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Last month, I was invited to lead the Tropical Architecture Workshop at NUS (National University of Singapore)

This annual event is the first project for 150 third year students. My theme is based on the idea of a tropical ‘village’ where students have to analyze the simple activities of eating/cooking, sleeping/resting and washing. The brief called for usage of passive cooling devices and consideration of interspatial relationship and the possible development of prototypes.

I prepared this pictorial documentary of the 7-day workshop, choosing to focus on the activities that took place and relationships made rather than the products of the workshop. For me, the real lessons learnt during the 7 days do not always show themselves in the final panels. These are lessons in teamwork, discourse and disagreements followed by decision and delegation of work, ending in an articulate presentation of their ideas. Much of which was done in a seriousness and skill that belie their mere two years in Architecture School; resulting in a body of work that explored social issues, urban planning, ecology, industrial design and energy renewal. The most enjoyable (and impressive) aspect of this workshop was the students’ ability to explain (and argue) their ideas at a moment’s notice, and without much sleep one might add.

For me, these are the rewards: to work with smart motivated young people that point towards the future of our profession. 

These are some samples of the students' work