30 August 2013

Delicate enigma

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Presenting Motion Screen - a screen we designed for IDEA Award 2012 Gala Party.

(Higasa lamp was also designed for the same event)

Despite its delicacy and beauty, there is a catch in this which makes people behave strangely around it.... have a guess?

 

 


26 August 2013

Overcoming adversities

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Here is a follow up of Bay Road Hair Studio fitout...

The construction finished HERE, followed by a successful soft opening as planned.
A party with presentation was then held on site at Dec 8th 2012, the salon of 35sqm (including all the shampoo chairs etc) fit a hefty 20+ people at once!

Massive "thank you!" to our client, lovely Jason and Kana from Bay Road Hair Studio, fully supported and trusted us with a challenging proposal, given the numerous real constraints.

We have been recently interviewed by a magazine in China, one of the questions was: 
"What do you enjoyed the most in your work?"
Amongst a few "enjoyable moments", there was this one (if not THE one):
"At construction completion, when we share the excitement of having overcome adversities with the clients."

That was the moment.

Presentation time (with the original salon on the screen)

Q&A time

Party time!

23 August 2013

End of the mystery is....

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Following on from the last post this is what happened after the umbrella "comes to life"...

people suddenly gravitate towards the warms emitted by the light... 

complicated shadows adds to the sense of space 

Now there is a story behind this.

In Japan, traditional umbrellas are made of coated Japanese paper (washi), its structure out of a single log of bamboo, sliced into fine "bones".  It is an intricate art form, past down through generations over hundreds of years.  Unfortunately like many other traditional crafts slowly replaced by their modern reinventions, the traditional umbrella making is of no exception - there is now only 1 traditional umbrella maker remaining in Kyoto, Japan.  In order to survive, the umbrella maker Hiyoshiya ventured into other fields, and started developing their own range of light fittings based on the skills of umbrella making.

It was by chance that this collaboration between Facet Studio and Hiyoshiya happened.
We were contemplating on how to create cosy atmosphere in a large irregular lobby, and when we saw the bones of the umbrella we decided to put the focus on the beauty of this traditional craft in its most recognisable form.

Each Higasa lamp is 1.6m in diameter, the longest a straight log of bamboo can be sourced.  We tested extensively on how we should expose the bones without deviating from the umbrella reference.... the way the washi is gapped and alternating on either side of the bones is to:
1. ensure the compactness when the lamp is in retracted condition - this affects transportability
2. provide screening to light source in preventing glare
3. provide a backdrop for shadows of the bones to be casted upon

The hardest reality being running electrical cables into the bones....and locating the light source in a certain location to ensure the shadows are cast the way we want (but of course I am not going to tell you how....).  None of this is to be visible..... and again nothing is accidental.

Higasa lamp is a light fitting designed by Facet Studio.

detail of the final fittings
photo (c) Eugene Wu

us setting up the Higasa lamps on site....

at the actual event for which Higasa lamp was designed for
photo (c) Eugene Wu

To see more photos of Higasa lamp HERE

22 August 2013

House & Housing 101

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Our project, M House was published in House & Housing 101 by Designzens of Pace Publishing (China)

 
 
Cover of "House & Housing 101"

To see more photos of M House HERE

19 August 2013

Inspiring Connect Sydney

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Our project Connect Sydney has been published by Beijing's CIP Publisher.

 

 
Cover of "Inspiring Office"

16 August 2013

Mystery after mystery....

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Since this post back in October 2012  I did not have time to reveal what was actually in the box from Japan.... oops.

So here it is!

...mysterious box from Japan....mystery about to be unravelled....


wrestling...

it is..?

HUGE umbrella!!...for ....?

the prototype next to its scaled model (right)

calling in our friendly alliance - electrician (with his van full of goodies!)

together we concocted a special device....

finally the night has fallen, the time for mischievous experiments

dropping in the "concoction" to bring the umbrella to life....
(to put it lightly, man I was sweating big time after this "dropping in"!)

So what is going to happen after this umbrella comes to life? How does it come to life?! 

........ the mystery continues ....... (ho ho ho!)

12 August 2013

Calculated accidents

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I thought it is about time to share some "behind the scene" of Blu Creativity.

 
It is a kind of project which comes across as "effortless", because that is what we try to achieve, a relaxed sense of resort escape - of course everything needs to look effortless!
....but is it really.... nah....never....

With Blu Creativity our aim is to create a "resort escape in the middle of the city", and we are approaching it in 2 ways:
1. by visualising natural phenomenon - wind;
2. by blurring the sense of boundary with layers of porous and translucent space divisions.

.... and whatever seems accidental.... was not.......

large model to study the spatial quality in detail...even the "jungle gym" and curtains were built 

testing relationship between overhead fan and curtain height: (from left to right) same height / curtain higher than fan / curtain lower than fan... truth be told, the way air moves is very different from what we expected... 
installing the fan
very organised and methodological welding process.... as welding was taking place on site to encase the existing heritage structure without touching it, a lot of care and precision was required
slowly....one by one..... lots of patience
setting out of joinery units by electrician and joiner...
all electrical work was concealed in joinery units so they had to work very closely
as with all old buildings, what looks square is never square., what looks straight is never straight
... it took a long time to determine what is "centre" in this context..
a sea of joinery....
huge waiting table was brought in in 2 pieces and joint on site.
all joinery were also designed with "holes" in them, so to not disturb the air movement

9 August 2013

Remotely Doshisha

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After my last trip to Osaka for Doshisha, Yoshi has been spending a lot of time in Japan to run the project, whilst us in Sydney provide the support in resources.
Brings back memory of M House, when we remote controlled the construction site...

We now also attend meetings remotely utilising Internet.. wonders of technology.

Doshisha is marching ahead.... We will soon lodge Services Planning Package to client and submission to Kyoto Government is underway.

Yoshi making a presentation at Doshisha University to user group

User group from Doshisha University comprises of teachers from all departments

..... We from Sydney were attending as well .....

5 August 2013

Another mission impossible...

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Construction from tomorrow, today the site is still at the limbo state between an old restaurant and complete non-restaurant...

We have exactly 14 calendar days from today.

Yet another year - IDEA 2013 is approaching

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Seems like yesterday that me and Yoshi flew over to Melbourne for IDEA Awards 2012 Jury days, suddenly we are already presenting for IDEA Awards 2013.
This year the Jury presentation took place in Sydney, and the award ceremony will take place in Melbourne later this year.

I presented Blu Creativity, shortlisted under Retail category.

Blu Creativity - a resort escape in the middle of the city

at the presentation venue... this is Room 1 where I presented, with more public viewing

This is Room 2, where other categories are presenting at the same time.  I am not sure which room I would prefer ... to have more people looking or to be up close with the jury panel...