PERMA Center

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The PERMA Center is a community space that aims to promote mental health. It is a space that provides a wide array of activities that ultimately promotes overall wellness. More importantly, the center also encourages conversation and attempts to educate the public regarding mental health so as to destigmatize the topic, debunk common misconceptions, as well as to raise the people’s awareness about it.

As such, it can cater for a wide range of people – children and adults alike. Afterall, mental wellness is for everyone. Strategically located in a sports complex, the PERMA Center works hand-in-hand with the site as overall wellness is achieved when both physical and mental health are in good condition.

The Karmic Journey

The Karmic Journey is an exhibition and experiential mall installation. With the current situation in Hong Kong regarding death, burial, funeral and cremation procedures, there is a clear need for change in practice and mindset.

The design is inspired by the concept of “karma” in Buddhist philosophy. Simply put, “karma” is intentional action, which can either be good or bad. In Buddhism, having good karma would mean being rebirthed into a heaven realm and of course, racking up bad karma would mean rebirth in one of the hell realms.

Through design, the project aims to reintroduce death as a topic of conversation rather than a taboo. It hopes to encourage people to reflect on their lives and make them realize the power of their actions through experience.

Leaf-imprinted Thermochromic Resin Tiles

The promotion of overall well-being is the objective of my Interior Major Project. To foster this idea, biophilic design is the main concept of the project’s interior. Biophilia is more than just a philosophy—biophilic design has been found to support cognitive function, physical health, and psychological well-being. The heightened connection between humans and nature promotes wellness.

Due to this, the first inspiration I looked into was nature. I wanted to pay respect to nature and somehow even glorify it by introducing some of its lesser explored properties. The first exploration I did was on fallen leaves. Delicate, intricately patterned and unique - just like humans. The goal of the experiment was to transform the leaf from something solid into something more transparent and then eventually develop it into a hanging system for my IMP.

After my exploration with the leaf, I became really interested in the organic patterns that it has. While thinking more functionality this time, I wanted to make a material still based on this idea of leaf and transparency. To add depth, I also wanted the material to be responsive and transformative. Through research, I was able to conclude that resin casting and thermochromic paint would make this idea possible. When the thermochromic paint is applied to the resin tile, it would turn clear and show the leaf-patterned resin tile in its full glory. Located in the exhibition zone, the flooring of the area would then vary depending on the flow of users, essentially creating a transforming space.

This module is a very well-integrated subject. It exposed me to real life situations, for instance, a practice visit, the mock interview and so many more, that I will be facing after graduating. Through this course, I was able to discover myself more deeply, essentially developing another level of understanding of my strengths and weaknesses as a designer. I feel that that my design, creativity, research, analytical skills and knowledge has immensely improved after completing this degree.

The Application of the Theory of Phenomenology in Architecture

With technological advancements, recent years has shown the emergence of globalization,

whereby there is a dramatic integration of economies and cultures worldwide

through the flow of people, information, goods, services and capital across borders.

A very direct implication of this on architectural development is a pronounced

loss of intimacy and the undermining of human-centered design where “the loss of

tactility and the scale and details crafted for the human body and hand, (has made)

our structures become repulsively flat, sharp-edged, immaterial, and unreal” (Pallas

maa, 1996, p. 29). Today’s modern architecture has focused on creating generic

solutions that are successful in market economies. Fordism promoted experimentation

with generic structural solutions – for instance, Unite d’Habitation – to solve

global problems such as affordable and hygienic housing. (Casanova & Hernandez,

2013). These solutions were then cloned around the world despite conflicting with

their locality. As a result, global architecture produces similar cities all around the

world (Koolhaas,1995).

This paper aims to tackle this issue by attempting to develop an understanding of the

theory of phenomenology in architecture as a design approach by investigating the

following key inquiries. What is modern architecture in the global age? What are the

concepts of human sensation and perception? What is phenomenology in architecture?

By addressing these questions, this study attempts to provide an insight on

how to reinvigorate humanism in architecture