Taiping - City of Downpour

Pictures courtesy of Daniel, Toby, Van Yenn. . . and more
Welcome to Taiping, a small and quiet town we which have been selected to be part of our Studio 3 site. The continuous rain for the past few days have made lives of us fellow Studio 3 people miserable as work progress was slow and unsatisfying.

Taiping; land of limitless rain

The journey was a rough three hours excluding all stops. As we traveled we kept entertained by performers. . .

. . . yup, performers

On the first day, we were given the choice to partake in a night safari which was around town. Pictures were scarce as flash photography would annoy the animals. . . and we wouldn't want that now would we.

Rare zoo night safari pictures

Probably the most fun we had was inside the hotel lobby itself. . . along the corridors.

Scaring the crap out of friends,

watching videos and pictures,

exercising,

. . . and setting up multiple tolls

The city itself was entertaining as we managed to

stalk the locals,

watch food eating food,

getting to know the chef's pets,

learn about the circle of life,

witness an accident just inches away,

and watch out for unwarned incoming dangers that lurk

A valuable lesson was taught on the trip; one of which is to NEVER mess with girls

Daniel taught us that lesson at the cost of his life. . . thanks man!

The girls. . . mess not with them fellow dudes

Lesson two is more visual. For those who are snacking now i suggest you stop for the meantime. It was unfortunate but it seemed that Daniel had made it his obligation to teach us lesson two as well.

He managed to convince us that hotel food will always remain yucks

We were lucky to be able to celebrate two very lovely lady's birthday as it fell on the day of the trip itself.

Birthday girl Yann Ee

Birthday girl Xe Wei

We had prior to the trip planned a self-initiated fun as well which included guitars and clothes.

What trip could do without a guitar

And the main event of the trip was a fashion show organized by yours truly.

Hosted by Chi Ming

Coming to the end of the trip, we had our final destination; Sasanarakkha Hill. A hill that allocates a meditation temple.

If we had more time I wouldn't mind dipping

Unfortunately, to reach the temple we had to hike a 30° angled hill. It was insane. . .

Some had needed help, some needed rest, while others needed more exercise

It was a long and tiring journey, but the fruits of our efforts paid off. . . i think.

We managed to experience meditation

I must have forgot to mention, but the journey up the hill was filled with weird mechanisms you would never imagine. . . like this.

Just bring along your laptop

With some of the rules of the temple stating we must remove our footwear. . . we were prone to leech attacks

Like this! Or is the rule some ingenious arrangement for some diabolic plan

The architects managed to place some fish eye mirrors much to our convenience.

Now we can have a proper group picture with everyone in it

It was by the end of the trip that our fellow studio mates FINALLY had pity on us DSLR users and decided to snap us in just one shot. Thanks!

Daniel and his weird hobby

It was further into the temple did we stumble upon a space perfect for mass meditation. . .

. . . and group picture

And what have our fellow studio mates have to say about the Sasanarakkha hike

Fun and somewhat bursting with joy

Our only organized mass group picture

Lets organize another trip Ms. V

PS: We did visit Gua Tempurung as well. . . but thats another complicated story to tell

ALL SAINTS & SASANARAKKHA IN EVERLASTING PEACE

I found it quite uncanny (using all my senses, that is, not just the ocular). I felt a Christian could worship God quite splendidly (in spirit and in truth) at Sasanarakkha (bottom set of pictures), and wasn't convinced that a Buddhist could do likewise at All Saints (obvious...top set of pictures).

Perhaps my senses were peculiar, not shared by others..

But that's what I felt.


What about you?











(Pic 3: Messages from the Light of the World filtered through a tracery of imported glass.)

(Pic 4: Lovely baluster detail in brass)


As to whether I could worship as meaningfully at All Saints as I can at Sasanarakkha, I.....er...erm....

...am not so sure.
Gotta try it out and see.



I guess I'm averse to clinging to the form of religion and denying the power of it.



... on the meditation platform...



Panoramic view of Taiping from a perch of metal sheet on timber on metal on (again) timber on metal on concrete on earth, with the aroma of durian from a tracery of leaves.

All Saints and Sasanarakkha: A nice contrast between building on earth and building "in heaven" with all its appropriate architectonics and differing design affiliations. I mean, they're faithful to very different architectural preoccupations.

Pic 11 and 12 added (oh, dear!) Sept 11, 2008 !!!

Pic 11 shows real timber clapboarding.

Pic 12: alum trays for anti-termite detail.

Note the timber-grained cement sheets (ya?)

This one is somehow notably different from the lightness of the steel structures shown above..

(img taken from: http://www.fireflymission.org.sg/sbs_rc_021.html)

HAPTICITY & TIME (Juhani Pallasmaa)

Studio 3: Read the article. Discuss in your groups of 3, and come ready with answers on Wednesday. Every student has to have an opinion. No exception.

Absolutely important, if you want a leap forward in your design!

(And don't forget about your research on the commemorativity of Taiping.)

We start at 800h sharp.

0800-0815:
0815-0830:
0830-0845:
0845-0900:
0900-0915:
0915-0930:Adisaputra MK
0930-0945
0945-1000:Shi Qi
1000-1015: Samantha
1015-1030:daniel
1030-1045:Lydia Kow
1045-1100: Way Wen
1100-1115:Azleen
1130-1145 : preshant

MON 25 AUG TUTORIALS

0800-0815:
0815-0830:
0830-0845:
0845-0900:
0900-0915:
0915-0930:Adisaputra MK
0930-0945:
0945-1000:
1000-1015:
1015-1030:
1030-1045:
1045-1100:
1100-1115:
1130-1145:

WED 20 AUG TUTORIALS

0800-0820 :
0820-0840 :
0840-0900:Adisaputra MK
0900- 0920: Lydia
0920-0940: Samantha
0940-1000: Teck Hao
1000-1020: Yu Wei
1020-1040: waywen
1040-1100: Hong Joo
1100-1120: Daniel
1120-1140: Shi Q
i1140-1200: Khang Siang
1200-1220: Toby
1220-1240:Azleen
1240-1300 : preshant

WED 20 AUG TUTORIALS

Unit 1: Book your 20 min slots here. I will follow this booking list strictly. Tutorials extended to 1300h. I have to leave at 1300h SHARP.
As we said this morning, Wed's tutorial should be ur last major pow wow before the dash to the finishing line. Come to the tutorial with full outcomes in draft.

(Block copy this, insert your name and repost. Keep it running. First come first served.)

0800-0820 :
0820-0840 :
etc.
1240-1300 :

KIT OF PARTS - STUDIO 3

www.l2portal.com/Maps/Catacombs/

Guys...the brief doesn't say design a "building".

It says design a "SPATIAL COMPOSITION".

So why haven't we yet seen a Spatial Tower, or Spatial Bridge, or Spatial Skylon, or Spatial Satellite, or Spatial Catacomb, or Spatial Flotilla, or Spatial Explosion...?

Why is everyone designing a Single Storey Building pretending to be the Water Cube?

Why, why, why?

Not angry...not disappointed...

Just...

DESIGN LECTURE BY ARUPS

Don't miss this lecture tomorrow.

Kelvin Kan studied in Scotland and should also be able to comment on schools of architecture in Scotland.

STUDIO 3 jan'08 ARCHIVES

This announcement goes out to all students of last sem's Studio 3.

Veron would have reminded/will be reminding you to submit your soft files of your FINAL PROJECT for the archives of Taylor's College and for selection for publication in STEPS.

Please do it within the next week...before you get too busy with the sem.

I have made the additional request for a signature portrait of yourself, montaged/blended creatively onto your best project pic, for my use in lectures. Please email me (asng21@yahoo.com) this montage jpeg and up to 6 more of your best project pics. (Or share file if you catch me online on msn.)

Tx Jon, for showing us what i mean by a signature portrait pic. Looking forward to see your montage.

RINGGIT FOR YOUR SONG

Anyone interested in winning RM6,000?

www.damaorchestra.com

(We all need a life outside Architecture.)

BEIJING OLYMPICS 080808

What an opening it was!!! Just blew my mind!

(Can't let that go without recording it here..haha)

It was a marvellous fete of the imagination, more than anything else, to me! Just goes to show...you gotta think big, dig deep, and soar.

They did the right thing in getting Zhang Yimou to direct.

And they had Li Ning, one of my favourite athletes of all time, do the lighting...soopa!

Non impressions? The Mayor's speech--ghastly inanities, showed up by the other guy's speech---which was perfect and people centred. And Sarah Brightman...erm...really, i do like her, but isn't it old hat after Barcelona? (But for connectivity with the rest of the world...i suppose it was ok.)

My absolute favourite for the Opening? Hands down--the little guy from Sichuan who saved 2 eathquake victims. Love him!

(I'll add fav pics as they appear in following days. Tx AT for sending me this first one.)

HOW TO CONDUCT A PROPER SITE INSPECTION

Architect rejects defective work by hurling concrete block away..
(note: loose shirt hides bulging biceps)


Architects' assistant, inspired by Gaudi, measures his own..ahem..posterior to ascertain design requirement..
(note: ..the fancy right foot pose..)

Architect transfers design information onto location..
(note: both, architect and assistant, never paid attention during Ergonomics Lecture in college)

Architect and female assistant enter the pool together..
(note: ..to inspect its suitability for fish.....what were you thinking?)








The suitability of local fish was also checked out..
(note: ...no need to note)


Architect's assistant assesses the quality of local product..
(note: verdict: First Class...yummy and thick. I know, the word is 'produce'...don't have to be pedantic)

Architect and assistant enact the ritual of a mahjong game..
(note: who was it, who said: To do architecture you have to have passion..?)