there's no place like home...

...but oh, how I already miss Malaysia/Asia.

countdown...

5:30 pm on August 9th in Malaysia:

- 3 hours to my next meal.
- 5 hours since my last meal.
- 6 hours it took to build my freakin' topography in Rhino.
- 36 hours since clubbing all night at Zouk (more on that later, maybe).
- 41 hours left to work on take home final essays for Arch 316, 424, 425, 426.
- 81 hours til I turn 21.
- 88 hours to deadline.
- 96 hours to deciding whether to pass out for the night or go out again.
- 124 hours to KLIA, boarding a plane and coming home!

Exhausted, exasperated, exhilarated, energized, excited.
!!!

realization

I've figured out why architecture has been such a struggle for me.

All my life drawing has been second nature to me. As soon as I could pick up a pencil, a crayon, a marker I've been drawing things from life, from imagination, always drawing. Architecture isn't so different from art, people say. In a way they're right but at the same time they are so, so wrong. Thinking spatially on a large scale is highly different from creating landscapes, figures and scenery from your head. Envisioning a three dimensional object that works programmatically, spatially, functionally and beautifully is a long, difficult process. For me, at least. Visual art and illustration come to me as readily as breathing. Architecture is more like craning my neck, turning my head and straining my eyes to see something far off into the distance. Not the best analogy, but it's something I really have to work hard on, and even so I am usually never satisfied with the results.

Maybe a part of me resents the fact that architecture ISN'T second nature to me. I don't feel like I've poured my soul into any of my works at school and I believe that is one of the roots of the problem. However, after having Thom Mayne of Morphosis sit on my jury for my final project this past semester, I had more hope for myself after listening to his critique. After pointing out a few key areas I could have developed more, he told me my project was simple, elegant, and beautiful. Which is one of the greatest compliments anyone can hope to receive in any field of design. To know I hadn't utterly failed in the eyes of someone whom I consider one of the finest contemporary architects of today, means something, means so much.

I'm always worried that because I possess a short attention span for things, (which comes more out of finding interest in other things & overlapping/overriding the previous interest - than being flighty/uncommitted) architecture is not for me. The profession of creating monuments, structures and master plans of cities requires a lifelong dedication and passion, and for someone who's more of a free spirit I feel so weighed down and doomed, yet also excited about this - because there definitely can be lightness and playfulness to architecture.

I hate giving up though. When something really matters to me I start what I finish regardless of what my personality compels me to do. I'm three and a half years into my education at USC for architecture, and there's no stopping me now. Whatever happens, whatever path I choose to take, I'm going to pour myself into what I do, mostly out of love for what it is I do and also because I will not let myself fail. In anything.

sleepytime

There are kittens and cats that live in the kitchen alley right by my housing complex - the laziest cats I have ever seen. They don't even bother going after the rats that thrive there!

I hope to sleep like this little kitten tonight. snoooze.

The Fifth Element (1997)

The Fifth Element is one of those movies that is rooted deep in my childhood/adolescent years (which seems to be a recurring theme in most of my posts this summer - byproduct of being homesick). I watched it again recently when I had some downtime and I realized I hadn't properly said anything about it here. Anyway, for some reason during the late 90's it was always on TV on the weekends and my sister and I would plop ourselves down on the floor/couch to watch. At first it was a cheesy guilty pleasure - I'd laugh at the slow, dim-witted Mangalores, be utterly bewildered by the insanity of the costumes (all designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier!), and overall just wondered who could pull off making this insane movie.

With repeat viewings it really started to grow on me - all the little details (cigarettes that are mostly filter to help you quit, an automatic Chanel makeup kit), the rich scenery and atmosphere, the memorable characters, all make for an amazing cult classic. Milla Jovovich, fantastic as the divine being Leeloo, Bruce Willis of course as the badass former Special Forces turned cab-driver Korben Dallas, Gary Oldman as one of my favorite villains Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, Chris Tucker as flamboyant radio personality Ruby Rhod, and Iam Holm as Father Vito Cornelius - all give perfect performances that make the Fifth Element a rich, cohesive whole.

(architectural) highlights from Singapore

(apologies for the obvious lack of a wide-angle)

1. Illuma Shopping Centre
2. La Salle College of the Arts
3. The Durian(s)
4. Henderson Waves
5. Green Roof at Nanyang Technology University.

The parting shot of Singapore, which exists only in my mind now, is passing under a Calatrava bridge on the bus ride out...!