Higasa lamp on Designboom!

Our project Higasa lamp has been published on Designboom!

I have to make a special mention about the opening sentence:

The umbrella is a portable shelter

I like how it is straight to the point and pretty much summarises a large portion of the design intent.  Because it is a peculiar kind of thing to do, hanging umbrellas indoor where it does not rain.  But there are qualities of an umbrella - one made with Washi paper, and huge - which is beyond weather protection, which is what attracted and inspired us.  The sense of protection, light filtering quality of the material, delicacy of the structure, intimacy between individuals when sharing an umbrella... these are irrelevant of good or bad weather.

The umbrella strangely shares what "space-making" characteristic with the warmth of light; by combining the two, pockets of spaces are created instantly.  The combined coziness has a magical, calming effect on people.

Original article on Designboom HERE
Official page on Higasa lamp with more pictures HERE
Find out about behind the scene HERE
Other Facet Studio projects covered by Designboom HERE

founded in 1999, designboom is the world’s first and most popular digital architecture and design magazine.
TIME magazine chose designboom as one of the top 100 design influencers in the world, one of just eight online publications to be so named. in 2011, the french magazine architectural digest called designboom one of the top ‘les 100 qui comptent’ (‘people who count‘) in the design world… from the forefront of contemporary culture and global lifestyle. 

Packaging up Doshisha

Doshisha is finally going in for tender this week, hooray!

While we were in Osaka, the tender package was largely completed, left with some minor refinements further from discussions with Doshisha University committee...
Here are some snapshots of the last day the Sydney team spent in Osaka office.

meeting after meetings during the day...

dinner feast... THE best thing about Japan (or Osaka) is that quality food is easily obtainable at reasonable price.   All these were bought from local supermarket at something like AUD$1.50-$4.00/ dish (including fresh sashimi).  This feast is for 3 people.  Even ordering bento delivery is as low as AUD $4.00....
Sydney feels so expensive (my breakfast today cost AUD$8.00 which is a muffin + a coffee).... 

drawing sets ready for Doshisha University committee review
We ended up with some70-80 A1 drawings, these are A3 reductions....blood sweat tears for sure.

ongoing material sample palette (yes it is very controlled, very FS-like, hohoho~)

my seat in front of the pinboard with WIP 1:1 details and facade module studies and more...

Yoshi tirelessly working away (working off adrenaline at that point in time..)

....and this is sunrise by the time we left the office...just in time for the morning rush hour, except we were travelling in opposite direction to head back to hotel to take shower.
special note on the beautiful Rietveld's Red and Blue Chair to the right of photo....love that chair and miss sitting on it enjoying the bargain feast from local supermarket!  Ahh little things in life... 

Merry Merry Xmas and Happy Happy New Year!

To all our dear friends:

 

See you in 2014!

XXXX

Blu Creativity on Archdaily

Our project, Blu Creativity has been published on Archdaily!

...this time the image looks normal, hurray!

Click HERE to view the article
Click HERE to see other entries on Blu Creativity
Click HERE to see Blu Creativity in our official website
Click HERE to see other entries relating to ArchDaily


ArchDaily was founded in March 2008 with the one mission of delivering the most complete information to architects around the world; every week, every day, every hour, every moment: as soon as it happens . It is the online source of continuous information for a growing community of thousands of architects searching for the latest architectural news: projects, products, events, interviews and competitions among others.

M House on Archdaily

M House has been published on Archdaily!

...obviously blogging in Japan after working till late on my smartphone...
Not sure if the image is showing up properly... Ugh! 

Read the article HERE

Read more about M House HERE

Find out more about other Facet Studio projects covered by Archdaily HERE

ArchDaily was founded in March 2008 with the one mission of delivering the most complete information to architects around the world; every week, every day, every hour, every moment: as soon as it happens . It is the online source of continuous information for a growing community of thousands of architects searching for the latest architectural news: projects, products, events, interviews and competitions among others.

It is people that makes the world go around

Meeting after meeting after meeting...

Our Osaka office has been very popular lately graced by many visitors! I think it was the ceiling manufacturer and timber supplier in the morning, concrete block manufacturer in the afternoon, and more. Doshisha Chapel Complex is now marching into the final crunching phase before tender package submission, for which we have temporarily merged our Sydney and Osaka office to operate from Osaka until mid December.

For this project many items are specially developed rather than off the shelf, which is why a lot of help was required of the manufacturers/ suppliers. (Can catch glimpses of the full scale mock ups in the photos..) They have been extremely helpful, even it can not be promised that they will get the project commission as we are going into tender and it's in the hands of the successful tenderer .. What I found is, sharing the vision is beyond important. If people see the same vision, they are a lot more excited and willing to participate.

Blu Creativity on Designboom

Our project Blu Creativity has been published on Designboom!

porous space..

Original article on Designboom HERE

Official page on Blu Creativity with more pictures HERE

Find out about behind the scene HERE

Other Facet Studio projects covered by Designboom HERE

founded in 1999, designboom is the world’s first and most popular digital architecture and design magazine.

TIME magazine chose designboom as one of the top 100 design influencers in the world, one of just eight online publications to be so named. in 2011, the french magazine architectural digest called designboom one of the top ‘les 100 qui comptent’ (‘people who count‘) in the design world… from the forefront of contemporary culture and global lifestyle.

M House on Designboom

Our project M House has been published on Designboom!

I love this night shot..

Original article on Designboom HERE
Official page on M house with more pictures HERE
Find out about behind the scene HERE
Other Facet Studio projects covered by Designboom HERE

founded in 1999, designboom is the world’s first and most popular digital architecture and design magazine.
TIME magazine chose designboom as one of the top 100 design influencers in the world, one of just eight online publications to be so named. in 2011, the french magazine architectural digest called designboom one of the top ‘les 100 qui comptent’ (‘people who count‘) in the design world… from the forefront of contemporary culture and global lifestyle.

Meaningful Design in a Logical Way

Facet Studio has been included in Shanghai's Designer & Designing magazine as one of the practices of outstanding young architects.

Multiple projects have been covered, including: Streetology, Blu Creativity, Watermoon, M House

The interview was named "Meaningful Design in a Logical Way", which I thought was apt for our approach and the Chinese translation was true to the original.  Overall, happy with the article.
And I must say it is flattering to know that people that far away are interested to hear about what we think of design and philosophies..

 

 

 

 

Cover of Designer & Designing Issue 65

Heavy, delicate, plentiful

The true test for Eki has begun.

Prefabricated steel panels were delivered, and our "thinking power" is to be put on trial (fingers crossed!).

With prefabrication, absolutely everything is in the head until the very moment it becomes reality, so we have to keep simulating situations in our head and find solutions that way before problems take shape. Especially with steel as there is so little can be done on site.

 

 

 

 

It was literally a truck-ful of panels... They were taken into the site one by one, heavy stuff.

We then went through all panels to measure and cross check against drawings, to understand the variations and tolerances. Turns out 3 panels were made incorrectly and one was missing... Good we found out early enough to rectify without holding up the project.

Panels were grouped according to types, each with "name tag" on it to make the builder's job a little easier... And to help him plan ahead. Most importantly is to avoid making mistakes...

So here's the "skeleton" we've prepared earlier...
Panels are forming part of the structure so the frames were propped on timber until fixed with panels.

Slowly, carefully, but surely, one by one....