发自内心深处的声音

恭祝各位读者们在鼠年里，行大运，身体健康，国泰民安！新年快乐！

Great find indeed! I was serving a brand new website created by SPH. I love the website name, it says omy.sg! Isn’t it cool! And in it I found a few cool blogs, which I find it rather interesting and cool, and would love to share it with you guys! Sigh . . .I guess I will be spending my weekend alone, Jenny’s away, can’t spend the lovely weekend with her and I’m back in Singapore, trying to figure out some solutions a voluntary projects that I’m got tasked to handle. Jenny, dear, I love you! Hahaha . . . .anyway we will be on the phone in just a few hours time!

Check out the following blog!

David Gan

Yimin

Jessie (Not afflicted with omy.sg)

The 15th day of the 8th Lunar month is what the Chinese called The Mid Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival, when the moon is said to be the biggest and brightest of the year. This is one of the most heavily celebrated Chinese festivals, and most people would travel home to see their families.

And no Mid Autumn Festival can be complete without enjoying some moon cake under the moonlight! Here is one of the most common type: an adzuki bean filled, Cantonese-style moon cake. You can make them with added salted egg yolk, lotus seed paste as well as dried fruit and nuts. Or, try a different Bing Pi Moon Cake.

Ingredients (filling):

• 500g adzuki bean, soaked 2 hours and strained
• 200g brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Ingredients (pastry):

• 200g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried yeast
• 100ml syrup (take from cooking 40g brown sugar in 100ml water)
• 50ml vegetable cooking oil
• 2 egg yolks, beaten

Preparation:

1. Put adzuki bean in a deep saucepan with 1 litre of water. Bring to a boil on high heat then simmer it on low for about 1.5 hours, or till husk is detached from the bean.
2. Mash the bean with a wooden spoon or blend it with a food processor then run it through a sieve to get rid of remaining husk.
3. Sieve the bean paste through muslin cloth to drain away excessive water.
4. Place the mashed bean back in the saucepan, and add in the sea salt, vegetable oil and brown sugar. Cook on low heat, and stir constantly till the mashed bean is thick and pasty.
5. Remove from heat and place bean paste in a large bowl to cool.
6. Roll paste into 13 to 14 balls.
7. Set the oven on 400ºF/200ºC (180ºC for fan oven).

1. Sift flour and dried yeast into a large mixing bowl.
2. Make a dry well in the middle of the flour, and pour mixture of syrup and vegetable oil into the well.
3. Stir it slowly to mix well then roll lightly with your hands till the dough is smooth and not sticky.
4. Separate the dough into 13 or 14 parts, each weighing roughly 25 grams. Roll each into a round-shaped thin pastry dough, fill it with the adzuki bean paste ball, and wrap it up carefully.
5. Sprinkle a thin layer of flour into the moon cake mould, press the filled dough firmly into the mould to get the shape of the moon cake then remove from the mould.
6. Repeat with the rest of the dough and adzuki bean paste.
7. Place the ready-to-bake moon cakes in a baking tray, brush a layer of egg yolk to coat the surface of each cake and place the tray on the middle deck of the oven.
8. Bake for about 30 minutes, till the surface turns golden brown.
9. Versatility Note:
10. If you wish to make one that’s filled with salted egg yolk (moon cakes with egg yolk are extremely expensive), first bake the salted egg in the oven pre-set to 350ºF for 10 minutes, remove the firmed egg yolk, wrap it in the middle of adzuki bean paste, before wrapping the paste with the pastry dough.
11. The sugar in this recipe has been reduced, and you can further reduce it according to your desired taste, or switch it to white sugar. But we do prefer brown, as it is healthier and gives a nicer aroma.
12. You can get hold of moon cake moulds (pictured below) from most pastry equipment shops in Asia. But if you can’t get one, you can use a muffin pan. Make a patterned stencil out of clean cardboard according to the size of the mould, place it at the bottom of the mould (remember to sprinkle some flour over it too) whilst pressing the filled cake dough against it. When the cake dough is taken out of the mould, the pattern would be pressed on to the top of the cake dough.
13. Best enjoyed with some hot Chinese tea, to balance up the sweetness and the oily ingredients.

I saw this shop design at City Square, JB this afternoon. I was there for some meeting. I love it instantly! Less material! I love mirrors! Check these images, and do leave your comments for me . . . I will post my comments real soon on this article, as I’m real tired this week!

*in progress of writing . . .

Sichuan Court, sound like a nice name. We decided to have late lunch and an early dinner at this restaurant. We did some simple shopping together that day. Oh yeah, we went to purchase a gown for dear. I got a gown from Daniel Yam. I love his collections and design. Elegant and simple, looks good on any other ladies, who wants to stand out in any evening functions. His collections usually ranges from as low as SGD145.00 to the usual 4 digit sum or even more if you wish to have one custom design and tailored.

Got this dress for dear, as she’s attending a state dinner with me during August. Unfortunately, she could attend only 1 state function with me. As this August, it’s a busy month for her. Well, it’s ok, work is more important. Will definitely, set time to accompany her when she’s free.

Oh yeah, back to Sichuan Court, it’s has a simple setting, this time round I let her do the ordering of food. I love Sichuan Court, as the fact that we have lots of Chinese speaking Chinese Nationals there, it makes me feel comfortable. I speak English while at work, so when it comes to weekend, it has to be Chinese. I don’t care if those whom I speak to, like it or not, I will still converse Chinese with them. After all we are all Chinese, and Chinese Language is our mother tongue, we should at least speak them, write them and read them. This is because we Chinese have a strong roots when it’s back to our tradition or culture. This is in-regardless of whatever religion you choose to believe in.  I remembered dear ordered a plate of Sichuan roast pork and chicken and a plate of boiled green with oyster sauce. It’s a simple 3 dishes, but it’s filling enough to last us for the evening. And its cheap, the entire meal cost us around SGD40.00+++. Its worth it!

Went to the NUS’s Department of Architecture and Department of Industrial Design. I can’t recall the date. I guess it’s in early June or late May. Should be late May. I guess, yup should be late May. Was there during lunch time with Juli, Daria and Faiza. I guess it’s a Friday. Yeah, because I remembered spending a great weekend with dear.

A couple of interesting concepts, I would say since its school work, as students we are able to explore some interesting ideas on materials and other means of building construction. We have witnessed some interesting non-standard form architecture models during the exhibition. These are put up by their 5^th or 6^th year students from the M.Arch programme.

I can’t comment much, as this happen quite sometime back, memories fading from me.

Let’s take a look at some of the models.

A Talk titled Breaking Ground by Architect Daniel Libeskind

Synopsis
Mr Libeskind will share on his design philosophy and illustrate using some examples from past and current projects.

About the Speaker
DANIEL LIBESKIND, B.ARCH. M.A. BDA AIA is an international figure in architectural practice and urban design. His works are often thought-provoking and generates considerable critical discourse among the architectural community. His practice extends from building major cultural and commercial institutions - including museums and concert halls - to convention centers, universities, housing, hotels, shopping centers and residential work. He also designs opera sets and maintains an object design studio.

Some of Mr Libeskind’s more recent projects include the Jewish Museum in Berlin (2001), Imperial War Museum North in Manchester (2002), Hyundai Development Corporation office tower in Seoul (2005), Wohl Centre for Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv (2005) and the World Trade Center design competition (2003).

He has received numerous awards, among them the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award for Architecture (1996), Berlin Cultural Prize (1996), 1999 Deutsche Architekturpreis (German Architecture Prize) for the Jewish Museum Berlin, 2000 Goethe Medallion for cultural contribution, 2001 Hiroshima Art Prize, and RIBA Awards in 2004 for the London Metropolitan University Graduate Centre and the Imperial War Museum North. In 2004, Mr. Libeskind was appointed the first Cultural Ambassador for Architecture by the U.S. Department of State, as part of the CultureConnect Program.

In 2004, Riverhead Books (Penguin Group) published Mr. Libeskind’s memoir entitled “Breaking Ground”, and has since been reproduced in various languages, encompassing more than 90 countries.

* Writing in progress

I become conscious that not everyone has an opportunity to be 黑社会 No. 1. It is a career that not many would want to embark on. First of all it’s against the law and the constitutions of the Republic. It’s a job or it is a story line that many of us have witness in most Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan (Japan’s mafia) and sorts. Well, not today, we all were legal for today. We were all legally declared Bosses from the 黑社会.

Nice ambience at Bosses.

The cool elements of black and white . . .

Cool bar area . . .

An area where we choose, it’s cosy and the ambience, setting’s just right.

The cool night setting of Singapore Coast line, with Jerry in the fore-front . . .

It’s a restaurant that Christine and I choose for our Farewell dinner. This will be our last dinner for Cohort 1; it will be the last time that 2 of us would be sitting down together. The atmosphere is somehow jovial, unwillingness; unwillingness to part with each other. Though we have spend only 10 months together as one, it’s a short period, however we have built an astonishing bond within the 3 of us. We look out for each other, we helped each other, we guided each other and we tease each other. All these are not just because for the sake of fun but these are what I call companionship. Sisterhood! Yeah, we are the ‘Charlie Angels’ of Master of Arts Spatial Design Cohort 1. We are so distinctive that from far you can instantly realise that we are here. It is always easy to locate one, especially when you manage to find one of us, you can locate the rest of the 2. We are the kick ass element of Jerry’s block. We are always out to make a début, whenever we go. We are one and will always remain as one.

‘You are special. . .’ ‘You give me that kind of feeling, because you 3 are just so special . . .’ These are from our Studio’s Angel, Peter. He’s the guardian angel of the lot, who is always to make sure our own hypothesis and our conceptual constituents are pushed to the limits. He would always be there to push us on, the harder he pushed, and the better we are. Never mind of the lost of sleep, never mind the lost of our own personal time, this is something that not all would be able to understand unless you are here to experience it yourself. We do have moments when we are frustrated, pissed, annoyed and some moments we just felt like lashing out at a common target. And this common target is usually our research works. We had often met with some obstacles along the way. Dannie is right; you push yourself to the limit of your mental stamina, where no other courses could compare with this in the University’s curriculum. Well, ever-since from the starting of the course, some one had reflected in my blog where and how I have such energy and means to do it. It’s the management of your own time, you set a goal for yourself and you make sure you do it. You make your own choice and not because you are familiar with that environment you go back to it and deem that it would make it easier for you to make it to the end of your post graduate journey. No that’s not the case; you are very much left alone for the entire journey of your course. You do your stuffs, you select the area of interest and you do a through research paper on it. Supervisors are just there for advice if you need one. Well, in short, you are your own teacher, you tell yourself what to do and what not to do. It’s interesting especially when you discover something new and you stumbled upon any obstacles along the way. That’s what most of us experience during this period. Joey went ‘MIA’ during some period of time, as she felt ‘stuck’ with her theory. Christine broke down a couple of times and was pissed off when her end product was not what she wanted. I felt pissed too having to deal the misconception of my research topic. It’s that pushing element in which you push yourself further; you push yourself upwards to find out the results of your theory. These are the common traits that you can find in the 3 of us. (In deep thoughts of my future . . .  my next steps . . . a new beginning…from now on.)

We encourage each on, pat each other on the back, hugs of encouragement and love came in quite naturally without any hint of prompt. I recalled I practically skip all the tutorial sessions with Kent, not because I have nothing to show, but I felt that getting the real source and challenge myself through last few months just to prove that I can do it on my own and prove those people wrong. And we all did it. We prove lots of our friends wrong and we prove to them that you do this thesis paper base on your own might with the supervisors there for advice if you need one.

Encouragements from my ex-Office, friends, lecturers, bosses and family do help a lot; we exchange thoughts and pointers from each other and learn from mistakes. Sometimes, Joey and Christine point out some interesting facts on my research and I went right down looking at it. Even that would have to take me down to those road trips to Geylang Red Light Districts and even those illegal massage parlours to find out the real truth of my research paper.

We reminisced those fun days over dinner, we joke about it and we had fun out of it. Dissolving those agonies, frustrations into laughter was what this farewell dinner is all about. We had so much fun that it warrants quite a few glances from the neighbouring tables of diners. Composures is what we need, but who cares at this moment! We made it. This Masters allow us to go a step further in our career and it takes us a step closer to our PhD paper which at least 2 of us have express interest to start out research life over again. I hope to do mine either in China or back to United Kingdom, focusing on my current phenomenon research topic. Lecturing would be on a part time basis for me at this moment. I guess Peter’s right when you have the passion you will continue further breaking yourself away from the current scene and embark on a new journey. This is just exactly what I have chosen. Doing what I like and do what I know I would excel in. Interior Design might just be a small supplement in my current work. Thanks Frven for having that faith in me. Do allow me to work with him for a few years; I will join your team when the time is right. As I do have another set of goal right now. Though I have quite a few nice offerings as management level of designs, I choose this place because, I know myself well. I do it because I take it as another form of challenge, which I hope that I can learn much from my present boss, who has a reputation of second Liu and Chao. To me he is a combination of the formers.

黑社会 No. 1, a drink which caught Jerry off-guard . . .

It’s really a fun time at Bosses, love the entire ambience and the settings. The services over at Bosses’ great! Lovely people there, Christine and I choose the window seats, so that we can enjoy ourselves over the lovely night views of Singapore coast line. This would be the last meal we all had together as one. Not sure when will it be when we meet next.

Joey CHEERS!!. . .

She tickle me . . .! Hahaha . . .

It’s pay back time! Hahaha. . .

Let’s do the pose for the last time!

I truly miss those days, I love and enjoyed those days. I want to say many many many many thanks to Joey, my lovely sister, you are the most adorable and the most lively of the lot, you made our days in the studio fun and its always fill with your voice, which is “disturbing” at times due to the lack of ‘double beat’. Do it with me sister! ‘Double beat’ sway with it sister! Big sister, Christine, thank you for all the guidance you gave to us. I’ll always treasure it.

Take care and good luck ya! Love you! See you in convocation soon! ( A last ghostly shots of ourselves!)

Since my work place is in Ann Siang Hill, I decided to explore the tranquil part of Ann Siang in the early hours of morning. I had been to Ann Siang countless of times, with friends for dining and some light afternoon chats. And best of all, it’s near Amoy Street where my friends and I love to dig into the wide variety of food, Hakka’s food. Ham Cha’s the best; it’s a healthy food that it’s soothing to our stomach. It has a wide variety of eating outlets and chill out outlets at Ann Siang Hill, however, I have not been active on the night scene, have been going out for drinks, less ever since I started my Masters. My friends told me that Ann Siang Hill is now so call the area favourite by the gays. This is what some taxi drivers told me as well. However, I still love the tranquil of Ann Siang Hill especially in the morning, as it’s calm and peaceful. I would rather visit the night scene there with my girl friends and buddies, since I miss the indo-chine outlet, have not been there for a long time. Maybe for the next high school gathering and my diploma class gathering, that’s the place for a class gathering maybe. There’s also some interesting Yoga studios along Ann Siang area, which I would visit them when I have the time.

A beautiful transition between the old and the new

Turn into Ann Siang Hill, which was once filled with remittance houses - for the largely illiterate immigrant population to send money home. The area around Ann Siang Hill and Club Street is also full of Clan and Sporting Associations, their walls crammed with trophies and photographs of old members and founders. Walk up to the entrance of No.19 Ann Siang Road and look at the floorboards above. You’ll see a boarded-up square peep-hole. In the past, ladies used to peep through this hole to see who was at the door. At this juncture, you may choose to detour to Telok Ayer Street which holds three national monuments. You have the option of following the main roads, or taking a short cut through some back alleys as shown in the map. Please take the necessary ‘back alley’ precautions and avoid this shortcut at night. Allow a good one hour and a half for this detour.  For the short cut, follow these instructions: At the end of Ann Siang Road, find a path to the left of the large building. Follow this path and go down the stairs. As you come to a backlane, turn right and follow it as it turns left onto a narrow road, and then on Amoy Street. Pop into the Sin Chor Kung Temple on your right, and then go straight ahead to the next road, which is Telok Ayer Street. The three monuments are to the left of this street.

Ann Siang Hill (安详山) is a small hill, and the name of a one-way road located in Chinatown within the Outram Planning Area in Singapore. The road links Club Street and Ann Siang Road (安祥路) to South Bridge Road. Ann Siang Road connects Ann Siang Hill to Kadayanallur Street. Ann Siang Hill, located off South Bridge Road, was the site of the house and estate of Chia Ann Siang (谢安祥; 1832–1892), a wealthy Malacca-born Hokkien Chinese sawmiller. Chia joined British firm Boustead and Company in 1848. The company traded in natural resources, spices, coconut, tobacco, tin, tea and silk. Boustead’s ships plied the China-Europe routes in the early days. After eight years on the job, Chia was promoted to chief produce storekeeper. He retired in 1890 after over 40 years of service in the company, and went into the timber business. He also became a partner of the firm Geok Teat and Company in 1863. After he became a wealthy landowner and one of the leading merchants of his time, he acquired both Ann Siang Hill and Mount Erskine.

Before Chia bought the area, the hill was known as Gemmill’s Hill after John Gemmill, a merchant and former auctioneer, and before that Scott’s Hill, after its original owner Charles Scott, who cultivated nutmegs and cloves in the area. The foot of the area between Ann Siang Hill and Mount Erskine, where South Bridge Road meets Neil Road and Tanjong Pagar Road (the site of the Metropole Theatre, now the Fairfield Methodist Church), was one of the earliest Cantonese Chinese burial grounds. The graveyard was in use up to 1867, exhumed in 1907 and part of the area, together with Mount Wallich, used for the Telok Ayer reclamation project.

The Chinese used to call this area qing shan ting. The early Chinese immigrants visited Ann Siang Hill when they wanted to send money home to their families in China as it was the traditional site of remittance houses. Letter writers and calligraphers also had their businesses at the five-foot way of the shop houses to help the illiterate immigrants write letters home.

Most of the houses in Ann Siang Hill and along Ann Siang Road were built between 1903 and 1941. Ann Siang Road, which has elegantly restored shop houses today, was once the traditional home of clan associations and exclusive social clubs. Damenlou Hotel (大门楼旅店) is a small hotel located at Ann Siang Road, in Singapore’s Chinatown, within the Central Area, Singapore’s central business district. The name, Damenlou, originates from the location of its present premises. It is a direct translation from the Chinese characters for Big Gate House, which was originally a nickname used by locals to identify the area in the 1930s. Then, there was an entrance of a Chinese association at Ann Siang Road, where businessmen gathered to relax, socialise or entertain clients. The entrance was marked by unusually large gates that shadowed over all visitors. Damenlou Hotel’s origins can be traced to the creation of the uniquely Singaporean dish of fish head mifen (rice vermicelli), which was invented by Tang Kwong Swee in the 1920s.

Tang and his “Ninth Uncle” sold che-char (cooked food) along the roadside. Then both men began to realize the great wastage of fish-bones and fish heads which were being discarded after the flesh had been sliced away. One night, they cooked the fish heads with some vermicelli.

“In the beginning, people didn’t like the thought of eating fish head. They thought it would be smelly,” noted Tang years ago; but he continued dishing it out and the dish caught on. Soon Tang was ladling out 500 bowls of fish head noodles a day, every day. He then went on to spend the next 60 years refining this dish into the most ambrosial noodle dish in town.

Tang’s effort had been well rewarded. Despite the many pretenders to the dish, true fish head mifen connoisseurs continued to make their way to his Swee Kee Coffee shop then at 18 Chin Chew Street and now Damenlou Hotel to sample his ware — amongst them regulars such as former OCBC chairman Tan Chin Tuan. Hong Kong stars Lydia Sum, Chow Yun Fat, Jacky Cheung and Roman Tam have reportedly also ingested a steaming bowlful. Business was so good after the invention of the fish head mifen that after 4 years; Tang and his uncle operated a three-star restaurant at Great World amusement park called Peach Garden. There, the wealthy and leisured class gathered. However, tough times came with the Japanese invasion. Peach Garden was used as a prison and Tang went back to hawking on the street.

After the war, Tang returned to operate Peach Garden Restaurant. During that period, times were bad and business was slow. Eventually, he gave up the restaurant to continue his roadside stall for the next 33 years.

The workload was brutally heavy, yet he determinedly never allowed his children to work for him. Instead he hired help and insisted that his children concentrate on their studies. “One day, when I went to visit him, I realized how tough his life was,” recalls Tang Tat Meng, his fifth son who happens to be the Chairman of Damenlou Hotel. “Because business was very good that day, he still had no dinner at 10pm. His hands were also red from the heat of the wok.”

In 1978, the Singapore government outlawed street side hawkers. Tat Meng, in consultation with Tang Senior, bought over the 18 Chin Chew Street coffee shop and made that address synonymous with fish head noodles. However, in 1992, the government re-acquired that site. With the imminent wind-down of the coffee shop, an alternative site had to be acquired, fast.

Thus, Damenlou Hotel was born, complete with a restaurant that ensures that Tang’s trademark fish head mifen will live on.

 The re-furbished façade of The Scarlet Hotel

Singapore’s latest boutique hotel, The Scarlet, 2005 URA Architectural Heritage Award Winner opened in December 2004 after an S$45 million acquisition and refurbishment. Comprising 13 two-storey shop houses built in 1868, a four-storey shop house at Unit 37 built later in 1924 and on an infill site, they were originally the shared living quarters of immigrant Chinese women servants. Now, upgraded to a top grade boutique hotel, the street block is a quaint old space given a sensuous new grace. It’s located along 33 Erskine Road.

The re-furbished side façade of The Scarlet Hotel

I decided to drop by for a visit. Since it’s near my office, and I’m still on academic leave.

The five-foot way (a feature of the Nanyang Styled Shop Houses) of The Scarlet Hotel

Another view of five-foot way (a feature of the Nanyang Styled Shop Houses) of The Scarlet Hotel

Vivacious and uninhibited, this 84 room hotels interiors pulsate with an eclectic tension offering all who enter, an adventure for the senses. Nestled amidst the vibrant Club Street community of creative agencies, specialty shops, boutique spas, trendy restaurants and cafes, wine bars, antiques shops and art galleries, The Scarlet provides a completely different 5-star experience.

The details of the fittings and fixtures of The Scarlet Hotel

The details of the fittings and fixtures of The Scarlet Hotel

Historic Erskine Road leads you to a row of 1868 Early Shop Houses and an original 1924 Art Deco building, whose architectural detailing have been expertly retained and lovingly restored. Inside, a variety of textures and colours are matched almost in wilful contradiction, to provide a mood which is dramatic, daring and bold. Ambient lighting evokes a dramatic mood with the creation of contrast with light and dark areas. This sums up the total experience of The Scarlet - unexpected yet welcoming. Rooms and suites offer luxury while being wired to the world. The Five individually themed suites, “Splendour, Passion, Opulent, Lavish and Swank” are set to offer guests new levels of elegant comfort. The venues for food and drink, smack equally of a creativity that overturns perspectives. Touting names like Desire, Bold and Breeze together with a gym Flaunt and a Jacuzzi, SODA - these centres of indulgence, promise to be oases for the fashionable chic, with their easy access to the nearby Central Business District.  The Scarlet seduces - she redefines the boutique hotel experience.

Erskine Road, Details of the facade treatment, reveals the beauty of the Shop House

Main Entrance to Scarlet’s Lobby

Suite’s Interior

Lobby’s Interior

Roof top pool deck

Roof top dining

Owner: The Scarlet Hotel Pte Ltd;
Architect: HK Hia and Associates;
Engineer: DE Consultants (S) Pte Ltd;
Contractor: Wee Hur Construction Pte Ltd    

Here is a video that we did for our show. The intention of having this video is to reminisce our wonderful days we had during our Masters. (Please note that Leena wasn’t in much of the entire movie, as she was not involved in most of our programmes.)

This video is dedicated to the following:

1. Peter Tay, Supervisor
2. Jerry Soo, Pathway Leader, MA Programme
3. Casey Boo, Pathway Leader, Degree Programme
4. Wee Seng, Dannie Seow, Dorothy, Ron Toh, Farha, Chun Meng, Jane for gracing the inauguration of the Master of Arts in Spatial Design.
5. Kent Neo, Thesis Supervisor
6. Sabrina Long, Programme Director for Diploma
7. Hayati, Pathway Leader, Degree Programme
8. Joey and Christine, my 2 lovely sisters
9. My parents, sisters, grand mum, aunties, uncles and cousins
10. My ex-colleagues and Directors from CTAP
11. Huiling, Michelle, Jane, thanks for your support
12. PRC ‘Study Mothers’ Society
13. PRC Embassy
14. Pals and friends from TMBS
15. Venerable Shi Chang Qing from TMBS
16. My Alma Mater
17. My Comrades from PA Youth Wing

Thank you for those wonderful times. Thank you! You are the most lovely people I had during the most difficult times of my research papers.

好眼泪坏眼泪

　　作词：严云农 作曲：伍仲衡 歌手：徐若瑄

　　我曾 认真 深爱着一个人 他给我幸福的可能

　　我等 我问 未来何时发生 他只是给我一个吻

　　快乐 我哭 是因为你的手 曾答应带我向前走

　　难过 我哭 是因为我的手 找不到你说的以后

　　好眼泪 坏眼泪 我都曾为你流 感动和悲伤都是理由

　　只不过 在你不再爱我了以后 剩坏的眼泪慢慢流

　　快乐 我哭 是因为我付出 得到你温柔的答复

　　难过 我哭 是因为我认输 你的心永远留不住

　　好眼泪 坏眼泪 我都曾为你流 感动和悲伤都是理由

　　只希望 在我不再想你了之后 有好的眼泪慢慢流

　　好眼泪 坏眼泪 我都曾为你流 感动和悲伤都是理由

　　只希望 在我不再想你了之后

　　有好的眼泪慢慢流 有好的笑容陪着我

__________________________________________________________________________

生前录《好眼泪坏眼泪》 许玮伦边唱边哭(图)

虽然许玮伦来不及加入艾回唱片发新专辑，艾回还是决定将她试音时录的3首歌调整到最完美，于音乐会上播送，许玮伦试录的3首新歌中，对《好眼泪坏眼泪》这首歌的歌词很有感觉，录音时是在边哭边唱的情况下完成。

　　《好眼泪坏眼泪》是徐若瑄去年10月在KKBOX独家供粉丝下载的单曲，经纪人孙复华透露，对照歌词所写的“我曾认真深爱着一个人…难过我哭，是因为我认输，你的心永远留不住”，许玮伦可能是因触动曾被爱情伤害的心灵，而泪流不止。为了出唱片，许玮伦不但苦练吉他与电子鼓，去年在大陆拍电视剧《想飞》的空档，她特地到香港拜梁月玲老师学唱歌，这位老师在歌坛素负盛名，刘若英、梁静茹都曾是她的学生，在听过许玮伦第一次试唱后，梁老师即对孙复华说：“她的音质很好，是可教之材，我不会瞒你，如果她不行，我会立刻请你带她回家。”说来都是机缘巧合，《好眼泪坏眼泪》这首歌的制作人刚好也是梁月玲的学生，梁老师便拿这首曲子给许玮伦唱唱看，没想到一试效果好极了，孙复华说，当时许玮伦并不知道这首是徐若瑄的歌，只是对她说，她对歌词非常有感觉，而孙复华听她唱，也相当震撼，她说：“她唱得很感人。” 去年底，许玮伦录唱这首歌，当时她与男友小派（Patrick）正处热恋甜蜜期，心情应该大好，不过这首歌的歌词细腻地写出女子对爱情所能给予的幸福的渴望，在遭爱情背叛后却又只能独自流着「坏的眼泪」，对照许玮伦与李威、仔仔的两段情，一路默默承受的她，怎不触“词”伤情？艾回透露，毕竟是试音时录下的声音，当初只有简单的编曲，现在要把她的歌声调整到最完美，配上编曲等，成为完整的歌曲，届时3首歌在音乐会上播放。至于是否会发行？艾回表示，目前尚未有此计画，因为商业发行牵涉面广，必须与经纪人再谈，但烧录一片送给家人纪念，这是人之常情。

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Daniel Libeskind’s exhibition in SAM last year. More clips and images will be uploaded.

There are some forms of familiarity concerning non-standard architecture and digital architecture. For non-standard architecture, the use of digital tools and computation for architectural conceptual productions has been around for quite a while. In some areas, these boundaries are gradually softened, with schemes being metamorphosing and time sequences are slowly breaking down. The principles of interrelation, variability and simultaneity now immerse itself very much into the process of defining non-standard architecture.

The widespread use of application programs based on the algorithmic systems changes in design and production tools. To many practitioners, non-standard architectures are a self-reflection on the language of architecture and its applications. This is because we are basing it on the foundation of the convention of the digital elements. Many of the traditional construction methods can now be contrasted with production based on the prototyping of prefabricated architectural component; this is due to the fact that digital process enables the entire architectural ‘development’ visible enough, right from the conceptual stage. This is done through an assortment of experimental entities and prototypes. Thus, through this process a reinterpretation of the history of art and architecture in terms of movement and its nuance.

Many might enquire what does ‘non-standard’ consigns to? This eventually brings us right back to the world of mathematics, for their major theoretical breakthroughs (in which regards themselves non-standard) that cleared the way both for fractal and catastrophe theory and for artificial intelligence. The notion of ‘non-standard’ first appeared in the field of mathematics in 1961, with the work of Abraham Robinson[1]. Its implications are manifold and affect every discipline to which algorithmic systems can be applied, such as artificial intelligence or morphogenesis (the development of structure). Non-standard architecture can now be a part of history which is now being revitalised; this is credited to the development of propositions which were long muffled by the standardisation and technological limitations in the past. The scrawny form of the non-standard - variations from its many norms – has become fairly widespread, but the challenges for non-standard architectures are of a much more radical order: the generalisation of singularity[2], within a new order: the non-standard. Non-standard architectures too have a relationship with Unprocessed Architecture.

Organic architecture itself is a viewpoint in which it encourages social harmony between the human locale and the natural world. This is done through a series of design approach experimentations, in which this belief will then blend itself by accepting and well integrated itself  with the surroundings and the furnishings, thus to become a part of a unified, interrelated composition of the universal environment. Architects such as, Gustav Stickley, Antoni Gaudi, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Bruce Goff, Rudolf Steiner, Bruno Zevi, Imre Makovecz and most recently Anton Alberts are all famous for their work with organic architecture.

The term “Organic Architecture” was coined by the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), though never well articulated by his cryptic style of writing:

“So here I stand before you preaching organic architecture: declaring organic architecture to be the modern ideal and the teaching so much needed if we are to see the whole of life, and to now serve the whole of life, holding no traditions essential to the great TRADITION. Nor cherishing any preconceived form fixing upon us either past, present or future, but instead exalting the simple laws of common sense or of super-sense if you prefer determining form by way of the nature of materials…”

-          Frank Lloyd Wright, An Organic Architecture, 1939[3]

Digital Architecture too was somehow related to Non-Standard Architecture. The emergence of Digital Architecture is dated back in the year 2000. At the end of the 20^th century and the beginning of the 21^st century, the applications of computer have changed the entire design methods. This is evident in the areas of technology showcasing virtual reality, CAD/CAM technology and internet applications. It is through the usage of computers, it enables famous architects like Frank Gehry and Peter Eisenman to create many wonderful designs. Several of the architectural components had been redefined, as such that functions, forms, volumes and space are been experimented and tested out on digital platforms. This new type of structural design produced by the amalgamation of new architecture efforts and digital technology is generally called digital architecture. However, the debate of the computerisation has been shifted from its original focus. That is it has shifted its focus from the more technical issues into areas which relates itself towards the identity of digitally architecture issues and concerns, such as “is digital architecture a transitory phenomenon or a permanent revolution?”. Others might post this question such as “will digital technology hurt the architecture that we are not familiar with?”. Many architects and designers are also facing the real “threat” of revolution by digital architecture, as some of them are trained the conventional ways.

Many architects and designers are trying to demarcate the real definition of digital architecture. They are asking whether digital architecture is a form of new tools, new theory, new age or new revolution towards the conventional architecture. To be sincere, digital architecture in reality is a mode of new contrivance. However, if digital machinery does not manipulate the way we conceive design thinking, design methodology and eventually spatial theory, then this new tool can be classified as a form of new tool, which has little or no impact on the above mentioned items.

No doubt that digital technology is been regard as a breakthrough in architecture practice, on the contrary, it is just merely regards as a tool. However, this form of tool is far more powerful than the drafting invented during Greek Time[4] or the modelling in the Renaissance era. Digital Architecture might also be regarded as a form of new theory. As it is being used to aid and assist in the design thinking process. At the same time, design theory from the Renaissance period[5] will also be changed greatly by the computer aided design and the design with computer. On the other hand, if the design approach, thinking pattern and spatial theory are all changed by the digital architecture, digital architecture will be more than a hypothesis. The digital architecture might thus form a new age if it is considered to have an overall impact on architecture. We should pay more attention to it because if the digital architecture really forms an era, it will influence not only on architecture, but also the value system and aesthetics, as well. Finally, digital architecture can also be defined as a revolution. Every revolution changes human history and life style, agricultural revolution and industrial revolution. Since architecture is only a small part of the social evolution. We can only wait to see what drastic socio-cultural changes will emerge in the digital age.

However, there are gaps in digital architecture. It is not easy to predict the future of the digital architecture, although, it is still progressing with the full speed. There are still gaps between the architectural education, society culture, and digital architecture. The first lull identified here is the gap between professional and non-professional. Why these 2 words. The reason behind this is because, for the latter when it comes to design training, which has long existed without the aid of technology. And many of those who are trained in the various aspects of designs are done in a manual way. However, the former when it comes to training and thoughts are more “dependent” and thus could accept the advancement of technology. The second is the gap between two exiting generation and digital generation. We define the generation every 10 years. It’s not easy for the different generations to communicate with each other. The generation gap between the existing generation and the digital generation can be easily seen in the debate of architectural design process, presentation, space, volume, concept and aesthetics. Digital generation uses computer to white, thinking the traditional writing time-consuming, while the other generation criticizes the writing in the e-mail as “the writing without quality”. The third is the gap between the architectural and non-architectural field. Focusing more on the arts, history and culture, architecture always reacts slowly for the technology revolution. For instance, the communication has been totally digitalized, the architects still merely use metal and glass to express the avant-guard architecture, without digitalizing the design process. Meanwhile, the architectural education hardly puts any effort to keep up with the rapid change of the digital technology.

The last is the gap between digital technology and human science. Emphasizing its philosophical, historical, social and cultural context, architecture is always the essential part of the human science. However, I sincerely believe, the computation will enhance the cultural development a lot, same as the architecture. Thus this could be identified as a new form of revolution for design and architecture. And when it comes to defining architecture in the digital age, a new vision is heavily criticized by the contemporary society. Only few of these new visions can be confirmed and recognized as master pieces. The vision of digital architecture also needs both the personal creativity and the social appreciation. Many people are making their most efforts to define digital architecture. This is another form of digital revolution in digital architecture.

Dagmar Richter is one of them. Her continuous research into the usage of digital technology in architecture forms an invisible layer of revolution in the digital architecture community. She strives to reassess the commonly held notion of territory as an “extension” or “free domain” where architecture is enrolled for the development of town-planning requirements. Rather than using the concept of available space to ascertain the prior qualification of any zone, she substitutes the memory of the events comprising it. The immediacy of this archaeology constitutes the project’s basic material, in a renewed understanding of the urban approach. Beyond any post-modern assimilation, this relationship to history is directly material and tectonic, and it reconstitutes the ground in symbolic sedimentary layers which the architect then uses as a formal resource. To design in architecture is to transform found spatial structure. Dagmar Richter uses the example of the Le Corbusier[6]’s Dom-ino structure. Dom-ino concept was a simple statement about the possibilities of reinforced-concrete construction: a frame of six columns, set back from the edges not unlike the six dots of a domino piece, supporting floating floor and roof slabs, with a cantilevered stair linking the different levels to the ground and the roof. Experimentation with this model provided Le Corbusier with the basis for his Five Points of Architecture. This standardized prefabricated framework of floors, stairs and load-bearing columns were the only fixed parts of the house; everything else was non-structural and hence entirely flexible - allowing an open plan and non-structural façades. The walls, windows, etc were independent and could be added in any arrangement and style that appealed to the owner.

She chose Le Corbusier’s Domino skeleton to test out the spatial and material postulations which were deeply grounded in our design methods and design thinking. This was so; especially with Le Corbusier believe that he had originated a pure and total concept of construction. Dagmar’s research studio had started the process by looking at the construction in layers. The first layer, the hierarchy of the slabs, as the slabs formed part of the communication portion of the construction. The transformations of the layers allow us to take a closer look into the areas of the nomadic life cycles in a constructed environment and permanent constructed biography of the local context. Dammar transformed the found spatial structure and layers in an adaptable domain of changes where this spatial text put forward in different forms of representation, in forms of atmosphere, humidity, temperature, light, recycling, diagrams, photographic material, filmic material as well personal experience, which in turn is automatically transformed through the interpretations of digital technology. Thus the first layer is being break down into a form of skeleton.

As the next layer, the skeleton was extra been transformed into sections where further introduced as a transformative influence. These digital revolution changes of Le Corbusier’s Domino skeleton allow us to witness the different types of living prototypes of typology of living. This is been identified with an unswerving connection towards the surfacing new role of architecture in terms of the surface. The surface here refers to the performance level of the surrounding that has a contributing factor towards the skeleton structure. In which mass has an important factor in the transformation of the newly created digital form of the Le Corbusier’s original creation

Another contributing factor that can be discussed here is the ‘veneer’ and the ‘furnishing’ aspect of the Dom-in (fo) House. Damgar had tried to demonstrate the development of the new conversion via the extensive application of facade created by her research team. This is done by generating fundamental