Scars and Scabs

Unearthing Stories, Against Tabula Rasa The Scars and Scabs 2.2

Glasgow School of Arts Year 4, 2020 Interior Design

"The whole principle was to destroy in order to conserve: destruction as conservation.... So what particular kind of preservation? Which kind of crime do you want to commit? The cleaning or the adding?"

- Rem Koolhas on Haus Der Kunst Built Ideology

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Angel Javier

CONTENT Introduction The Scars and Scabs Theoretical Framework Case Studies

Design The Trial and Error Material and Atmosphere The Injection

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Unearthing Stories, Against Tabula Rasa Buried Dangers in Preservation

Neglected Spaces in Preservation Not all buildings are considered 'worthy' of preservation.

To bring 'fondness' back in spaces. + investigative documentation

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Illusion in Preservation The superficial and physical level of preservation

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A new preservation strategy for Singapore

+ injection

+ scars and scabs

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Unearthing Stories, The Second Chapter Continues...

This is the conclusion for this project of Unearthing Stories, Against Tabula Rasa. After unearthing the authenticty, stories and beauty of the space in Part 1, in part 2.1 we learn through failing and trying how to not fall for the illusion in preservation. That is by staying true to its stories and the rawness the remnants of the space offers.

Finally, we are tackling the scars and scabs of this remnants. Continuing from 2.1, we are going deeper in questioning the right 'injection' to the space. What is considered the proper healing for these scars?

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The Scars and Scabs - part 2.2 The mark of time and evidence of violence can be seen through scars. You may expect spaces that are old and to be preserved that are filled with them, as they are the marks of pride, and of honour, both for what has been lost and what has been gained. The acceptance of the scar is an acceptance of existence'.

The first layer of healing, Scab, is not pretty in the aesthetic standards, but beautiful in the existential sense.

The celebration of these scars and realisation of the beautiful healing process,scabs, are just one of the right way of treating our spaces right. The transformation of the space becomes coherent with everything else, its history, reason for existing and authenticity. This is through discovering and learning the right way of treatment, programme and injection of new materials in the space.

Scars and Scabs are the acceptance of the imperfection, pride over the marks and the welcome transformation of the space that happens naturally. The outcome may not be perfect and polished, but it is made sure to be true, real and an authentic space. It would make the 'perfect society' uncomfortable and the ones who rebels against the norm rejoice.

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Neglected Spaces in Preservation - part 1 Preservation is undoubtly something that Singapore takes into high consideration.

As under the National Heritage Board there is a national authority that oversees preservation of sites and monuments.

However, according to them only those sites or spaces that are 'historic, cultural, traditional, archaeological, architectural, artistic or symbolic significance and of national importance' are worth preserving.

So I questioned, what happens to those not considered worthy of preservation? To those spaces neglected in preservation?

Hence, the importance for the first part of this project is to discover a way to show importance and beauty to those even neglected in preservation. To bring a certain fondness for these space to the people.

Through an 'Investigative Documentation' that is uprooted from my few readings that showcases wonder, exploration and a new sense of appreciation for such spaces, I have gathered these informations and used them as a method for unearting hidden stories.

I have tasked myself to design a performance installation of a retelling of these stories through a spatial experience as the first part of the project. This is to prove that even those neglected in preservation - the ugly and the beauty, are worthy of attention, admiration and fondess from the people and therefore worthy of the act of preservation as well.

"Most modern buildings are not destroyed by - Takahar

Part 1

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Concept

Unearthing Authenticity and Stories

Focus

Neglected Spaces in Preservation

Method

Investigative Documentation

Outcome

A retelling installation performance of the neglected space.

Questioning the Illusion in Preservation - part 2 There is an illusion of preservation in Singapore where we preserve only on a superficial level. This dilutes the authenticity and identity of the space which would eventually lead to its demise. The dangers in preservation are the possibilities of losing the soul of the space, a contradiction to the true meaning of preserving.

Hence, by unearthing the authenticity and stories it holds through an investigative documentation, we can be more sensitive to the nuances of the space. The ability to discover more than what meets the eye is key to preserve beyond physicality and superficiality.

The act of preservation starts when we start to 'add' something. The 'injection' n the space does not need to be an exact fit, but one that can provoke questions in the current way we live. The patterns and choice of invention may be unpredictable but its 'preservation' must stay true to its origin. As preserving the unvarnished truth and its history will lead us in the experimental evolution of the space.

y earthquakes, but people dislikes for them." ru Tezuka

Part 2.1

Part 2.2

Building on the Existing Remnants

Scars and Scabs

Questioning the Illusion in Preservation

'Injection' in Preservation

Investigative Documentation + Site History A permanent structure and temporal design by the people for the people.

System + Material Reaction A provocative permanent space that challenges the current way of living and preservation.

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Study Map

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Theoretical Framework Building on the existing remnants of war

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Precedent Study

Sensitivity to the nuances of the space.

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Innovative design preserved spaces spaces.

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Tradition, culture and stories for designing spaces.

This is just a summary map of the books I read that definitely impacted the way my project went.

This is like my train of books... train of thought?

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The loss of human touch, lack of affection, thought and care.

Perry Kulper's works are amazing layers of drawings and collages that signifies the story of spaces.

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ns for and hybrid

Documentation Study

The Manhattan Transcript by Bernard Tschumi and MaryAnn Ray's book documentation and collages of works inspired how I should attempt my documentation of spaces as well.

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Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities, gave me new perception in spaces, to be a wonderer with foreign eyes.

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Theoretical Framework Lebbeus Woods idea on building on the existential remnants of war spoke volumes to me personally and I knew that I need to tackle this issue in the current Singapore. His book talks about the rebuilding of cities and the way of life for those that their cities were destroyed. Only that in Singapore it could be considered a willful destruction, an erasure of culture and cities, the fabric and tissue of the way we live. One can say that tabula rasa went hand in hand with modernisation and Singapore is not an exception to this.

The reasons, problems and concerns in the book, War and Architecture, were eye opening for me. The questions regarding hierarchy when building new cities, the self organising instinct of humans, the right of the people with their city, wrong ideologies, destruction and reconstruction were discussed satisfyingly and opened new possibilites of design not only for preservation but even for new cities to be built in the future.

Building on the Existing Remnants

Scars and Scabs

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That is why many terms throughout this project are Wood's own terms for his 'radical reconstruction'.

Which I thought were highly relatable for my preservation project. Is it possible I wondered, if I guide myself with these ideas and terms,

what would I discover?

Injection

Images from War and Architecture by Lebbeus Woods

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Haus Der Kunst "What particular kind of preservation?" is a question that I needed to ask myself as well. Learning and understanding from Haus Der Kunst's preservation is one of the starting point for me. With its heavy history and significant architecture, how exactly can we consider how to preserve such thing?

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The texts exerted are from "Haus Der Kunst: Built Ideology" written by both Rem Koolhaas and Jacques Herzog. As a continuation of Part 2.1, I start to ask more questions like,

"Are we cleaning or adding dirt?", "Is this the right way of preservation?", "What justifies my actions regarding this?".

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Biosphere 2 It was originally built to be an artificial, materially closed ecological system. Constructed between 1987 and 1991, it meant to demonstrate the viability of a closed ecological system to support and maintain human life in outer space as a substitute for Earth's biosphere.

Continuing from Part 2.1, I needed to review the system proposed initially for the power station. As I once had a big dream of having it self sustained, learning from the biosphere 2 is a way for me to know what would be possible for the space to do so and not.

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Success

Failure

American Earth System Science Research Facility

Closed Ecological System

Learning and Teaching Facility

Human Habitat

Group Dynamic

Securing enough oxygen and food

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Pasir Panjang Power Station

Vision/Mission For the advancement of Singapore.

A powerhouse.

System/Programme Community Dynamics, there is a unique bond and harmony with each other as they share similar experince working in the power station.

Pasir Panjang Power Station The space beautiful red bricks, concrete, metal, scale and heavy machines.

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Co-Living Habitat

Vision/Mission For the advancement of Singapore.

Green living, educational sustainability

System/Programme Community Dynamics, The new programmes may form a bond and community akin to the former workers and residents of the Power Station.

Co-Living Habitat The Scars and Scabs, repurposing material and outside a totalising system.

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Injection The act of preserving starts when we start to add something. However, the beauty of the term 'injection' in Lebbeus Woods words is that 'they do not follow the old ways of living and thinking'.

It is instinctively and can only be filled through time.

It is built through living experimently and being in the moment, the inhaitants responding to the environment and space.

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Boiler Hall

Turbine Hall

Control Room

Layers of the past, present and future

The Good Neighbours Stories

Residents There used to be more than 500 workers and residents here.

Sharing As the families were not well off, they use to share almost everything television, time, food, and clothes.

A layer of the re

An Open-Door Policy The neighbours are like family, where my home is also your home.

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Lunch Fence Delivering food to their fathers or grandfathers that were working in the factory and eating by the fence.

Coffee and Movie As there were only a few people who owned television before, everyone gathers in one home to watch together.

esidents stories

We Didn't Eat Alone Anyone easily shares their food to everyone. Easily eating breakfast, lunch and dinner in different homes.

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Design As this is a continuation of part 2.1, the design process immediately started with testing out the different compositions for the space and material use. This focuses heavily on the trial and error as I questioned myself for their reasons. The awareness in the space, the stories, materials and its inhabitants response in the space were very crucial in this section of design development.

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The Existing and the Injection Sketch

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Boiler Hall

Transition

Turbine Hall

Control Room

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Boiler Hall

Transition

Turbine Hall

Control Room

3 This didn't work...

This is the first trial for the compostion of the space. Only to ask myself a question if it's actually contradicting to build a system for one that should organically grow?

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Starting with this in 2.1, I only had a simple guide of how the inhabits go around the space.

An open-door policy...

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We don't sleep beside the loud workshop...

We cook beside the garden where we harvest our vegetables...

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Workshop

Cook

Sleep

Garden

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Freespace

Lord of the Flies...

Is there a certain system to this space? I can say no, there was no pre-conceived way that was used for the compostion of this space. The space itself suggests freedom for the inhabitants.

Taking note of only a few things like the light, sound and heat that the space generates.

Otherwise, it's a free and wild jungle.

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A section sketch to vis only makes sense t 31

sualise how the space to its inhabitants...

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Sleep

Cook

Freespace

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Workshop

A sketch of the makeshift space

Garden

5th Storey

4th Storey

3rd Storey

2nd Storey

1st Storey

The Inhabitants Injection

Workshop 35

Sleeping Area

Cook

king

Garden

Gathering 36

Low Density

5th Storey

4th Storey

3rd Storey

2nd Storey

High Density

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1st Storey

The Law of the Jungle The Law of the Jungle, is the right of the people in the space. Therefore, the space becomes one that continuously grows because of its inhabitants, through the way they live, their habits and natural responses to the space. The flexibility and freedom to move around depends on an individual who cherises the shared space or privacy more. It is a space that forges community as it is also for individuals.

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Removed

The Original Pasir Panjang Power Station

Existing

Injection

The Existing and the Injection Section Sketch

Existing

Injection

The Existing and the In

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Existing

njection Section Sketch

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Material and Atmosphere

Case Study

Museo di Castelvecchio A restored 14th century fortress and designed a new approacheable museography. The contemporary layer keeps the history of the space relevant.

Carlo Scarpa

His works manages to while introducing new Deeply sensitive to th shape in the careful s materials.

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His works are a real treat for my senses. I thoroughly enjoyed the combination and use of materials in his works.

o respect the old and historic w and modern design details. he changes of time, all taking selection and combination of

Sculpture Garden, Castello The canopy plays with light and shadow. The detailing of the geometry and material is almost sensual for the garden.

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Anti-Slip Mat

An Everyday Material...

It is interesting how a common material posses such beauty and wonder when used differently. The sketch is how I envisioned the space to be with the use of this unique and ambiguous material. It intends to show the unequal division of the space, integration and flexibility. A coming together and blending of boundaries and yet still having your own define space.

Injection

Existing

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There are areas that becomes darker but gives another layer for privacy.

Straights and Folds Experimenting on the possibilities and limitation of the material. The interesting way the light goes through the material is something that I am testing out while folding and making curved surfaces.

Atmosphere in a space is more than what we see but also what we sense and experience...

Does it dilutes the light? Does it create depth? How about shadows? Texture on texture?

Folds over folds increases privacy but shadows shows otherwise.

How does it feel to be inside?

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The change in the space with a simple curve is that it gets more... intimate...

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I would love to stay under this curve in the corner and call it my space...

Plane and Curves A simple change in the use of material can change the space's atmosphere subtly or drastically. The difference between a plane and curved surface can be felt in the space.

How does this affect the privacy of the people in the space? Does it intensify it or dilutes it?

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Layering and Weaving By using these methods with this material, how the light bounces off the material becomes clearer. The overlaying areas create an interesting atmosphere in the space while adding privacy for the people.

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A simple curving and a little weaving over the skeleton structure.

The inhabitants own layering and weaving of space for themselves.

Cut in half... Weaved around the skeleton creating multiple layers over each other...

Details of layering...

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Look up!

A complete privacy from this perspective.

From this perspective, the space transforms and showed a very complex and intricate layering and weaving.

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It's all about perspectives...

Through layering and weaving the material itself reacts differently to the environment and we react accordingly with the space. The different perspectives the space offers are truly a wonder and a discovery...

There seems to be multiple open spaces, flexibility and freedom in the space when looking from this side...

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Freedom and Flexibility in spaces...

Sleep 1

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Sleep 2

Sleep 3

Multip ce

ple layering gives a ertain privacy.

Hierarchies... Boundaries...

The distribution of space would depend on the inhabitants. The interaction and transformation through space is like a natural ecology.

The hierarchy and boundaries existing in a forest or jungle is all part of the ecology... Not predetermined but a part of nature. Just like how this place should be as well.

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Freespace

Sleep

Freespace

Freespace

A sectional perspective o programmes chos 57

The ever-growing and ever-changing The inhabitants chooses how and what the spaces are supposed to be. The flexibility of the material and the way they can be incorporated into the space supports the ideology of organic growth in preserved spaces. The radical reconstruction through the cracks and spaces in between enable such transformation.

Sleep

Workshop

Workshop Cook

Sleep

A preservation strategy that does not only keeps the exsiting fabric of the space but also allows the right of the inhabitants to dictate the living space.

of space composition and sen by the people.

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Reusing the abandoned logs in Singapore, that definitely adds to the richness of the space.

vertical and horizontal interactions

Existing concrete floors with its scars and scratches from the old machines.

The Scars and Scabs The existing structures, the concrete floor, metal columns and beams show signs of age and scars. They are part of the beauty and richness of the former power station. The act of adding in the space was done sensitively so that the old and new may harmoniously exist together. Adding on a new chapter in the space rather than creating a new one is the chosen way of healing for this space.

Existing tall metal columns

Beautiful spaces are like poetry, we need to read between the lines, completely immersing ourself in before we can fully experience and comprehend them. There are those that are immediately understood and some hidden gem like this power station that needs more time before finally discovering its stories and truth.

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The power station was originally a gloomy, cold and dark space but it is also beautiful, mysterious and with its own stories to tell. With just a little light, right material, texture and application, even the darkness can be pleasing. The design approach for this site is not only to unearth its stories but to also create fondness through subtle changes in the atmosphere. Enhancing what is already there. All we need to do now is to read between the lines.

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Unearthing Stories, Against Tabula Rasa Buried Dangers in Preservation

1 Neglected Spaces in Preservation Not all buildings are considered 'worthy' of preservation.

To bring 'fondness' back in spaces.

+ investigative documentation

"What Would I Discover?"

I remember asking myself that question during the early stages of this project.

I was only interested in 'Ruins', but I wanted to discover stories, new possibilities in spaces and to understand atmospheres in spaces that makes you feel something when you enter them. To connect the dots and uncover secrets of spaces. To design truthfully and authentically.

Lebbeus Wood's 'War and Architecture' and 'Radical Reconstruction' expanded my way of thinking and pushed me to experiment and rediscover things. While Pallasma's 'The Eyes of the Skin' kept me grounded and to stay true to my senses. The ability to explore, dig around sites, wonder and experience spaces were all essential to this project. It was part of the beginning, the middle and the end, the reason there could even be a design and a conclusion.

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Internalising the space, breathing it in, looking into its soul, listening to it and truly understanding it is always the beginning. Without that simple foundation it is impossible to create or design truthfully and sensitively. I tried showing it through my collages, drawings and making, to only realise that without the proper beginning my design will always feel wrong. What I discovered is that it's important to stay true to the space's root and to be aware of it all throughout, and the design will naturally flow out.

Spaces will continuously grow, just like how cities and us who inhabits them changes and grow as well. That change and growth is always part of the beauty in design, the sign of age, the character growth and its scars and scabs. Celebrating them are all part of its healing and preservation is also just another way to heal.

2 Illusion in Preservation The superficial and physical level of preservation

+ scars and scabs

+ injection A new preservation strategy for Singapore

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The End