Theory of design~
Friday, April 29, 2011
I’m a Pirate, Take Me To Stranger Tides!
Oh yea!! Pirates Of the Carribean, one of my favourite movie is going to on screen now =), so this time I should write what do i think the best 3 things about being a pirate, ehemmm..So..
First, you can explore more, to everywhere u want! Swim here and there, just like a fish..Beach is a very good place to explore, in terms of the storm, strong wave, and also the crystal clear water, and get to feel the beauty of the nature =).
Second, no need to do any university assignment and work like a cow!
Hahahah! (laugh wickly), free of those piles of assignment, no stress on doing such assessment, all you need is to fight against enemy and just like Jack Sparrow, can just swing here and there, woohoo~!!You may get to be a millionare if found a treasure, so easy =p, no need to work so hard to get ur monthly salary..
Third, no need to bath everytime, bathing is so wasting of time..
LOL, i know this sounds stink, but don't u think sometimes it is quite troublesome when you are in a middle of doing work, and you have to bath before you meet the client, but as a pirate it doesn't matter, you do not need to be clean, all you need is to jump inside the ocean, and u consider that as bath, Teehee~! Stinky yet a sexy pirate =D..Pirates are the man!! roarrr~!!!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Finally..exit blog
Friday, August 27, 2010
Taboo and Transgression; architecture and desire...
Monday, August 9, 2010
Field Trip: Kellie's Castle
When I arrived, I was in awe. The sight that I behold was too much to take. Who could have believed that in such a modern age of concrete and pillars, lays a hidden treasure from the colonial times unfazed by the changes of modernization. I was looking at one of the most historical place in Malaysia, the Kellie’s Castle. This unfinished mansion sends waves and waves of shock crashing into me. I could not help but wonder why I am feeling such creeps in my body. The hair behind my neck was standing.
As I walked towards the mansion, I could not take my eyes off this beautiful piece of masterpiece. Although it is not completed, it gives me a sense of forbidding, as I felt a cold shiver running down my spine. I kept reminding myself, the legend of this castle being haunted by the lost soul of William Kellie Smith and his beloved daughter, Helen roaming around freely to haunt the forsaken walkways are nothing more than mere legends told over and over again by the elders to scare their children not to set foot into the castle. I gritted my teeth, and started to look around for more information.
When I am looking around the exterior of this mansion, one could not help but wonder, during the early 19th century, how could William Kellie Smith could came up with the idea of building his mansion into a castle for his beloved family using the colonial style houses concept complete with Moorish-style windows and even planned to have a lift in his castle!
As I walked through the narrow entrance of Kellie’s Castle, I had a strong feeling that William Kellie Smith was a generous man in welcoming guests to his mansion, because the first thing that I came in the mansion, I could see a large guest room waiting for me, but, the design is kinda ugly to me because the place is so narrow to me and gave the feeling of pressure. The walkways are built narrow, with brick columns decorating the whole walkway on the outside. The mansion is mainly built with semi-circular arches decorating all the entrances to chambers in the castle.
The mansion is built with an open concept as there are plenty of light penetrating the entire mansion, giving it sufficient lighting during the day, which i feel it gave me a beautiful scene. As the broken window panes lay rusty, I could not help but notice that the Moorish-style windows are built using kayu cengal, a type of tough wood found only in South East Asia. William Kellie Smith also built a basement to hide his family from threats of harm. A spiral staircase leads down to the basement, and this is well blend into the brick design of his mansion, hiding it from preying eyes unless one takes a closer look only we can see the stairways leading down to the basement.
The upper level of this mansion is also built with a different concept of design, which i think it is a beautiful design, where William Kellie Smith incorporated a plaster wall along the walkways leading to the rooms. The room designed for his daughter is the biggest in the mansion, built wide enough with a dressing room within the bedroom itself. This symbolizes his deep love and affection for his daughter, Helen. As I descended back to the lower floor, the living room captured my attention as this room is connected to the dining room, so it makes it easier for his guest to mingle around while having their favourite food. The space planning which William Kellie Smith designed is great as the kitchen is built on the exterior of the building, so there would be less sooth and dust pertaining to the cooking.
On the second floor, William Kellie Smith built an emergency escape route via the roof of this mansion, having a narrow, concrete stairway as the only mean of escaping. This stairway is built with his child’s safety in mind, as the concrete stairway may only fit a small child.
There is also a wide balcony on the second floor, leading to the open air. This is built to allow his wife, Agnes, to have a first hand view on the beauty of the state of Perak during the day, and having a quiet evening accompanied by stars overhead at night.
In my imagination, this would be William Kellie Smith's Daughter (Helen) bedroom if it would be completed. A queen size bed with her own dressing table would be suitable for her as i have seen her bedroom was quite big to fit her.
The mansion is restored in its original state to preserve its beauty from the colonial ages, signifying the deep affection and love that William Kellie Smith had for his family, driving him to create such a masterpiece. This mansion is a symbol of how far the extent that a man could go for his family, at the same time not forgetting the style and elegance of the colonial times.
In conclusion, Kellie's castle is still a mystery mansion to me, as it has not completed yet, because who knows that William Kellie Smith would build more different type of buildings in the surrounding? After all, it is to be a heritage in Malaysia.
Reference: http://mmadventure.com/camping/belum/kellie's_castle.htm
Monday, July 19, 2010
An Architecture of the Seven Senses...
Talking about this topic, in the first place, senses are important, not only for architecture building, but in our life as well, we need senses to feel the surrounding, to taste, to smell, to hear and to touch.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Monuments, Testimony & Memory..Museum..
In Malaysia, there are a few of places consist memorable of the dead and heritage purpose, for example National Monument and National Museum, these 2 are one of the famous heritage and cultural architecture building. During the ancient time, there were alots of history of Malaysia that being told from the old time till this generation. It is very important for us to know our own history of our country and even those heroes that had contribute to out country during those war. Hence, museum and monument is the place for the history being taken down and things that had heritage.
Whereas if to compare with Jewish Museum which located at Berlin, the design of the building different with the design in Malaysia. Jewish Museum has 2 elements in their concept of design. One if it was in zig-zag style, a continuous linear form of building, which is the latest building, whereas the other is in fragmented style, tortuous line, but continuing indefinitely, is the older building. The purpose of having these 2 combination of building is to formed the link of Jewish tradition and German cultural. The inspiration is from Libeskind, a musician himself, took inspiration from music and considered the museum the final act of Arnold Schoenberg's unfinished opera, Moses und Aron. The design of the architecture begins with the history of Berlin, then integrate the consciousness and memory city of Berlin. Lastly, through the acknowledgement and see through the void of Jewish life in Berlin.
In Malaysia, National Museum is mainly focus on local culture, history and also traditions, arts and crafts. Hence, the design of the building is based on wooden house, which brings back the old village style before Malaysia Independent Day. It has the uniqueness of back to the past instead of futuristic, hence it successful in commemorating the dead because the heroes has sacrificed for Malaysia during the ancient time, so it should be shown in respect way by using the concept of atap style.
Last but not least, museum is a historical heritage place to visit and be respected, as it consist of our ancient time tradition and cultural. In different country has different background, and build in different design, but as long it has the functionality in it.