Selected Works 2017-2024
Tan Jia Pei
Bureau of Hauntogical Observatory & Research
The brief is formed as a critique towards the current system of capitalism, frustration towards the impact of globalization, the inaction towards it.
“If we cannot stop the buldozers, the deforestation, why not make a ghost to haunt them, to stop them?”
It is an attempt to test new boundaries of design by an architect, designing atmospheres. To design a ghost haunting or a haunting atmosphere, the project is an investigation into the supernatural, influence of mythical & folkloric reality, to allow rethinking of the world and reality as we know and challenge it.
General Arrangement Drawing of the Bureau (Original drawing is approximately 1.8 metres in length)
Nominee for Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects Peter Luscombe Drawing Prize Part 2 - Hand
Aerial View of Bureau of Hauntogical Observatory & Research
Understanding
Characteristics of Hauntological Atmospheres
To design the bureau is to study charateristics of unstable mediums, superstitions, rules or taboos, specifically in the
to break down and to be translated into design.
Construct of Unstable Mediums and its Characteristics
Construct of Superstitions of the Forest in Malay Peninsula
Perspective View of Bureau of Hauntogical Observatory & Research
Malay Peninsula,
Exploration of Visual Atmosphere
Photographs taken in Greenwich, London by the Hypernormal Camera
The Hypernormal Camera is designed as a scale test model of visualisation room, with multiple shutters and mirrors, an exploration of new ways to making drawings and creating or designing new atmospheres
Camera during Operation
3D Model of Hypernormal Camera
Hypernormal Camera
Hand Drawings & Collages of Speculative Design
The collection of drawings are a part of trying to digest the topic, understand, speculate, discover, experiment and design the Bureau of Hauntogical Observatory & Research.
Fluidic-Powered Subsurface Infrasonic Speaker
Ionized Kite
Hypernormal Calculator Engine
Rethinking land, London
Ionized Kite
Operating the Ionized Kite
Operating the Ionized Kite
Shoe Rack of Permission
Inner Parts of the Moving Recorder
Movable Infrasonic Speaker
Device of Visual Illusion Device of Visual Illusion
Shoe Device
The shoe rack of permission device is a reference to the act of asking permission of entry into the rainforest with shoes. It is built to test the device’s reactivity towards the unstable mediums of hypernormal. Hypernormal Resonance-Detecting Flute System
Haunting Atmospheres Installation
The Haunting Atmospheres Installation is a scaled-down mock up of creating haunting atmospheres as designed for the Bureau of Hauntogical Observatory & Research. The video played in the temperature-controlled room is laced with infrasound, together with recorded sounds of rainforest in the Malay Peninsula, allowing visitors to experience and slight discomfort where the body resonates with specific frequencies, sometimes seeing shadows or sensing the presence of the other
Remedy in the Lea: Agriculture & Nature Study
The brief is to propose a new sister facility for Rothamsted Research in Gunpowder Park in Essex. Rothamsted Research is considered as one of world’s oldest and largest agricultural reseach centers. The idea of the new facility is to find remedy for the contamination as an old military and explosive test site; Gunpowder Park in London and the polluted River Lea. The new faciilty is to incorperate the ecology, soil condition, flood and dry zones, grassland, marsh and leisure of the site to it own advantage. The design aims to align with the principles of Rothamsted Research, prototyping modern machineries, working with pollution and fragile nature to secure future food security, ultimately creating a hedonistic experience in the park.
A perspective view of the research centre, creating mists as it operates, casting rainbows as sunlight hits. The towering structures are the water gauges of the water filtration system, visualizing water levels in the different stages of filtration of the polluted water of River Lea, using it on food security research and irrigation, a symbol of hedonistic sustainbility in operation.
Location of the site in the United Kingdom and within the area of River Lea Regional Park.
Creating Positive Connections
Before the decommissioning of the park as the military’s Royal Gunpowder Mill’s test site 20 years ago, the only connection with the park from the adjacent residence was the sound of explosions. With the proposal of the research centre, the presence of mist allows the community to be visually connected with the park as it casts rainbows in the sky, giving back positive psychological connection instead of the sounds of detonation and secrecy.
Halo and rainbow can be seen from the streets of the residential area, allowing to overcome the obstructed view of the park and for more joyful connections.
Overall aerial view of the research centre, the River Lea running through on the left and the residential area further out.
Breaking Down The Centre
Gauge / Catapult Tower
Kinetic System Of The Arm
The solar harvester is to use the energy of the sun to exaggerate the temperature difference for better effiency of the diaphragm kinetic system.
The diaphragm expands and contracts due to atmospheric and solar harvesting temperature difference energy storage, inspired by the perpetual atmos clock.
To store information of the agriculture and nature of the land and to provide information excecute the control of the arm through preset strategy and real time information.
To transmit information from the blueprint unit to the arm to perform certain actions, the actuation unit is the mediator to convert data to action, to the arm, inspired by old vacuum mechanical computers. The arm
Diaphragm Kinetic Unit
Solar Harvester Blue Print Unit Actuation Unit
Urban Room: Restorative Refuge
Chow Kit is largely being stigmatized for its notorious reputation as home for refugees, the homeless and poor. Dubbed as the red light district of Kuala Lumpur, the constant bustle of the area, the site remains silent and calm. As many buildings are left abandoned or unmaintained, remnants of past scattered around where layers upon layers as different lives take possession of the historical buildings. A window to the past.
At the fringe of Chow Kit where silence can only be found here at this site, the urban room serves as a place for the people of less fortunate to heal, learn and rebuild themselves. For the forgotten children of Chow Kit, their mothers who struggle, white collars under pressure and the prostitutes who surfer. Resonating its calm, it is playground that nurtures, a room for contemplation, a park to rest, a place to heal.
Photographs taken in Greenwich, London by the Hypernormal Camera
Split Entries
A splitted entry and network is to eliminate the skepticism of entry, the unfamiliarity and the lack of legibility to engage one’s trust to enter while indirect entry for regulars to be transitioned into more intimate spaces in a shorter journey.
Every direct entry is adjacent to an
for ease in accessibility.
View of Bureau of the Central Garden from the Cafe
Design Strategy
The building blocks are a resultant of the mapping of programmes and the focus on horizontality to allow sense of vastness or distance in the middle of the dense city. The triangle site has also dictate the slight angle shift of each blocks.
Constraint
Visibility Wind
Side Elevation
Front Elevation
Sectional Perspective
Landscape
Tropical plants are carefully selected for their medical, psychological purposes and some for their sensitive response to changes in the tropical climate. They show the sense of time while aid in psychological improvements.
Scented Tropical Plants
Season-Responsive Tropical Plants
The wake up call to the community. A community centre where it cares for endangered heritage but allows growth. The reguidance of Kajang away from the slow engulfment of heritage by development.
The community centre situated at the verging point of modern vehicular roads attempts to rejuvenate and reconnect its heritage with growth, reveal once again the beauty of the people, as the community’s living room.
The new roof takes the flat modern silhoutte while keeping traditional pitched roof inside. Further separation of front and back in respond to atmosphere of the front and rear.
Spatial Translation: Journey of the 5 Senses
The brief was to design two building based on both the book “In Praise of Shadows” and the movie “Inside Out” are interpreted both into a concentric and linear journey respectively. We studied on how to use light and shadow, textures, the sequence, height as tools to translate the essence of the book while we experimented on how removing one or more of the 5 senses in a architecture space affects our mood and emotions.
The use of light and shadow through the space is to guide the users while the use of water element throughout the space is to control and elevate the senses. Linear
The control of the depth, the softness and the warmth of light and shadow allows to manipulate hard or soft edges of shadow, direct & indirect light and the radiation of tone in the atmosphere.
Concentric
A Space for Self: Probing Imaginarium
The concept is to create a sequence of spaces in conjuction of time that expresses my bravery of imagination, fusing traditional architecture elements with new ideas and to show how mountain biking interacts with me through nature yet provides sense of safety.
Taylor’s
The models were a big part of design process as it experiments with the angles, fitment, the arrangement of timber strips, the joinery type and the circulations.
Taylor’s Architecture Festival Installation
Extra-curricular Work
The site was along the main corridor of Taylor’s Lakeside Campus. Biggest challenge was the wind was too strong. With very tight constraints and budget, decision was opted to be careful on quantity of material and surface area exposed for catching wind. The interlink of stands meant stronger structurally and placement of stands were carefully placed in parallel to the wind to reduce drag. Mostly, through the structural needs, a journey through portals and pocket spaces is created. The design forms a harmony between practicality and design to create space.
Through visiting suppliers and factories, the nature and the form of materials they come with is understood and matched with the objectives of the design direction and site constraints.
Yap Hock Seong Architects: Aetas Damansara Malaysia
Aetas Damansara is a luxury condominium project I was involved in during the construction stage in the year 2021 and 2022. It allowed me to have the exposure of understanding and solving issues of construction and details which took a design direction that was on pursue of innovation with many years of experience in understanding practicality, context, climate. It allows me to attained the ability to solve the most mundane problems with creative designs and beautiful detailing of the tropical context. Furthermore, my involvement was to set up the first Revit files and templates in the practice as it was trying to transition into BIM system, coordinate drawings with consultants, setting out drawings of tiles, ceiling, etc, making sure cad drawings had smoothly transitioned into Revit.
Yap Hock Seong Architects: 19 Trees Malaysia
19 Trees is a new type of terrace house configuration project I was involved in during the development order and tender stage in the year 2021 and 2022. Exposure to challenging, understanding the council’s needs due to the project’s unique housing layout allowed me to learn on how to take on the challenges that we as designers might face with an unorthodox design. In addition, I was involved in coordinating and designing rainwater systems, tile setting out, sewage systems, car park & traffic, structural systems, toilet services and ceiling setting out, adding on my experience using Autocad.
Typical Section’s Unit General Arrangement Car Park Unit
Garden Unit Render of the overview of 19 Trees
Yap Hock Seong Architects: Notes & Sketches
I have a huge curiosity and therefore made notes & sketches on many details, design and experiences trickled down projects I was both involved and not involved in, in the portfolio of the practice. The thought process and discussion were very fruitful to me as the the company constantly improve, discuss and change. They never copy & paste previous projects as every single one is unique, which helps in my learning.