Why Manchester School of Architecture?
The Manchester School of Architecture has caught my interest because of the world class facilities it offers. The access to facilities including libraries, workshops and studios from both universities provide a great range of resources which is a huge advantage over other colleges. Furthermore, the school has the largest architecture student society which allows students to interact and build connections with other students as well as real architects. These opportunities would give students higher chances at becoming a full-fledged architect and getting employed in the future.
Review of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Weiwuying
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, I have not been to many exhibitions in recent months however during last summer, I went to the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Weiwuying located in Taiwan. The fact that it is the largest performing arts center under one roof in the world prompted me to visit. What I liked about the architecture is how it has taken inspiration from the local area and collaborated with local industries. The roof is inspired from the banyan trees from parks right beside the venue and was constructed by local ship-building companies who were technologically capable of building the required large smooth curves.
(https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/news/2018/09/Weiwuying-by-Iwan-Baan-5646.jpg)
Taipei 101
Taipei 101 is the first building that took my breath away. As a four-year-old kid, I was dumbfounded by the height of the skyscraper and that piqued my interest in architecture. As I grew up, I learned more about the structure of Taipei 101 and was amazed again, by its extraordinary design of utilizing a tuned mass damper to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. Not only has Taipei 101 served its purpose of providing office space in the center of the city, but it has also received the LEED Platinum Certification thus achieving economic, social and environmental sustainability. Visually, the skyscraper resembles a bamboo which signifies the strong economic growth Taiwan was experiencing back then. In conclusion, Taipei 101 is a great example of creating new spaces in a crowded urban area while keeping it green.
(https://images.skyscrapercenter.com/building/tapei101_ext-main2_(c)taipeifinancial.jpg)
Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower
What I would really like to experience in person is the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower. I first encountered this building when doing a math project at school. What interested me is the design of the three diagonal frames which encompasses its inner core. I originally thought the building is symmetrical with two frames sandwiching the core, which is what it looks like from the photos. Therefore, I was surprised to find out after researching more that the design is different from what I had imagined. I would be interested to visit the site and learn more about the designs, especially how the three steel frames slowly merge toward the top of the tower.
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/09/e8/e1/09e8e14215262bdfccaacd76500387eb.jpg)
Image 1: SLOVAKIAxTAIWAN
Medium:Pencil, archival ink
Original Size:
296mm x 214mm
Description:
I tried to
combine two contrasting styles of architecture into one single building with
two façades. I drew the panalekys
from Slovakia and combined it with old Taiwanese architecture. I attempted to juxtapose the simple communist design with the packed Taiwanese design to emphasize how architecture created in different
regimes and cultures vary greatly despite serving the same purpose.
Image 2: Autumn Day
Medium:
Oil paint, acrylic paint
Original Size:
300mm x 240mm
Description:
An attempt of using crumpled oven paper to create the
background of a bleak autumn day. Yellow is chosen to represent autumn and
juxtapose with the background.
Image 3: Blue Church, Bratislava
Medium:
Pencil
Original Size:
296mm x 214mm
Description:
A quick sketch of the famous Blue Church in the Staré Mesto (Bratislava’s Old Town), located in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Image 4: Hokkien Architecture Reimagined
Medium:
Color pencil, archival ink
Original Size:
360mm x 270mm
Description:
Artwork inspired by Kinmen, a county in Taiwan, during my
visit last summer. This artwork is created by combining traditional Minnan
architecture and paifangs.
Image 5: Kinmen Rundown House
Medium:
Pencil
Original Size:
360mm x 270mm
Description:
Sketch of a run-down Minnan style house found in Kinmen, Fukien, ROC (Taiwan).
Image 6: Contemporary Church from Above
Medium:
Pencil
Original Size:
296mm x 214mm
Description:
Pencil sketch of a church as seen from the window of my apartment in Bratislava facing the northeastern direction. The lines between the paths represent the trails of the pedestrians.
Image 7: Traditional Painting with Watercolor
Medium:
Watercolor
Original Size:
360mm x 270mm
Description:
This is an attempt at drawing traditional Chinese painting. Instead of using black ink, I used watercolor to recreate similar effect. The focus of this work is the plum tree which symbolizes perseverance and determination. These two traits are important amid the global pandemic as well as the challenges that lie ahead of us.
Image 8: View from Bedroom Window
Medium:
Pencil
Original Size:
296mm x 214mm
Description:
Inspired by the view just outside my bedroom window. In
Slovakia, there are a lot of panelakys (paneled houses) which have rectangular
outlines. This gave me the idea to replace them with other objects with similar
shapes such as smartphones, CD players, milk boxes, LEGOs and televisions.
Image 9: Quick Sketch of Airplane Model
Medium:
Pencil
Original Size:
418mm x 296mm
Description:
As an aviation enthusiast, I decided to sketch a plane model.
Image 10: Park SNP
Medium:
Pencil
Original Size:
300mm x 400mm
Description:
I used oil paint on canvas to draw the scenery outside my apartment’s
window in Bratislava. I captured the ongoing construction of a house on the
hill right across the residential area as well as the local landmark: Kamzik TV
Tower.
Image 11: Cat
Original Size:
360mm x 270mm
Description:
Free-hand sketch of a cat.
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