Defy
speculative moma satellite singapore
Spring 2022
#rhino
The studio postulates that the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York is opening a satellite in Singapore. The Satellite MoMA would have no permanent collection, it is a place for modern art to come and go. Rather than defining the museum as a place where works of art is archived, the Satellite MoMA is a dynamic space shaped by the founding mission to educate the public about modern art.
Social sculptures and constructs established years ago define today's society. Yet, venturing into the future and embracing new ideas require us to break through the conventions that has been carved in stone by the past.
Representing and symbolising that forceful exit and penetration through old, traditional and conventional practices and beliefs, Defy aims to be a standing monument to challenging and defying social norms.
The museum was designed to have three key features that sets it apart from traditional museums.
Varying elevations.
An ageing museum.
A designated journey.
varying elevation
On the interior, standing at different elevations and seeing others higher or lower than one's own eye level allows one to perceive a difference in height, which in turn creates a divide between the spaces.
On the exterior, the elevated bricks create spaces below them, some of which houses programs (such as the MoMA cafe), while others barely tall enough for visitors to traverse through. Yet, the "gap" allows for visitors to have a slight glimpse on what's on the inside, building anticipation and intrigue, drawing them into the museum.
Social sculptures and constructs established years ago define today's society. Yet, venturing into the future and embracing new ideas require us to break through the conventions that has been carved in stone by the past.
Representing and symbolising that forceful exit and penetration through old, traditional and conventional practices and beliefs, Defy aims to be a standing monument to challenging and defying social norms.
The museum was designed to have three key features that sets it apart from traditional museums.
Varying elevations.
An ageing museum.
A designated journey.
varying elevation
On the interior, standing at different elevations and seeing others higher or lower than one's own eye level allows one to perceive a difference in height, which in turn creates a divide between the spaces.
On the exterior, the elevated bricks create spaces below them, some of which houses programs (such as the MoMA cafe), while others barely tall enough for visitors to traverse through. Yet, the "gap" allows for visitors to have a slight glimpse on what's on the inside, building anticipation and intrigue, drawing them into the museum.
ageing museum
The chamfered corners, depending on size and placement, form windows or doors. The chamfer windows create opportunities for light to enter, and for visitors to catch a glimpse of the centerpiece artwork.
Designated artworks are placed intentionally in places exposed to natural light through these chamfer windows, as part of the non-conservation in this museum. Allowed to deteoriate and age over time, the artwork confers a value of history to itself.
The artworks in this museum are not the only things allowed to age. The museum walls are cladded in teak, a species of hardwood that, when left to the elements untreated, weather. The museum itself ages as time passes, growing from it's original amber shade to a beautiful silvery-grey patina.
designated journey
Instead of a aimless free-roam with no order, the circulation of the museum is predetermined as one main pathway. Visitors are led on a journey from exhibit to exhibit throughout the museum. Each adjacent exhibit and programme almost become inter-related to one another.
Naturally, the journey begins at the entrance to the interior exhibits. Visitors walk through both conserved and non-conserved exhibits in the interior, passing by the design lab, stops by the performance theatre to catch the daily show, and concludes their journey opposite to where they entered the museum from, now facing the centerpiece artwork house in the central open space of the museum.
ageing museum
The chamfered corners, depending on size and placement, form windows or doors. The chamfer windows create opportunities for light to enter, and for visitors to catch a glimpse of the centerpiece artwork.
Designated artworks are placed intentionally in places exposed to natural light through these chamfer windows, as part of the non-conservation in this museum. Allowed to deteoriate and age over time, the artwork confers a value of history to itself.
The artworks in this museum are not the only things allowed to age. The museum walls are cladded in teak, a species of hardwood that, when left to the elements untreated, weather. The museum itself ages as time passes, growing from it's original amber shade to a beautiful silvery-grey patina.
designated journey
Instead of a aimless free-roam with no order, the circulation of the museum is predetermined as one main pathway. Visitors are led on a journey from exhibit to exhibit throughout the museum. Each adjacent exhibit and programme almost become inter-related to one another.
Naturally, the journey begins at the entrance to the interior exhibits. Visitors walk through both conserved and non-conserved exhibits in the interior, passing by the design lab, stops by the performance theatre to catch the daily show, and concludes their journey opposite to where they entered the museum from, now facing the centerpiece artwork house in the central open space of the museum.
Ageing over time
defying convention
I first asked myself the question: What is conventional?
Dedicated to the conservation and preservation of artwork or artifacts significant to human history or culture.
Made of large spaces housing exhibits, allowing for free roam and circulation within the spaces and throughout the museum.
Distinction between spaces are made with walls and physical partitions.
And so to be unconventional is to:
Not conserve and preserve artwork.
Determine and designate a single path for visitors to traverse through, going on a journey through the exhibits they walk by.
Distinct between spaces without walls and physical partitions, such as with elevation.
Naturally, not all artists may design their artwork to be destroyed over time, and so the first point of not conserving and preserving artwork was changed to:
Conservation of some artwork or artifacts significant to human history or culture, and non-conservation of some others.
Perhaps the most counterintuitive part with the greatest degree of non-acceptance is that the museum allows for artwork to get damaged and lost over time. However, from another perspective, allowing artworks to deteriorate adds an element of time and age to it, and the fleeting existence of the exhibit confers a new sense of value in that there is beauty in age, and that the history of the artwork is recorded and seen in the artwork itself. This concept of time-limitedness is my defiance of and penetration through the old, traditional and conventional practices and beliefs in the art world.
Ageing over time
defying convention
I first asked myself the question: What is conventional?
Dedicated to the conservation and preservation of artwork or artifacts significant to human history or culture.
Made of large spaces housing exhibits, allowing for free roam and circulation within the spaces and throughout the museum.
Distinction between spaces are made with walls and physical partitions.
And so to be unconventional is to:
Not conserve and preserve artwork.
Determine and designate a single path for visitors to traverse through, going on a journey through the exhibits they walk by.
Distinct between spaces without walls and physical partitions, such as with elevation.
Naturally, not all artists may design their artwork to be destroyed over time, and so the first point of not conserving and preserving artwork was changed to:
Conservation of some artwork or artifacts significant to human history or culture, and non-conservation of some others.
Perhaps the most counterintuitive part with the greatest degree of non-acceptance is that the museum allows for artwork to get damaged and lost over time. However, from another perspective, allowing artworks to deteriorate adds an element of time and age to it, and the fleeting existence of the exhibit confers a new sense of value in that there is beauty in age, and that the history of the artwork is recorded and seen in the artwork itself. This concept of time-limitedness is my defiance of and penetration through the old, traditional and conventional practices and beliefs in the art world.
SPECIAL Thanks
ANNA TOH: For her invaluable guidance as the studio's instructor.