Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Thesis Design Directions

I'm pretty glad that the presentation went well yesterday with all 4 professors being able to see the design directions I had proposed. It is also partly because of smart decision making of me choosing this area. Since none of them are experts in it and that leaves me enough room to explore without them constantly giving me suggestions which I don't like.

I had proposed 3 possible directions for this thesis to continue:
1. Plaza| park
+ This proposal focuses on the redesign of the urban site. It would probably be a plaza. Given that a skate plaza tries to emulate the streets, this design however tries to emulate a skatepark without alienating the rest of the non-skating public.

2. Sit-able skate objects
+ Much smaller in scale compared to the plaza park. As the topic suggest, this design direction will concentrate on making skate structures having secondary functions like being seats or tables. It is not about designing a furniture that you can skate on it. Its about designing a skate obstacle that you can dine on.

3. Portable Fittings
+ This is probably the direction that I like most. This direction focuses on the idea of being able to have the required structures anywhere you want.

To illustrate my point, here are my full presentation panels that I showed yesterday:





















3 comments:

The Truth said...

Hey, I like your idea of making something as a skate object and having a secondary use that is non-skate related. Maybe it could one day be part of architecture of a building in Singapore thats made to attract youth, especially skaters. :)

Rashid Lee said...

hey.thanks for dropping by. But from the way things are going, i don't think having fittings like these will ever get built. The only I think it'd be possible if the architect had the designs in mind but does not sell the idea to the urban planner as something to skate on. At the end of the day , I think its about how you convey the idea to the prospective urban develoepr

guerrrilla said...

i dunt understand the stigma with skateboarding in many factions of society. i remember my mom was such a nazi about it. i had to do it behind her back. i think once you change social perception and gain acceptance ... skatopia is possible.

i have to say i LOVE!!!!! your ideas. wow. really look forward to seeing more of your stuff. i'm not too sure about the portable fittings. hard to imagine myself walking around with a ramp on my back. wat wud it be made of? lite weight carbon fibre? everything else is too heavy hey? its a wikkid idea though.

some of my fave spots to are "accidental". i dunt think any design has skaters in mind. not even remotely. the issue most property owners have with skaters is the damage perceived done to their property right? maybe sum revolutionary space age material to out last the use & abuse of weathering and skating might change things??? dunno hey?? dude... your research is fully sick!!! kudos to ya!!!