Work sketches - up stairs down stairs

The Long Lunch

Some of my young friends bought me a sketch book when they visited my new office at Upper China Street, and very thoughtfully suggested that I can fill it with sketches of my 'neighbourhood' - reminding me that I have not been taking advantage of my present location.

So, starting today I decided to combine three good things; my location, my new sketchbook and my new folding bike (a Brompton no less) to gallivant and renew my love of the simple ball pen sketch.

Brompton Folding Bike in British Racing Green

Visit to Old Hockien School

Work Sketches - One doing the work of two

I like to tell my folks that it is important for architectural elements to serve more than one function - that way they earn their keep and become a more integral part of the overall design.

Take this grille for instance - the original tender drawing called for a security grille for the utility space at the rear of the house. The laundry and maid's room are there, as were the air cond compressors - so we folded the steel rods into a shelf for the compressor. The horizontal bar which is used to tie all the verticals together, in turn become a rail for drying laundry.

At the lower portion of the grille, another fold becomes a shelf for detergents and clothes pegs.

 These photos are added in January, 2017 after the grille was completed (but not quite tested yet)

Sunday Lunch for Min

There is a Whatsapp group set up by several former interns (and now close friends) - to have meals with me when I visit Singapore. We meet and eat, and talk about their lives there, and their plans for the future. I tease them about how much money they are making, that they should treat me to more meals when I visit.

The 3 of them are amongst many Malaysians who decided to work in Singapore. Many leave after obtaining their degrees for the higher pay and favourable exchange rate and never return. Even when they leave Singapore, many do not return to Malaysia.