Pam Talk_ Betty Ng
A Public lecture in title “Collective” took place in Publika black box, was conducted by Betty Ng origin from Hong Kong. She is a Registered Architect in the Netherlands, a RIBA Chartered Architect in the United Kingdom and an Associate member of the AIA, United States. A Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Cornell and Harvard Universities respectively were followed by stints at Studio Fuksas and Herzog & de Meuron, and then in 2006, she joined Rem Koolhaas’ OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture).
Over the years, she worked, she left her post as Design Director of the Rotterdam office in 2014 and later on set up COLLECTIVE studio in 2015, a Hong Kong-based architectural firm made up of architects and academics. And she is currently also an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Collective
By the term of “COLLECTIVE” as she defined is meaning of the architecture’s nature that resulting from combination forces /unity efforts of architect in singular image which dedicated to the new realization in architecture. Their approach is expanding the practice of architecture design to the continual changes that occur in how they to live, work, learn and enjoy.
First Experience
In the lecture, she talk about the works that she had involved and covered many countries while she work under OMA New York. While the first architectural memory is participate in the design of 'Milstein Hall' while she was in junior architect post, which was an expansion of the architecture school, where she had learned much in initial experience of interior design.
She describe the cantilevered area of the studios, is considered a unique space within the upper plate as it is most visible from the pedestrian walkways as well as the transparency seen from the elevation view.
Material
She mentioned about material use at Collective, they always try to use materials in an unfamiliar way.
They did a few trials with the hues for the recycled and reconstituted foam, which used as stuff inside of mattresses and other products that invisible to the user.
For example the Pavilions design for Asia Art Archive in Art Basel Hong Kong.
It’s specifically created with a mixture of high-density recycle material foam that serves both as the acoustic interior lining of the pavilion as well as the seating cubes for the pavilion’s participants. The foam look is seems to match the properties of terrazzo and marble surfaces, which is same as site context of the convention center.
Space + Concept
Collective studio design for “Shifting Objectives, Design in the "M+ Collection” not only showcases the visual culture museum’s design collection but also conceptualized the entire exhibition place that represents the relationship close to the context of exhibition.
There are five sections of collection concepts enclosed with interconnected and accessible, but design in different shape, the form of each room represented it’s eras.
Wall shelves are customized to accommodate the display objects and design material. Thus that, the visual and physical connections creating a gathering space between them and with their historical and conceptual overlaps. is a spatial strategy for highlighting the ‘shifting objectives’ of this show. Their spatial strategy approach is to let visitor experience an crafted space that also delivers a seminal tale with design from historically until today as expected by the Museum.
Open Space + Concept
Bauhaus Museum, Dessau, Germany. Is an unusual exhibition, since they were lack of information about the number and the scale of display item, they inspired by “Terracotta Army” display in Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. Where the exhibited army figures are just placed remain in the pit from where it was buried and excavated without the needs of any showcase to contain.
Unlikely most of the ordinary display where item were captivated as “prisoners” in “cage” storage .They believe that every single piece of Bauhaus’s collection can appears to be a beauty on its own. Their strategy of this preference also allows the booth and exhibition can be change by time in variety of scenarios, and also catch the view from different angle on upper floor.
Conclusion
Based on the talk about their own projects are seems not many as in large scale as well.
Although Collective studio is still newly established in 2015, however they are well prepared and form by a team of architects with different international background from Asia, Europe and the United States.
Based on their international experience, perhaps their design can be globally oriented and strongly rooted in any place of the world.
