Theories of Urbanism and Architecture (TUA) - Synopsis

1. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2016) [10 MARKS]
NAME: Lim Jern Jack ID: 0317139
LECTURER: Mr. Nicholas Ng TUTORIAL TIME: 2-4pm
SYNOPSIS NO: 1 READER TITLE: In The Cause of Architecture
AUTHOR: Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright suggested about the greatness of Nature surpassing the man’s ability
whereas the means of architectural contrivances introduced by man did not appreciate it
and even the architecture was driven by technology rather than using our great mind. In
the text, he took the stand on the importance of integrity of order, harmony and form that
the society had changed by the improving socio-economical conditions which led them to
the trend of following the great “styles” impetuously. In my opinion, some of the
contemporary architecture by Rem Koolhass is a very good example of complementing
the form using the technology that we own now instead of the other way round. I reckon
that the architecture that we made should be driven by the principle, understanding that
the site should be enhanced by the architecture, and the architecture derives its form
partially from the nature of the site to pay respect to the grant given by the nature.
However, in Wright’s articulation of architecture was through its every detail. Materiality,
walls, openings, decoration, scale, character and drawings should be all intimately
associated to create a true poetry of conception and exquisite subtleties. I think this is the
way of moulding a good piece of architecture without simply conventionalised it that would
contradict to the idea of establishing a harmonious relationship between the architecture
form and the society in a larger scale. For instance, Frank Gehry, one of the Postmodern
architects, who conferred about the architectural syntax, showing his architecture has
extensively utilised the linguistic pattern in order to give thought to people and the organic
architecture that complements the nature or site.
In conclusion, from my perspective, Wright was conveying that architecture shall
comprehend and appreciate life and nature, holding the principles as a basis to create a
more livable space with the spiritual integrity of environment regardless of the time
momentum.
WORD COUNT 313

2. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2016) [10 MARKS]
NAME: Lim Jern Jack ID: 0317139
LECTURER: Mr. Nicholas Ng TUTORIAL TIME: 2-4pm
SYNOPSIS NO: 2 READER TITLE: Architecture Where Desire Can Live
AUTHOR: Jacques Derrida Interviewed by Eva Meyer
In the text of ‘Architecture Where Desire Can Live - Jacques Derrida Interviewed by Eva Meyer’, it
had suggested the architectural thinking in relation to the theory with practice is inseparable,
whereby the practice itself could vary from different architects, especially the way they presented
their drawings. In the case of deconstructive architecture, people may think that it has no purchase
on the history but if we think the other way round, it could be creating the architectural history of the
future, and if we trace back to the origin of architecture, it was also built upon no history but from
the anthropocentric view.
In my opinion, in the Western culture, the political aspect has always been bound to the issue of
the gathering within space, of the closing of frontiers as the condition of its living unity. The place
and territory are not simple material elements added to the politics, but they are essential to the
constitution of the dream of the living unity, the metaphysical illusion of a full and pure auto-
sufficiency keeping alterity and alteration out of what we take as our own individual, social, cultural
and political identity. However, the diversity in architecture is where we celebrate the differences,
which is the interesting part where people meet and share their culture, ideas and values, creating
spaces with experiences of different culture.
I agree with what Derrida had mentioned that architecture was not an art of representation, as
architecture itself shall derive its inspiration from some points of views instead of a direct imitation.
In addition to that, the form of architecture may inform some part of the philosophy behind the
building, but what instead more importantly is the content or the space in a building could allow
diversity of architectural events to take place, to continuously moulding the desire of creating a
better living space and environment.
WORD COUNT 311
Key points (2.5)
Appropriateness of
Terminologies (2.5)

3. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2016) [10 MARKS]
NAME: Lim Jern Jack ID: 0317139
LECTURER: Mr. Nicholas Ng TUTORIAL TIME: 2-4pm
SYNOPSIS NO: 3 READER TITLE: The Eyes of The Skin
AUTHOR: Juhani Pallasmaa
Eyes are the first gate of perceiving information before interpreting in our mind and
conscious, giving the conversation amongst our inner self, and hence to feel, experience
and respond towards the ‘spacing’ condition. In the realm of senses, interactions amongst
them with the surrounding (context) play a role to mould the oneself’s memory of a space
or a place. In the discourse of architectural style, we always discuss about its content and
form where we trace back to its origin and found that every single architectural style is
actually inspired by something, no matter from the aspect of philosophy, politics, nature
and so on. It informs at a new or different perspective whilst not only engage people
looking from the keyhole of a door to envisage and extend a certain thinking where we
celebrate our differences, but this idea is always criticised as a devoid of historical
relevancy and precedent, where I personally reckon this is a limitation or boundary for an
innovation. Contextual architecture such as traditional Chinese shophouses in Malaysia, is
an extension of nature responding architecture to create a desirably living space with the
traditional Chinese housing elements, which they drew on certain southern Chinese
housing typologies, in which I called it ‘pyschological attachment’ that used to connect
users with familiarity. “Architecture is a ‘verb’ more than a ‘form’ ”, a quote that I can agree
no more. A space can provoke emotion, create and recall memory, relying on our senses
and collecting our thoughts. You can always go back to the same place, stand on the exact
same spot to revise the old memory or feelings, but it will never be the same. Maybe that is
the meaning of having memories, the meaning of stimulating a vision and thought.
WORD COUNT 293
Key points (2.5)
Appropriateness of
Terminologies (2.5)
Clarity in Opinions and

4. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (AUGUST 2016) [10 MARKS]
NAME: Lim Jern Jack ID: 0317139
LECTURER: Mr. Nicholas Ng TUTORIAL TIME: 2-4pm
SYNOPSIS NO: 4 READER TITLE: Towards a Critical Regionalism
AUTHOR: Kenneth Frampton
In the text of ‘Towards a Critical Regionalism’, Frampton suggested arriere-garde position will
create a "resistant, identity-giving culture...having discreet recourse to universal technique." In my
opinion, it is an act of reactionary returns to vernacular forms whereas it is also a tool for
developing countries to take a stand on their identity and to manifest their capability of building a
nation. In the context of China, the architecture proposed by local or foreign architects is to support
its status as being a superpower country. In order to develop its status, Megalopolis is formed. It is
an extension of an urban form’s boundary by merging numerous cognate cities into a greater form
that results in placelessness, or an indistinguishable domain. For example Pearl River Delta
Megalopolis, it has the main regions of Hong Kong, Macau and GuangDong that share similar
languages but have cultural differences owing to the aspects of history and politics. Therefore, if
these regions are being developed as one single region, the distinctive elements of each city will
gradually efface. Landmarks such as Hong Kong International Commerce Centre, Shanghai Tower,
and ShenZhen Ping An Finance Centre are all respectively the tallest skyscrapers in each region,
yet none of them stands out with the city’s characteristics where they only enhance the skylines in
term of height. Furthermore, young cities such as ShenZhen and suburbans of the main cities are
being built in a rapid manner without any historical reference that make it soulless. I fully agree with
Heidegger’s saying, the absolute precondition of a bounded domain in order to create an
architecture of resistance, which means being can only happen in a clearly bounded domain to
resist the pressure of Megalopolis. Imagine that if all megalopolises in China are being developed
as one, the architecture will be homogeneous regardless of domains that this tasteless scenario
could also be applied in the context of Malaysia.
WORD COUNT 315
Key points (2.5)
Appropriateness of
Terminologies (2.5)
Clarity in Opinions and