Interior Design
School of Design
Singapore
Choo Yee Ping Gracelyn (She/Her)
Hi, my name is Gracelyn.
In this last year of my school life, I wanted to explore a theme that I could really resonate with; a deeper calling. Embarking on the OIP from Glasgow and bringing back the notion of Dérive and the Flâneur into the Sengkang, Singapore context. Sparked by questioning notions beyond every day and how we experience our world.
Flaneuring is to read the city while wandering through it psychogeographically. Maps represent geography as strategic circulations— demarcations directing us around the urbanscape. Existing power play silently dominates the everyday, dictating how we walk, where we walk and the way we drift around the city.
In this manifesto, the flaneur disrupts and diffuses these tensions with the help of light drifting pavilions which act as markers of informal pathways. By taking unbeaten paths, flaneurs gently regain their rights to the city in the form of a gentle rebellion.
Chapter 1: The Wandering Flaneur
The project is sparked by curiosities festered during the OIP to Glasgow in Summer 2019.
Flaneury is a kind of reading of the streets and the city. The project explores the art of wandering and drifting. Flaneuring can be executed anywhere and everywhere. Everyone flaneurs, be it consciously or subconsciously. Flaneuring encourages us to “be” where we are at and experience our urban cities wholesomely, on a deeper level of consciousness.
1. Elements of Glasgow
“Flaneuring before I knew of its existence.”
My drifting journey began without me realizing it. I was photographing strange nooks and corners of the streets of Glasgow. I observed that most of my friends photographs more well-known and representable landmarks of Glasgow. I self-reflected and thought that if someone were to go through my photo album and had to guess where these photographs were taken, it would not be easy to identify the city if one has never been there before. As the photographs captures distinctive elements of the space rather than more reputable identifiers of Glasgow.
3. Bringing the art of flaneur back to Singapore's context
The elements observed while wandering and drifting in Glasgow can be categorized into 7 clusters as follows: Life between cracks, Ageing & remnants, Configuration, Texture, Openings & views, Attitude (personality of a space) and Light & shadow.
After the OIP came to an end and returning to Singapore. I begin to wonder if these same clusters which exists in the Glasgow context could be observed on the streets of Singapore too.
The purpose of selecting Sengkang as my chosen site is parallel with the sentiments of wandering in unknown territory and Sengkang is unfamiliar to me.
4. Drifting in Sengkang
Realizing that the wandering, pausing, and observing routine experienced in Glasgow is known as Drifting.
This is important as to me; drifting was to drift through spaces with no tasks on hand and no destination in mind.
Drifting also activates our consciousness on a deeper level in comparison to how we get by on the daily with our numbed senses.
9. Drifting stop 1
The first drifting spot identified is along the roadside and under the sheltered walkway.
The element spotted at this drifting stop is Openings & views. As depicted by the organic openings on the leaves.
The above study model shows a perforated curvature creating depths of light and shadow under its film.
10. Drifting stop 2
Stop 2 is located along the curved road where cars travel.
The body in space: the flaneur can be seen dwelling in a squatting manner to photograph the elements on the concrete ground.
The flaneur’s aperture (POV): The flaneur observed the imprints left behind by the raindrops on the soil that has been dislodged by the rain. Raindrops left slight concaves on the soil eroded during rainfall.
The element of this site is Ageing & Remnants. To me, this title signifies things that have been left behind, has withstood the wear and tear of time and has a spirit of Wabi sabi in it where it is never a finished product as ageing continues its growth or evolution process. A work is never finished. Remnants to me are organic patterns left behind by nature or objects abandoned and forgotten by humans. These are sentimental to me as it can be seen as part of the souvenirs of life.
11. Drifting stop 3
Drifting stop 3 is located where the flaneur is surrounded by tall buildings around her.
The flaneur is almost unaware of her bouts of ritual looking downwards are the slightest most minute details for several consecutive stops and then looking up at high spots to juxtopose the precedence and finally looking at her eye level to readjust back to her reality to her eye level. This seems to be a repetitive but subconscious ritual while she is on her drifting path.
At stop 3: The facades of the HDB is framing the evening sky. The flaneur dwells arching her neck upwards to capture the elemental scene.
The element on this site is Openings & views as the tall building corners off scenes of the sky unknowingly.
Being surrounded by tall concrete structures in this case, the flaneur feels like she is exploring a dense forest where the buildings symbolizes tall trees. The city begins to look more like an urban jungle.
Chapter 2: Spatial Fragments, The Everyday Flaneur
Framing Spatial Fragments – The art of flaneury is a relatively personal and subjective manifestation. Project 2 utilizes Frames as an instrument to frame views of specific spatial fragments. Spatial fragments evokes narratives in our consciousness. Spatial fragments are re-interpretated and translated showing the possibilities and variety of the art of flaneur.
Design statement: Collecting spatial fragments to form narratives in our consciousness.
3. Thinking through making
What are the elements that makes up the site?
What are these fragments that can be found in space?
Imprints of elements on site (Plaster imprints)
The impressions are made by the “life” collected on-site; which can be seen as souvenirs of life; just like our fingerprints.
4. The Dwelling Bodies Dwelling: Body positions: Body in space
Trying to figure out how the body dwells, how we position ourselves in the social context.
We appropriate our body in relation to the larger spatial context. Like how we are the nucleus to our cell.
Do we stand upright? slouch? lean against a surface? cross our legs? cross our arms? or squat down?
5. Film Studies: Framing Scenes
Parasite
framing scenes to capture raindrops,
framing site elements to amplify spatial quality
methods of revealing
Playtime - Jacque Tatti
Entire set was built for film in 1967
Scenes framed focuses on flaneur’s observing, interacting and wondering about people, things and spaces.
Playful interaction with an edge of humor.
Majority of the scenes do not depict commonly known identifiers of Paris, like the Eiffel tower.
Minute details, furnishings and people were depicted.
Realization:
Tatti frames the Fun in everyday life.
This is Tatti’s way of depicting flaneur. It is his manifestation. And this is only one type of flanuery. Everyone can manifest their own flaneury.
6. Flaneur's thought funnel
Flaneur varies from the individual.
The flaneur’s thought funnel allows me to comprehend and see links between each section of theoretical framework more distinctively allowing logical reasoning to flow.
The issue of topic at hand is Flaneuring in our everyday.
The concept of Spatial fragments keeps us aware of our stream of consciousness whilst flaneuring.
The strategy of Derive means to drift and wander while reading the urban city.
The tactics examplifies the possibilities of flaneur where the rules of flaneuring differ from person to person based on the individual’s set of observation skills, sensibilities, and personal preferences. Since everyone is has similarities and differences, flaneuring spectrums from individual to individual.
11. Framing
The 2nd manifestation of flaneury in Sengkang.
Rules: Mapless, Timeless, No start point allocated, No task given, Using frames.
Frames are adopted to highlight and bring attention to the fragments in the sengkang social context.
Frames aid flaneurs to read the city with their own interpretations, translating fragments in the real world into extracted essences of the space.
Chapter3:Where the Flaneurs Drift
Flaneurs’ Pavillions – The final project documents markers of informal paths made by drifting. The temporality and fragile traces left behind by fellow flaneurs reveals opportunity for taking pauses to dwell whilst drifting, looking through the apertures (perspective) of fellow flaneurs. Paper-like pavilions plotted on these delicate markers amplifies the ephemeral spirit of Sengkang. Pavilions sway with the wind creating gentle rustles. Wind, Sunlight, Raindrops, and the Texture of the pavilion encompasses these floating pavilions; seemingly drifting reminiscent of the flaneurs. Everyday flaneurs like you and I can drift and dwell in Sengkang and its surprise-interventions.
1. Envisage of Drifters’ Pavilions
The open grass area is being dominated by HDB blocks that surrounds most of its circumference. The design intervention of Drifters’ Pavilions are light paper pavilions which are scattered around the neighbourhood. These pavilions are markers of informal paths made by drifting. It demarcates paths left behind by other flaneurs by collecting traces like empty wilted grass paths that flaneurs frequent more often. It also highlights the fact that flaneurs often explore the unbeaten path.
2. Envisage of Drifters’ Pavilions
The open grass area is being dominated by HDB blocks that surrounds most of its circumference. The design intervention of Drifters’ Pavilions are light paper pavilions which are scattered around the neighbourhood. These pavilions are markers of informal paths made by drifting. It demarcates paths left behind by other flaneurs by collecting traces like empty wilted grass paths that flaneurs frequent more often. It also highlights the fact that flaneurs often explore the unbeaten path.
3. Method of Revealing
These droplet-shaped pavilions are made of a translucent paper: namely Butter paper. The quality of the paper gives of a textured-grainy atmosphere which hugs the atmosphere. The perforations are elongated slits caused by the overlapping of the paper material. This layering structure allows light rays to pass through the paper and diffuses the interiors of the pavillions.
The light quality also changes as the sunsets and rises throughout the day. The quality of the light in the interior of the pavilions depends on nature’s will; be it sunny or gloomy.
10. Drifters' Pavillion
The collage depicts the materiality existing in the site context from grass, concrete from the HDBs, the sky and the paper pavillions as emblems of “breathe”. To take breathes of fresh air in the city by our own choice is a subtle way of disrupting the power of dominance from the people in power, and society, dictating the way we walk, where we walk, where we cannot walk, what we wear and how we carry ourselves in society.
This power disrupt briefly allows flaneurs to regain their rights to the city sparked by the Situationists’ Naked City (1957). Their freedom and will to take informal paths whilst drifting.
11. Drifters' Pavillion
The collage depicts the materiality existing in the site context from grass, concrete from the HDBs, the sky and the paper pavillions as emblems of “breathe”. To take breathes of fresh air in the city by our own choice is a subtle way of disrupting the power of dominance from the people in power, and society, dictating the way we walk, where we walk, where we cannot walk, what we wear and how we carry ourselves in society.
This power disrupt briefly allows flaneurs to regain their rights to the city sparked by the Situationists’ Naked City (1957). Their freedom and will to take informal paths whilst drifting.
12. Drifters' Pavillion
Flaneurs dwell differently in different social settings. From being alone, to being with a partner or in a larger group. The proximity between people changed and we appropriate ourselves to the interior of the pavillions like the nucleus of the cell.
13. Drifters' Pavillion
The site where the drifting stops are clusters has a pre-school centre where children can be spotted running around often. Their bubbly presence while interacting with the movements of the pavillions displays playfulness. Besides the children, their teachers, parents and grandparents passes by the pavillions casually which is opportune for the positioning of the pavillions as they can cater for everyone.
17. Interior of Drifters' Pavillions
The scale of the pavillions are varied from larger pavillions to singular intimated pavillions which can cater to the comfortability and personal preferences of people.
Above is a mid-sized pavilion which occupied by a family of five. Peeking through the layers of the pavillions and soaking up the sun peeking through the openings of the canopy of the pavilions.
18. Interior of Drifters' Pavillions
The pavilions dances with the wind. Wind escaping into the pavillion introduces airflow and breeze into the interior. This circulation of air creates rustles from the paper material. The lady in the photograph is taking a closer look at the paper material under sunlight and noticing the beauty of the uneven grains on the materiality of the paper.
19. Drifters' Pavillions
The floating pavillions suspended from various heights caters to people of different age group from children who are shorter to adults who needs a higher headspace.
The pale yellow pavilions are happy surprises that comes and goes along the drifting paths where the flaneurs drift. Curious eyes catches the flaneurs during its drift and are welcome to join.
20. Drifters' Pavillions
The largest pavillions can house larger social groups in the neighbourhoods. The high headspace creates an atmosphere above the average height of people; creating a canopy of void which adds to the ephemeral spirit of the space.
People can pick their own corners in this huge pavilion where they feel comfortable to dwell, at their own ease. From leaning on the edge, to standing or stretching. Everyone is welcome to dwell and drift along the drifting path and pausing inside the drifting pavillions; before continuing on their drift. This allows more room for the flaneurs to play in everyday Sengkang.