Brick

I used to dislike bricks. I thought bricks were such an old fashioned and obsolete material for construction, I thought of bricks as boring and outdated.

It was not until I was told that bricks are beautiful material with its beautiful colors. This simple statement was uttered by my teacher when I was in Singapore Polytechnic. Yes, it was just a purely simple statement of his opinion but it stroke me hard. The thought of bricks as obsolete was so obvious to me that I did not even consider it as possible for people in the contemporary period to regard it as beautiful. My obviousness was shattered, how could I see things so shallowly?

Then there came Louis Kahn with his conversation with brick:
You say to brick, "What do you want, brick?" Brick says to you, "I like an arch." If you say to brick, "Arches are expensive, and I can use a concrete linter over an opening. What do you think of that, brick?" Brick says, "I like an arch."

The significance of the conversation lies in our respect towards materials. We cannot just do whatever we like towards the materials, because materials, too, have feeling and pride. It is our task as architects to bring out the best in it, Our skill will determine how good the materials will be once constructed.

I had the urge to record this thought because I happened to come across an article at Domus about brick. I thought and daydreamed of how wonderful it will be if I have a chance to do a building with just bricks.

A Visit to Construction Site

There are a lot to learn and a lot more not to, my visit to the construction site for the renovation of Turi Beach Resort East Wing has been very educational.

I thought of building construction a lot. I think of how can I carry out construction with my desired result. It is tough to control so many workers and most of them do not know how to read working drawing and they do not have the proper knowledge of how to construct correctly.
I set a role for myself that I should be a teacher to the workers, I should teach them on the proper way to construct. When the time has come for me have my own firm, I will be the architect and the trainer for the workers. I should establish a solid ground, starting with small and intimate numbers of workers then slowly build up the firm and proper construction worker.

Construction and design should stand together in Architecture. I have always considered the skill of the workers when I design, because it is pointless to design like Zaha Hadid or Frank Gehry without the capability to execute the design, it is utterly pointless for it is better to get things right than to get it nice but atrocious. Getting things right does not even mean it is not nice, the beauty of simplicity and the quality of good workmanship never fail the test of time.

The Morning Sunlight

I had an epiphany while driving on my way to work this morning.
I saw the sunlight reflected by objects and I thought of my long gone childhood, the days of innocence, and my beloved hometown. I felt joyously sad when I remember the time passed for it really hits me to realize the impermanence of all things around me. Everything in our life is just one of many stops that we will go through. Hence, it seldom surprised me when one day I lost something: a book, a friend, a house, or any thing else. I will lament no doubt, but I will see it as something transient. In recognition of the transience, of the time passed, of the un-returned moment, I find solace in the present moment.

As people aged, they will have more and more comforting moment through their constant reflection on their life. Wisdom of age comes from the meditation of nostalgic moment and realization of the lost past events.
I had the realization that I am not old enough, I do not have much experience in life, not yet. Or perhaps I have the experience, but I do not meditate enough.
I am not sure on this because both are partially correct.

I waiting for the time to come when I know, not by analyzing or any deep thought, 'when I know' is just an intuition, inexplicable. I can comfortably know without any doubt, when I 'just know'.
I thought of the sunlight again, this time in the context of my hometown. I remember the moment between the late morning and early afternoon on the walk along the seashore, I looked to the sea, it was windy, the breeze took off the heat of the sun. The water sparkling, reflecting the sunlight.

Where Is The Musicality?

Where is the musicality? Where is the rhythm?

I found myself asking those question as I was designing. I was surprised by myself.
In the design process, addition, subtraction, further addition, further subtraction, more addition, and more subtraction, and on, and on, for a decently good designer are inevitable, just like in a musical composition.
Most of the designers of our time will have more addition, the Japanese will slightly tend to the subtraction process.

I would like to think of myself as balanced.
It is not easy to harmonize, I found myself asking, "Where is the musicality?" not because there are not any, but it does not harmonize with the existing concept and structure. It is easy to do addition, but addition that harmonize and respect the other elements are tough. I have to think and consider a lot of factors before deciding what to put there, and often in the future progressive design process, I might have to go back to the one I have just decided and omit it or edit it, I do not know for sure which one I might do, but the possibility is there. Hence, aside from the addition and subtraction, there are also back and forth process of editing. I hated changes, it is laborious and sometimes delirious, but lately, withstanding myself from proclaiming my enjoyment, I find myself hating changes less.
Changes are inevitable. I learned to let myself be open and flexible to changes, because when inspiration comes, which might be so often, one have to seize the opportunity and go with it.

Design is tedious, especially in Architecture.
I hope it will all worth it when it is done, just like others had tried to convince me before.

Design and Redesign

Design process is complicated and highly subjective, dependent upon the designer.
It is a struggling search for the unknown, for if one knows what one is looking for, the search will be a struggle and there will be an end to it.
There is no end in design, no answer, no destination. It is a ride one should take, not knowing from where one should start.

Design process is complicated. I often think of it like composing a piece of music.
Some are gifted, they design effortlessly. Mozart
Some are experienced, they design effortlessly as they practice and grow. Bach
Some are persistent, they design and redesign in search of perfection. Beethoven.

In one time or another, I believe one must been through at least one way of the design process.

Friendship

And a youth said, "Speak to us of Friendship."

And he answered, saying: Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving. And he is your board and your fireside. For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you with hold the "aye." And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart; For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unclaimed. When you part from your friend, you grieve not; For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit. For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.
And let your best be for your friend. If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also. For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill? Seek him always with hours to live. For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness. And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

The Prophet,
Kahlil Gibran

I've Believed as Many as Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast

'I can't believe that!' said Alice.
'Can't you?' the Queen said in a pitying tone. 'Try again: draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.'
Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said: 'One can't believe impossible things.'
'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes, I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'

Alice Through the Looking Glass,
Lewis Carroll