Archinect - Boston Architectural Center (Nicholas)

Happy New Year!

2008-12-30T19:42:20-05:00

I just want to take this opportunity and wishes every archinecters a very Happy New Year! 2009 will be a challenge (a good challenge at least) for me and just can't wait to ring in the new year.

Thesis Seminar Open House

2008-11-18T09:18:42-05:00

Yesterday's event was very well received. Feedbacks were generally good, there were some critical ones but overall, it gave me something to think about on my way home. Here are some shots from the event yesterday.

Thesis Seminar Exhibit : Monday 17 November @ 7pm

2008-11-16T23:18:59-05:00

It’s been a while since I lasted posted here but things have been going okay lately. The economy has not fare well with the architecture industry and things don’t seem to look good in the long run. The one good thing about working in the industry while in school is, you get to see a lot of the dark side of the profession not visible when you’re working on your project in studio. Having worked at 2 different firms for 4 years, I know my experience is limited, but with the position I was at for the past 2 years, I doubt that I see architecture in the near future. It’s a tough profession, and there are so many setbacks one has to take for an idea to get through.

But not to weigh down on bad news, thesis is going well and my panels for the exhibit tomorrow is done and printed, ahead of time, which give me a nice break before the big one in a few weeks. The boards are posted above and for those who’ve visited my site, a full resolution can be found there at http://archithesis.wordpre...

Green Urbanism: Regenerating the Post-Industrial City

2008-09-30T21:48:50-04:00

For those who are interested and in the Boston area, the BAC is hosting a lecture by Steffen Lehmann, PhD on sustainable cities and design work carried out by his students.

October 9 (Thursday) 6PM
955 Boylston Street/Boylston Hall

Steffen Lehmann is Professor of Architecture at the University of Newcastle (Australia) and UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Urban Development in Asia and the Pacific.

His talk will focus on :

• strategies to transform and future-proof our cities through architecture and urban design
• sustainable strategies for the urban regeneration of post-industrial cities
• principles of “Green Urbanism”

For more information please visit:s-Lab

Thesis Blog

2008-09-18T22:05:50-04:00

I recently setup a new blog where I'll be posting my progress and journey into my final thesis project. I'm not sure if I'll be double posting on archinect but my external blog is still an experiment at the moment and depending on the stats and how well it'll grow on its own, I'll probably only post highlights instead of every single daily details about my 'boring' thesis life.

The blog is at archithesis.wordpress.com and I welcome all archinecters to check it out.

First Week

2008-09-05T15:15:50-04:00

Well, vacation is officially over! Compare to the other schools around the area, I'm not sure why the BAC classes begins so early in the term, and it ends later too! In either case, I'm happy to be in a Thesis prep class this semester, as it means I'm getting close to graduation each day. However, getting through thesis is another big hurdle at the BAC. I'm not sure how thesis operates in other school across the region, but here's a breakdown on thesis at the BAC.

Total length: 3 semesters @ 16 weeks each

What's required:

1. Thesis Proposal to be submitted for approval by the thesis committee (This is prepared in the 1st semester) A studio is taken in conjunction with this seminar that deals with site analysis, programming, etc. Once our Thesis Proposal is approved, we can then head to Thesis I. However, there are a few things that we as student also need to have before heading to Thesis I. Firstly, we are required to find a Thesis Advisor (anyone who we've worked with in the ...

Taking a vacation!

2008-05-08T00:02:55-04:00

Gosh, where to start indeed. For the past 5 years, I have been working non-stop, juggling between work and school is no fun at all. There are times where I wonder what a real architecture school-studio experience is like. Its hard to actually explain the situation here at the BAC, till you really experienced it. But it involves a lot of multi-tasking. And sometimes because you're doing so many things at once, the quality of work doesn't show through at the end.

In any case, I've gained a lot of positive and negative towards the profession and the architecture scenery here in Boston, and I'm actually getting disgusted at it the more I look at it. I don't know what to say, but I can't really reveal too much information. You never know who reads the blog here and I'd know from past experience!

So, all I have to say my time here at the BAC is getting closer to an end. If I pass my review this summer, I'll be starting on my thesis this fall semester. Now, that will be an interesting bl...

Old News at WSJ

2007-05-09T22:35:42-04:00

This may be old news to some, but I only found this out today. Wasn't even sure if the story was going to be published. Surprise!

http://archinect.com/news/article.php?id=54841_0_24_0_C

It has been a really nice week in Boston. Fabulous! However, only 2 more weeks till the semester and I only have a plan drawn for me final review!! Aargh! And I have a deadline for work the same week as my final review!!! Why, oh why do my schedules have to clash with each other?

sketch or drawing?

2007-04-17T22:30:40-04:00

A very simple question. What would you consider the image above to be? A sketch or drawing and why?

+03 Day trip

2006-12-03T02:24:16-05:00

Can't believe the year is coming to and end. I have no updates on the projects I've been dealing with in the past few weeks as I myself do not know what's going on as well. However, with that said, I was quite fortunate to be able to take some time off to clear my mind. Here are just a few shots from my trip to Milan and Venice. More can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholasngkw

Anyway, while in Venice, I was quite fascinated with the hand crafted masques. Just the idea of a simple disconnection with reality intrigues my curiosity towards human nature. Why is there the need to disconnect oneself with reality?

+02 Comment, controversy and bluntness

2006-10-12T23:58:34-04:00

"Deep breath" ... 6 weeks into the semester, and I'm exhausted and frustrated. I'm exhausted with work and I'm frustrated with school work. There are times I question myself whether this is such a good idea or not.

Well, studio have been going okay. Still not particularly pleased with some of the decision I made in the design process. I'll post results later on as I move along with the project. In short, we are to design a high density housing for a community (BAC students) in an existing urban grid. No razing of existing building or landscape like the modernism utopia.

Anyway part of the frustration is not the concept of the studio, but the lack of it. But before commenting of that, in response to inhabitat
Columbia University GSAPP (Jill) blog entry, I think I'm both the fashion victim and leaker here.

The Fashion Victim. The well-meaning intelligent student who loves architecture and wants to do it but cannot get the available critics to teach anything that is not inflected b...

+01 a new beginning

2006-09-14T10:44:19-04:00

a new semester and a new beginning. this time around i think i'll be doing something different on the blog. raising questions and expressing points of view are much more interesting than posting my works. i'll still be posting some process along the way that'll relate to the stuff i do in school.

anyway, this semester i have a studio on sustainable design. personally, i have no interest in sustainable design and it's pretty much a bunch of bs architects who wants to save the world. somehow, somewhere i ended up in this studio.

so which brings me to question. are architects taking up too much for themselves? i'm not a rocket scientist, i don't know what or how for example fuel cells work. it's good to know the basic and availablity of this new technology, but i don't know how the atom from hydrogen splits into creating "electrons". anyway, all this is getting too frustrating. i did not sign up to be a rocket scientist.

where is architecture going? new technology won't save the wo...

Orange, birds, bees and everything else

2006-05-08T21:21:20-04:00

I had my final studio presentation earlier. Oh so tired after all these weeks, but I thought my effort paid off. I was happy with the stuff I was able to collect and compile, however, I myself find that there's a lot more to work one which I'm not so happy about, but overall the project went well.

As for the crit and review earlier today, I'm always a bit upset when critics only gives out mediocre comments. I really wouldn't mind some harsh critique-do this, do that, take that off, that looked awful, it shouldn't even be in there or even you should take that off the wall and bin it. At least I'll learn from those comments and complain about that bastard who trashed my project. Anyway, maybe I didn't give them too much information about my thought process or maybe I'm crazy or just really tired. I'm happy all of this is over, now back to work WORK!*sound of whip*

Here are the boards I presented and some pics from the crit.

These are pics of works from my peers.

A brief of this proj...

Transformation Stage

2006-04-14T02:12:00-04:00

In response to my studio on domesticity and issues on migration, I was able to participate in the immigration march and rally held in Boston recently. Here are some of pictures I took during that day. It was an interesting experience, a certain connection with my studio thesis on the metamorphosis of self, creating fragments of self from our public and private life and connecting them together for our journey through life.

Broken Memories

2006-03-05T01:32:48-05:00

My first project for studio is based upon memories and dwelling. The 'theme' for this studio is about creating domestic architecture or rather mobile architecture, something that we can apply to the events of Katrina. More will be discussed further into the semester as it's still pretty vague.

However, the first project was to design a cabinet based upon our memories. Though personal is some ways, the cabinet has to reflect ideas and position on dwelling, how dwelling is imagined and qualified from the personal to social.

My first approach to this project was to research more on the human psychological mind, how memories are defined and executed. Alice in Wonderland was one book I used as a reference to this project.

My cabinet has 3 sections, past, present and future. Eventhough the cabinet was to store personal memories, I wanted to create something universal that everyone can relate to. I chose to have a series of drawers as I like the surprise and unexpected moments drawers c...

Life

2006-03-04T01:10:41-05:00

Here's what I've been up to for the past six months...

Almost there ...

2006-02-27T21:34:14-05:00

Life's always full of surprises. Since last fall, I've found a new job at a new firm, my global student body group is slowly starting up with ... finally people in it! (for those without the know, i'm beginning to build up our long lost "international" student body group at the BAC. it's actually a student organization focusing on design and globalisation etc. rather than an international student group with the usual "international" fair), travelled to three different cities in the last six months, Paris, Reykjavik and London, met different people and friends, explored new design issues and solutions as well as learning new experiences and subjects in studio. looking back now, a lot has happened in the last six month.

i've finally finished up my first assignment in studio and can't wait to post it up at this blog, so bear with me here...but in the mean time, enjoy my travel pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholasngkw

Thousand apologies...

2005-12-11T00:10:44-05:00

Sorry about the "abandonment" of this blog for the past semester. I wasn't taking any studio classes this fall and didn't quite want to bore everyone with stories on history, structures and programming.

Anyway, will be submitting my portfolio for review and the end of the semester, if I pass, and if this school blog project is still going on, I'll post some experience with the C-studio.

For those who are unfamiliar with the school system, here's a breakdown of the reason why I'm not taking studio every semester and what's up with this portfolio scene.

The curriculum basically breaks down to 3 segments. Each segment have their own credits requirement for each academic and practice component. Students need to pass Segment 1 in order to get into Segment 2 and so forth. For example: Students need to fulfill 39 credits (all the courses required/listed) and a minimum of 13.5 credit hours of practice and reached at least Level 4 (BAC Standard:Level 4=Entry level drafter) in Segment I.

...

Summer Vacation

2005-07-01T07:06:04-04:00

Well, summer's warming up. Will be back with some vacation pictures from Paris. Till then everyone, have a good 4th and enjoy the weather!

PS: From the new redesign on the WTC, architecture seems to be taking a big step down the pit hole. What a shame...

School With No Design Theory

2005-03-23T15:37:06-05:00

This post is a response to a discussion made on the main board.

I suggest anyone who is interested in applying to the BAC to take a tour around the school and talk to students there. One insider tip, don't waste your time with the so called 'student body'-the Atelier.

Anyway, I have nothing against the school, but problems I have are usually with the board members, the directors, and some members of the staff there. I personally hate the politics that goes through in the school.

However, putting all the politics aside, it is true the school do not tend to focus on design theory, but it doesn't mean you aren't allow to find your own resource. Sometimes is takes a lot of motivation for me to put up with that. It's a personal preference, I don't mind doing that, and I don't expect the school to spoon-feed me throughout the years, so it all works well with me on that.

There are admiration from the community towards the school. One of mine is the volunteers who take time out to te...

a love-hate relationship with ...

2005-02-21T22:26:14-05:00

washington-dc and new york.

i've stayed in dc for 2 years and visited new york more than 10 times now. going back to dc didn't change my relationship with her. it always have been a love-hate relationship between the 2 of us. as for new york, i'm still in a transtitional state with her, unsure of our future.

cities fascinates me. the people, the architecture, the history, the culture and expererience it creates. downtown dc felt dead to me. walking down those long and wide avenue disturbs me. too politcal maybe?

new york too have long avenues, however the tall buildings compliments it. it's funny and interesting that i felt more comfortable walking down those streets than dc.

thoughts on those 2 cities?

a visit to the gates last weekend left an impresssion that new york will always have its charm. as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Will be back soon ...

2005-02-18T17:49:01-05:00

This president's day weekend I'll be going down to DC, checking out the new Native American Museum, hanging out with some friends and then heading up to New York for the Gates.

Will report back soon. Cheers!

Celebrating the Year of the Rooster-:>

2005-02-09T17:36:26-05:00

"Gong Xi Fa Cai" to all who celebrate this joyous day

Took the day off work today, got some dim sum early in the morning, just had dinner ah...and now back to class. uggh....

Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Spring's here...at least for this weekend

2005-02-05T12:23:57-05:00

Remnants from the last blizzard are still piled up high in most streets here in Boston. However, temperature seems to be rising up to the 40s this weekend, hopefully it'll all melt away. Maybe preparation for the next blizzard, since we are getting another 6 weeks of winter? (according to Phil)

So-my last post didn't get through, which was odd. (might be the browser I was using)

Anyway, this semester was suppose to be a relaxing one, but found out I have more to do than what I had imagined. Classes I'm taking are
Physics-(a fun class on a boring subject)

Materials and Methods-Introduction to Building Tech-(The lecture part is the most boring ever. And with his written note projected on the wall, I can't even read it. It's all a blur! As for the drawing part, we have to trace and copy tons of drawing-all hand drawn-no CAD)

and the last class-
Structures-(it's a fun subject if only one of the 2 lecturers explains it better-but we'll see how I managed in this class for the next ...

Final project a blob?

2004-12-17T00:12:31-05:00

12/16 The day for our final review from guest critics.

Today is the day, and I learnt a few things from our critics, not so much on my project but architecture itself as a whole.

A brief on the project: The newsstand at Harvard Square. I decided in my project took out the newsstand and created a skin that is interactive and acts as a portal to virtual news.

So by labeling architecture and technology together, you get a frantic group of critics that think the whole world is coming to an end.Is it architecture or is it not architecture? That is the question. Plus, they thought I took the easy way out of not redesigning the newsstand.

However, architecture as a living organism in my personal opinion evolves around us human, and technology is becoming a source of evolution that is changing how we interact with ourselves, our body and mind, so it is architecture to me. Maybe I haven't fully develop this concept yet, but still, are we then as architecture students ready for the indus...

2 more weeks left!!!! Aaah..

2004-12-02T00:20:02-05:00

14 more days till final review for studio and I haven't done a thing yet!!!

Yard and Square?

2004-11-07T22:15:37-05:00

After a rough week we all had, I thought I put all my attention to my studio project.

A brief sypnosis on this project: to redesign/replace the newsstand (Out of Town News) at Harvard Square.

There's no restriction to replace or keep the existing subway entrance. However, the subway needs to be there, along with the existing elevator.

Observation: Existing square is unorganized. The flow of pedestrian are occasionally blocked by useless structures, creating a chaotic experience for commuters, tourists and students. There are also a few dead spots (useless space).

Proposal: Create a more useful and organized space for public. More open space for public. Open up a connection between the heart of Harvard to its artery (Harvard Yard.)

Here's a start to my analysis. Any comments are welcome. They may be things I've missed, did not observe, etc, so any comments are helpful. Thanks.

The T stop is the grey dot.

Street axes surrounding Harvard Square.

Harvard Yard pathway axes.

All 5 ...

A Rough Week

2004-11-04T22:14:48-05:00

So the election's over-who knows what the "new" administration has to offer.

Anyway-the past 2 weeks have been rough-with the elections, mid-term reviews, work, death, etc., life have been pretty busy.

But was it enough? Is the outcome/result satisfied? I do not know. Here's a look at my analysis-masterplan on the aviary project that I have been working on for the past eight weeks and one that I completely twisted for my own pleasure.

So there you have it. My plan for an aviary at the Harvard Arnold Arboretum (Jamaica Plain) Boston. Next project coming up, News-Stand at Harvard Square.

48 hours?

2004-10-13T00:55:57-04:00

Ah...why don't we have 48 hours in a day? This past Columbus weekend felt so short, though I had the day off work, I have tons of stuff to do for my studio class. Juggling between work and school is a pain, you need to keep both in balance.

Well, more updates on my studio later in the next week, once I've finalised my drawings, sketches, site model, model....etc.

Fall

2004-10-06T00:53:49-04:00

Ah...Fall has officially arrived in Boston today. The foliage should be at its peak this week up north. Wish I could take the break and go up for the long weekend.

However, studio have been keeping me busy, frustrated, annoyed that I can't even solve a problem or make a decision to steps I've taken before.

More on that later. However in the meantime, if someone is reading this, let me throw in the question on diagrams. What is their objective really? Does it make you a better architect if you do a good diagram? Can I build up a architecture from a diagram itself. If no, why? If yes, why?