Archinect - National University of Singapore (Tan)

masterplanning myanmar

2006-02-06T13:03:25-05:00

Three weeks into masterplanning a squatter/religious area in Yangon, Myanmar... and the end's a week away. Working (and leading) a 12-member group wouldn't be my cup of tea on any occasion, but at least for this one, things are starting to look up.

Basically, we're resettling squatters into a 150 000 sq m area, and developing zones of commercial activity, religious activity as well as an entertainment/transportation hub. Approx two-thirds of that area is dedicated for mass-housing, the design of which will constitute the individual design aspect of this semester's project.

Our approach has thus far been rather pragmatic. Rational, yes; inspiring, not quite. I guess it's part of what the tutor's pushing for - "real" design - and the highly contextual nature of the project makes rationalism a clear option.

Anyhow, a couple of images:

Urban Workshop conclusion

2006-01-15T09:54:49-05:00

The five-day urban workshop has come to a close, and the symposium (fancy name for crit/discussion session!) quite aptly wrapped up our weeklong efforts.

Mr Acebillo, the workshop conductor (masterplanner of the city of Barcelona, which won the RIBA gold medal several years ago - yes, the city won the award), gave a rousing speech on the potential that Asian cities have. European cities, in contrast, are much too concerned with historical preservation, that urban planning has become more an archaeological act.

I personally feel that his ideals were highly respectable, but that in his lectures and seminars, tended to skirt issues on politics, bureaucracy and red tape, which abound in Asian cities. Well, I guess ultimately, it's about controlling what's beyond our sphere of influence, as future architects/planners.

It was a pretty fruitful workshop (particularly its closure), which made the couple of sleep-deprived nights seem all the more worth it. Working with twelve people on a ...

Undergrad work

2006-01-08T13:15:29-05:00

Received a comment about computer software usage (whether we're taught that). Software's 'taught' (most of the time it's just introduced, and the students will pick them up, much on their own accord) at Year 2 level. There's a range - AutoCAD, Microstation, Sketchup, Revit, and 3D Studio Max / Viz (primarily as a rendering tool).

Personally, I prefer combining both methods (hand drawn and computer-rendered).

Undergrad work mainly deals with translation of concepts into architecture, while considering issues posed by site conditions, programme and so on. Presentation skills in Year 1 are limited to hand drawings - apart from Photoshop, computer use is discouraged. Experimentation with physical models, therefore, tends to be done a lot more than in the upper years! After computer software is learnt, it's up to the student's discretion to use either hand drawings, computer-rendered images, or a combination of various presentation media.

Postgrad work deals more with 'real' issues. W...

Second semester begins

2006-01-08T10:47:12-05:00

The second semester kicks off tomorrow with an Urban Workshop by Josep Acebillo, invited to conduct the workshop. Mr Acebillo is the urban planning advisor of the Barcelona Town Council.

The workshop takes up one week, at the end of which, we're supposed to design a housing scheme (which would tie in with a masterplan) in Singapore. York's Hill and Pearl's Hill was chosen to be the site, a 'rehash' of semester 1's masterplan (but with a different focus of course).

In fact, the semester had already 'begun' during the holidays, with a visit to Myanmar (where the second semester's main project - which kicks right after the urban workshop - is sited). A couple of lengthy meetings with my TAS (The Architectural Society, the student body) committee, and between TAS and the department management committee followed.

More updates on the urban workshop and the Myanmar project soon.

Fourth Year architecture - Semester 1

2006-01-08T10:19:30-05:00

The fourth year at NUS generally focuses on design for communities. Semester 1 dealt with masterplanning, and then creating an urban intervention. Some of the work from the previous semester follows:

Studio masterplan on the Tanjong Pagar / Duxton Plain / Singapore River in Singapore, with the aims of linking three inherently different zones with a parkway.

Images which follow are those of my individual project, a performance and visual arts centre which takes over old (mid 1900s) shophouses along Duxton Plain.

The project was envisioned as a facility for the arts as well as an urban link from one row of shophouses to the other, currently closed off by the shophouse fronts.

The link evolved from being a bridge to a performance deck, aimed at bringing the products of the visual and performing arts studios onto the streets (albeit at an elevated level).

The interiors of the old shophouses would be revamped and reconfigured for new use, whilst maintaining the structural fundaments...

a quick introduction to NUS

2006-01-08T10:14:41-05:00

Greetings. My name's Tan Szue Hann, a fourth year architecture undergrad at NUS. I've been through six semesters in this school (one on exchange at TU Delft), and it's given me much insight into the field of architecture from both east and west (although the tendency is for students to favour methods of the west).

The school of architecture at NUS does, in fact, encourage the acceptance of western pedagogies. This goes for other departments within the university as well, and perhaps reflects the character of Singapore - a small nation struggling to survive, partly by taking pride in its own (almost derivative) uniqueness in being Asian and Westernised all at once.

In any case, it's a good geographical position to be in, at the crossroads of two worlds.