Collaboration with Big Fishes

Well, the recent debate for our group is whether to collaborate with NUS' The Architecture Society, and being the newsmonger that I am, here's the few thread of thoughts that were exchanged through emails. Collaboration with NUS will definitely give us credibility. But at the same time we lose our guerilla-like-think-tank independence that flourishes in email exchanges and the all-equalising web. In the long run, however, reACT will have to stand on its own two feet. But what about now? What about these fledgeling years when we are trying to establish ourselves? Would we need to work with every TAS president that comes along for 5 years or so? That would stymie our work if we have to account to different people every year! And what kids they are. (age wise). Tsk tsk. :)

But, as Janita says. Let's talk.

Janita:
Definitely think its a good idea to collaborate. We will run through with DMC. I'd hate it if they try to intervene with our objectives and goals though. Will we lose independence?
Ngai Keong:
I have a feeling that what we're doing is actually a conflict of interest. This may sound very cynical, but they're not really interested in education. They're more interested in running a business! They'd be more than happy that we do our things independently.
Sern Hong:
Still, another way would be to put some of the professors/school on our 'advisory board'. if they are willing, the advisory board will be an official element in our group. This will add credibility for us. We need an agenda. need to strategise b4 any meeting & action. not wise to just barge in to any meeting. to share my 2 cents worth, Jan and I prepared a powerpoint(much like a marketing sales presentation) to DMC last year. It was rather a success as they are convinced about what we want to do and how they can benefit. Basically, we tuned the presentation in such a way that it is about 'how SDE can benefit and how they are important to us'. Still, though, i am not comfortable linking with the school, there are certain 'elements' in it that will support us. we just have to seive that out.
Szue Hann:
Yeah, was worried that they'd intervene with what we're trying to do as well. We can talk about it during Fri's meeting. Might be late cause got class til evening though.

We've had lots of indications of interest for this exhibition. Was hoping for a broad spectrum of participation but looks like NUS still rules. Will probably get everyone to meet up this week to brainstorm. Still no dough. Have to work on that proper!

Our next exhibition is up and coming, scheduled for the first two weeks of June 2006 at the new National Library!
CROSSING BOUNDARIES 2006

Would like to share what SH is thinking of exhibiting. He can make even mundane things sound interesting. Of course, this is not to say his exhibition proposal is mundane. Far from it..

1) Verti-City (Singapore) --- This is a team work between Jawn (a fellow Singaporean friend in LA) and I. It is about an exploration of an experimental vertical growing city, based on the needs and nature of the particular city. In this case, Singapore. The end product is not a final design, rather a system logic by which Singapore can adopt to think of skyscrapers in a new perspective of city planning and architecture. Using Singapore(Marina area) as examples, the end product will be a presentation(animation movie; panels; possibly 3D models) of the process and proposal. This exhibition aims to bring about an appreciation from the public towards radical architecture proposals that can, in time to come, be a visionary piece that bring about new, fresh architecture explorations.



2) Moments in LA --- This is a film documentary meant to bring about architecture awareness emerging from societal phenomenon. In fast-paced Singapore, we often zip around and seldom slow down to observe the small, intricate parts of the city morphology. What is it that makes the city breathes? What makes up the city experience that we more often than not, could not describe fully? What is the ‘seen’ and ‘unseen’?

Located in Los Angeles, the 20-30min film is set in Downtown LA, depicting the lives of the homeless community in a place well-known as the centre of the movie-world --- Hollywood. The camera moves in various speeds, experimenting with the human’s visual digestion of the surroundings. The film then uses a visual method called Diptych, showing several shots simultaneously.

‘Home’ of the Homeless >>> The phenomenon of the homeless community is a sad, avoided yet true part of LA. Yet, as much as people try to ignore and avoid them, there are groups of people that work beyond their duties to provide and care for the homeless. The nomadic roaming with trolleys, smells and streetscape the homeless creates do provide an interesting architecture setting for the city.
Mobility and homelessness is their way of life. So, their lifestyle is exhibited
through the areas where they live and their 'homes'. The documentary aims to show the side of the homeless that the public do not see or avoid to see, as well as the phenomenon it affects on the city environment and culture.


Check it out, huh.

Woo hoo, we've finally had our meeting, me Hann and Keng Hua.
Now KH's decided that we have to split roles clearly: so Hann's the publicity guy, KH's the sponsor guy and I'm the recruitment gal. We talked about many things, and I guess we are always asking what really architecture means. So we've got this snazzy new abbreviation re:ACT. We've got Newton's first (or third?) law as inspiration to our logo. (which, by the way, is still evolving). And yet, we ask ourselves, are we gonna be ala flying doctors, bringing much needed real architecture to the needy?
I say why not.
KH says its a vehicle.
So it is.
So 2006 opens with a whole lot of questions, who we are and why we do what we do.
I say read the manifesto again.
Happy new year!

What in the world makes really architecture anyway? I profess I cannot tell the difference between good architecture and beautiful drawings. Good architecture neccessitates beautiful drawings, but beautiful drawings does not mean good architecture. Hence, I conclude, from my recent browse through the RIBA president medal winners (www.presidentmedals.com) that:
1. work on the architecture as you must, but ALWAYS have good presentation drawings in the end
2. ALWAYS have good drawings even if it means compromising on that one week where you could have worked in better circulation, better function, more detailing
3. rework and rework your final boards- finesse is the key!

Sigh, I wonder if I am feeling jaded from all the renderings. What happened to good ole line drawings with lineweights? Why does all the winners have fantastic graphics? Are the judges' judgements so skewed towards pretty things? Where is the architecture?

Go back to 3 pointer above. BEAUTIFUL DRAWINGS. Who cares about architecture...really.

Project Clockwork Oren

Sy to YU and Oomoo:
have a project for the exhibition 2006. it's about time, space, distance, travel... pretty much what ive been interested to figure out about the idea of urban nomad, multiple identities/truths, dislocated residents, located immigrants... it's not merely a record of the phenomenon. it's going to be a creative project itself.

will work on it over winter or in 2 weeks time after my final submission. jan, probably need your help to assemble if i don't get to go back. im so excited, cant wait to do the drawings and show u guys.

this project is inspired by john hedjuk and peter eisenman (damn i still hate him but he makes sense).... hehehehe

Oomoo to Sy:
watched clockwork orange, found it extremely disturbing.
any connection with that?
i dont think einsenman makes sense, neither do i like his work! how in
the world is he connected to john hedjuk??

Check out our contact's email, from Expeditio, from Kotor, Montenegro. www.expeditio.org :
Will be great to have some architects from East Europe come down to Singapore, no?

Tanja says:
Thank you for your kind invitation to be part of your
exhibition / discussion in Singapore ... Of course we (a representative of
EXPEDITIO) would be very happy and honored to take part in it - to present
our work and share with you our experience. Maybe we can
also discuss about some common project ?! There is a lot
to learn from each other, I/m sure ...

Let me know if you need anything from our side to prepare your
event. We will think about some possible people to recommend.
We are not informed more then you about Platform 9.81 - just
from magazine ORIS ... We do not know them personally ...

We have some nice contacts in Slovenia - some interesting
architects (middle generation)... For example, today, tomorrow
and the day after we organize a lecture by one Slovenian
architect in Belgrade, Podgorica and Kotor (for students
of architecture and architects). The topic is:
"The Nature and Elementary Language of Space"
We have made also one short movie about space (build environment) that will be
presented after lectures (20 minutes) ...

It is official! Oomoo has completed her Berkeley application online, and will be posting the rest of her documents tomorrow! Oomoo is flooded with relief, and is grateful for all who has been part of her application process, particularly to Sy, DT and RC who took the time to plough through her hideous/heinous essaays.
Oomoo will be putting in time to ReallyArchitecture this week, a short sabbatical before another round of applications besets.
Updates on other rar members:
KH is (Oomoo assumes) still not web savvy enough to post his comments on the blog! haha!
Hann is back (Oomoo hopes) from Myanmar (Oomoo can't verify this) in one piece. He is to work on the image of rar. New design for logo coming out soon!
JT is still busy with youths, which is of course a noble cause.
SY and YU both burning midnight oil at NY and CA respectively. Jia you to both. Submissions will be over soon, and you will hear more of them!

Take care of your body Jan! the life of architecture will only get busier. the people i meet here in Sciarc are all crazy archi-maniacs... they are super xiao onz... i now will go into reluctant slumber every night... not that i want to cos of the crazy amount of submissions. just got email from Widodo about mAAN tokyo... 26-28oct 2006! let's all go!

My eyes are dry and my head heavy from a recent bout of flu. Am working on my university applications. Sometimes I wonder, is architecture really worth pursuing? My aunt thinks that I mistreat my body. I guess she is right. I sleep too late. Maybe I should go to bed now...after I tidy up my essays!
oomoo