graceful. gentle. gorgeous.
such a beautiful animal.
and im glad to be associated with it.
im a lucky guy.
Friday, April 16, 2010
snow leopard .. my animal spirit, or so ive been told.
such a beautiful animal.
and im glad to be associated with it.
im a lucky guy.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Pecha Kucha 08 ... what a spectacular night!
Wednesday Night. March 17th, 2010.
About a few weeks prior to that date, a friend of mine from the British Council Kuala Lumpur, aka Mister Kelabu, who was also my traveling buddy to korea last year in october, sent me an email inviting me to be a presenter at this world famous design / networking social event called Pecha Kucha, which means chit-chat in japanese.
Pecha Kucha (pronounced peh-chak-cha) was started in Tokyo, Japan in 2003 by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture. Presenters give a slideshow of 20 images, each shown for only 20 seconds — giving a total presentation time of 6 minutes 40 seconds.
(another friend of mine however, said it sounded like an ancient venue that you would find if you were rock climbing somewhere in the andes in south america exploring places like machu-pichu...kinda sounds like that, you know..)
i had gone for the previous pecha kucha held in urban attic last year, and i thought to myself if i ever had the chance to present like that, i will.
well, here's my chance it seems!
the following were also invited to present that night. as you can see, we had a wide variety of very talented people that night, and i felt very privileged to be a part of this amazing team.
- Wild Asia (Conservationist of natural areas & the communities dependent on resources)
- Zain HD (Project Manager of RandomAlphabets - Flashmob organiser)
- Rathimalar Govindarajoo (Indian Classical Dancer/Teacher)
- Hardesh Singh (technopreneuer, online network empire owner)
- Lennard Gui (MC/Host/Theatre actor/M2 Magazine Editor)
- Zurairi AR (Editor for Unscientific Malaysia)
- Cipoi (Ahmad Saiful Ahmad Fadzil) (Rock Photographer)
without hesitation, i said yes, and immediately got started on ideas for my presentation for that night. a million ideas were initially running through my mind, but of course a singular concept needed to be decided upon. in the beginning i wanted to talk about architecture and all things related, but i had felt that it would have been too narrow of a subject to talk about and i know of course that its not everyone's cup of tea. this was gonna be an audience that would interests ranging from one end of the spectrum to another, and so i decided i need to broaden my horizons.
so i gave it a bit of a twist.
instead of talking only about architecture, i decided to talk about the reasons that drove me to get involved in architecture, and make the subject in hand a little less specific and more appealing to the masses. i wanted to talk about something that would help people lead more exciting and interesting lives, and not allowing their lives to turn too routine and mundane.
i wanted to touch on a subject that would inspire people to drive themselves to achieve greater heights, to excel unconditionally in whatever endeavor they feel strongly about, and to ultimately lead lives that are significant and meaningful. and so i decided it was best to present a talk based on two words.
passion + creativity.
sweet. simple.significant.
so these are the slides presented that night...lets move on to the first.
the first slide, was an introductory one...to get things moving...
the second one was meant to get the audience intellectually engaged, hence the questions...
the third was meant to shock ... despite all its wickedness, who doesn't love the Joker, and specifically the man who brought this powerful character to life? Long live Heath Ledger, you rock!
the fourth was meant to show connections ... different people, different longings, but ultimately driven by one the same force. passion. and now look at their legacy. immortal and eternal.
the fifth slide weaned us towards creativity and how it allows us to play with our imaginations as wildly as we can...wanna guess tho what that image is a play of?
facebook! so obvious rite?
the sixth slide was intended to give a hint as to how to get started on being creative and i felt that the man from the matrix was right. free your mind!
the next slide then encouraged a sense of allowing your imagination to go wild and not be hindered by any limits. let your mind explode with ideas!
this slide shows some of the steps you can take on being creative...
...and this one continues from the previous slide.
and the tenth slide is where i bring architecture into the picture. three basic buildings and the questions begs to be asked ... any comments? no big deal right? pleasant, but definitely not outstanding...to quote mr. simon cowell ... nice, but forgettable.
this slide shows how something as conventional as a shoplot / office can be transformed into something totally unpredictable, by breaking all the rules of the norm, and giving it a completely fresh identity. the building proved to be such a hit with the locals, that they even gave the bu idling names...Fred and Ginger!
( For those of us who don't know who they are, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were a famous dancing couple in the US back in the 50's and 60's. google it! )
the next slide showed two more examples of buildings that defy conventional identities .. one appears like a floating perforated box, precariously positioned above an existing building, that's actually an advertising firm in canada, and the other building that looks like a double helix DNA strand is an office building in china. wonderful examples of thinking outside the box!
The next slide show how redefining the look of a building with a determined function that's expected to look one way but comes out in a completely different manner, has the power to pleasantly surprise the observer and create a unique identity for the space.
the building appears that has 2 huge, swooping wing like structures, resembling an airport terminal, buts its actually a train station in France!
this slide shows what possibly is the most exciting art museum in the world, that's located in spain... instead of just housing works of art, the building itself has become a work of art, resembling a fluid metal sculpture in the urban landscape .. art taken to the extreme!
the fifteenth slide shows elegance in architecture at its best...resembling a shimmering silver pearl, laced with a skin of titanium and glass, this performance centre in china, affectionately called the egg, is a wonderful example of a building that is simple in form, but absolutely rich in appearance. undoubtedly, elegance at is best.
this amazing piece of work is actually a contemporary church, and shows an updated version of space dedicated to spirituality in the 21st century. the walls of the hall appear like wings of an angel and the whole structure has an ethereal, fragile and transient quality to it, much like the existence of human life ... easily one of the more beautiful houses of worship in the modern world...
and finally, this slide shows I'm working on...a building that is to be renovated...but the question is, what is the budiling now? a house, an office, a storage faculty? lets look who the client is...
yup, its a church..my first house of worship, and so when i was given a chance to do this, i immediately said yes!
and that's my proposal for the project .. a modern design, infusing elements of eastern design principles and concepts...this is gotta be one of my favourite projects...
and my final slide leads to the how the church would look like at dawn or midnight...a lantern of peace, capped with a levitating cross of reflections. i feel so blessed!
and that's me up there...and the crowd that night...yes, ladies and gentleman...it truly was a spectacular night! i only hope that i get the chance to do this again...
thank you, british council!
About a few weeks prior to that date, a friend of mine from the British Council Kuala Lumpur, aka Mister Kelabu, who was also my traveling buddy to korea last year in october, sent me an email inviting me to be a presenter at this world famous design / networking social event called Pecha Kucha, which means chit-chat in japanese.
Pecha Kucha (pronounced peh-chak-cha) was started in Tokyo, Japan in 2003 by Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Klein Dytham Architecture. Presenters give a slideshow of 20 images, each shown for only 20 seconds — giving a total presentation time of 6 minutes 40 seconds.
(another friend of mine however, said it sounded like an ancient venue that you would find if you were rock climbing somewhere in the andes in south america exploring places like machu-pichu...kinda sounds like that, you know..)
i had gone for the previous pecha kucha held in urban attic last year, and i thought to myself if i ever had the chance to present like that, i will.
well, here's my chance it seems!
the following were also invited to present that night. as you can see, we had a wide variety of very talented people that night, and i felt very privileged to be a part of this amazing team.
- Wild Asia (Conservationist of natural areas & the communities dependent on resources)
- Zain HD (Project Manager of RandomAlphabets - Flashmob organiser)
- Rathimalar Govindarajoo (Indian Classical Dancer/Teacher)
- Hardesh Singh (technopreneuer, online network empire owner)
- Lennard Gui (MC/Host/Theatre actor/M2 Magazine Editor)
- Zurairi AR (Editor for Unscientific Malaysia)
- Cipoi (Ahmad Saiful Ahmad Fadzil) (Rock Photographer)
without hesitation, i said yes, and immediately got started on ideas for my presentation for that night. a million ideas were initially running through my mind, but of course a singular concept needed to be decided upon. in the beginning i wanted to talk about architecture and all things related, but i had felt that it would have been too narrow of a subject to talk about and i know of course that its not everyone's cup of tea. this was gonna be an audience that would interests ranging from one end of the spectrum to another, and so i decided i need to broaden my horizons.
so i gave it a bit of a twist.
instead of talking only about architecture, i decided to talk about the reasons that drove me to get involved in architecture, and make the subject in hand a little less specific and more appealing to the masses. i wanted to talk about something that would help people lead more exciting and interesting lives, and not allowing their lives to turn too routine and mundane.
i wanted to touch on a subject that would inspire people to drive themselves to achieve greater heights, to excel unconditionally in whatever endeavor they feel strongly about, and to ultimately lead lives that are significant and meaningful. and so i decided it was best to present a talk based on two words.
passion + creativity.
sweet. simple.significant.
so these are the slides presented that night...lets move on to the first.
the first slide, was an introductory one...to get things moving...
the second one was meant to get the audience intellectually engaged, hence the questions...
the third was meant to shock ... despite all its wickedness, who doesn't love the Joker, and specifically the man who brought this powerful character to life? Long live Heath Ledger, you rock!
the fourth was meant to show connections ... different people, different longings, but ultimately driven by one the same force. passion. and now look at their legacy. immortal and eternal.
the fifth slide weaned us towards creativity and how it allows us to play with our imaginations as wildly as we can...wanna guess tho what that image is a play of?
facebook! so obvious rite?
the sixth slide was intended to give a hint as to how to get started on being creative and i felt that the man from the matrix was right. free your mind!
the next slide then encouraged a sense of allowing your imagination to go wild and not be hindered by any limits. let your mind explode with ideas!
this slide shows some of the steps you can take on being creative...
...and this one continues from the previous slide.
and the tenth slide is where i bring architecture into the picture. three basic buildings and the questions begs to be asked ... any comments? no big deal right? pleasant, but definitely not outstanding...to quote mr. simon cowell ... nice, but forgettable.
this slide shows how something as conventional as a shoplot / office can be transformed into something totally unpredictable, by breaking all the rules of the norm, and giving it a completely fresh identity. the building proved to be such a hit with the locals, that they even gave the bu idling names...Fred and Ginger!
( For those of us who don't know who they are, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were a famous dancing couple in the US back in the 50's and 60's. google it! )
the next slide showed two more examples of buildings that defy conventional identities .. one appears like a floating perforated box, precariously positioned above an existing building, that's actually an advertising firm in canada, and the other building that looks like a double helix DNA strand is an office building in china. wonderful examples of thinking outside the box!
The next slide show how redefining the look of a building with a determined function that's expected to look one way but comes out in a completely different manner, has the power to pleasantly surprise the observer and create a unique identity for the space.
the building appears that has 2 huge, swooping wing like structures, resembling an airport terminal, buts its actually a train station in France!
this slide shows what possibly is the most exciting art museum in the world, that's located in spain... instead of just housing works of art, the building itself has become a work of art, resembling a fluid metal sculpture in the urban landscape .. art taken to the extreme!
the fifteenth slide shows elegance in architecture at its best...resembling a shimmering silver pearl, laced with a skin of titanium and glass, this performance centre in china, affectionately called the egg, is a wonderful example of a building that is simple in form, but absolutely rich in appearance. undoubtedly, elegance at is best.
this amazing piece of work is actually a contemporary church, and shows an updated version of space dedicated to spirituality in the 21st century. the walls of the hall appear like wings of an angel and the whole structure has an ethereal, fragile and transient quality to it, much like the existence of human life ... easily one of the more beautiful houses of worship in the modern world...
and finally, this slide shows I'm working on...a building that is to be renovated...but the question is, what is the budiling now? a house, an office, a storage faculty? lets look who the client is...
yup, its a church..my first house of worship, and so when i was given a chance to do this, i immediately said yes!
and that's my proposal for the project .. a modern design, infusing elements of eastern design principles and concepts...this is gotta be one of my favourite projects...
and my final slide leads to the how the church would look like at dawn or midnight...a lantern of peace, capped with a levitating cross of reflections. i feel so blessed!
and that's me up there...and the crowd that night...yes, ladies and gentleman...it truly was a spectacular night! i only hope that i get the chance to do this again...
thank you, british council!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
the night i presented my passion for work. thank you, british council.
8.20 pm. 17th of March. Dragonfly Club. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
i was part of a design movement. an international design movement.
started in japan. mushroomed everywhere else.
details ( + more visuals ) coming soon, in the meantime however, please copy and paste this link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d8OTzH4GTs
i was part of a design movement. an international design movement.
started in japan. mushroomed everywhere else.
details ( + more visuals ) coming soon, in the meantime however, please copy and paste this link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d8OTzH4GTs
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
light is God's eldest daughter ... halle lujah!
finally! after months of waiting, finally!
the approval documents and drawings for the church project that i've been working on, submitted way back in october 2009, were finally attained! after months of torturous and frustrating periods of incredulous waiting, the call finally came on in early march that the approval was ready.
blessed news. literally.
and so with much joy and delight, i informed the reverend with whom i was in contact with that the approval was finally granted and that we could start construction in early april. all that's left was to choose a reliable contractor ( "mr. lee, I'm looking at you," ) to get the job moving and complete.
thank God. again, literally.
now, this project is a relatively small size project, dealing primarily with an extension of the congregation hall of about an additional 800 sq.ft. but size here doesn't matter, and the significance of this project laid in far more important aspects, namely pride and excitement.
more than anything else, i was very and deeply honoured and felt a great, immense sense of pride when i was awarded this project, after going through several rounds of creative consultation with the relevant people involved.
you see, here i was, a non Christian, selected and trusted by a church committee, a group of wonderful God-respecting people, to design the facade and extension of a serene, unassuming house of worship for their most sacred rituals, in the presence of their beloved Lord and within the sanctity of the building itself.
this was my chance to experiment with the concept of exploring and cultivating a sense of spirituality in architecture, and hopefully being able to design a structure that somehow establishes and encourages a spiritual atmosphere, and letting the sanctity of that atmosphere permeate within the walls of the church.
but the one thing that i felt was of momentous importance when designing a house of worship was how the presence of light should be incorporated and employed to create a particular kind of ambiance that encourages tacit relationships with the divine.
after all, i have read, that in architecture, light is God's eldest daughter, and she should be treated with all the respect she deserves. by the way, that's a beautiful quote isn't it?
light is God's eldest daughter.
and so with this in mind, i set out to design my first house of worship. after days of meticulous research, days of sketches and diagrams, days of mediation and discussion, resulting in 6 final concepts, the following visuals indicate the design that was unanimously agreed by all parties involved to be the approved design.
and i was happy, cause they choose the one that was my favourite too.
the concept of the design is as follows :
an elegant and rich design that unifies a cacophony of subtle yet striking eastern influences, constructed with a clearly contemporary structural vernacular of refined concrete, clear glass and white steel. the design will be set within boundaries of stone on the ground and incorporated with an arrangement of vertical and horizontal frames of light timber.
the church will also have a graceful cross that possesses a highly polished mirror like surface, conveying the notion that the cross is a reflection of the divine that's surrounds us eternally, and of the notion that you yourself are a reflection of the sacred as the sacred exists within you.
the reflective cross will be suspended at the entrance of the building, hung beneath the timber frames with a seemingly invisible cable, giving the impression that it is levitating above the earth, bathed in an aura of light in the early mornings and during the stroke of midnight.
this church is my tribute to the phrase that light is God's eldest daughter, and i hope that this holy place of worship will continue to illuminate the lives of so many as it always has through its serene architectural identity and even more so, through its wonderful teachings.
yes, this was my favourite too. undeniably, and i cant wait to see this design materialise.
Thank you, Lord, i won't let you down...!
the approval documents and drawings for the church project that i've been working on, submitted way back in october 2009, were finally attained! after months of torturous and frustrating periods of incredulous waiting, the call finally came on in early march that the approval was ready.
blessed news. literally.
and so with much joy and delight, i informed the reverend with whom i was in contact with that the approval was finally granted and that we could start construction in early april. all that's left was to choose a reliable contractor ( "mr. lee, I'm looking at you," ) to get the job moving and complete.
thank God. again, literally.
now, this project is a relatively small size project, dealing primarily with an extension of the congregation hall of about an additional 800 sq.ft. but size here doesn't matter, and the significance of this project laid in far more important aspects, namely pride and excitement.
more than anything else, i was very and deeply honoured and felt a great, immense sense of pride when i was awarded this project, after going through several rounds of creative consultation with the relevant people involved.
you see, here i was, a non Christian, selected and trusted by a church committee, a group of wonderful God-respecting people, to design the facade and extension of a serene, unassuming house of worship for their most sacred rituals, in the presence of their beloved Lord and within the sanctity of the building itself.
this was my chance to experiment with the concept of exploring and cultivating a sense of spirituality in architecture, and hopefully being able to design a structure that somehow establishes and encourages a spiritual atmosphere, and letting the sanctity of that atmosphere permeate within the walls of the church.
- after all, after much thought, the first question that ran through my mind was what was it that makes a building 'spiritual'?
- what are the key elements that set it apart from any other public buildings?
- how does one create and encourage a sense of religious and communal bond within a structured space?
- is it the walls? the structure? the materials? the congregation itself? probably all of them.
but the one thing that i felt was of momentous importance when designing a house of worship was how the presence of light should be incorporated and employed to create a particular kind of ambiance that encourages tacit relationships with the divine.
after all, i have read, that in architecture, light is God's eldest daughter, and she should be treated with all the respect she deserves. by the way, that's a beautiful quote isn't it?
light is God's eldest daughter.
and so with this in mind, i set out to design my first house of worship. after days of meticulous research, days of sketches and diagrams, days of mediation and discussion, resulting in 6 final concepts, the following visuals indicate the design that was unanimously agreed by all parties involved to be the approved design.
and i was happy, cause they choose the one that was my favourite too.
the concept of the design is as follows :
an elegant and rich design that unifies a cacophony of subtle yet striking eastern influences, constructed with a clearly contemporary structural vernacular of refined concrete, clear glass and white steel. the design will be set within boundaries of stone on the ground and incorporated with an arrangement of vertical and horizontal frames of light timber.
the church will also have a graceful cross that possesses a highly polished mirror like surface, conveying the notion that the cross is a reflection of the divine that's surrounds us eternally, and of the notion that you yourself are a reflection of the sacred as the sacred exists within you.
the reflective cross will be suspended at the entrance of the building, hung beneath the timber frames with a seemingly invisible cable, giving the impression that it is levitating above the earth, bathed in an aura of light in the early mornings and during the stroke of midnight.
this church is my tribute to the phrase that light is God's eldest daughter, and i hope that this holy place of worship will continue to illuminate the lives of so many as it always has through its serene architectural identity and even more so, through its wonderful teachings.
yes, this was my favourite too. undeniably, and i cant wait to see this design materialise.
Thank you, Lord, i won't let you down...!
rendezvous in ipoh, with a gracious leng lui
the 19th of february was a friday.
chinese new year 2010 was over. we ushered in the year of the grand and gorgeous orange cat with much fanfare nationwide, and of course everyone was still in the holiday mood. we were still sleeping in late, still partying the nights before, still catching up with friends and family every chance we got, and most importantly, as anyone would readily confess, still raking in as many angpaus as possible from as many kind and generous hands as we could.
i got one too. a big one. but i cant tell how much, you understand.
thats' privileged information.
now this is the first time in about 12 years i stayed in kayhell during the new year break. this was the time i designated to finish up a proposal for an interesting design project i was asked to review a few months back. and i gotta admit, i really enjoyed working in complete silence during that one week. i went to my office and complete solitude and solace, and i felt a wonderful and reassuring sense of calm and comfort.
no int eruptions, no hindrances, no distractions.
it was bliss.
now as much as i enjoy what i do, i was actually rushing to finish up the work as much as i could by friday. and with good reason.
when i was in korea last year, i met this wonderful young lady, lets call her yw, who was actually a malaysian studying in seoul, who joined us at the conference and whose acquaintanceship i had the pleasure of making. we kept in touch, through msn chat and she eventually told me she was coming back to ipoh for the chinese new year break.
i told her, we would meet.
and so, me being a man of my word, i arranged to meet her in ipoh, her kampung, when she was free to meet during that time. and so i made plans to yum cha with her on the 19th of feb, friday afternoon at 2pm.
and we met.
smiles erupted when we met, exchanging meaningful hellos and genuine salutations, and asking each other how things were. we were excited, and as soon as we met, we hopped into her friends car and drove around the roads in ipoh town, appreciating each other's company and catching up after meeting only once 6 months prior to that moment.
a nice surprise. an angpau.
i was glad i made the effort to see her, taking a drive from kayhell to ipoh, cause as much as i love home, its always good to get away every once in a while. the only sad thing was,my other partner in kryme who went with me to korea, lets call him mister kelabu, unfortunately couldn't join us for this really significant rendezvous. well, maybe next year. or hopefully, in october this year, when i make plans to go back to korea for about a week to participate in the conference again. mister kelabu can join us, and us three malaysians can paint seoul red.
fingers crossed.
so we got in, and of course the first thing on the agenda. lunch.
they took me to some local eatery where the first thing on the menu was char kuey teow, and nescafe. well, i was hoping for chicken rice, cause you know, that's what ipoh is allegedly famous for, but this was pretty good too. no complaints.
after all the companionship was far more important.
after this place, we went to another restaurant for some noodles and soup and another round of drinks, in an obviously old style kopitiam with blue walls and high ceilings, so reminiscent of a bygone era back in the 1970's. it was fun, to just enjoy the moment being out of kayhell, eating and letting the afternoon slip away.
i wish they could be more days like this. i really do.
when we done here, we decided to take another drive around, seeing the sights and sounds of ipoh of all the famous landmarks. the usual suspects of course ... the railway station, the court buildings, the gardens, the various educational institutions, the local houses of worship and a host of other landmarks scattered all over town.
i appreciated it.
the mixture of the historical and the modern, the incessant sounds of the vibrant city, the unavoidable noise from all the traffic, the meandering roads and pathways interposed with green lungs and everything else that creates an urban stage.
in a small town, there was a big presence.
we drove around, went to few more places, and finally about 5pm, we headed for some coffee. i desperately needed my second ( or is it third? ) cup of coffee for the day and this was gonna be a nice way to end this trip. we spend some time, talking about stuff and life in general, the three of us. this was like the perfect way to end this brief encounter.
after drinks here, yw's friend sent me and yw to the shopping mall i parked my car at, where the both of us spent a little some more time, over another round of coffee ( ! ) trying to enjoy each others company just a little bit longer before i headed back to kayhell. but alas as all good things do, this too came to an end, and we finally said goodbye about 7 pm.
we wished each other well, telling her i will do my absolute best to see her and a few other friends in korea this coming october and maybe even plan a skiing trip in korea in january 2011!
i was so happy to have met her and spend what precious little time we had. it truly was worth every moment and im waiting anxiously to see her in october 2010. lets just hope for the best.
and only time will tell, i guess.
choi kin, leng lui!
chinese new year 2010 was over. we ushered in the year of the grand and gorgeous orange cat with much fanfare nationwide, and of course everyone was still in the holiday mood. we were still sleeping in late, still partying the nights before, still catching up with friends and family every chance we got, and most importantly, as anyone would readily confess, still raking in as many angpaus as possible from as many kind and generous hands as we could.
i got one too. a big one. but i cant tell how much, you understand.
thats' privileged information.
now this is the first time in about 12 years i stayed in kayhell during the new year break. this was the time i designated to finish up a proposal for an interesting design project i was asked to review a few months back. and i gotta admit, i really enjoyed working in complete silence during that one week. i went to my office and complete solitude and solace, and i felt a wonderful and reassuring sense of calm and comfort.
no int eruptions, no hindrances, no distractions.
it was bliss.
now as much as i enjoy what i do, i was actually rushing to finish up the work as much as i could by friday. and with good reason.
when i was in korea last year, i met this wonderful young lady, lets call her yw, who was actually a malaysian studying in seoul, who joined us at the conference and whose acquaintanceship i had the pleasure of making. we kept in touch, through msn chat and she eventually told me she was coming back to ipoh for the chinese new year break.
i told her, we would meet.
and so, me being a man of my word, i arranged to meet her in ipoh, her kampung, when she was free to meet during that time. and so i made plans to yum cha with her on the 19th of feb, friday afternoon at 2pm.
and we met.
smiles erupted when we met, exchanging meaningful hellos and genuine salutations, and asking each other how things were. we were excited, and as soon as we met, we hopped into her friends car and drove around the roads in ipoh town, appreciating each other's company and catching up after meeting only once 6 months prior to that moment.
a nice surprise. an angpau.
i was glad i made the effort to see her, taking a drive from kayhell to ipoh, cause as much as i love home, its always good to get away every once in a while. the only sad thing was,my other partner in kryme who went with me to korea, lets call him mister kelabu, unfortunately couldn't join us for this really significant rendezvous. well, maybe next year. or hopefully, in october this year, when i make plans to go back to korea for about a week to participate in the conference again. mister kelabu can join us, and us three malaysians can paint seoul red.
fingers crossed.
so we got in, and of course the first thing on the agenda. lunch.
they took me to some local eatery where the first thing on the menu was char kuey teow, and nescafe. well, i was hoping for chicken rice, cause you know, that's what ipoh is allegedly famous for, but this was pretty good too. no complaints.
after all the companionship was far more important.
after this place, we went to another restaurant for some noodles and soup and another round of drinks, in an obviously old style kopitiam with blue walls and high ceilings, so reminiscent of a bygone era back in the 1970's. it was fun, to just enjoy the moment being out of kayhell, eating and letting the afternoon slip away.
i wish they could be more days like this. i really do.
when we done here, we decided to take another drive around, seeing the sights and sounds of ipoh of all the famous landmarks. the usual suspects of course ... the railway station, the court buildings, the gardens, the various educational institutions, the local houses of worship and a host of other landmarks scattered all over town.
i appreciated it.
the mixture of the historical and the modern, the incessant sounds of the vibrant city, the unavoidable noise from all the traffic, the meandering roads and pathways interposed with green lungs and everything else that creates an urban stage.
in a small town, there was a big presence.
we drove around, went to few more places, and finally about 5pm, we headed for some coffee. i desperately needed my second ( or is it third? ) cup of coffee for the day and this was gonna be a nice way to end this trip. we spend some time, talking about stuff and life in general, the three of us. this was like the perfect way to end this brief encounter.
after drinks here, yw's friend sent me and yw to the shopping mall i parked my car at, where the both of us spent a little some more time, over another round of coffee ( ! ) trying to enjoy each others company just a little bit longer before i headed back to kayhell. but alas as all good things do, this too came to an end, and we finally said goodbye about 7 pm.
we wished each other well, telling her i will do my absolute best to see her and a few other friends in korea this coming october and maybe even plan a skiing trip in korea in january 2011!
i was so happy to have met her and spend what precious little time we had. it truly was worth every moment and im waiting anxiously to see her in october 2010. lets just hope for the best.
and only time will tell, i guess.
choi kin, leng lui!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
my office. my sanctuary.
there is a space.
a space of about 600 sq.ft, contained within a building, that from a distance, looks like a modern version of the mythical, gleaming emerald tower that was featured in the movie, The Wizard Of Oz ... you know, the one with Dorothy, the tin man, the lion and the scarecrow. the one where we all remember the immortal phrase, "we're not in Kansas anymore,"
that building, more commonly known as Bali, the one in sunway.
now, within this building, there is an office lot on the 11th floor, which serves as my base of operations, but more than just a deceptively simple work studio, this space means the world to me. this is the space where ideas are born, concepts are explored, and ultimately, designs are created and refined. this is my own design studio, and since October 1, 2008, it has been my sanctuary.
now, this is an interesting word to relate to an office.
"sanctuary"
how on earth do you metaphorically connect these 2 vastly different places of intention into a single origin? after all, aren't offices suppose to be dreary places, wrought with bad vibes and even worse politics, where getting work done satisfactorily seems like a distant dream, and no one seems to really care for each other?
and you know what, for most of us unfortunately, that's exactly what it is.
and that's exactly what i wanted to avoid.
i wanted my office, first and foremost, to be a sanctuary.
now, what exactly does that mean, this beautiful word "sanctuary", as claimed by Esmeralda as she entered that magnificent cathedral, protected by both God and Quasimodo in Paris circa 1482, in what was arguably Disney's best animated movie, The Hunchback of Notre dame?
well, according to several online dictionaries, a sanctuary is :
1a. A sacred place, such as a church, temple, or mosque.
well, obviously 4 doesn't quite work in this context, but
1,2 and 3 are statements of truth. personified.
to me, that exactly what my office is .. a sacred space, where ideas can flourish, where drawings can be crafted, both as raw sketches on paper and precise lines on the computer screen, and where my dream of being an accomplished design consultant one day are being materialized, slowly and steadily.
these four walls are akin to an incubator, protecting me from the annoyances of the outside world, while allowing for ideas in my mind to take root, grow and develop.
a space where a sense of serenity permeates the ambiance, cultivating peace of mind , where design books, magazines and journals are occasionally researched, where pen, paper and keyboard, placed side by side, are used skilfully to create 3D drawings and models, and finally where music is played to give comfort and joy to the inhabitant. I can honestly say that every time I open my door, and enter my office, a smile emerges out of nowhere and sticks to my face the whole day.
its a space i am tremendously grateful for.
and so, let me take this opportunity to post some pics of my office on this post, and visually share, the most important space to me right now. at least in both my professional and personal life.
First stop, my workstation, with the computer on, radio too - the initial place where ideas float in my mind.
i like Japanese designs, and it shows.
the beech coloured cabinets behind the station, where personal treasures of particular significance are located, beneath the presence of majestic gold fan, with clear eastern motifs such as cranes and pine trees. katana, orchids, vases. scriptures. candles. artifact.
my wall of aspirations, which are mounting boards, showcasing graphics of
my hopes and wishes, in multi-colour manifestations, splashed all over the walls from one end to another, and where japanese paper lanterns scattered selectively all over the place.
my research and conference centre. journals, magazines and books placed in white frames, with 4 architectural models of past college projects at the top, stacked neatly next to a a self - made table of glass, supported by blocks of concrete molded geometric ornamentation, and of course, more paper lanterns.
this is where i have meetings with my clients, contractors and anyone else who comes to my office for a discussion. we sit on the carpet, facing each other with a lantern next to us and talk, reminiscent of entering a japanese tea house, and enjoying the humble feeling of sitting on the floor.
and in front of the workstation, 3 more open shelf timber cabinets. these house my files on past and present projects, and i decided to arrange them in a most unconventional way. they are laid out in an informal diagonal layout, playing with angles in relation to each other.
and the background wall has been draped with bamboo chicks. huge ones recovered from a project, which otherwise would have shamelessly been thrown away. i liked their texture, the rawness of their appearance and the weathered look they display.
and oh yea, the other poster on the wall, well that's a personal hero of mine. a powerful figure that grew up with us back in the 80's, who led a faction of valiant warriors that had this amazing ability to transform at will from one form to another effortlessly, and who recently made live appearances in 3 movies in 2007, 2009 and 2011. yup, you guessed it.
Optimus Prime!
And finally, the Buddha in the Box. A small statue, clad in gold finish, meditating in complete silence on my table, under a bodhi tree of his very own -a modern visual interpretation, of course.
a touch of sublime divinity as the final piece.
oh yes, this really is my sanctuary, in every sense of the word.
a space of about 600 sq.ft, contained within a building, that from a distance, looks like a modern version of the mythical, gleaming emerald tower that was featured in the movie, The Wizard Of Oz ... you know, the one with Dorothy, the tin man, the lion and the scarecrow. the one where we all remember the immortal phrase, "we're not in Kansas anymore,"
that building, more commonly known as Bali, the one in sunway.
now, within this building, there is an office lot on the 11th floor, which serves as my base of operations, but more than just a deceptively simple work studio, this space means the world to me. this is the space where ideas are born, concepts are explored, and ultimately, designs are created and refined. this is my own design studio, and since October 1, 2008, it has been my sanctuary.
now, this is an interesting word to relate to an office.
"sanctuary"
how on earth do you metaphorically connect these 2 vastly different places of intention into a single origin? after all, aren't offices suppose to be dreary places, wrought with bad vibes and even worse politics, where getting work done satisfactorily seems like a distant dream, and no one seems to really care for each other?
and you know what, for most of us unfortunately, that's exactly what it is.
and that's exactly what i wanted to avoid.
i wanted my office, first and foremost, to be a sanctuary.
now, what exactly does that mean, this beautiful word "sanctuary", as claimed by Esmeralda as she entered that magnificent cathedral, protected by both God and Quasimodo in Paris circa 1482, in what was arguably Disney's best animated movie, The Hunchback of Notre dame?
well, according to several online dictionaries, a sanctuary is :
1a. A sacred place, such as a church, temple, or mosque.
1b. The holiest part of a sacred place, as the part of a church around the altar.
2a. A sacred place, such as a church, in which fugitives formerly were immune to arrest.
2b. Immunity to arrest afforded by a sanctuary.
3a. A place of refuge or asylum.
4a. A reserved area in which birds and other animals, especially wild animals, are protected from hunting or molestation.well, obviously 4 doesn't quite work in this context, but
1,2 and 3 are statements of truth. personified.
to me, that exactly what my office is .. a sacred space, where ideas can flourish, where drawings can be crafted, both as raw sketches on paper and precise lines on the computer screen, and where my dream of being an accomplished design consultant one day are being materialized, slowly and steadily.
these four walls are akin to an incubator, protecting me from the annoyances of the outside world, while allowing for ideas in my mind to take root, grow and develop.
a space where a sense of serenity permeates the ambiance, cultivating peace of mind , where design books, magazines and journals are occasionally researched, where pen, paper and keyboard, placed side by side, are used skilfully to create 3D drawings and models, and finally where music is played to give comfort and joy to the inhabitant. I can honestly say that every time I open my door, and enter my office, a smile emerges out of nowhere and sticks to my face the whole day.
its a space i am tremendously grateful for.
and so, let me take this opportunity to post some pics of my office on this post, and visually share, the most important space to me right now. at least in both my professional and personal life.
First stop, my workstation, with the computer on, radio too - the initial place where ideas float in my mind.
i like Japanese designs, and it shows.
the beech coloured cabinets behind the station, where personal treasures of particular significance are located, beneath the presence of majestic gold fan, with clear eastern motifs such as cranes and pine trees. katana, orchids, vases. scriptures. candles. artifact.
my wall of aspirations, which are mounting boards, showcasing graphics of
my hopes and wishes, in multi-colour manifestations, splashed all over the walls from one end to another, and where japanese paper lanterns scattered selectively all over the place.
my research and conference centre. journals, magazines and books placed in white frames, with 4 architectural models of past college projects at the top, stacked neatly next to a a self - made table of glass, supported by blocks of concrete molded geometric ornamentation, and of course, more paper lanterns.
this is where i have meetings with my clients, contractors and anyone else who comes to my office for a discussion. we sit on the carpet, facing each other with a lantern next to us and talk, reminiscent of entering a japanese tea house, and enjoying the humble feeling of sitting on the floor.
and in front of the workstation, 3 more open shelf timber cabinets. these house my files on past and present projects, and i decided to arrange them in a most unconventional way. they are laid out in an informal diagonal layout, playing with angles in relation to each other.
and the background wall has been draped with bamboo chicks. huge ones recovered from a project, which otherwise would have shamelessly been thrown away. i liked their texture, the rawness of their appearance and the weathered look they display.
and oh yea, the other poster on the wall, well that's a personal hero of mine. a powerful figure that grew up with us back in the 80's, who led a faction of valiant warriors that had this amazing ability to transform at will from one form to another effortlessly, and who recently made live appearances in 3 movies in 2007, 2009 and 2011. yup, you guessed it.
Optimus Prime!
And finally, the Buddha in the Box. A small statue, clad in gold finish, meditating in complete silence on my table, under a bodhi tree of his very own -a modern visual interpretation, of course.
a touch of sublime divinity as the final piece.
oh yes, this really is my sanctuary, in every sense of the word.
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