YOG Torch Relay and YOG Opening Ceremony Fireworks

It was a lucky Friday the 13th. I didn't know until my colleague told me that the YOG Torch Relay is happening in Bukit Merah Central during lunch time. Once in a life time opportunity to witness the relay! That day coincides with the Pinnacle@Duxton trip and I have my camera with me! Early lunch with some of my colleagues to cheer for the runners!


Saturday was the opening of the Youth Olympic Games Ceremony. Fireworks display will definitely be extraordinary. Just not long after the ceremony begins, the first fireworks burst in the air, caught some of us off guard. But that was not the only one. We are all prepared with our hands on the shutter cable release button every seconds waiting for the firing of the fireworks, and off goes our shutter.

Publicity of YOG seems lacking. There isn't many people than I expected during the fireworks. Usually, many people will be standing behind us waiting for the fireworks, standing so close to us until we felt uncomfortable. But that Saturday, the place was free of human traffic jam, free of litters on the floor. Good, yet disappointing. Where are the crowd when we need them during this international event and why is there a huge crowd when it is just a national event?

The YOG fireworks display was one of the best I have ever seen since the last 2006 Fireworks Festival I attended. Hopefully this year, Fireworks Festival will make a comeback after a year of absence.

tata...

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Pinnacle@Duxton

Headed to Pinnacle@Duxton with my studio for a archi site visit on Friday the 13th. It was fun and enjoyable. What's more, its free! We had a chance to visit the generous living space of the VIP lounge on the 51st floor. It is just like a penthouse.

My take from this housing design by ARC Studio Architecture + Urbanism in Collaboration with
RSP Architects, Planners & Engineers was that it is massive. Façade is messy. Units are small, I think Singapore's public housing is going to be as small as Hong Kong's in a couple of years. Car park entrances and driveways is horribly planned. I was so close to be brushed by a van that was trying to enter the car park at the entrance corner. Other than that, I like the sky terrace. I can sit comfortably on the floor, and enjoy the cool breeze (that day wasn't) and views. Pity the condo that was built in-front of it.

Enjoy the photos!


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Singapore National Day 2010

I haven't post a lot of photos lately on my blog. Facebook seems to be taken over the role for quite a while until just now, I realised that it compresses my images till it looks weird on the screen.

Anyway, those are some of the photos I took during the National Day Parade fireworks. Click here for the complete album. It was great, but lacks variety. I was told YOG's will be better. YOG fireworks, I will be there!

tata...

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Great Night

Beautiful sunset isn't it? was greeted by the warm colours just outside my house.

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20 under 45

First off, I will like to share a quote from Nary Chea, one of the young architects who presented their works at URA for the 20 under 45 exhibition.


It was my first time attending this exhibition opening and forum. Getting to hear some of the architects inspired me. But what inspired me most is a question posted by a Professor from Holland who was present during the round table discussion, asking a question about the issue of social needs rather than fulfilling the requirements of the clients.

Being thought in University of Tasmania, what I had learnt that made me remind myself about my goals and dreams is the involvement of an Architect with the social needs of the users. I dream of one day, if possible, to be able to be involved in providing my professional service to tackle and provide solutions to under privileged users in the developing countries.

Apart from that, I am also proud about my current scope of work. Though some people might think it is a small project that does not allow me to learn more, I feel I learnt more than just designing houses. Lift Upgrading Programme, or in short LUP, is the current project I am handling. I felt that I learnt a lot from LUP projects. I learnt something that I will not get from new-build projects.

Social needs and social interaction is what I look forward to in that project. It is not just 1 or a few users, it involves hundreds of users. Understanding and designing for the needs of the residents involves interactions with the users and working out the best solution from ground sentimental. Providing a better life by understanding the needs is the key to a successful practice.

What is Professional Practice Examinations, PPE, to me? It is just one of the technical milestone for me. The satisfaction that drives me in architecture is not PPE, not good looking architecture, but the depth of my involvement with the users.

tata

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Rain

Shinshinto... drip drip drop... in Japanese... not sure how to type it in Japanese. I like it when I first came a cross this words from a Japanses manga, Fairy Tail. It means gentle drips and drops of rain falling onto the ground. Though today's rain wasn't that gentle, the clearing of the rain today cooled down the hot and humid weather. Night falls and another day is going to end. Weekend is around the corner!

tata...

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Sleepy Morning

Sent my family to the airport this morning at 4.45am. I guess they are now happily in Hong Kong travelling around. It's a rainy and sleepy morning in office. Quiet... Time passes so slowly. 2.5 hours to lunch time, counting down. Maybe I should take this opportunity to pack my work table to keep myself awake.

tata...

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New Shoe

Today, I bought a new shoe. A Timberland Chukka Earthkeepers. simple, nice and most of all, comfortable.


Piror to getting that, I was at Aldo looking at the boots they offer and found a really nice one. It's nice to me la... and I tried and I like it a lot, but they do not have brown for size 43. If only my feet size is smaller by a size, I will just get it straight away.

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My life is almost back to normal

After few days of "indulging" on the doctor's medicine that caused me to so drowsy and nauseous, I am relived that they are non left. Sometimes, I felt a bit uneasy when I cannot get to sleep as easy when I was taking the medicine. But it is better than having to feel so uncomfortable everyday.

My flu and sore throat is still persistently staying with me and they doesn't seems to bare to leave me. Been eating chinese pi pa gou since I finished my western meds.
Meanwhile, I am looking for a USB fan. I saw a very good and power USB fan at the PC Show last week but it was not on sale. Looks something like this:


I found it in 2 websites. One from its own GreenHouse website and anotherfrom a local online shop. It is crazily expensive. Another one that is metallic which looks really nice found here.

If I can get it cheap in Singapore I will grab one. If not, I will grab one when I visit Shanghai in September.

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Getting sick again

Singapore's weather is horrible. One moment, it was very windy and dark clouds covered the sky, showing signs of rain approaching. But the next moment, it was sunny and hot. I think the strong wind blew it away.

I woke up today with a mild sore throat. I promptly had Pi Pa Gao in the morning, before lunch, and after lunch. Not only it did not work, the itchiness seems to be getting worst. The sore throat even cause me to have a mild headache.

I don't get sick so often in Tassie. But when I am back in Singapore, falling sick seems to be an almost weekly affair. I miss Tassie.

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