making of the Cave

cliff alcove: a hanging cave

space for self

design brief:

1. grafting an existing wall in a historical city (urban environment).

2. making a place for self: a private space for reflection, contemplation, day dreaming, hideaway, hide and peep, observation, etc.

site:

side alley off Lekir Street (part and parcel of a world heritage site), a rustic wall with crooked profile of a decadent rear yard.

reasons for selecting the site:

1. interesting textures and profile on the existing wall, face to face contrasting qualities

2. optimal light and shade through out the day,

3. wide spectrum of colors from adjacent buildings,

4. a quiet, peaceful, safe, secluded yet not isolated location,

5. adjacent to happening areas.

the source of inspiration:

1. optical and tactile textures of vertical and horizontal lines.

2. colors of adjacent buildings.

design philosophy:

an ideal setting for contemplation should provides stability, universality and spirituality in order to promote imagination. This can be achieved through the yin and young balancing of horizontal and vertical strokes.

principles "purity" and "precision"

the design should reflect "pure reality", that is projecting pure essence of the real world, representing the dichotomy of the universe in eternal tension.

objectives:

1. provides maximum privacy.

2. allows isolation.

3. elevated for better vision and imagination,

analogy:

a "cave" and a "grotto" is historically and culturally associated with meditation and contemplation. This design intend to create a "cave" for that matter.

strategies:

1. preservation of existing wall (part and parcel the heritage city).

2. enhance the role of the wall, added value to the wall.

3. embraced the wall:

unity and harmony with existing wall.

4.

creating elevated rooms to facilitate day dreaming.

characteristic:

a space for contemplation is a small, intimate and private space with characteristic:

1. order and harmony: linear, vertical and horizontal arrangement are inherently harmonious.

2. abstraction: vertical and horizontal lines, space articulation,

3. simplicity: vertical and horizontal lines and rectangular forms.

functional spaces:

1. circulatory areas

2. observation

3. hide and peep (the light shaft)

4. reflection, contemplation, day dreaming and hideaway (the grotto)

Crit on the 30 November 2010

Thank God, the judge gave positive comments and assured the ideas and concept interpretation was accurate and clear..."so far the best idea and concept interpretion"

Positive comments:

1. Design "embraced" the existing wall; not imposed any negative actions on it, no destruction or modification to the wall, in par with the notion of "preservation" at the historical city (world heritage), instead the design acknowledged the authentic appearance of the wall and dignified the rustic wall - act of empathy and sensitivity to the environment,

2. Related design with existing wall texture; relate the textures pattern with the from / composition of the structure,

3. Interpreted / translated the essence of cave enclosure to the design and space articulation,

Constructive Questions:

1. what is beyond the wall? a run down private courtyard, is the proposed structure "intruding" to other's place?

2. Why is it elevated high up?

a. in line with the "nature" of the "day dreaming" - the mind flies and "floats" ...

b. elevated space gives better vision, bigger space and wider dimension,

c. the further form the ground, the wilder the mind goes (as vision too)

d. experience "floating" in the air, facilitates imagination, as "day dreaming" is something unrealistic, something vague...

e. better privacy...

f. avoid and away from the "hard ground" - solidity that is seen as "confining" and restrictive.