What compels a person to sit down, pen poised or keyboard at the ready, and attempt to spin thoughts into something resembling coherence? I am starting this journal from a curious blend of curiosity and necessity – a thought exercise, nothing more grandiose or less sincere. Thoughts, after all, are like restless creatures; they demand space to breathe and roam such that they may thrive.
This journal will be ever-evolving. I intend to cover a mix of architecture, art, design, and the idiosyncrasies of Singapore, accompanied by the occasional detour into something entirely unexpected. Mostly, it will be opinion – unapologetic and sometimes raw, but always honest.
In shaping this journal, I’ve thought often of Lebbeus Woods, whose blog was both a manifesto and a mirror (click here for his blog). His work was not just about architecture, but about challenging how we see the world and the spaces we inhabit. He provoked thought by presenting architecture as a kind of narrative, with each building or design as a conversation between the environment and the people who encounter it. His blog acted as an extension of this philosophy, breaking down the boundaries between the ideas in his mind and the world outside. It was a space where concepts flowed freely, unpolished yet full of potential, a reflection of his deep, restless curiosity – and in conversation with others, in the comments section (which I have yet to build into this blog, unfortunately).
So here we begin – no map, just a compass. Let’s see where it takes us. Architecture, design, and art all have one thing in common: they’re ideas made real, shaped by those bold enough to bring their visions to life. And here in Singapore, where the old and the new are constantly negotiating, caught between history’s pull and the drive for progress, it’s a fascinating dance between keeping what matters and embracing what’s next.
Maybe this journal will uncover something completely new, or maybe it’ll just help me say what I’ve always felt but never quite put into words. Either way, I think the journey itself – the act of thinking things through and sharing them – is bound to be worthwhile.