// happy hour

‘Happy Hour’ came from the marketing term used to describe the period in which bars and restaurants offer special discounts on alcoholic drinks. The period usually spans from 4pm to 8pm, a time that is popular amongst colleagues to gather for drinks after a long day of work. 

The duration in between the end of work/school and the family dinner is your time to unwind, relax and satisfy those suppressed urges; such as after work drinks, after school play dates or squeezing in some much needed exercise. This four-hours-long duration inadvertently makes a happy face when applied on to a clock. Whenever you check the time the visually striking image of the smiling face reminds you of the ‘happiest hours’ of the day, the self-indulging time zone we all crave for.

Material palate: 3mm plexiglass and aluminum sheeting. 

// color coordination overboard

I came across this during a site visit in downtown Toronto. It amused me how a neighbors rivalry could go this far. 

// happy twenty ten

// goodbye t-shirts

I scored these lovely custom made t-shirts from my previous employers and colleagues as farewell presents. So far I’ve been 3 for 3, let’s see if this ritual continues.

// architects head-to-head

Designboom publishes monthly interviews with prominent figures from the design field, a total of 20 architects have participated to date. The interviews are conducted in the same format where interviewees across the board are presented with the same set of questions. Such a format yields a head to head comparison between these architects and designers, it gives the readers the opportunity to measure them against their peers. Here is the list of questions they had to answer.

what is the best moment of the day?

what kind of music do you listen to at the moment?

do you listen to the radio?

what books do you have on your bedside table?

where do you get your news from?

I assume you notice how women dress. do you have any preferences?

what kind of clothes do you avoid wearing?

do you have any pets?

where do you work on your projects usually?

could you describe your style as a good friend of yours might?

is there any designer and/or architect from the past you appreciate a lot?

what current architects do you appreciate?

who would you like to design something for?

can you describe an evolution in your work from your first projects to the present day?

what project has given you the most satisfaction?

when you were a child, did you want to become an architect?

what are you afraid of regarding the future ?

any advice for the young?

I have gone through all the interviews on architects and selected my favorite responses for each question. Amongst the selections, some are in my opinion the most playful or intriguing and some are simply answers I can relate to. To enforce an unbiased selection, I was blinded to the identity of these interviewees. In the end I’ve tallied up the amount of chosen responses from each architect. To my surprise, I had chosen at least one answer from everyone, and Minsuk Cho (Mass Studies) graced the top spot with seven impressive responses.

I can see the results of this collation playing a role in choosing potential employers. Instead of solely judging the architects on their works, their character and personality also greatly influence the experience of a work term.  I mean this doesn’t mean I will bolt for Korea for my next job, but it did open new doors.

Click more to see the chosen responses.

// punk'd

What happens when you doze off during work.

// thumb up

My new ring has finally arrived. It is crafted by Japanese artist Arata Fuchi using pulverization techniques. Check out his other works here. 

Thanks Arata!

// dirty harry

Meet Haagse Harry, the most recognized 'Harry' in Holland. 

He is an aggressive, foul-mouthed knucklehead who roams the streets of Den Hague...a bona fide Dirty Harry.

// cities on wheels

For the past year, I’ve had the privilege to live/work in two of the most bicycle friendly cities in the world. Amsterdam and Copenhagen share a very similar bike culture in that both cities support and encourage the use of bikes as the primary mean of transportation. Infrastructures catering to bikes are well implemented in to the city traffics, compelling almost half the population to commute on wheels.

Besides being a mobile and reliable commuting tool, it also brings you closer to the mainstream lifestyle of the locals. I purchased my bike the day after I arrived in Amsterdam. The moment I start paddling, the initial stint of being that awkward and insecure tourist starts to fade away. In a way, conforming to the bike culture was the first step to establish myself in the city, as if I’ve been officially integrated into the flow of the society. Additional benefits of cycling include daily exercise, economically sustainable, and nothing beats the thrill of cycling home intoxicated at two in the morning.

the synonymous bike scene of Amsterdam and Copenhagen

The bicycle parking garage beside Amsterdam's central station, this thing houses 2500 bikes.

The bikes gets a magnificent view overlooking the IJ River.

inside/outside

The steel truss column that holds up the cantilevered parking platforms.

Your bikes will be 'towed' if not retrieved after 28 days.

My trusty folder bike.

a headshot of Danny Devito printed on the bike seat, a gesture of love...or detest.

The shed also comes with a handy attendant.

Some shabby parking spots under the train tracks, apparently 2500 spots are still not enough.

The bicycle parking lot beside Copenhagen's Nørrebro Station, the busiest station in the city.

I find bicycles to be extremely photogenic =]

// soccer frenzy-Dutch style

About a month ago, I attended a soccer game along with my buddies Pete and Zak. Let me preface by pointing out I am a diehard sports fan and this is not my first time to a sporting event, but boy I was really impressed by the energy of the crowd, especially for supporting just a B team...

This was a match between the Jong Ajax (Younge Ajax) and the Jong PSV, respectively the reserve teams for the cities of Amsterdam and Eindhoven. Since they were only the B teams, entrance was free, and only the bottom half of the arena was open. The whole time we were shoulder to shoulder with thousands of drunk, rowdy, Dutch soccer hooligans. Every pass and tackle would trigger the crowd into a beautifully synchronized Ajax team song, choreographed with bobbing and hand motions. I don’t remember what the final score was, at the end it was much more entertaining watching the crowd reactions. If this was a sneak peak to an official Ajax game, imagine what it would be like to witness a World Cup soccer match.

Photos taken from Amsterdam ArenA.