenient residential living. This idea of building uniform houses that consisted of their own verandah was by the founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles. Every shophouse shares a party wall with each other, which then joins together as connecting blocks. Outside will be a sheltered walkway that is five feet wide (simply known as the “five-foot way”) for pedestrians to be sheltered while going pass.

These forms took on creative structures, which were necessary under rapid population growth unmatched by housing stock. Even when the British was always trying to introduce a clear and orderly city with clear walkways, ended up found themselves in conflict with the locals whom took spatial norms from home and commercialized and re-appropriated the walkways. This certainly causes conflict, and it is the way in which the locals concurrently subverted and acquired the colonist’s notions of the proper use of these spaces. However in the mid of tension, the Chinese settlers in Singapore also manage to imitate the British rulers in their lifestyles, education, and most of all, image, architectural and otherwise.

The fusion between both colonial and local architects add on to the wide-ranging mixture between the British and ethnic styles. Elements such as internal airwells, high ceilings and overlapping roof tiles were integrated to decrease the discomforts from the humid weather in Singapore. The designs of these shophouses are essentially a great mixture of influences from the British and the local ethnics, especially Chinese and Malay. Through the exploration of Singapore’s ever-present shophouses, we will reveal the British colonial empire in its social-economical context in Singapore!

Catalogue Entry

Architecture is the sum of form, function and spirit. Shophouses in Singapore represents the architectural heritage of this country that has evolved since the British colonial era. Today thousands of shophouses have been preserved under the conservation scheme. Many have been restored, renovated and even repainted in variety of colors. To many visitors, the colorful buildings are recognizable and an eye catching treats. These well-loved buildings are not only recognizable as an architectural but also for their significance as an important reflection of Singapore’s societal history and development.

The five-foot ways linked shop-houses and row houses exhibited a “compromise” between the British, Malay, and Chinese in forms of architecture, which designs served to reflect a mixture of function and use as well. Chinese builders adopted the architectural language of the great public spaces of Europe in smaller form of the ‘five-foot’ way. Renaissance-style colonnades and French windows were seen everywhere of the buildings in Singapore, the Doric and Ionic columns that spread across during the colonial period. All these elements such as the French windows, classical columns and traditionally “British” gables became very common in the facades throughout the later colonial period. Courtyards are also very common across the Chinese architectural tradition, which were often recognized by colonial administrators. At a point, the spaces were for public and appeared so, but remained as private. Even when those columns still separated properties, commercialization and privatization still continued. These spaces maintained a liminal character between the open spaces and closed buildings, which collaborates both Chinese and Malay traditions of a semi-private terrace. These changes also widened the ways that provides space for both circulation and for private uses. The result was wide-ranging and cross- ethnic enlightening the exteriors.

Most of the Chinese trades took place in provincially specific areas, smaller trades businesses found in the narrow shophouses. Known that businesses were often constrained to narrow housings, space was then very limited. Furthermore the expansions indoors often bound reductions in the already cramped living spaces. Within each individual house, each were packed into small rooms or cubicles that are most in uttermost states that are as small as forty square feet. Which is when they expanded the shops into the adjacent ‘five-foot’ ways and treat such areas as commercial space for the sale and display of merchandise. The use of the walkways for public and economic purposes blurred the boundaries between public and private, commercial and residential, and spaces accessible and barred for full colonial control.

However, the British did not support this kind of commercialization of the ‘five-foot’ way. Rather, such promenades were seen as central to providing unchecked access across the city and to its spaces. Which meant in a wider sense, such walkways was meant to provide pedestrian access along busy city streets, and not for shops misappropriations. The British considered the spaces to be public and subject to one form of regulations as circulatory infrastructure. The Chinese, on the other hand, viewed it as private space under their autonomous control.

Today, ‘five-foot’ ways are considered to be for both “social activities” and circulation, which is reflective of the architectural hybridity that combined the British ideals of free circulation and the Chinese actuality of liminal, social-economic extensions of closed spaces.

References

Actually,. (2013). Shophouse in Singapore – Actually. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.actually.sg/shophouse-in-singapore/

Hong, T. (2010). Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.fom.sg/Passage/2009/12shophouse.pdf

Actually,. (2013). Shophouse in Singapore – Actually. Retrieved 22 October 2015, from http://www.actually.sg/shophouse-in-singapore/

Katz, J. (2014). Children of Diaspora. Dartmouth.edu. Retrieved 22 October 2015, from http://www.dartmouth.edu/~quarterly/vol1/children-of-diaspora.html

Individual Object Label (2 choices)

Object Choice 1

Old Supreme Court Building
Chinese: 最高法院大厦
Designed by Frank Dorrington Ward
Built 1937–1939
1 St Andrew’s Road, Singapore 178957

Upon a closer look, you will be able to see that buildings in Singapore has many architectural styles that reveal story of Singapore’s past, ranging from pre-World War II colonial period to the present now. Discover the importance of colonial buildings present in Singapore back to as an early settlement to a seaport as part of the Straits Settlements, next to Penang and Malacca.

In 1819, not long after the British established a settlement near the end of the Singapore River, expression of colonial aspirations and ideals was attempted to shape the urban environment and build civic and government buildings. The introduction of Palladian, Renaissance and neoclassical style architecture, which were popular with the British at the time, were not only new to locals, after all evaded notion of political power and strength against the contemporary Chinese, Indian and Malay architecture forms. Here let’s admire one of the works of colonial architects in some of Singapore’s oldest and prominent landmarks.

The old Supreme Court building was built between 1937 and 1939 on the site of the former Grand Hotel de L’Europe. The Chief Architect of the Public Works Department, Frank Dorrington Ward, came up with no fewer than eight variations on the design of the old Supreme Court building. This building was Ward’s last and greatest work, and was acknowledged by many as his most significant creation.

The imposing Corinthian and Ionic columns, as well as the tympanum sculpture fronting the Supreme Court Building, were the work of Cavalieri Rudolfo Nolli, a Milanese sculptor. The central figure in the tympanum is that of Justice, with a figure immediately to its left representing the lost soul begging for protection from it. Next to this figure are two legislators with books in hand, representing the law. To the right of Justice, a figure bows in gratitude, followed by a man with a bull, representing riches and prosperity. Two young children holding a sheaf of wheat represent abundance from law and justice.

Another point of interest for visitors is that the old Supreme Court building actually features two domes: the main copper-coloured dome which dominates Singapore’s skyline, and a smaller dome which is hardly visible at street level, but which originally used to house a beautifully designed library.

The old Supreme Court Building was originally constructed to house just four courts. Due to an increasing workload, additional courtrooms were constructed in the adjacent City Hall in November 1986. Currently undergoing restoration and construction works together with the adjacent City Hall building, it will re-open in 2014 as the National Art Gallery, Singapore.

Object Choice 2

Architecture is the sum of form, function and spirit. Shophouse in Singapore represents the architectural heritage of this country and has evolved since the British colonial era. Today thousands of shophouses have been preserved under the conservation scheme. Many have been restored, renovated and repainted in variety of colours. To many visitors, the colourful buildings are recognizable and an eye catching treats. These well-loved buildings are recognized for their significance not only as an architectural heritage but also more importantly as a reflection of the island’s societal history and development.

The term ‘shophouse’ is a direct translation from the Chinese (‘tiam chu’ in Hokkien; ‘dian wu’ in Mandarin) were attributed to the common businesses operations carried out on the first and second levels, leaving the top level for convenient residential living. The concept was given by Singapore’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, who wanted to build uniform houses that consisted of their own verandah, acting as a continuous walkway on each side of the street. This became commonly known as the five-foot way, and created a continuous covered walkway, which provided shelter. The floors of these five-foot ways included mosaic, terracotta and clay tiles as aesthetic finishes.

The fusion between both colonial and local architects attributes to the eclectic mix between the British and ethnic styles. Elements such as internal airwells, high ceilings and overlapping roof tiles were incorporated to minimize discomfort from the tropical weather. The design of shophouse is essentially a good mix of influences from the British and the local ethnics especially Chinese and Malay. Through the exploration of Singapore’s ever-present shophouses, let us reveal the British colonial empire in its social-economic context in Singapore!

References for Old Supreme Court

Ho, J. (2012). Colonial Architecture. Comesingapore.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://comesingapore.com/travel-guide/article/331/colonial-architecture

Lim, J. (2015). Old Supreme Court | The Long and Winding Road.Thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from https://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/tag/old-supreme-court/

National Library Board, S. (2005). Former Supreme Court building | Infopedia. Eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_774_2005-01-10.html

Supremecourt.gov.sg,. (2010). Supreme Court: History. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from https://www.supremecourt.gov.sg/default.aspx?pgID=39#C4

References for shophouses

Actually,. (2013). Shophouse in Singapore – Actually. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.actually.sg/shophouse-in-singapore/

Ho, J. (2012). Shophouses: Our Heritage in Architectural Form. Comesingapore.com. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://comesingapore.com/travel-guide/article/332/shophouses-our-heritage-in-architectural-form

Hong, T. (2010). Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.fom.sg/Passage/2009/12shophouse.pdf

WIDODO, J. (2013). Modernism in Singapore. Academia.edu. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.academia.edu/223177/Modernism_in_Singapore

Week 08: What was your favorite object from today’s visit to the Asian Civilizations Museum?

One of my favorite objects is the first object we were introduced to, which is a bodhisattva sculpture head. I am lure in by the details of the hair and those jewelries on its head and ears. The swirling hair and detailed circular shapes jewelries make me wonder about the amazing workmanship in the past. How much attention and time the artist paid to this particular artwork. It’s kind of sad that its body was detached.

Week 07: If you could have a room of your own, how would you set about decorating it?

I would decorate it more to a modern Japonaiserie style. I feel that the brown colors are closer to the nature, therefore giving a very peaceful and quiet mood, which gives people a very calm and relaxing feel while entering the room. The placements of the simple yet carefully designed shapes and patterns makes it sophisticated too. The settings of the furniture are also very simple and spacious. The little paintings of flowers or leaves in red color here and there added brightness and passion to the room. Everything seems to have to be its place for a purpose and reason.