©2016-2024, archemistinthemaking
Cultural
From left to right: Paul Morgan, Elle McFadzean, me, Adrian Fernandez, Elizabeth Campbell
Photo: Isabella Peppard-Clark
A few weeks ago, on my 25th Birthday, I stepped forward with a mic to host a public event.
It’s been a while since I’ve found myself speaking publicly in front of an audience, not to mention standing on my own and chairing a conversation. Even though I’ve been through the process of coordination of events - this was the first time where I was able to take ownership of a subject I’ve cared deeply about for a long time…
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Customisation of design can arguably arise from our habit of searching for the aesthetic in visual as well as the attitudes of wanting to follow the trend yet with discretion and dignity. This is similar to the idea of purchasing counterfeit goods we often see in the markets – it is giving the people a sense of belonging and confidence now that they have owned a part of the trend.
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The aging population and how we cater for the aging population is something I question and challenge frequently, especially when knowing how to cater to their physicality as well as mentality. From understanding their level comfort of how far they could walk, how many stairs they could climb, and knowing what materials would be the safest for them to use or touch is challenging however, I feel is rarely talked about. For me personally, is how do you create an environment for individuals to feel that they could still have their sense of pride and acknowledgement of independence?
Read MoreI remember feeling so embarrassed when my tutor noted that our architectural scheme in response to the Sharing Economy resembled the lifestyle of Domestic Workers in Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, etc.). My friend and I were determined to give a bleak and dystopic scenario marketed almost like a sunny paradise: the more you work for the family, the better your living conditions will be.
Read MoreOver tacos and being miserable with the realisation how lacking we were in trivial knowledge from Trivial Pursuit, my friends and I were discussing about taking aesthetic photos for dating apps. While the idea was a mere banter, the ideas that kept sprouting were evidently inspired from our constant scrolling down the square images that constantly pop up on Instagram. These photos were often captured through a process of dreamy filters, correct ‘candid’ poses and exceptional cropping that gives us the final aesthetic. However, we must also remember that it is the kind of backdrop and setup that allows us to achieve the ‘Instagram Worthy’ photo – and these backdrops that are often discovered accidentally and later becoming the popular backdrop for others can become a love letter to our surroundings.
Read MoreDuring my stay in Hong Kong, a family friend invited me to attend a debate organised by RIBA HK Chapter. The topic: “Linear Design Process = Efficient Design Process”.
Guiltily, I admit that I didn’t give the topic much of a thought initially, as my mind initially jumped to the literal thought of a straightforward process: narrow-minded, rigid and unforgiving in alternatives. Needless to say, I was rather perplexed by the argument itself considering that design processes (at least from my design experience at university) requires various hoops to jump through and elaborate conversations in order to successfully reach our destination.
Read MoreThis semester I have taken on an elective that requires putting your own personal spin to hand drawings. From designing interventions for a specific group of people to creating wearable architecture out of party supplies to designing a facade, it was rather cathartic to apply my own personality to these drawings (I also forgotten how much I missed hand drawing). But it was onto our third assignment when my friend and I were discussing about how we have to present our drawings that she said something that struck me.
Read More‘Love at first sight’ - it is a cliche that I am a constant victim to. Whether it’d be a quick eye contact at a party, or in a queue at the art gallery, a conference in Europe, if my heart is already missing then I know I will be spending the night trying to figure out where to meet that person again for the fatal encounter.
And it goes the same for me when I see a lovely three by three image on my Instagram feed.
I always pride myself in being Chinese - whether it’d be the culture or my family’s history, I’d always be happy to tell anybody about my background.
So you could probably imagine how gutted I was when I was told that I looked nothing like a person from Hong Kong - let alone have features that would pinpoint me to a specific province in China. I was simply a girl who carried the classic feature that would mark me as an Asian, and that I may look like I came from any part of Korea, Japan, China, Singapore…