Han Yi_Thesis Portfolio_Part 2_ Moulding Fantasy by HAN YI

Moulding Fantasy Sculpting, shaping and manifesting curves and curiosities.

Hanyi Supervisor: Ar. Wu Yen Yen

For my mother, and all the oppotunities she has given me. For my friends and loved ones, thank you for loving me. For Kane, editor, collaborator, proofreader, for conceptualising and thinking with me through the entire process. To the hard times in architectural school, may it never bother us again. To my advisor and teacher – Wu Yen Yen, it has been a privilege to be learning from you, thank you for your kind words: “As long as there is a willingness to learn, there is no inadequacy that cannot be managed.”

Contents

Chapter 6: Botanic Gardens Site information and selection

Chapter 7: Design outcome Design intention and presentation

Chapter 8: Conclusion Concluding words

Abstract

This part of the thesis is about exploring the discipline of architecture through an unproductive, hedonistic lens, about shaping space such that interacting with it is instinctive, primal and not predefined. It is about letting one’s body move and interact with its surroundings intuitively. The thesis is about provocation, inducing a certain type of play and imagination both through materialistic exploration and spatial movement. The thesis asks questions about pleasure, desire, seduction, senses, imagination, and curiosity in the discipline of architecture. The thesis is also about gently nudging architecture off its pedestal and taking it a bit less seriously by playing, toying, and experimenting with reality and fantasy. This volume is meant to be read in conjunction with its previous book, titled “Erotic Takeover”.

Chapter 6: Botanic Gardens “A premium botanic instituition” – Botanic Gardens spokeperson

“interconnecting pathways and promenades, a levelled parade area for military bands to play music... and the establishment of ornamental planting”.1

1. Chris Blandford Associates. (2014, January). Singapore Botanic Gardens – Candidate World Heritage Site Nomination Dossier.

Figure 1 [left] Sketch of a woman with dogs at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Drawing: John Edmund Taylor, 1879

Figure 2 [right] Botanic gardens, 1900s Photo: Arshak C Galstaun [National Archieves Of Singapore]

Figure 3 [right] Botanic gardens, 1900s Photo: Arshak C Galstaun [National Archieves Of Singapore]

6.1 Historic Significance of the Botanic Gardens The Gardens at its present site was started in 1859 by an Agri-Horticultural Society as a private pleasure garden for member’s enjoyment. They acquired a 23-hectare tract of abandoned plantation land at Tanglin from one of their founders, Whampoa (Hoo Ah Kay), and hired Lawrence Niven as a Superintendent to create a leisure garden and ornamental park. Lawrence Niven oversaw the landscaping and designed the layout of the Gardens in the English Landscape Movement’s style. Many of the features, such as the bandstand hill, ring roads, swan lake, and the main gate, remain today.2 The Gardens is heavily influenced by the English landscape movement of the 18th through 19th century. Landscape designers of the movement, headed by Bridgeman, Kent, Brown, and Repton actively rejected the formal and geometric styles of the garden design that preceded them. In an attempt to achieve a desire for an ideal landscape, almost fully separated from the reality of the urban surroundings with opportunity for clean air and spiritual refreshment. The informality of the romantic and picturesque styles was carried through Niven’s design of the Botanic Gardens akin to many Victorian parks and gardens across Britain. Having had a background of such knowledge, his own design of the pleasure garden in Singapore reflected this particular influence. By 1870, Niven had transformed the land into an attractive landscape laid out in the style of the English Landscape Movement, complete with curving paths, a lake, flower beds, a band parade area, and a conserved six-hectare tract of virgin rainforest.

2. NParks, 1859: Establishment of the Gardens at Tanglin https://www.nparks. gov.sg/sbg/about/ our-history/1859-establishment-of-the-gardens-at-tanglin [Online]

Figure 4 [left] Botanic gardens, entrance, 1900s Photo: Lim Kheng Chye [National Archieves Of Singapore]

Figure 5 [right] Botanic gardens, Virgin Jungle 1900s Photo: Lim Kheng Chye [National Archieves Of Singapore]

The Gardens was originally a private garden open mainly to members of the Agri-Horticultural Society, who also enjoyed perks such as free seeds, plants and cut flowers. Non-members could only visit on certain days of the week and had to pay a fee. However, the costs of running the garden eventually became too high, which led to the colonial government taking over the management of the gardens in 1874. At this time the Botanic Gardens became a public park which was free for all visitors. The Singapore Botanic Gardens was put under the charge of the National Parks Board in 1986, the Gardens was revitalised with new and improved public amenities, research facilities and training facilities (1990–2005). Through a series of developments, improvements and conservation efforts, multiple thematic gardens such as the Healing Gardens and the Fragrant Gardens are added into the site. The garden today focuses on horti-culture, taxonomic and biodiversity research, recreation and education.

Figure 6 [left] Entrance to Singapore Botanic Gardens at the corner of Holland and Cluny Roads, private Photo: National Archieves Of Singapore

Figure 7 [left] Entrance to Singapore Botanic Gardens at the corner of Holland and Cluny Roads, Public Access Photo: Lee Kip Lin [National Archieves Of Singapore]

6.2. Site Selection As I have begun this investigation previously on gardens through various cultures and eras, establishing that gardens are direct representations of human’s desire to surround themselves with beautiful plants, shades, and unique foods. This deep association provides the basis for why gardens can be interpreted as a socially accepted form of pleasure, one that is subtly hedonistic. Gardens are the microcosm of socialization across civilizations, one that hosts all varieties of social activities – gathering, playing, meeting, contemplating, admiring nature, and even amorous acts of passion. Gardens offer such respite for the activities the society condemns, restricts, and limits. This subtle yet structured pleasure-seeking domain provides a convenient escape to these underlying power structures. This form of pleasure is detailed in the painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch, directly alluding to the sinful acts humans indulged in the Garden of Eden. The same can be said for the “Hanging Gardens of Babylon”, an artistic depiction of a garden-like ancient civilisation comparable to a paradise (‘Paradise’ is also the Persian word for gardens). The association of gardens to pleasurable acts is a long-established one through time and cultures. Figure 8 [left] ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’, 1490 Painting: Hieronymus Bosch Figure 9 [right ] Engraving, ‘Hang Gardens of Babylon’, Unknown author

Figure 10 [left] La Nuit, 1778 Painting: Emmanuel de Ghendt

Figure 11 [right] Love in the gardens, Album L Painting: Xu Mei

Singapore Botanic Gardens was selected as a location for prototyping the intervention for two reasons. Historically, the Botanic Gardens, a current UNESCO world heritage site, was created as a pleasure garden. The intervention and the historical intention of the site is coincidentally aligned. The pursuit of delight in space, the excessive vegetation and lushness of pleasure, the primary instinct in moving through a rich and charged space, all feeds into the aim of the thesis that is corporeal, sensuous, and delightful. The other reason is its significance as a “premier botanical institution”. There is a tension on a site that is balancing the heavy influence of control and authority, yet at the same time supposedly providing respite and escape for its people. Elizabeth Diller recently expressed her delight in creating Zaryadye Park in Moscow as “The park’s liberating effect on a repressed younger generation was caught on security cameras.”3 She navigates providing a democratic public space in the context of a “repressive regime” by carving out and inventing a stealthy way of insinuating public spaces. There is value in intervening at the Botanic Gardens, a site that belongs to the public yet strangely overshadowed by rules and regulations. The thesis, similar to the vision of Diller, aims defends public spaces and works quietly with it to empower the public.

3. Elizabeth Diller, A Stealthy reimagining of urban public space https://www.ted.com/ talks/elizabeth_diller_a_ stealthy_reimagining_of_ urban_public_space/transcript?language=en#t-34986 [Online]

Figure 12 [Opposite] Historic Features Mapping of The Botanic Gardens Drawing: Author

6.3. Site analysis The properties that are the most relevant to this research are the historic features, the topography, as well as the transparency of the site.

6.3.1. Historical Features The historic influence of the site is significant and prominent, by understanding the historical changes through the years, one is able to discern the structures that are from the original design by Niven and observe the difference in more recent additions. The changes and the shift in focus is obvious yet subtle. While the structures in the original design is an active expression in the desire for ideal landscapes, with gentle curves and slopes. It emphasised the landscape as a source of aesthetic experience, provoking emotions such as apprehension, anticipation and awe—in it curating the experience of enjoying the pure beauty and sublimity of nature. While in recent additions, the thematic gardens, along with the added presence of the institution and regulations, presents itself as a concerted effort to eradicate pleasure to something that is educational. The property of pleasure shifts from a bodily, psychological one to a more ‘legit’, educational and botanical pleasure.

Figure 13 [Opposite] Topography of The Botanic Gardens Drawing: Author

6.3.2. Topography The topography of the site is prominent, having curves and contours resembling the natural landscapes, the topography of the site ranges from 0 to +30 meters above sea level. Some of the architectural outcomes of the thesis are implemented based on embracing the changing in levels and height of the site. Taking into consideration the obstruction, slopes, the level of sight, the power dynamics of the view, the design can be inserted anticipating this property of the site.

Figure 14 [Opposite] Transparency Mapping of The Botanic Gardens Drawing: Author

6.3.3. Transparency The various height, density of vegetation, and garden design lead to a changing dynamic of the transparency of the site. Between completely public and open to very private and at times inaccessible, there lies a liminal and in-between space that is transient, ambiguous and sometimes hidden. The in-between spaces are the ones of interest to this project. These are spaces that one stumbles upon, accidentally wanders into, detours, upslopes, off the main roads, and spaces hidden behind thick bushes and vegetation. They are low on traffic, as if created intentionally for the disappearance, for getaways, for solo adventures, or for privacy. This characteristic found on site is significant in the insertion of the follies, they are almost always partially hidden from plain sight, tucked in vegetation and away from the main paths. They are almost like small treasures hidden in nature, amiable to Thomas Dambo’s wooden sculptures hidden in forests of Copenhagen, placed across botanic gardens, and the journey to finding them itself is an explorative and curious one.

Chapter 7: Design outcome

Reality meets Fantasy

The connotation of silliness or madness in the definition of “folly” is in accord with the general meaning of the French word “folie”, an older meaning of this word is “delight”, or “favourite abode”.

7.1 Architectural consequence Figure 15 [left] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 1 Photo: Author

The architectural consequence of the thesis manifests itself as a series of garden follies placed in Botanic Gardens. These follies are carefully constructed, moulded, and shaped into existence. They possess curves, soft edges, uneven surfaces, sensuous interior and intriguing movement mechanisms. They are manifestations of the imagination, intrusion, penetration, actions, passions and pursuit of the user.

A total of 21 follies are designed for, they are categorically arranged to their movement dynamics that is significant for moving through each of them. They provide very different experiences, distinguishing themselves from each other, yet they are akin vis-à-vis their materiality, atmosphere, and the way they provoke movement and curiosity. They are strategically placed on site, almost always partially hidden from plain sight, they match the properties of the site either through the line of sight, topography, direction of movement, amount of traffic, and the amount of vegetation coverage.

Vertical, circuitous

Winding, maze like, vertical

Vertical

Winding, vertical

Vertical

Circuitous

Circuitous, vertical

Circuitous

Entering, encroaching

Figure set 16 [Above] Clay Models Documentation Photos: Author

Entering, circuitous

Maze-like, circuitous

Entering

Vertical

Entering, vertical

Entering, approaching

Entering, circuitous

Circuitous

Entering, Vertical

7.1.1. Folly 1 Figure 17 [right] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 1 on site near Corner House. Drawing: Author

First time in this part of the Botanic Gardens, I walked past the Corner’s House, a circle of greens, entrances, pergolas with thick entangled leaves and vines dangling, occasionally brushing my skin. Momentary darkness. I walk out, the rays of sunlight warming my skin as I began to sweat. Open field on my left. Strange white structure at the far end. No direct pathway, am I supposed to walk through the grass? The grass tickles the sides of my feet. Approaching, it is actually taller than it looked. What’s up there? Taking the darker path, curiosity got the better of me. Heading up, there is something resembling... a seat? I can now see the path that I came from, and whoever’s walking towards this structure. The seat feels cold but rough, I kept touching it? I sit here, with strange serenity and security, with the sound of nature and an open view.

Figure 18 [left] Position of folly 1 in the Botanic Gardens Drawing: Author

Figure set 19 [right] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 1 Photo: Author

Figure 20 [left] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 1 Drawing: Author

Figure set 21. [top] Serial Vision of Folly 1 Drawing: Author

7.1.2. Folly 3 Figure 22 [right] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 3 Drawing: Author

Figure 23 [left] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 3 on site near NParks. Drawing: Author

Figure set 24 [left] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 3 Photos: Author

7.1.3. Folly 6 Figure 25 [right] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 6 on site near Eco Lake. Drawing: Author

Holding hands, we walked away from the Jacob Ballas Children Garden, everywhere seems a bit too open along the Eco Lake. Maybe this way is better, she pulls me towards this tiny, bushy track by my right. The atmosphere began to shift. Arched trellis fully grown, sunlight filtering through, meandering and winding. We start to look for a bench. An intriguing hint of white peeked out from the bushes as we took a turn. It appears to be an enclosed structure, we walked around it to find an entrance, seems like there is only one. I touched it as I peeked in, making sure there are no one else inside. We found a spot with some light penetrating through, there is a courtyard! Surprising. We sat down, grassy, spiky, but cooling. We hear people talking outside, we talk a bit as well, making our presence known. The voices slowly faded. Embraced by the structure, I lean my back on it, it has strange but comforting curves. I ran my hands over the curves.

Figure 26 [left] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 6 Drawing: Author

Figure 27 [right] Sketch of Folly 6, annotated Drawing: Author

Figure set 28 [left] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 6 Photos: Author

Figure set 29. [top] Serial Vision of Folly 6 Drawing: Author

7.1.4. Folly 7 Figure 30 [right] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 7 Drawing: Author

Figure 31 [left] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 7 on site near Healing Garden Drawing: Author

Figure set 32 [left] Sketch of Folly 6, annotated Drawing: Author

7.1.5. Folly 5 Figure set 33 [right] Serial Vision of Folly 5 Drawing: Author

Wondered my way into Bonsai gardens, it looks strangely out of proportions and way too grand. Why is nobody here? I continue out, curving through thick shrubs, a descend further in. Looks like there is something ahead. A wall of white-I cannot see what is up there. This resembles a... rock climbing wall? I try to hold it, testing if it is stable. Upwards, using both my hands and feet, I crawled as a new space emerge. I try to stand up and walk towards the light. A row of opening, I duck through the entrance, and a full view of the sundial garden reveals itself.

Figure 34 [left] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 5 on site near Sundial Garden Drawing: Author

Figure 35 [right] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 5 Photos: Author

Figure 36 [left] Position of folly 5 in the Botanic Gardens Drawing: Author

7.1.6. Folly 4 Figure 37 [right] Sketch of Folly 4, annotated Drawing: Author

Figure 38 [left] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 4 Drawing: Author

Figure set 39 [left] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 4 Photos: Author

7.1.7. Folly 13 Figure 40 [right] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 13 on site near Swan Lake Drawing: Author

Figure 41 [right] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 13 Photos: Author

This part of the Swan Lake seems a lot shadier, darker, quieter, and cooler than the other side. A trace of white exposed, emerged out of vegetation. A sharp but gentle pointed top. Branches and vines blocking my sight. As I walked further in, an inviting entrance, my body naturally and instinctively approaching it, closer. I enter, stepping up, stepping down, grass again, turning, guided by the walls, stepping up, stepping down. The most inner space, hidden, strange things on the walls, can’t help but brush my fingers on it. I can rest here.

Figure set 42 [left] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 16 Photos: Author

Figure 43 [left] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 2 Photos: Author Figure 44 [right] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 9 Photos: Author

Figure 45 [left] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 21 Photos: Author Figure 46 [right] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 11 Photos: Author

Figure 47 [top] Serial Vision of Folly 21 Drawing: Author

Chapter 8: Conclusion

Through the past chapters and volumes, the thesis research and development has attempted through varying scales, methods, and materials, to visualise, probe, invite imagination, and eventually manifest the elusive yet undeniable concept of eroticism in space. The thesis has asked questions about pleasure, desire, seduction, senses, imagination, and curiosity in the discipline of architecture. While answering some of these questions, much of which is only the beginning of contributing to this larger pool of studies and knowledge established by the ones that came before me. Ultimately, the thesis is driven by a personal fascination - one that is eager to engage architecture in an intimate and provocative way. I am delighted to bring architecture closer to the lives of the user, the experiences of my own body, as well as acknowledging the inexplicable emotions and passion that spaces make me feel. The more I research and experiment with this topic, the more I know there will always be a delight that emanates from spaces that cannot be captured by words, drawings, photographs, or models. I am comforted that this fascination is not just my imagination, and that I can continue to be curious and search for the gaps, where objectivity meets divine, reason meets madness, reality meets fantasy. (At its junction is architecture.)

List of figures Figure 1 [pp. 7] Sketch of a woman with dogs at Singapore Botanic Gardens. Drawing: John Edmund Taylor, 1879 Figure 2 [pp. 8] Botanic gardens, 1900s Photo: Arshak C Galstaun [National Archieves Of Singapore] Figure 3 [pp.8 ]Botanic gardens, 1900s Photo: Arshak C Galstaun [National Archieves Of Singapore] Figure 4 [pp. 9] Botanic gardens, entrance, 1900s Photo: Lim Kheng Chye [National Archieves Of Singapore] Figure 5 [pp. 9] Botanic gardens, Virgin Jungle 1900s Photo: Lim Kheng Chye [National Archieves Of Singapore] Figure 6 [pp. 11] Entrance to Singapore Botanic Gardens at the corner of Holland and Cluny Roads, private Photo: National Archieves Of Singapore Figure 7 [pp. 11] Entrance to Singapore Botanic Gardens at the corner of Holland and Cluny Roads, Public Access Photo: Lee Kip Lin [National Archieves Of Singapore] Figure 8. [pp. 12] ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’, 1490. Painting: Hieronymus Bosch Figure 9. [pp. 12] Engraving, ‘Hang Gardens of Babylon’, unknown author Figure 10. [pp. 13] La Nuit, 1778. Painting: Emmanuel de Ghendt Figure 11. [pp. 13] Love in the gardens, Album L. Painting: Xu Mei Figure 12 [pp. 15] Historic Features Mapping of The Botanic Gardens. Drawing: Author Figure 13 [pp. 17] Topography of The Botanic Gardens. Drawing: Author Figure 14 [pp. 19] Transparency Mapping of The Botanic Gardens. Drawing: Author Figure 15 [pp. 21] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 1. Photo: Author Figure set 16 [pp. 22, 23] Clay Models Documentation. Photos: Author Figure 17 [pp. 24] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 1 on site near Corner House. Drawing: Author Figure 18 [pp. 25] Position of folly 1 in the Botanic Gardens. Drawing: Author Figure set 19 [pp. 25] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 1. Photo: Author Figure 20 [pp. 25] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 1. Drawing: Author Figure set 21. [pp. 26, 27] Serial Vision of Folly 1. Drawing: Author

Figure 22 [pp. 28] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 3. Drawing: Author Figure 23 [pp. 29] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 3 on site near NParks. Drawing: Author Figure set 24 [pp. 29] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 3. Photos: Author Figure 25 [pp. 30] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 6 on site near Eco Lake. Drawing: Author Figure 26 [pp. 31] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 6. Drawing: Author Figure 27 [pp. 31] Sketch of Folly 6, annotated. Drawing: Author Figure set 28 [pp. 31] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 6. Photos: Author Figure set 29. [pp. 32. 33] Serial Vision of Folly 6. Drawing: Author Figure 30 [pp. 34] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 7. Drawing: Author Figure 31 [pp. 35] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 7 on site near Healing Garden. Drawing: Author Figure set 32 [pp. 35] Sketch of Folly 6, annotated. Drawing: Author Figure set 33 [pp. 36] Serial Vision of Folly 5. Drawing: Author Figure 34 [pp. 37] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 5 on site near Sundial Garden. Drawing: Author Figure 35 [pp. 37] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 5. Photos: Author Figure 36 [pp. 37] Position of folly 5 in the Botanic Gardens. Drawing: Author Figure 37 [pp. 38] Sketch of Folly 4, annotated. Drawing: Author Figure 38 [pp. 39] [Event] Painting of activity of Folly 4. Drawing: Author Figure set 39 [pp. 39] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 4. Photos: Author Figure 40 [pp. 40] [Object] Plan/Section Of Folly 13 on site near Swan Lake. Drawing: Author Figure 41 [pp. 40] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 13. Photos: Author Figure set 42 [pp. 41] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 16. Photos: Author Figure 43 [pp. 41] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 2. Photos: Author Figure 44 [pp. 41] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 9. Photos: Author Figure 45 [pp. 41] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 21. Photos: Author Figure 46 [pp. 41] Sensuous Photo Series Folly 11. Photos: Author Figure 47 [pp. 42, 43] Serial Vision of Folly 21. Drawing: Author

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