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PAM LECTURE 03

COLLECTIVE by BETTY NG

Collective Studio

We really want to celebrate the effort of team; our team had numerous sketch and model to generate discussion. We are globally oriented and strongly rooted in Asia.

-Practicing Architecture, Interiors, Urban Design and Design Consultancy.

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-Established in Hong Kong by Betty Ng, with Juan Minguez, Katja Lam and Ying Zhou

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-COLLECTIVE team has previously worked closely for years with various international practices including Pritzker Prize laureates Rem Koolhaas/OMA and Herzog & de Meuron; at Massimiliano Fuksas, Frechilla & López-Peláez Arquitectos, SO-IL, MADA spam and at Hong Kong local practices including Aedas and RMJM on Architecture, Urban Design and Interior projects worldwide. 

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-COLLECTIVE is a team of architects with an international background from Hong Kong, China, Europe and the United States. Their project experiences reach those in the Europe Union, United Kingdom, Russia, North America, China, South East Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East.

Betty is a Registered Architect in the Netherlands, a RIBA Chartered Architect in the United Kingdom and an Associate member of the AIA, United States. She holds an M. Arch from Harvard University and a B. Arch Professional Degree from Cornell University. Prior setting up COLLECTIVE, Betty was Design Director at OMA Rotterdam with Pritzker Prize Laureate Rem Koolhaas, leading the winning proposal for the Axel Springer Media Headquarters in Berlin, the 80,000 m2 Hermitage Museum Art Repository in St. Petersburg, the 42 Hectares West Kowloon Cultural District Master Plan in Hong Kong and many more. Betty is currently an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and previously at the University of Hong Kong.

ASIA ART ARCHIVE OPEN PLATFORM 2016, ART BASEL HONG KONG

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Betty and her team wish to create a pavilion which is public and function as a meeting and open hall area space. The site given is very small and unique which is just under an escalator. Due to the limitation to space and height, Collective had decided a simple form with playing with materiality. Two simple materials are used: recycle foam and aluminium. The whole project make a harmony and soft situation to the user as the floor and wall are designed with same material. At the same time, they also use loose furniture (bookshelf) to make a better connection between people and also for acoustic purposes.

BETTY SHOW THEIR STUDY ON

BAUHAUS'S PROJECT.

BAUHAUS MUSEUM, DESSAU, GERMANY

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As this project is about Bauhaus, they study lots on the Bauhaus’s previous project.

 

Collective team designed a museum based on the steps: 

-Organize the program circulation
-one level tall building,

-Elevation transparent, connect to the greenery
-research on Bauhaus

-Various function middle exhibition areas is created

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The design talk very well with the environment and very humble in the site. It’s only a one level height building and the elevations are completely transparent.Taking from different field of view, different intentions are made: 

OPEN FIELD: Museum is knowledge, to access knowledge we need to allow exploration. 

EXHIBITION FIELD: To present the complete work we need a complete view. 

LANDSCAPE FIELD: Museum is public, it is a living chamber. 

LOGISTICS FIELD: Museum is work; it is not merely a showcase and the consumption of end products. 

CULTURAL FIELD: Museum spreads culture; it should not contain but be infectious.

Family of 5

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This is a smaller project compared to the project that collective did before.A complete gutting of a 50 year old apartment in the mid-levels of Hong Kong from decorative extravagance to modest necessity for a family of 5.The client need a house that is very calm and clear, and hence Collective playing with the material also as the space able to design also very small. Collective use minimal material which are wood and Grey tiles. Collective team designs the space with collage the space with material.

After the talk, I realize that Betty Ng is an idol to learn from. “Collective” not only about design, she also collect talented people from all around the world , collect design idea from all her colleague.

"We really want to celebrate the effort of team, our team had numerous sketch and model to generate discussion." This show she is a leader that stress on teamwork and she respect to other colleague’s work although she is the founder and design director.

 

Besides, I was being more impressed by her talk during the Q&A session. A student asked her what her problem as a FEMALE architect is during her life. Betty’s answer him: “I would not call myself a female architect instead I called myself an architect. I just enjoy what I am doing” This answer was fantastic and make me think that Betty is a powerful person which she very proud and believe in herself.

From the talk, I had learned the skills on design, treat art as a living. Different project and different client’s requirement is different but we had to do fulfill it. Moreover, I also learned her attitude towards architecture and also a quality of a leader, learned to corporate with a team. As a conclusion, this is a fruitful talk.

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