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ERINN SAVAGE – Performance
Tomorrow 15:00 GMT

Singapore

This year we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of GSA Singapore’s second to last cohort of BA graduands. Once again, both staff and students pulled out every stop to surpass our previous efforts. This year has been a turbulent one for us. The news surrounding GSA’s anticipated departure from Singapore in 2021 struck us with surprise. The responses from our industry friends and from our academic partners pay testimony to the profound impact which GSA Singapore has had, and will continue to have, on Singapore’s creative scene.

GSA’s graduating cohort this year will increase the number of GSA Singapore alumni to around 700. They will contribute to GSA’s growing legacy. Our alumni are known for their independent thinking, their readiness to take risks, their critical-reflective skills, and their adaptability. Trained to make a difference, our outgoing students this year are yet again destined to join the small but growing group of future vanguards in Singapore’s design industry and beyond. One of our furthest-travelling alumni, Abdul Rahman, has just returned from New York City, where he was stationed as Associate Strategist by Ogilvy.

Of course, the Covid-19 situation imposes challenges upon all of us. Good designers hone not only creative skills and passion, but also perseverance. Some of our students have already taken the initiative to design guidance information for locals to connect them to the most essential support services in Singapore. Adversity has a way of sifting out those who see opportunity in difficulty, and those who see difficulty in opportunity. There can be no doubt that our new cohort of graduating students will thrive throughout their careers.

Matthias Hillner, Director of Programmes GSA Singapore

Adaptation Magazine Issue 1: Post-apocalyptic Literature

An adaptation is a feature that is common in a population because it provides some improved function. Adaptation Magazine strives to create an archival and organic approach to information, mixing unique storytelling and user interaction to convey complex themes. This issue serves to introduce the masses to Post-apocalyptic Literature and its various cultural and social influences. The cover utilizes a perforation to tear as like post-apocalyptic literature authors, the reader would need to destroy in order to create and thus, opening the book.

Adaptation Magazine Issue 1: Post-apocalyptic Literature

An adaptation is a feature that is common in a population because it provides some improved function. Adaptation Magazine strives to create an archival and organic approach to information, mixing unique storytelling and user interaction to convey complex themes. This issue serves to introduce the masses to Post-apocalyptic Literature and its various cultural and social influences. The cover utilizes a perforation to tear as like post-apocalyptic literature authors, the reader would need to destroy in order to create and thus, opening the book.

Adaptation Magazine Issue 1: Post-apocalyptic Literature

An adaptation is a feature that is common in a population because it provides some improved function. Adaptation Magazine strives to create an archival and organic approach to information, mixing unique storytelling and user interaction to convey complex themes. This issue serves to introduce the masses to Post-apocalyptic Literature and its various cultural and social influences. The cover utilizes a perforation to tear as like post-apocalyptic literature authors, the reader would need to destroy in order to create and thus, opening the book.

Adaptation Magazine Issue 1: Post-apocalyptic Literature

An adaptation is a feature that is common in a population because it provides some improved function. Adaptation Magazine strives to create an archival and organic approach to information, mixing unique storytelling and user interaction to convey complex themes. This issue serves to introduce the masses to Post-apocalyptic Literature and its various cultural and social influences. The cover utilizes a perforation to tear as like post-apocalyptic literature authors, the reader would need to destroy in order to create and thus, opening the book.

Adaptation Magazine Issue 1: Post-apocalyptic Literature

An adaptation is a feature that is common in a population because it provides some improved function. Adaptation Magazine strives to create an archival and organic approach to information, mixing unique storytelling and user interaction to convey complex themes. This issue serves to introduce the masses to Post-apocalyptic Literature and its various cultural and social influences. The cover utilizes a perforation to tear as like post-apocalyptic literature authors, the reader would need to destroy in order to create and thus, opening the book.

Adaptation Magazine Issue 1: Post-apocalyptic Literature

An adaptation is a feature that is common in a population because it provides some improved function. Adaptation Magazine strives to create an archival and organic approach to information, mixing unique storytelling and user interaction to convey complex themes. This issue serves to introduce the masses to Post-apocalyptic Literature and its various cultural and social influences. The cover utilizes a perforation to tear as like post-apocalyptic literature authors, the reader would need to destroy in order to create and thus, opening the book.

A Tale of Memories

An explorative journey through the creation of memories. An immersive interpretation of the bittersweet pursuit of remembrance and capturing longing feelings.

A Tale of Memories

An explorative journey through the creation of memories. An immersive interpretation of the bittersweet pursuit of remembrance and capturing longing feelings.

A Tale of Memories

An explorative journey through the creation of memories. An immersive interpretation of the bittersweet pursuit of remembrance and capturing longing feelings.

A Tale of Memories

An explorative journey through the creation of memories. An immersive interpretation of the bittersweet pursuit of remembrance and capturing longing feelings.

Internetto Magazine

Internetto is a magazine that covers Internet slangs and trends in bit-sized information for the Masses.

Booker Prize Collection

An unraveling of the plot and characters as the story is revealed stems as my main inspiration for the redesigns of these Booker Prize winners. Readers can interpret their favourite stories through these covers, using the foldable segments to change the image on the front. This lets them continue engaging with the story even after finishing the book and create a memorable experience for the reader.

Booker Prize Collection

Extraterrestrial

'Extraterrestrial' explores the relationship between human behaviour and the mobile phone. How does it affect the way we see things and how do we act in these times when a video can spread across the world with a single click? The hand-drawn animation is used to create an ominous, almost horror-like tone, to drive a stronger message.

Anomiedia

The word anomie is a term used to describe a condition where society provides little moral guidance to individuals. And when the actions of certain social media ‘influencers’ are used as guidance for impressionable teenagers, what becomes of their own actions? Anomiedia is an image series that explores the link between the reality of social media and the facades clouding the true nature of these posts.

Anomiedia

The Epic of Gilgamesh

An adaptation of the historical 'Epic of Gilgamesh' based from the BBC podcast 'In Our Time', this version is retold from the point-of-view of the demigod Gilgamesh himself. The illustrations and typography evoke a more personal story than the original text which lets the reader relate to this larger than life character and even possibly see parallels in his situation to stories told in modern day.

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Real Plastic Love

Sweet of The Forgetfulness

A story about a boy and his mysterious encounter with a MAMA Shop in Singapore, that give him a chance to reset his life. This project deals with discontentment we have in our daily life, always never satisfied with the life have, instead we are always searching for that reset button in life.

EVERYTHING IS LOVE

This is an alphabet book about a love that was really something and not just the idea of something. Reimagining Bonnie and Clyde relationship in the 21th century.

EVERYTHING IS LOVE

This is an alphabet book about a love that was really something and not just the idea of something. Reimagining Bonnie and Clyde relationship in the 21th century.

RE:Singapore

Little Red Dot, known as home for majority of the Singaporeans ; whom many assume had explore and seen everything but not yet literally everything to this date. In these series of photographs which depicts the interior, artefact and the women of Imperial Harem ( hou gong ) serves the purpose of leading back in time through the Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle which is also known for its famous Dragon Kiln. Delving back into the Imperial Harem of the Qing Dynasty where the Emperor, Empresses, Consorts and Concubines live. Many of these women who were at the age between 13-17 years old when they married the Emperor of China. Thus with this little collection and series of photographs it serves a meaning deeper to know that there’s after all light and hope to explore further and leave no stone unturned.

A Wee Summer - Sunny Days in Glasgow

My hopes of a beautiful bright sunny summer did not die even without the sun. A humourous approach towards gloomy summers, I created my own sunrays in hopes of filling the cold damp streets with warth and humour. I combined them with a collection of photos I took in wet weather during my stay in Glasgow.

A Wee Summer - Sunny Days in Glasgow

A Wee Summer - Sunny Days in Glasgow

A Wee Summer - Sunny Days in Glasgow

A Wee Summer - Sunny Days in Glasgow

A Wee Summer - Sunny Days in Glasgow

A Wee Summer - Sunny Days in Glasgow

A Wee Summer - Sunny Days in Glasgow

Covid Art

Covid Art

Covid Art

Covid Art

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Tasked to create a new magazine, I named it Crank.

Digital Painting

Digital Painting

Digital Painting

Musings – a collection of work (WIP)

A work in progress collection of artwork and experimentations. Born from rainy weather activities, these projects added a little joy and happiness in gloomy weather.

Musings – a collection of work (WIP)

Musings – a collection of work (WIP)

Musings – a collection of work (WIP)

Musings – a collection of work (WIP)

Musings – a collection of work (WIP)

The Wish

The Wish

The Wish

The Wish

The Wish

The Wish

The Wish

The Wish

The Lazy Daisy - Rethinking the way we see fashion. (WIP)

The Lazy Daisy ¬– Rethinking the way we see fashion. (WIP)

The Lazy Daisy - Rethinking the way we see fashion. (WIP)

The Lazy Daisy - Rethinking the way we see fashion. (WIP)

The Lazy Daisy - Rethinking the way we see fashion. (WIP)

The Lazy Daisy - Rethinking the way we see fashion. (WIP)

THE STRANGER 👁️

Inspired by an excerpt taken out from L'Étranger whereby Meursault always thinks about his lover Marie but yet struggles to feel and wonders if he indeed loved her.

THE STRANGER 👁️

Mr Nobody

Mr Nobody is a short film follows a lonely phantom who lives in a deserted city. Consumed by loneliness and desire to connect he spends his days collecting ‘friends’. His quiet days soon changed when an unfamiliar sound resonates through the city.

Mr Nobody Still

A screen capture from the film, when Mr. Nobody was distracted while looking for a ‘friend’.

Mr Nobody Environment Paintings

The environment in the film was painted in watercolour. Using grey tones express how the Phantoms view life, devoid of anything, dreary.

Mr Nobody Development

These are some development sketches for the film.The phantom’s walk pattern is not expressive, hearkening back to how his character view his life; a lack of excitement, mundane and repetitive.

Mr Nobody Storyboard

Storyboards for the film.

The Cost of Love

The Cost of Love is a spin on an old story by Oscar Wilde. It speaks of the woes of love and the idea that everyone has a different perception of love, shining a light inside us and causing us to ask if we truly know what love is.

The Cost of Love Key Image

One of the key images of the story, it symbolizes how sacrifice can lead to another’s happiness, but is it worth it?

The Cost of Love Storyboard

The final storyboard for the storybook.

Booker Book Jacket

“What these three stories have a common?” was the challenge this brief presented. Underlying in all three narratives is a recurring theme that ties these narratives together; Deterioration. Each story tells a different tale about the deterioration of a certain aspect; Sense of Self, Memory and Acceptance

Booker Book Jacket Original Paintings

The original artwork for each cover.

Love Letter to Chinese Cinema

Love Letter To Chinese Cinema is a project that explores the overlap between today’s Chinese youth, and their relationship with Chinese Cinema. How to Judge a Chinese Film by it’s Chinese-ness is an ironic and satirical kit, where warped and often Eurocentric perception of Asian cinema manifests itself into a tangible product. This kit uses hypocrisy as a visual language to question contradiction and double standards in the way that movies are now perceived.

Banana is local street description for Asians who have chosen to abandon or neglect their cultural identity in favour of a western one – yellow on the outside & white on the inside. Pinkerton syndrome.

Western vs Asian comparison – the notion of “worth” is often brought up when discussing Asian films, whether it is “worth” the watch, time and money. An endless handout of excuses.

Civi Type: The Man, The Skies, The Earth

A writing system born out of a dystopian future in 2064 that eerily mirrors the (future) present; war, environmental decline and viruses. Where mother tongues are forgotten, this system is used to indoctrinate and communicate — its purpose entirely functional and devoid of emotion. A writing system produced from analog and digital mediums, its form is derived from the functionality of Chinese logography and carries the characteristics of blackletter.

The system's handbook, bound in tradition Chinese bookbinding to echo its influence.

The four core functions of the writing system, conveyed purely through visuals. It lacks phonics & no symbol represents feelings nor inquiry. The cold, robotic nature reflects in its stiff and angular form.

Human

Maybe we should see life with an open mind of what can be, instead of through the narrow lens of what should be. Part 1: ‘Human’ is a reflection of my biggest takeaway studying abroad for the first time. I realised how we humans subject ourselves to preconceived notions and perspectives instead of cherishing the freedom of what could be and are often disappointed if not achieved. With this poster as the base design, I continue by physically adding things on, to create an interactive experience for my audience. "A human is only a human because we have an image of it”

Human

Part 2: Attached are needles to create a string play board to encourage audiences in creating their own image of a human. With every unique interaction, I am hoping to break boundaries of what should be and reinforce the concept of what could be.

Perception of Peace

Living in a fast-paced city-state, it comes as second nature to find peace away from the hustle and bustle. Albeit often associated with vast spaces and tranquility, this publication hopes to bring awareness to another perspective of peace by documenting the raw emotion of the things that make our city-state fast moving :- The People

Perception of Peace

Several spreads of the publication

Lunching with Lunch-in'

Facing the issue regarding our over usage of plastic, Lunching with Lunch-in’ aims to tackle a habit with a matter of convenience by pitching to companies in the Central Business District, an idea of creating a more bonded company culture through the usage of a more convenient and sustainable take away container amongst themselves during their lunchtime.

Lunching with Lunch-in'

An improved version of the well known, Ting Kat! Not only does it have individual layer lids for separate take aways, one of these containers, can save 3 take away boxes! Leave the office with 1 container, come back with three meals!

Lunching with Lunch-in'

Every Lunch-in’ comes with a one page zine as an instruction manual and an informative sheet! Open it all up and turn it around to double it up as a poster to spice up your pantry as both a reminder to save the Earth and a decoration.

Lunching with Lunch-in'

Three possible designs behind the zine.

Project Proxima

The world, stunned by our first contact, is set on the brink of nuclear war, when the message is misintepreted and manipulated to serve mankind’s vile nature. A linguist races against time to translate the message and steer humanity from destroying themselves. The Space Race died 3 decades ago and with it, the public imagination. Project Proxima attempts to reinvigorate the passion for space exploration. The search for ET has always piqued our interest. From the mass hysteria of The War of the Worlds to the claustrophobia of Alien, the prospects of alien lifeforms has no doubt, kept us on the edge of our seats. Themes of astrophysics, communication and humanity are explored using an imagined dialogue between us and extra-terrestrial beings from our neighboring star system, Proxima Centauri.

Project Proxima

Project Proxima

Project Proxima is the decryption, translation, and study of photometric messages from an extra-terrestrial civilisation in the Proxima Centauri System, the closest to our Sun. This facilitates communication between mankind and our neighrbor 4.47 lightyears away.

Project Proxima

Low on options, resources and time, the International Commission devises an ingenious and dead simple way of emitting a comparable energy output we had observed from Proxima Centauri. Well, here's the plan: We humans sure love to stockpile on nukes ey? Modify them to emit the light spectrum that we want. Send them into space, so that our atmosphere does not interfere with the light transmission. Put them at the right altitude and then BOOOM! No gigantic lasers, No costly electricity bill, get rid of our nukes at the same time! I'm not kidding.

Project Proxima

This is a set of vocabulary to guide the celestial dialogue, based on our common understanding of physics, metaphysics and mathematics, the universal constants. The language is based on the Arecibo message, designed by physicist Frank Drake, Carl Sagan and fellow scientists.The Binary message was transmitted in 1974, from the powerful Arecibo Dish Array in Puerto Rico. I adapted it into a more direct and visual form, using the same 73 X 23 grid, in which the nukes will be coordinated to denotate. Nuclear fusion = Emission of light = dots on the imaginary 73X23 Grid.

Project Proxima

This is a set of dialogues,for the purpose of human comprehension. The language relies on a form of universal sign language that can be best compared to frantic hand waving between two people who has not a single clue about each other's languages. But it works most of the times. For example, shouting in a conversation suggests an emphasis. Denoting a bigger nuke in space, emitting more energy, also suggests an emphasis.

KOPE Fest

One man’s trash, Another man’s treasure. KOPE Fest is an exhibition to showcase what can be done using little resources and skills. The interactive nature allows people of varied ages to have a haptic experience. Living in Singapore’s fast conveniences and exorbitant mercantile, we often take for granted what treasures lie beneath our HDB. By creating a series of engaging assemblages out of salvaged material, I aim to spur youth imagination and educate The public about prudency and resourcefulness. using these objects as posters, I also aim to explore unconventional mediums for advertising

A Story In Statues

Having documented heavily the extent of the street art scene in Europe. I began to create a series of posters showing a collage of street art and using statues I found in Europe as the focal point in each piece, I chose to create very raw images while juxtaposing them against the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles as a representation of Singapore and it’s street art scene.

A Story In Statues

Sterile Singapore

A Story In Statues

The statues

A Story In Statues

"Swee" in Hokkien is an adjective to describe something or a situation is "beautiful".

Skins Magazine

Created a magazine labelled 'Skins" highlighting the hobby of taxidermy and the importance of preserving our animals especially if they happen to go extinct

Skins Magazine

Skins Magazine

Featuring certain advertisements, here are some highlights of advertisements which i designed to compliment the magazine. showcasing the plight of endangered species in a striking yet accessible way.

Satire Supermarket

Introducing the Satire Supermarket, "World End". A satirical take on how Supermarkets & consumers are handling the plastic problem.

Satire Supermarket

Going green literally & why stop at double bagging, when you can quadruple it

Satire Supermarket

A New Housing Typology for Rental Flats

Strong community ties is capable of providing a form of social support and resource network. Despite its importance, it rarely exists in HDB flats today. This project aims to investigate a new typology for rental flats that incorporates the notion of community within the housing estate. It sought to improve the standard of living for lower income families and strive towards achieving self-empowerment to break away from the cycle of poverty.

Utopian Vision

Le Corbusier’s idea of “vertical garden city” in Unite d’Habitation focused on communal living for residents to shop, eat, play, live and gather together outside their private dwelling space. This integration of communal service into the housing model has further encouraged interaction to take place among inhabitants. Drawing reference to Unite d’Habitation, a utopian vision on the future of a community orientated rental flat is being projected in the form of a sectional elevation collage.

Reconfigured Layout Plan

As compared to the void deck, the corridor has a greater possibility that residents would linger around as it is more accessible from their units. However, the linear and narrow nature of the corridor in block 1 Jalan Kukoh is not the most efficient space for residents to gather in. As an attempt to bring in communal spaces that encourage prolonged interaction, the linear walkway is transformed into an enclosed space by deconstructing and rearranging the layout plan, eventually coming up with multiple iterations.

Breaking Away from Standardization

Referencing Habitat 67 where the units are interconnected and stacked on one another, it allowed for a private garden terrace to every unit and play area throughout the building for children. By breaking away from the standardized design of HDB, new possibilities of interaction are introduced. Therefore, taking two reconstructed levels and stacking above each other turning it into a single floor increases the chance of interaction by half.

Eyes on the Street

The concept of "Eyes on the Street" as a form of surveillance provides a safety measure as residents help to keep a lookout for one another. Breaking up solid walls and having screens allow residents to have visual or verbal contact. These are explored with different degrees of privacy. With screens at the feet level, it provide clues on the safety of residents without taking away their privacy.

Persona: Single elderly living alone

With safety as the main priority, the unit is designed with a communal herb garden that allows residents to be involved in nurturing the plants. While doing so, residents are able to ensure the safety of the elderly through verbal contact. To a certain degree, it also allows a glimpse into a small area of the room such that the privacy of the elderly is still present.

Privacy is a common issue face in large family. Curtains fitted in bunk bed allow children to be entitled to a small personal space. By staggering the beds, these children get a private play corner of their own, accessible from all four beds. An opening is created at an eye level of a child for children outside to invite them out to play.

Persona: Single mother, 4 children, 1 baby

The vertical screen frames the amount of area to be seen in the room to retain privacy for the other family members. However, it is sufficient for the baby cot to be visible for residents to help keep an eye on the baby while the mother attends to her other children. When the sofa bed is folded, the space transforms into a living room.

Persona: Parents and a teenager

From the conceptual models, the idea of encouraging interaction to occur through close proximity by blurring the boundaries between the private units and communal space is executed in this unit. A cohesive language with the usage of panels are extruded from the steps of the stairs to seating in the living room and further extruded to form platforms for residents' use in the communal space.

Overview

The concept of interfaces as a form of threshold between public and private domain is explored through different implementation throughout the housing model. It is integrated to work as a system that encourages residents to not only interact but also to connect with one another.

Margiela+Moholy-Nagy Collage

A conceptual collage forming visual links between the brand, Maison Margiela, and chosen practitioner, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, was crafted to aid the process for The Window Project.

Spirit of Geylang Serai

The genius loci or character of Geylang is represented by a vibrant, crowded environment and its Malay community shown in this collage as part of the research study for the final year project.

Material & Activities Collage

The conceptual collage propose the use of materials and the idea of sharing knowledge through different means. It guides the process for the final year project, A Cultural Mosaic, to achieve the essence of Malayness and the importance of interaction.

Learning Space Entrance

A Cultural Mosaic is a learning space that allows a glimpse of Malayness to both the Malays and non-Malays. With an integrated library that curates books about the Malay identity and culture, it serves as a useful resource for people to learn about the Malays.

The 'Kitchen'

The furnitures were designed to play with different levels of height to create the kitchen experience inspired by the Malay rituals in a traditional Malay house. The use of screens instead of walls aims to open up opportunities for interaction and knowledge sharing.

Emotional Canvas

A look into the Vandilist Expression, a space where the youths and students can release their pent-up emotions onto a canvas, as part of the proposed intervention for The Ways We Shop.

Shooting Range

The entire facade of the assembly for The Ways We Shop uses one-way mirror to provide the freedom to express freely without fear of being stared by the public. However, from the outside, the public are able to view the emotions that are being expressed by the users.

Pandora Box

Tackling the repressed, negative emotions of youths and students which may come from peer pressure, a utopian space for students was ideated. The collage expresses the concept of the intervention for The Ways We Shop, inspired by rage rooms.

The Ways We Inhabit This Space

The proposed inhabitations for A Cultural Mosaic was illustrated through a sectional perspective view. The key ideas of the learning space’s design plays with the different ways a person can sit, referenced to the sitting rituals where a single mat can accomodate for multiple needs.

Sectional Perspective of Cinema

An open-cinema was designed for Reminiscene which aims to bring back the spirit of Malayness, the spirit of community gathering, that was lost in the present. The use of the roof abstraction was to symbolise nostalgia due to the past site, the Geylang Serai Malay Village.

Introducing the Outdoor Experience

There used to be a “Gulong Gulong park” that was famous as a gathering spot to the community back in the 1980s, however, it was taken away for the development of Orchard road. This project aims to design spaces to evoke the outdoor experience of rolling in the park and improve the quality of community life through the play of leveling and staggered platform that is ideal for a wide range of events from performances to community gathering.

Redefining Spaces

To counter the struggles of overcrowding issue, retractable seating that resembles the picnic experience is introduced to periphery spaces around the shopping mall to aid crowd control and improve the quality of life to the community.

Light and Shadow

The overall ambience of the park experience is enhanced by the shadow cast of the perforated plates through the natural lighting. Creating a dappled light effect that mimics the layer of leaves in a tree canopy, visitors sit under the ceiling feature feeling calm and cozy.

Interactive Design

With the strong influence of The High Line project, this project seeks to transform a neglected corner into an inviting picnic garden space for people to enjoy. The project seeks to explore an approach to design in which walls, floors and ceilings function as permeable membranes to allow shoppers to dwell in the space,

Addressing the overcrowding Issue in Lucky Plaza

The drive of this project started from an empathetic approach towards the needs of foreign workers based here who seek a sense of community and understandably crave a connection to home. The space is relatively hectic weekly (Sunday), there was not much space to hang out with restrictions everywhere. People are struggling to look for a place to interact comfortably without getting chased away.

Interior Spaces

The language is kept continuous, and occur at every level, in every possible space with the play of lighting, surroundings, materiality and forms into the building.

The Community Retreat

This project puts focus on reclaiming existing space, readapting a disused atrium, bringing it to life as a community meeting and event space for people to connect. Each level forms an intimate yet connective space for small groups to gather and at the same time provides a public frontage and awareness of the ongoing cultural regeneration.

Dwelling in the Retreat

Housed in the Level 2 Plaza, the large, stacking freeform pavilion shapes took reference to the square forms tiling of the existing building. Leaving no definitive lines between each of the structure’s components, thus blending the entire interior of the space together, as well as, forming furniture, walls and ceiling to function as a retreat for the community.

Design Ideation

Inspired by the versatility to endless possibilities by Bruno Munari “ a low wall becomes a seat, the church steps become a living room in which to meet, the open area behind the house hosts infinite soccer games in his hot playground project and the Storefront for Art and Architecture project by Steven Holl that introduces improbability and punctures the façade. The space is designed to bring harmony between the environment and the way the human body behaves within the space.

Versatility Design

The versatility of the design is expressed around the periphery spaces in the mall, making subtle design implementation into elements such as the floors, ceiling, walls and built-in elements, also creating moments of pauses in which one can rest and enjoy the serenity of their surroundings.

Itten X Aēsop

Initial collage showcasing the synergy between Swiss Colour theorist Johannes Itten and Melbourne’s health and beauty franchise Aēsop. The bold contrasting colours of Itten’s art works complements the colour scheme used by Aēsop.

Aēsop X Itten

Window design grounded by the principles and theories of Swiss Painter and Colour theorist Johannes Itten designed for Aēsop’s stores.

Axonometric Study

Site study diagram of Golden Mile Complex The intention for the structure was to create a lively environment and a vertical city in contrast to the homogenized cities. Golden Mile Complex comes from the concepts of the Linear Cities of architect Le Corbusier.

Impressions

Artistic impression of envisioned design concept of play space located in Golden Mile Complex.

Play Space Perspective (East Lobby)

A new play space located in the Golden Mile Complex, focusing on the effects of light and shadow where sun shades rotate anti-clock wise throughout the day.

Play Space Perspective (West Lobby)

The play space focuses on generating a space that caters for relaxation enabling users of the space to experience Live, Work and Play in the same building.

Reclaiming Spaces

Typical shop in Golden Mile Complex where shop spills out beyond boundaries while the tenant place make shift markers defining their own boundaries. A lawless spillage of shops creating a reclamation of space demonstrates The Right to the City concept developed by French sociologist Henri Lefebvre in 1968.

Accentuated Pipelines

Unique pipelines that forms character, identity and uniqueness to the Golden Mile Complex.

Unique Characteristics

The image shows shops spilling out of their de-marketed zones and unique floor tile patterns in relation to the accentuated pipelines across the atrium of the Golden Mile Complex.

Lawlessness

The image shows the plan in relation to the pipes added years after original construction running above unique floor tile patterns that cover the ground floor. Further demonstrating how shops spill out.

Wandering to Dwell

The Dwelling - Located at 8b Canton St above the convenience store, Seven Eleven, the living room was designed accordingly to the preferences of eating instant foods that both inhabitants cultivated whilst they were wandering in Glasgow. For example, the living room boasts of an unconventional kitchen with a sit-down hotpot experience. This is so that the inhabitants would be able to get their instant food from Seven Eleven.

An elaborate floor plan recalling the activities that happened in Ada and Kelly’s accommodation in Glasgow. The map revealed certain habits cultivated from their wandering in Glasgow. For example, the kitchen was always in use as the food in Glasgow was expensive. This resulted in both the inhabitants going to TESCO supermarket frequently to purchase instant foods.

This section is a work in progress to translate these wandering experiences into a dwelling. According to Witold Rybczynski’s ‘The Most Beautiful House’ in the world, the entrance is a key component in setting the tone of the dwelling. Hence it was considered that the inhabitants can enter their dwelling through Seven Eleven to create a certain porosity to the living arrangement.

The wandering experience also extends beyond Glasgow. Based on the experience of a visit to St. Andrew’s Cathedral, the bathroom was designed in a way to facilitate reflection and pondering by including a prayer area as well as a shelf for scripture to encourage the meditation of the psalms. Meditation and prayer are acts that allow the inhabitant to truly dwell.

Based on wandering through the magazine Apartmento issue #24, it was realised that a house is a collection of all things and experiences. Hence, the bedroom was designed for the many items and clothes that were collected as a result of travelling. There is also a seat by the window to allow the inhabitant to look out onto the streets and wander vicariously.

Ada was inspired by Japan’s tiny homes where a young couple bathed under the sunlight. She also loved how the layout of the couple’s tiny home was open. There is also a ladder incorporated for Ada to climb up to the roof and wander visually through the scenery of the Singapore River. An opening on the wall beside her bed was designed to allow both Ada and Kelly to interact whilst still having the privacy of their own rooms.

So Close but So Far

SO CLOSE BUT SO FAR - This project is a speed dating laundromat and bar that is a continuation of the dwelling. It was found that wandering continues as we meet new people - we are the vessels in which our experiences are contained.  However, in light of the COVID 19 pandemic, this response looks at how people might still love without touching each other.

Inspired largely by Hippie Modernism, collages were made in an attempt to translate the visual aesthetic that closely simulated one on drugs, as well as the concept of not being able to touch each other.

The participant will first: 1) Order a drink from the enclosed bar at a safe distance from each other. 2) Proceed to engage in the different systems that would allow interaction without physical touch. 3) Couples can proceed to the enclosed kissing booths. 4) Designated areas for the speed dating hosts to have a view of the entire bar to facilitate the rotation of couples.

First impressions count. Inspired by the fish tank scene in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as well as ‘A Minute of Silence’ by Marina Abramovic, the aquarium seats offer speed dating participants to interact without touching. It does this through a visually heightened experience.

Adjacent Play Space

This project explores ways to bring about playfulness in adults; to relieve stress relief, develop social skills, to allow for relaxation and to provide “escapism”. The installation is located in front of Ocean Financial Centre and is open to use for all who are passing-by. Enhancing their experience on what they deem as escapism / leisure in Raffles Place is key rather than physical play.

Adjacent Play Space

My models made were inspired by Bruno Munari’s geometrical shapes and Alexander Calder’s theory of the relation between things, to create “private-ness” as most adults there are comfortable being in their own zones like using their phones, talking to friends and looking around. Iteration one consists of most models but seem too enclosed. While visual play is being explored, play in this project is about embracing “private-ness” in the open space.

Adjacent Play Space

The proposed design works around existing circulation with visual play, movement, and interaction. Having natural lighting, there can be a play of colours that will reflect on the ground. The shapes hanging is an interactive installation, allowing to be pulled down or rotated while able for one to sit on it. This might make one feel more comfortable if they want to have a certain private physical boundary.

Retail Play

“Retail Play” This project leverages on the activeness in teenagers to create an interactive experience with the displayed products. Located in 313 Somerset, Level 1 and 1M, for the fashion brand, Bershka, the design centers on the idea of decentralisation. Bershka is about fashionable colours, contemporary furniture designs, and for it positions itself for adventurous young people who are aware of the latest trends, music and social networks.

Retail Play

Observations of consumers were made, and models were presented on how products can be interacted differently. The circular shape is chosen as the final as it is more cohesive with boundless circulation as compared to rigid fluidity, and there can be interaction with both merchandise and forms.

Retail Play

Being a retail space, play in this project is interactivity. Although being able to see the merchandise from afar, there might be a gap between the levels that forces them to figure out how to get there. The coloured areas indicate fitting rooms, rails, and a platform for the products.

Retail Play

With decentralisation, all the non-load bearing walls and the mezzanine level were removed to create one space. Similar to model 7, the levels allow one to figure how to get to certain products. Fitting rooms are incorporated throughout the forms so that consumers do not need to carry so many items all the way to fitting rooms at the end of the shop like most do.

Retail Play

Products are placed on different heights, materials, and colours to engage consumers. These platforms blur the line of a resting space and an area for merchandises.

Retail Play

Lights of different colours, shine from the grout of the surfaces giving it vibrancy. The different levels allow one to explore where they want to go next.

Retail Play

Tablets are provided for consumers to look at the merchandise all at once at the entrance. Similar to model 8, this spiral allows a clearer view of the merchandises on the red rail and green display.

Retail Play

A workshop area is found at the corner of the left, while the right has an alteration area and seating at the front for the seasonal fashion show. During the fashion show, models will be coming from all areas and have a runway at the empty space in the middle.

Retail Play

Similar to model 9, the extruded circle serves not only as a platform as there is different heights. The left shows an area for evening dresses while the right shows the alteration area, with the fitting rooms on the extruded platform.

The norm of working

This is so apt in this moment of a worldwide pandemic where we are all forced to stay home, work from home and work from our limited desk. Humans are the most adaptable creature in the world, we went from agriculture to a capitalist society in such immense speed. What lies in the future of work?

Adaptive Living

Most of us are comfortable in our homes because it is a place to unwind after a full day out. It is a place where our true character unveils itself. Walter Benjamin famous phrase “to dwell is to leave traces” applies to most spaces, but especially in our dwelling, our home.

Spatial Use

When we micro-analyse our space usage, the original intent of the space ended up suiting our needs instead. A room turns into a workspace or a store. A dining table turns into a study table. A coffee table turns into a dining table. How users define the use of these objects and spaces are different in every household.

Embracing the mess

A collaged utopian world of what embracing all our assumed flaws and mess could be. A messy table with a conveyor belt of endless items. A house filled with surveillance cameras. A living room with clothes piled up. The lounging seat with extension plug becomes one with the wall filled without enough socket to charge all the devices at home. A balcony filled with cigarette butts that must be cleared away every day.

Life vs. Play

In the functional bus interchange, what difference does it make when life gets injected into the space. Through play elements, biophilia elements, art installations or localized bustling coffeeshop? The robotic-like functionality of the space was disturbing. The fact that we are all part of the system of dropping off and picking up points made the idea of this standard bus interchange boring and monotonous.

Interventions

A myriad of intervention designed for a functional bus interchange. It aimed to diminish the efficiency of the space by injecting elements of life, fun and play. Where kids can play, where adults can sit.

Elemental Examination

If interventions are placed in a non-obstructive manner to ensure the efficiency of the space, is that how we can celebrate pluralism? If the intervention lies within a commuter’s walking area, how would the commuter adapt? Take a longer path? Possibly.

Life

The act of playfulness in a bus interchange does not align with the stringent requirements of what a bus interchange should be. But why should bus interchanges all look the same?

The In-Between

A simple Question of Inhabitation: What would happen in that in-between space between modern corporate shops and traditional strata shops? How would the audience from each typology interact with one another? How would the intended program in the in-between space turn out? The in-between space isn't solely owned by either party. A no man's land.

Corporate

Elevation 1 of the intended proposed design of the In-Between space.

Strata

Elevation 2 of the intended proposed design of the In-Between space.

Changing Home

A simple Question of Inhabitation: Shouldn't space be determined by the play and inhabitation of the users rather than the play and inhabitation of the users to be determined by the space layout? Boundaries and Territories are always referred to as built-in and rigid structures. Boundaries and Territories should be easily moved around to cater to the ever-changing needs of the audience.

Changing Home- An Axo

An axonometric overview of the intended proposed design.

Kitchen

A movable kitchen wall/cabinet that can extend the use of the kitchen and dining space or to minimize it in order to use the extra space for other activities.

Gym & Art

Likewise a movable gym wall/cabinet acts as a door for two rooms, and when not in use can be extended to facilitate gym and art activities.