Running Happy again

It feels as though I might be finally free of the calf injury that had sidelined me for two long months - on Sunday I did a slow run of about 6 K from home to the waterfront. In 'celebration' the group of us went for a local breakfast of rice porridge near the temple. The recovery from this injury has taught me that while running is an important part of my life, there are other avenues to occupy the void abstinence from running created.

It also taught me that it is a battle fought and won in relative solitude.

Temple on Carpenter Street

Bye Josie

We met Josie on the 18th November some 12 years ago. We were at the Kuching 3rd Mile wet market wanting to buy some ingredients for a birthday (mine) dinner that night when I noticed her walking about in the bottom of a deep planter box. She seemed cheerful enough so I picked her up and put her into my shopping basket as my birthday present.

We have had her for 12 years during which she demanded little of us as a family; except to be part of our family. She was robust and willful, until a year ago when she lost the use of her kidneys. The doctors gave her a few weeks to live. Sam is equally willful (and robust) and started a regiment of daily drips and injection - first self administered at home and later at the doctors. By then, Josie had suffered a stroke and lost her sight - she was skin and bones. Every morning, Sam would drive to the doctors with Josie in the back seat for her hour long drip - this went on for several months.

Sam and Josie (who was blind by this time) on the way to the doctor.

I have only driven Josie to the doctors only once and even then, had Sara to help with carrying her in and out of the car. On the 22nd of last month, Josie left us - one year after the doctors thought she would not make it - her willfulness shone through until the end.

Archiprix S.E.A Workshop

National Library of Singapore

DAY THREE

Students’ Workshop – 3 parallel workshops led by Prof. Tay Kheng Soon, Yip Yuen Hong and myself was a good opportunity for students from 6 different countries to bond, share ideas and provide solutions to de-construct the Tropical City (Prof. Tay), to design a tropical habitat (Yip) and to convert common spaces in HDB flats into communal spaces (me). Graphic communication bridged langauge barriers as I was reminded of the true objective of such an event; to promote discourse amongst architecture schools in the region.

Tay Tze Yong assisting in the student workshop

the workshop in progress

Tony Liew briefing the students

our workshop with curious onlookers from the other groups

Tito putting it all together

Prof Tay remembers me as "the architect from Sarawak"; I am well pleased.

Yuen Hong looks in on the workshop

our group with the finished products

Archiprix S.E.A. 2012

On Monday, I sat at a jury panel of three headed by Dr. Erwin Viray from Kyoto Institute of Technology, accompanied by Yip Yuen Hong from ip:li architects, Singapore and listened to the presentation of 14 design schemes from South East Asian universities and colleges. 
The following are notes and sketches taken during the one-day presentation at the National University of Singapore.

the 3 bald men in the front are the jury members; students and tutors from 11 regional Universities took part.

Dr Erwin Viray commenting on one of the presentations.

entrant from National University of Singapore

Duong from Hanoi Architecture University

the winning team from Sarawak; Tay Tze Yong is the tutor (standing between R and I)

Sean's Sketch Up of the day