Architecture thesis, Part 2. Throughout countless thesis critiques with architecture students, I always end up somewhere in the discussion asking the same question: What is your thesis? Their answers (yes, plural) are often evasive and timid, and suggestive of their initial unfocused interests as they struggle through numerous topics that are in their own right promising and robust.
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Hong Kong: Bauhaus style Central Market. Previous research on the Central Market in Hong Kong, resulted in a blog describing the genesis of the market through 1850. After 1858, the building—originally called Canton Bazaar, thereafter Middle Bazaar—was rebuilt, and from there on was officially named Central Market. The 1903 map (Image 2, below) suggests the market was a rather large structure.
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National Museum in Singapore, Part 2. Following my thoughts on the nature of the growth of museums, during a recent trip to Singapore, and, in particular, the National Museum of Singapore (NMS)—a place that I remembered for both its extensive galleries showcasing the history of Singapore and the temporary exhibitions on topics relevant to a more in-depth analysis of specific cultural dimensions—I was interested in the development of museum additions using this museum as an example.
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National Museum in Singapore, Part 1. Over the past decades, art museums have outgrown their spatial footprint; be it an 18th or 19th century heritage facility or a contemporary addition. I mention these centuries, as during that period major modern museums were founded.
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Hong Kong: a lesson in stairs (Central Market). In a recent blog, I described the origins of Central Market. I’d like to add that more detail of its history can be found at Timeline; at the Central Market website under Our Heritage Conservation; and in the comprehensive documentation Study on Historical and Architectural Context of Central Market.
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Hong Kong: the history of Central Market. Since ancient times, public markets—coined mercatus in Latin, which means trading, dealing or buying, as well as the physical place where those activities occur—have served as the identity and social lifeline for countless cities and towns. Food markets in particular have played a significant role as community-gathering places.
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Thoughts on architectural education. Part 2. Architectural schools have long been a vibrant place for innovative ideas and radical change. Today, at a time when contemporary modes of thinking are challenging the idea of change itself, architectural educators are discerning the outline of the future architect’s mind: one like ours, yet profoundly different, and not yet clearly defined.
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Ballenberg: a vernacular architecture museum. My first visit to the open-air architecture museum at Ballenberg, Switzerland took place during my first year in architecture school at the EPF-Lausanne. It was one of the few required excursions during my studies, and, with discernable reticence, we embarked on several buses to travel from Lausanne to visit one of Switzerland’s national treasures.
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Hotel Park Royal Collection Pickering, Singapore. Cities have always been close to my heart because of the many iconic places that endow them with a specific identity. For me, beyond a city’s historical monuments, the overall urban charm, historical grandeur, and regional cuisines, what I most cherish is a city’s distinctiveness in how it brings to life transient places such as hotel properties; properties which are often part of a heritage of historical and cultural significance.
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Bathroom at the Novotel in Hong Kong. It is typical that many students in their early years studying architecture will find themselves in front of what they think is an unsurmountable challenge when tackling a simple yet robust project.
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