A family movie with lesson on design

One evening we are watching the DVD of Temple Grandin that my wife has brought home. It is great for family viewing. I really enjoy it and falling in love with the character in the movie.

I am not going to be a spoiler. But if you are interested in design and/or if you love animal, the movie has a surprised lesson on building (cattle plant handler) design.

It draws an comparison of building design between the modern approach verse traditional approach or, in textbook terminology, the process-oriented verse the product-driven.

Without going through too much detail, a broad and new design decision is emerged by working with the natural behavior of cattle instead of force-fitting a mechanical solution to the plant. If you like me who loves animal, you will enjoy watching the way a plant handler is designed for cattle and other animal.

Open-plan living

I come cross this interesting article, which talks about the trend of moving away from the "open-plan" living.

The architect-community believes the so-called "broken-plan" living already becoming the main-stream, as family-member desires to spend more time with IT and have greater independence.

In one case, a London architect from an affordable housing scheme offers the residents a choice between an open-plan living space, or inserting a wall between their living and dining rooms. All 26 residents have chosen the wall-inserted.

The preference of wall-inserted may seem logical, but I have reservation of what it could bring to the table. I prefer an open-plan spacing that is designed for independence openly, kind of like working in an open-office. I like how it would facilitate a greater proximity among family-member, while achieving independent comfort.

Suburban living

I recently visit a display suite of a new development, in the suburb where I live in. It is going to be a low-rise apartment-complex in the residential neighborhood. It features elegant indoor-outdoor living, resort-type facilities, walking distant to all the necessities. I am particularly impressed by the investment potential of the property.

All these sound like music to my ears.

The display suite has drawn plenty of interest. I am not a potential buyer. But with my origin and the lengthy time spent in Asia, a small part of me resembles the same desire of these buyers. They are enticed by the concept of contemporary and suburban (Asian style) living.

The suburban surrounding has transcended. Walking across to the town center from our home, for example, is like entering the matrix. There is no shortage of activity and entertainment. It has almost everything.

The meaning of suburban living has a much wider interpretation nowadays.

From drifter to dweller

Our household is custom in moving. We have moved home numerous occasions, on average at a pace of a move every three years.

With the uncertainty of how much time of staying in one place, the drifter-style of living serves our purpose. We also get option on choosing where to live. We are relatively flexible financially, which helps supporting our traveling and organic growth.

Being a drifter has its constraint or 'rule'. We never get attached to a home or fixture. Every household item that we purchase can either be fitted-in a luggage or be transferable later. After a few move, my wife is even good at sourcing and dispatching furniture.

As we land Sydney few years ago, we get our first experience of being a dweller. It is not so much about the permanent fixture, of those are merely by-product. We learn the importance of accessibility and sheltering. We want a space that can facilitate everyone to be in proximity to one another. We are mindful that our two growing-up being rightfully protected. We are building the pillars for our dwelling.

Learning photography

Not sure how long the online photography class has been on the scene, I have not caught on till very recently. It is not so much to do with the quality of content, nor do I have the competence to by-pass them. I simply feel that, in learning photography, there is no substitute to the experience in practical workshop.

I start learning photography at community art centre, where class is held one evening per week. Finishing time is usually spot-on but I don't mind staying late, even though it is working the next day. This may sound weird. The constraint and inaccessibility actually pushes me to treasure those moment and experience together.

The online class is great. Its video format is great in delivering more content, saving any hassle of studio setup or lighting test. It is also more affordable. Had I not started learning photography at the community centre, I will embrace the online format with ease. I still have a few online subscription that are sitting on my laptop.

I know a friend who runs photography workshop in his community, from his evening free-time. Those who attend his class are retiree and house-wife. My friend simply enjoys the interaction and networking. 

Darkroom in photography

You hear the 'photoshopped' debate in the publishing media everyday. i am not going to join in the discussion. but the topic does reminding me of the darkroom experience during my film-day.

For the novice, darkroom is like a extravagant and decorative photoshopped-room. It is extravagant by consuming plenty of beautifully made photo-paper and chemical, on top of the enlarger fixture and accessories. It is decorative as it takes up at least a whole bathroom or storeroom of space with equipment and designated furniture (not for sitting). depending on your local climax, ventilation may also be a requirement.

While living in East Asia, a personal darkroom is a far-fetched dream. It has not stopped me to go over a rental space and spending a sunny Saturday inside the darkroom. By the evening, it gives me much joy when i produce a handcrafted image. The same joy that, I believe, a painter or a carpenter experiences.

Cartier Bresson, the documentary photographer, insists that darkroom continues his basic integrity, even to printing the whole negative. Jerry Uelsmann, on the other hand, plays trick with that very integrity to give highly subjective results. Darkroom has been integrated by many photographers from those time, as a workstation for the experimental production of abstract images.