Since 1988

Forest

2011-11-04T23:44:00.004+11:00

Our design studio this semester was working towards this installation the entire semester. The first half we had a lot of intensive learning and development in programming, projection mapping, interactive generative codes and performative architecture literature.

The second half we were divided into teams: coordination/documentation, fabrication, geometry design, interactive narrative and visual coding.

This was the result: FOREST, a "dynamic and responsive" environment exploring the nature of a non-static form of spatial experience.

Check out more photos here: pas2011.tumblr.com

Videos here: vimeo.com/groups/pas

And my personal development video journals: vimeo.com/user8000681

You can still catch it at Melbourne Central as part of the PAUSE interactive art festival, we will be showing on the 12th, past midday at the bridge connecting to Myers. See ya there :)

OAK NYC Picks

2011-10-20T20:06:00.009+11:00

Cast of Vices

SILVER COMING AND GOING HOSPITAL BRACELET

Miansai

BLACK/BLACK ROPE HOOK BRACELET

Jeffrey Campbell

BLACK SF HUARACHE

Pleasure Principle

GREY HAND KNIT SWEATER WITH BOATNECK DETAIL

Petrou\Man

DOUBLE BREASTED NOTCH JACKET

Petrou\Man

DENIM FISHERMAN PANTS

Billy Kirk

BLACK WAXED HOBO TOTE

Petrou\Man

PIQUE SHIRT WITH VINTAGE INSERTS

Fun things.

2011-10-08T19:16:00.008+11:00

Hardware prototyping we've been doing in design studio, in preparation for our interactive installation at the end of the semester. All videos cut and edited by me. Some of them were shot by others, Kirilly and Viet; half of them I documented myself.

Interaction coordinated and executed with Cycling75's Max 5

A lot of self-learning (tutorials online and consultations with our tutors) happened in the first half of the semester, and right now we've divided into teams (a studio of 15 students) to execute an interactive installation consisting of:

1) Inflatable structure(s)

2) Hardware (lights, sensors, speakers, etc)

3) Graphic projections (designed with Processing)

These are just preliminary documentation about hardware capabilities that micro-team of 3 did:

Keep?

2011-09-30T18:32:00.002+10:00

Just came in the mail, one size too small. :(

Springy

2011-09-01T23:40:00.003+10:00

Breaking my blogging hiatus with this pastel collection from Topman that I could see wearing daily for the next few months.

Monster Cycles: A Comic Polemic

2011-03-22T23:14:00.004+11:00

_____________________________

As a catalyst to start our work for the semester, we were assigned the task of translating an architectural idea to a comic form that will enable us to use it as a springboard.

Here, I was interested in industrial ecology and systems theory; how many processes (production/consumer) are linear and open-ended with lots of waste as output.

The Frankenstein zombies were a literary vessel that embodied the concept of by-products of human processes, coming together to form a useful entity.

This entity in turn will aid in a larger framework of systems, a system within a system. The zombies will attempt to close the open-ended processes and perhaps start to help us re-think our unsustainable cycles within our environment.

Although they are supposedly undead and repulsive, they act as a reflection of the inner ugliness within humanity; after all, they are products of our waste.

The question is obvious: Who are the monsters, us or them?

(Yes, all very tongue-in-cheek. I love my zombies)

The Curve of Forgotten Things

2011-02-12T01:03:00.002+11:00

A Todd Cole film starring Elle Fanning, with clothes by Rodarte.

___________

A very sublime piece. I love the direction that fashion representation is taking since the dawn of the internet and Youtube. Glossy magazines are now just one of many mediums.

Moodboard

2011-01-20T21:20:00.005+11:00

_______________________________

Paintings by Sea Hyun Lee via butdoesitfloat
Backlit shirts by From Britten via Comeback Kid

Fucking Young!

2011-01-04T18:48:00.001+11:00

FUCKINGYOUNG.ES

Everyguyed

2011-01-04T17:53:00.004+11:00

EVERYGUYED.COM

V.P.

2011-01-02T13:44:00.003+11:00

Images by Vidhya P. for AA's Media Studies class.

Timekeepers.

2010-12-12T17:19:00.003+11:00

Uniform Wares 300 Series Chronograph

Ora Lattea by Denis Guidone

Dezeen's watch picks are the sexiest shit. Too bad the only one on my budget (the Ora Lattea) is out of stock. *sad face

Trent Mitchell

2010-12-11T18:33:00.004+11:00

Summer's here. Trent Mitchell's photography speaks volumes about what it's like in Australia. Road trips, the beach and one very relaxed attitude.

Check out the rest of his work.

Found via A Boy In Mid Air.

Talent makes me weak in the knees.

2010-12-04T14:03:00.005+11:00

Photographers Petrovsky & Ramone (Morena Westerik and Petra van Bennekum)

Reading:

2010-11-15T22:49:00.003+11:00

Creative, Inc. : The Ultimate Guide to Running A Successful Freelance Business

I'm only on page 46, but so far, so very good. I love the fact that the authors got so many young talented creatives from a diverse range of backgrounds to give their take on their experience and dish out advice. Prop stylists, photographers, writers, etc.

Being in architecture, it's not really as unsupported as other creatives, you have governing professional bodies that will help you, and the years of work experience required before being able to register will teach you what you need to know.

But still, you can never learn too much. So very inspiring to learn about others who took the scary road down to freelancing and made it work for themselves.

I've never really talked about it to very many people, but I have planned to be in my own practice by the time I'm 30. It's not as ambitious as some others who have ventured out on their own right after uni, but I think with architecture, there's so much to learn and your decisions get cemented into other people's lives; affecting them for a long time. It's hard for me to be able to brush off and learn from my mistakes through making that way.

Of course, time to network and learn about local suppliers, builders and the like would be invaluable.

Back to the book, highly highly recommended to anyone in the creative field who has ever had that itch to take their careers into their own hands and do what they want. Never too early to plan.

Things discussed in the book include anything from advice to partnerships, getting licenses, pre-freelancing steps, working from home etc. All dished from others who've been down the very same round, the tone is relaxed and youthful with a lot of realistic notations about what to expect.

I bought mine from Metropolis in Curtin House, Melbourne. For $25, just saw it going in Amazon for $11! Oh well. It's a sweet read and I don't regret it. Go get yourself one. (:

Circle

2010-11-07T21:23:00.005+11:00

Photography by Georges Rousse via butdoesitfloat.com

L'Age d'Or Sterling Silver Montana Ring by Eric Saeter

_

Braille

2010-10-26T20:44:00.004+11:00

What can only be described as "contemporary English", all this wool is making my knees weak. Despite the beckoning warmth of the coming summer, I wouldn't mind a bit rain if I were so clothed.

Great menswear designer, up-to-date, well-tailored and well detailed with what seems like great workmanship.

Seriously, WOOL JEANS! Why hasn't anyone thought of that? Adore the paneled blazer as well as the coat, the waxed cotton poncho and everyfuckingthing else.

www.brailleman.com

Johan Rosenmunthe

2010-10-23T14:18:00.002+11:00

"Through digital communication like Facebook, Twitter, online dating and personal websites, the representation of our personality becomes more and more streamlined. We have the possibility to project an idea of how we are as a person into the world around us, but with the constant option of censoring information and invent fictional characteristics. Never have we had access to so much information about each other, and never has the information been so untrustworthy."

Johan Rosenmunthe

Things I Love This Weekend

2010-10-03T12:01:00.004+11:00

Watching Despicable Me with la bestie

Zombie Cupcakes Book by Zilly Rosen

Gold foil alien skull hair of the SALASAI fashion show, via Rumi of fashiontoast

Anna Dello Russo in Pucci couture and Gareth Pugh feather hat, via JakandJil

Sandy dreams

2010-08-25T21:53:00.002+10:00

Less than 24 hours after touching down in Kuala Lumpur, I hopped onto a plane with the family to get some sun-lovin'.

Hard to believe this was only 2 weeks ago, now I'm drenched in Melbourne winter rain again. Spring, come hither.

I Like To Arty Hard

2010-08-01T23:40:00.000+10:00

Happy Socks

Tell Me Something Nice Card

In The Mix Rucksack

Arty Hard Tee

I want this t-shirt so fucking bad.
All the dope from LAZY OAF

The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel in Two Semesters

2010-07-31T00:12:00.003+10:00

by CHIP KIDD

Very funny book about a graphic design student in the 1950s. Design philosophies still very relevant now, and so are the quips and jokes.

Fazil, I think you'll like this.

Yes, please.

2010-07-25T19:52:00.003+10:00

UrbanOutfitters.com

Greens

2010-07-17T23:46:00.002+10:00

If I ever get a place of my own, these would be perfect.

Ceramics by Michael McDowell

Chocolate Croissants

2010-07-11T18:24:00.002+10:00

Recipe for instant gratification:

Pre-made puff pastry sheets
Rich dark cooking chocolate
One beaten egg
30mins of your free time

1_Preheat oven at 180C.
2_Divide pastry sheets into squares.
3_Brush edges of pastry squares with egg.
4_Place chopped cooking chocolate onto squared sheets.
5_Starting from one corner, roll up the pastry sheet toward the opposite corner whilst wrapping the chocolate.
6_Twist shut and form a crescent with the pastry roll.
7_Place baking sheet-lined tray with croissants into oven, make sure there's room in between for the pastry to expand.
8_Leave for 15mins or until lightly golden brown. Croissants can be taken out midway through baking and brushed again with beaten egg to achieve shiny pastry finish.

Reading:

2010-07-08T19:44:00.002+10:00

One of the things I love about my work location is the proximity to the City Library. Being out of uni this year has kinda freed up a lot of time. There's also the hour to fill during rush hour commute on the tram...sometimes your playlist can even play something on cue with the scene.

I'm currently reading Murakami's collected shorts about Birthdays, and borrowed Tash Aw's A Map of an Invisible World at the same time.

Bernard Voïta

2010-07-07T21:54:00.002+10:00

I'm fascinated by Voïta's idea of creating tromp l'oiel with composition, creating visual divisions with colour. Great idea to be applied when capturing spaces, tricking the eye into frames. There seems to be a play of depth and scale as well.

Found via todayandtomorrow.net

2010-07-03T22:55:00.002+10:00

Noah Kalina

Kitty, kitty

2010-07-03T14:31:00.004+10:00

Solid oxidised bronze; sabertooth skull by Las Jewelry

and in Italy, the word "dapper" really exists

2010-06-28T20:00:00.000+10:00

My favourite shots from Tommy Ton of Jak&Jil photographing the men of PITTI UOMO in Florence. Last 3 from his blog, the rest from GQ.com.

Italy, I shall see you next summer. :)

Blocks

2010-06-27T14:49:00.004+10:00

Some things that are on their way to this faraway continent. I seem to be on a colour-blocking phase, with minimal or no accessories. Lots of black too, since I started working.

Beige + Cream Colour Block Blazer

Purple Ziggy Cardigan

Gray + Black Distressed Stripe Tee

Stone Blazer with Black Grosgrain Accents

Black Jumper with Shoulder Zippers

Teal Single Button Blazer

Navy + White Stripey Concealed Button Shirt

Gray Suede Brogues with Pink Laces

“I was thinking Sleeping Beauty’s coffin and Christ’s empty tomb”

2010-05-22T10:50:00.003+10:00

Just when you thought Rick Owens' ingenuity ended on the runway, he comes up with this decadent yet minimal pieces inspired by his very own sleeping quarters in Paris.

The incredible use of marble, alabaster, bronze and concrete with the added magical ingredient of sleep.

Rick Owens, PAVANE FOR A DEAD PRINCESS. Salon 94, New York.
via Nowness.com, images from Salon 94

On repeat:

2010-05-16T20:31:00.001+10:00

Bridges

2010-05-11T18:55:00.004+10:00

If I had an extraordinary skill, it would be at destroying perfectly good friendships and severing any kind of social relationship in a spectacular manner.

Things That Came in The Mail Today:

2010-05-10T19:41:00.004+10:00

Versatility and Vicissitude: Performance in Morpho-Ecological Design

Great collection of articles and projects examining parametric design and the studies leading to the structured solutions of technology aided & nature inspired work.

Data Flow 2

I enjoyed the first book so much, DATA FLOW (below), that I decided to order the second. Visually engaging ways to presenting ideas. Wish this was all available earlier in my architecture education!

last night

2010-05-08T11:59:00.003+10:00

We stayed after everyone left, beer bottles strewn across the timber tables, we were dancing to a host of early 2000 and 90s pop, the lights were turned down, the city was shrouded in mist, and we left in the wet autumn night.

This was all post-work drinks at work, at our office which has an incredible view. Days like these, I love my job.

Woof woof

2010-05-06T22:13:00.002+10:00

Dan says they look like Dachshund/Rottweiler snouts, so I like to think of them as puppies now. Yes, PETA; ponyhair Repettos*!

The postman delivered them just before I put on my shoes for work, perfect timing.

Jen of Gnarlitude blogged about these babies ages ago and I thought they were sickkkk. But last year when I inquired with an Australian stockist, they quoted me +$600 AUD (it retails in the US below $300USD).

Exorbitantly expensive, so I'm glad I snagged them at a fraction of that price, albiet much much later than I expected.

My favourite shoes at the moment, hands down. Though a wee bit tight...

* = Not like actual pony hair, it's jargon for calf hair.

Gaga

2010-05-02T13:04:00.007+10:00

Arranged in chronological order, this is my very incoherent documentation of Lady Gaga's Monster Ball gig. I didn't know which functions would be better for what, didn't know how to focus the damn video mode and I was torn between having fun and getting bits and pieces to remember; so this isn't even marginally a representation of what a blast I had.

IT WAS A FUCKING PHENOMENON.

Towards the end, my camera's memory was too full to capture the last 20mins of the show and also hence the choppy videos. There were gaps and songs I missed out too in between.

Onward to what I DO have:

*click PLAY*

*click PLAY*

*click PLAY*

*click PLAY*

*click PLAY*

*click PLAY*

Love Me, by Zed Nelson

2010-04-18T23:19:00.003+10:00

A photography exhibition I saw in Oxford St., Sydney; about our perceptions of beauty, what it has made us become.

_____________________________________

'For more than 20 years strict social rules have required modest dress and covered hair. Laws forbid women to publicly sing, dance or wear make-up. There are reportedly more nose jobs being performed in Iran than any other country in the world.'

'"I'm competing with men 20 years younger than me" - Anthony Mascolo, liposuction to chin and abdomen, USA.'

'Ben & Chantelle - Amadeus' Under-16 nightclub, UK'

'Ox & Angela - Plastic Surgeon & Wife, Brazil'

'"In 1993, a 21 year old from Soweto was named Miss South Africa, becoming the first black woman to win the title in the 37 year history of the pageant."

Finalist
Miss South Africa'

'Tummy tuck operation - Malaysia'

'Contestant 20, "Miss Penetencaria", prison beauty contest;
Sentence 14 years, fraud - Brazil'

'"I've been here 10 days and lost 8lbs so far" -
13 year old at weight loss camp, USA'

_____________________________________

Check out all 50 images and commentary @ Zed Nelson.com

All images from Zed Nelson.com, text (abridged for blogging) also from Zed Nelson.com

Last Friday's (and last post's) wear.

2010-04-13T23:17:00.004+10:00

Pixelated Tiger Tee: Factorie
Black Coated Skinny Jeans: Nudie Jeans
Scrunched Up Italian Black Leather Shoes: Oxford St., Sydney
Gray Drape Neck Cardigan: Sg. Wang, Kuala Lumpur

Obligated Touristy Shot

2010-04-12T22:58:00.002+10:00

To my best friend, who cried buckets on Saturday night when I flew back; I couldn't ask for more. We share everything with each other, which a lot of times are vulgar words and funnier than life insults.

Much love.

Rodarte x Maggie Cheung

2010-04-01T10:57:00.005+11:00

4 dresses by Rodarte, inspired by 4 movies featuring Maggie Cheung - to be auctioned off to raise money for UNICEF.

Short film by Wing Shya.

via An0ther Magazine

130310

2010-03-13T14:47:00.003+11:00

Reasons to love being on an Australian payroll (albeit that of an intern's): being able to afford graduation presents for yourself.

I'm finding all sorts of excuses not to save up, even though I must, for I'm going back to uni next year sans a parental allowance and will be jobless once more. The plan to save up half every month so I can feed myself when classes resume is failing to say the least.

But to quote Jing: "There's lots of money in the world and you can earn it back, but you only live once."

No offence to God

2010-01-19T20:35:00.002+11:00

but SENDING SOLAR POWERED BIBLES TO HAITI ISN'T GOING TO BRING THEM MUCH RELIEF.

Not when they are in need of simple neccessities like water and shelter. The money spent developing and manufacturing these technological feats could have been better off donated for medical supplies, inflatable hospitals, water purifiying units, inflatable shelters etc that CAN KEEP THEM ALIVE.

Hello from the Land of Glorious Food & Ever Rains.

2010-01-12T00:30:00.004+11:00

Been a bad bad blogger, though I was never the best at it in the first place. Enjoying my last week back home, lots of eating, shopping and slothing and gaming with my siblings, you know the gist. I somehow managed to spend all the money I brought back from my first paycheque (in Aussie dollars), and that's a feat. Well, except some hundreds left in ringgit to survive the week until Friday when I fly to Melbourne again.

Will promise to update after this week.

2010

2010-01-02T01:09:00.001+11:00

Happy New Year, all.

Do yourself a favour...

2009-12-21T08:36:00.001+11:00

and watch Avatar in 3D.

After weeks of complaining about how it's recycling the plot from Pocahontas, I still had one of the best cinema experiences ever.

2009-12-18T15:44:00.002+11:00

If you're an architecture student in Australia and have a free summer: Emergency Architects Australia

I might make time to participate the summer before I resume Year 4 in 2011, sounds like an incredible experience.

"Timing"

2009-12-16T22:27:00.002+11:00

What is it about "timing"? How we have absolutes and certainties about when is the right time for what.

What if we never tally up our timing? Does nothing ever happen? I hate it that sometimes I seem to be the only one who believes we can bend those rules, or rather, make our own "when".

Neither waiting around for "timing" or searching desperately for it works. So what the fuck do we do?

Robes

2009-12-05T11:28:00.001+11:00

This explains why I've seen so many monks on the streets of Melbourne during my daily lunch hour on my first week of work.

.

2009-12-03T22:32:00.002+11:00

Another one bites the dust.

I'm ready to resign to this and just count my other blessings. If only I were less stubborn, then I wouldn't keep trying.

Starting to feel like Summer.

2009-11-12T15:26:00.002+11:00

Funny how a cheap fan, and some fruits can change your outlook.

Lately I've been dying in this shit Melbourne heat, with no fan or air conditioning at home. Back in Malaysia, I would bear with this 30+ Celcius heat in stride with both those cooling devices.

Now, with my $17 oscillating Target fan and a fresh homemade mango, blueberry and strawberry yogurt smoothie, things are looking up.

4th November afternoon.

2009-11-10T12:33:00.003+11:00

We went for a junk food binge at Lincoln Square that afternoon. I suggested Botanical Gardens but the girls were too lazy. Ah well. Every other picture you could see us eating, so I tried my best to avoid those when uploading.

And I was having a bad hair/face day, slept only 3 hours in the 48 hours before the "picnic", trying to finish a 50% assignment and study for a final exam paper (they were earlier that day). So yeah, you'll only catch glimpses of me. I'm in the technicolour skull tee and the PVC blazer when it got cold, paired with black skinnies.

Picture of the Day

2009-11-03T13:58:00.001+11:00

from fourfeetnine

I've been in Australia for almost a year and I haven't seen a single koala.

Two Halloween Costumes I would wear:

2009-11-02T13:07:00.003+11:00

"Wolf Suit" (inspired by Where The Wild Things Are) by James Parker

Off the charts on the "cute-o-meter" scale. It even has claws on the paws!!!!!!! And a fuzzy tail!!!!!!!!!!!

& The Six Six Sick Girls' "Shark Attack!"

A two-way costume that simultaneously looks cute and fierce (the nose makes the perfect shoulder pad).

(Both these costumes were handmade by their wearers. Amazing)

To my two best friends:

2009-10-25T16:10:00.002+11:00

I'll see you soon, bitches!!!!!!!!

:DDDD

+

Excuse my elation, it will be my first trip back to Kuala Lumpur since I got here in Melbourne mid-February this year.

A bit upset I'll be missing Chinese New Year, but at least I'll get to see my family nonetheless for 3.5 weeks.

AND Ms Hoe Hui Jing and Vidhya Pushpanathan (who will be back for a short while from London).

I'm leaving Melbourne on the 23rd December, and will be arriving back on the 16th or 17th January.

It's been an epic day.

2009-10-15T21:00:00.002+11:00

Mid-term test.

Fire in the fabrication lab (dead model-making laser cutter = architecture student anxiety attacks)

Ground floor flooded.

Evacuation.

Announcement that an exam paper got pushed forward.

...and I'll be here the whole night. Yippee.

2009-10-09T03:12:00.002+11:00

Sacha Hilton

The defined shoulder trend has been around since last season or the one before. This is the first time I've seen it translated (and so perfectly) on the male form.

Magnificence

2009-10-08T22:41:00.003+11:00

Alexander McQueen shows never fail to inspire awe. I sit here, gaping and trying to remember to breathe.

You have to watch his Spring/Summer '10 show, named Plato's Atlantis.

I just....

2009-10-08T21:14:00.002+11:00

...got hired!

No more dealing with applications, interviews, portfolios and all that jazz. Full steam ahead for the rest of the semester (3 weeks of sleep deprivation) and I'm done with this shit for a year!

(With the modestly nifty internship paycheck, I foresee new shoes.)

Instant magic.

2009-10-07T21:25:00.003+11:00

by Jeff

Work work.

2009-10-07T16:14:00.002+11:00

Might be taking a full year off to work full time. :/

We'll see how this goes! (Trying to be back home in K.L. in February though!Not missing Chinese New Year, EVER if I can help it.)

Surrealism at 6am is Surreal

2009-10-04T17:40:00.003+11:00

We walked all the way from Carlton to Southbank, just to catch the last hours of the Salvadore Dali exhibition at the NGV...at 3.30am.

It was open for 24 hours on its last day and we thought that the crazy 3 hour queues would die in the wee hours of the morning. We were wrong!

We were in line for just as long, first queue outside in the cold to get in. Then a few hours inside to get tickets. WTF.

This is after working on a structures report the whole day. Maybe we weren't in the best conditions to be appreciate art, but it was still an amazing exhibition.

+

via About.com

via myspace.com/westcoastjazz

via artdaily.org

Night of 19th September

2009-09-30T19:30:00.004+10:00

Many thanks to Chors for hosting my little belated 21st birthday. And those who came, and inventor of Malibu and Rockbank and electronic music instrument game consoles. Also to Marc who made me the cake and Lih Jiunn who bought the sparkletts and cycled all the way from her salsa dance class in South Melbourne to North Melbourne.

+

So I found out I don't have glandular fever, but still recovering from a nasty throat infection nonetheless. Heaps of work to do for uni and 2 interviews next week for an industry placement.

That's all.

Hire me!

2009-09-28T12:47:00.005+10:00

A very succinct summary showcasing some of my design work is now online: homenghng.carbonmade.com

____

I'm looking for an internship at a Melbourne architecture firm at the moment, let me know if you hear of a vacancy!

EDIT: Just emailed 50+ architecture firms in Melbourne, nervously awaiting response! :/

The Shoe Post

2009-09-26T17:44:00.002+10:00

I'm cleaning up my room, more like rearranging the mountain of mess, so I thought I'd snap the footwear I have here in Melbourne.

Note: I brought about 12 pairs here when I came in mid-February. It kinda grew after that.

Boots. Gonna be stored away soon, Spring has got a foot through the door here. The cowboy boots are eel skin, I love 'em. The short black ones from Camberwell is kinda tight (common in my shoe closet), so I rarely take them out.

Sandals. I've been wearing the black ones on and off lately, when the sun is out. The gladiators are from beginning of the year, though might rotate them out again despite being seasons old and all over the place.

Lace-ups, formal/semi-formal/smart feet. I really like my black patents by Zara but they tend to get scratched, so I don't wear them a lot. I would say the brown suede ones (also Zara) on the top row that looks gray here, are one of my most worn shoes.

Sneaker-ly types. Supposedly the most comfortable type of shoes for men, but pairs in this category are hardly ever seen on my feet. :/

Moccasins, boat shoes and tassel loafers. I love the thick suede of the mocs, but it's soft enough to tear off the stitching often...or maybe it's not made for my feet. Had to use superglue on them. I wear the other two shoes quite often lately, they're so easy to put on and requires little thinking to pair them out, got them while Jing was here last month.

Today, I saw

2009-09-26T17:04:00.002+10:00

...a plane fly the lowest I've ever seen; a small Qantas plane swooped low over the city/MCG stadium during the AFL finals. It was beautiful.

...my first hailstorm. Not the egg-sized hail I imagined, but still.

What break?

2009-09-22T13:30:00.002+10:00

Monsters attacking cities? Pffft. Today is Cities on Monsters.

2009-09-22T00:59:00.004+10:00

by artist Munkao via Ktschkd Schuhz

I think he's so incredibly talented! Go visit his blog.

__________________________

EDIT: My friend Simon is co-curating a show with him, The Best Art Show in the Univer s!

Start Time:	Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 8:00pm
End Time:	Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 6:00pm
Location:	67, Jalan Tempinis Satu
Street:	Bangsar Baru 59100
City/Town:	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

It's free, y'all.

Also, this sounds really fun:

THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE
is a tastefully curated all day art bazaar on 17 October where we will be selling T-shirts, zines and other crafty wares designed by artists and art-ified by designers as well as our new brand of artistic signature cupcakes, COPYCAKES. We also have an amazing line-up of events that promise to tantalise the taste-buds of our arty-farty locals. Come and see our exciting local acts strut their creative stuffs!

If you're in KL at that time, it sounds like heaps of fun.

Last night

2009-09-20T21:08:00.002+10:00

was some kind of wonderfun.

So it was a little late, a little small, just little. But nothing like setting off the fire alarm while you're trying (drunkenly) to blow off sparklers on top a large chocolate brownie cake hand baked by your friend, to realise that it's not possible.

Lots of Malibu + pineapple juice, chicken curry, rounds and rounds of Rock Band on PlayStation 2.

Yes, with a drum console, guitar console and a mic.

To my best friend, to whom I have scorned many times when she describes karaoke as fun, I "sang" a few songs last night. For the record, I had to have 4 or so drinks down at that time.

Pictures soon.

21

2009-09-16T20:59:00.002+10:00

Somehow, this year's birthday managed to top last year's in the scale of shit birthdays.

My family is in another continent, so are two of my best friends (in two vastly different time zones), and the workload from uni is just disgusting as last year's. (Last year I had to skip out of a group assignment for a couple of hours for a "celebration" and had to tow myself back before midnight, continuing work till dawn the next morning with everyone else.)

Never thought my 21st birthday would be like this. Have a thing on Saturday with friends here, so hopefully I'll get really drunk and happy.

I hope all this uni crap pays off, if I don't get rich and famous, I'll be really pissed. >=(

Absolut Crass, I Loves It.

2009-09-11T00:40:00.001+10:00

Haven't laughed so hard watching a YouTube video in forever. Malaysians & Singaporeans, do yourself a favour and click play.

Fill 'em up.

2009-09-09T17:56:00.002+10:00

I feel comforted when my design tutor is a slave driver. Is that weird? I'm definitely destined for this line of work, or something just as stress inducing where I can make creative decisions...with a cause.

Zombie Weapon WIN!

2009-09-06T21:28:00.002+10:00

"Today, I was talking to my bestfriends younger sister. During a game of 20 Questions I asked her what her 3 weapons would be during a zombie invasion. Her answer was "Jesus, Dumbledore, and Chuck Norris". My best friend doesn't know this, but he's that much closer to being replaced. MLIA"

via MyLifeisAverage.com

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA! This chick is f*cking fantastic. I agree, I would choose the same things in a zombie invasion.

(Yes, my life is average for even checking out that website.) Meh.

sicccckkk.

2009-09-02T23:07:00.003+10:00

by Tove Jansson and Per Emanuelsson via Bleach Black

RP/Encore

2009-08-29T16:48:00.003+10:00

Is it creepy that I really really dig these?

Rat & Mouse Head with Swarovski Crystal Eyes Cufflinks

Guinea Pig Foot Pendant

Pigeon Wing Headband
(reminds me of Hermes the Greek Messenger God)

White Rat Wrist Chain

Pigeon Wing & Skull Pendant

Rat Bowtie

Mouse Pendant with Swarovski Crystal eyes

by Reid Peppard via Dazed Digital

www.rpencore.com

3 Friday Things

2009-08-28T20:26:00.003+10:00

Firstly;

Rewatching Carrie.

Secondly,
Luxirare's awesomeness.

Lastly,
Shoe porn via Jak&Jil.

Perfect Pick-Me-Up

2009-08-27T20:36:00.001+10:00

for a shitty Physics-like class test.

EDIT: Despite my playlist's non-verbal protests, I have since downloaded the song, not because I like Miley but because I have to get work done and rewatching the video for the 7th time isn't going to help. So I have to settle for the song.

Seriously though, it still cracks me up, I don't know why. I particularly like the bits where the dog makes an appearance and wanders in and out of the frame.

Ok, signing out. Massive amount of bullshit due tomorrow.

Cheers.

Weightlessness/Spacelessness

2009-08-25T21:23:00.002+10:00

You know the feeling, after you've swam laps for 2 hours straight with only two 1 minute break to drink water, when you finally get out of the pool: you stagger?

When the full force of gravity hits you again after you've been floating in a large body water till you've pruned... do astronauts feel that when they've returned to Earth? Do they stagger? Is it like sailors finally returning to dry, non-moving land?

Or maybe I stagger when I get out of the pool because my legs are fucking tired.

*

So for our final project this semester, we're designing a "temporary accomodation". They're avoiding the word hotel; though we are exploring the notion of non-place.

I'm investigating the potential of House of Leaves as an inspiration on the notion of the evolution of non-place. Not sure if I'm missing the picture, but the implications of nothingness to evoke emotions is something very strong in that horror-cult novel.

I first read this in 2005, it's nice to revisit old book loves.

Let's see how this goes.

PODS

2009-08-24T12:42:00.004+10:00

Weeks ago, I participated at a 24-hour design competition with Jun Hao, SuperStudio '09.

The brief was connecting an architectural text (by Rossi, Libeskind, Koolhaas, etc) and our vision of the future of petrol stations in year 2048, when fossil fuels run out due to global consumption.

We didn't get shortlisted, but it was fun nonetheless. I have to admit it was considerably disappointing because we had really positive feedback from our fellow peers & the judges, but I guess some of the other ideas were more interesting/amusing/related to the texts.

____________________

PODS was the name of our project, it was an initiative to intergrate and promote urban argriculture via defunct petrol stations. Urban argriculture is not a new idea, but it is largely unexplored territory in urban planning and architecture in "first world countries".

Some facts from Wikipedia:

- 50% of the world’s population lives in cities
- Low income urban dwellers spend between 40% and 60% of their income on food each year (I can relate to this!)
- By 2015 about 26 cities in the world are expected to have a population of 10 million or more. To feed a city of this size – at least 6000 tonnes of food must be imported each day.

Referring to the second mind map (above), we saw PODS as a possible solution. It could generate jobs for people (stay-home mums can now be domestic farmers, petrol kiosk attendants become POD educators etc.) and replace a defunct industry.

The potential growth of more and more urban farms could improve urban air quality and be restorative - attempting to negate the damage that burning petrol has done to the atmospheric quality.

We worked to design a system, a way to convert these petrol sheds into educational and commercial platforms. PODS will educate people on how to upkeep urban farms of their own as well as provide a place to buy and sell produce.

____________________

By the way, I'm very glad we took this direction, as recently this article by BBC on the urban argriculture of Havana and BLDGBLOG's post about suburban eco-efforts: Reburbia, were advocating the same potential of this effort.

A couple more shots.

2009-08-21T20:12:00.002+10:00

I can't believe this was barely 3-4 weeks ago, feels like yesterday. My daily schedule has been jampacked enough for me not to notice.

Here are some more shots from the trip, and the last couple are from Ashley's DSLR.

Bored?

2009-08-18T17:42:00.000+10:00

Exercise some brain juice while contributing rice to starving nations - here.

High Lands

2009-08-13T21:05:00.004+10:00

Weekend at Grampians National Park. Nothing like your first campfire.

Sorry, I've got lots of random things I've been wanting to blog about but since school started, I have been swamped. Either playing tour guide to visiting friends (la best friend is now here) or playing tourist myself, on top of going to classes and getting things handed up on time.

Hope everyone's well.

Mini-updates

2009-07-30T22:58:00.003+10:00

1. Cheryl & Lee Hua are here! We've been doing touristy things with them, accompanying them to the galleries + museums, lunch in the laneways, etc.

2. Our first design project this semester is... *drumrolls* a suite in the Ice Hotel at Sweden! The "problem" with this is that we can only design with ice, only stuff that's possible using tools/lighting the brief states provide. It's a 4metre x 5metre project, but I don't know why we need 4 weeks! Last semester, we designed a ferry terminal in one week and a highway stretch in 3 weeks. (Which was a little nuts...but we managed)

3. I'll be participating in a 24-hour design competition at Monash tomorrow, 5pm till 5pm Saturday.

4. I'm tired and totally unprepared.

Have a good weekend ahead!

2009-07-28T11:47:00.003+10:00

via CuteOverload.

***

School's resumed. With some late evening/night classes, urgh. First design studio session is today, I'm psyched! Our design brief for this semester seems promising, hopefully I'll still feel good about it after today when I will find out more about what exactly we're going to be doing.

As much as I like to complain about the long hours and unnecessary work, unfair gradings and such, I love what I do.

Yasmin Ahmad

2009-07-26T14:55:00.004+10:00

To a great woman who championed for the blurring of racial rifts through mediums we could all understand, in an optimistic youthful vigour. Our storyteller, who was herself a heroine in life.

Rest in peace, Yasmin Ahmad.

Things I wanna eat.

2009-07-24T20:14:00.003+10:00

Char kuey teow.
Satay.
Dim sum.
Roti canai.
Tandoori chicken.
Ramli burger.
Wanton noodles.
Fish ball noodles.
Teochew porridge.
Beansprouts & chicken rice.
Kuih Melayu.
Indian coconut candy.
Tong sui.
Nasi lemak ayam with sambal sotong.
Fried ice cream.
Mee goreng.
Ice kacang.
Duck rice.
Banana leaf nice.
Rojak.

Damn, I miss Kuala Lumpur.

Best Opening Credits

2009-07-04T22:59:00.006+10:00

True Blood Season 2 is back! And I'm celebrating it by painstakingly taking these stills of my favourite TV show opening credits. I think they look better as stills, though if you want to check out the video, it's at the bottom of the post (it's HBO-watermarked though).

Water+Paint DROPS.

2009-06-28T15:38:00.000+10:00

by Mark Mawson.

Raw.

2009-06-27T22:40:00.003+10:00

Eric Saeter, discovered via july stars.

There's the same quality of animalistic earthly rawness in his blog, wish I could afford his pieces!

Friday Afternoon

2009-06-26T14:52:00.003+10:00

Felt lace-up boots with double straps: Times Square KL
White skinny jeans: Sg. Wang KL
Gray V-neck tee: Topman
Tweed jacket: Camberwell Market
Harness with brass dome studs: Self-made
Leather weave cuff: Sg. Wang KL
Tan strap (around wrist & fingers): Makeshift belt

Worst Paper Ever

2009-06-24T23:14:00.005+10:00

...in my years of architecture education, I've never encountered a paper like today's. We didn't have enough time to finish, not that it was particularly difficult, but there was no time.

My friend last year in this class, apparently only finished two questions. I managed to fill in something in all 7 questions this year, but hardly enough!

*

Three things cheered me up a bit though:

Watching "Sunshine Cleaning" with Ash
Greek dinner with Ash, Jun Hao and Rachel
Luxirare's avocado post

Terminator Salvation

2009-06-23T10:50:00.000+10:00

Much much much better than Terminator: Rise of The Machines (Terminator 3), if you're itching for an action movie to catch, this is it. Transformers can suck me, the first movie sent me to sleep, I'm not sure if I'm going to bother with the second.

I won't spoil the movie for you...not if you count these stills anyway:

I just wanted to illustrate how any of these costume pieces could fit into today's wardrobes. (Wouldn't mind them in mine!) The sheer t-shirt above looks like something from America Apparel. And the countless collections from multiple seasons featuring something similar to the marching band-inspired full coat or the black leather harness...

Eye Candy

2009-06-20T14:48:00.003+10:00

www.aboyinmidair.com

www.realheadsknow.com

I didn't know photoblogs like these two were in vogue? Lovin' it though. (via Jeff's links)

High Line

2009-06-19T11:29:00.004+10:00

is a project that seeks to convert an old abandoned section of the elevated railway through New York into a community space: parks and walkways, fountains and lounges in a green vein above the city.

And it finally opened for the summer.

Notice the benches on the first and third picture? They remind me of the ones I randomly cooked up for the departure lounges of my airport project, haha.

Anyway, below are images of the concept design, pre-construction, during construction.

The regenerative nature of this project would be very inspiring, and could be transposed to dead spaces within any city around the world.

More images and information at: www.thehighline.org

I is not dead.

2009-06-17T23:15:00.000+10:00

I just lost my wallet for the second time last Friday, two weeks after getting it back from the police station when I lost it the first time. :/

To use the phrase Jing uses lots these days: f*ck my life!

*

I wrote about architecture in comparison with fashion for my short 1500-word design manifesto assignment, Shelter: Cloth & Cave.

I referenced Skin + Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture (a book based on a Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles exhibition circa 2007) and Techno Fashion.

We were suppose to design a "book" to reflect our ideas, it could be anything, a sculpture with text, a message in a bottle etc.

However, I kinda started late and decided to keep it simple: to just design a fabric casing for a scroll. I printed out my contents in A4 paper and transparency, and rolled them up in this felt+mesh casing.

These are pictures of it unrolled:

Post-Its

2009-06-17T20:00:00.001+10:00

Amazing work.

According to the "Making of" video, it took 3 months of planning, 4 days of shooting and 6000+ Post-Its. Fan-f*ckingtastic.

Jeff Hahn

2009-06-16T15:05:00.004+10:00

I've been watching Jeff's work since his early debut in Deviantart.com circa 2004 or so. Back when he was also shooting and posting Lomography shots: lomography.com/homes/satanic57.

Anyway, this is his oldest image in his DA account, hard to miss the potential:

May 19th 2005.

I think it was this image or another, that was taken from the top of Mount Kinabalu. This kid at 15, 16? years was globe trotting and taking snapshots already.

Right now, he's posting regularly on his blog (more or less?) and I particularly like the "Vag Face" series, haha.

Doing animations with photography techniques was a cross-over that was cool to see:

Remember the name, ;)

If I ever have kids

2009-06-07T22:35:00.002+10:00

Too f*cking cute. Oeuf Connected Knitwear.

Last assignment for the semester

2009-06-06T17:30:00.002+10:00

I'm having lots of fun researching for my "design manifesto", the final assignment for the semester, for Theories of Architecture class.

We're suppose to declare our believes in/for architecture in the form of a designed book.

If you can't guess what my very obvious choice of direction, come back on Monday!