Collages - Chinese Gardens

This collage is another study of bamboo, but here I wanted to examine the different textural qualities of the bamboo that can be found within the Chinese gardens. Bamboo can be thick or thin, dark black or light yellow, round, square, rough or smooth. By examining only one particular aspect of the gardens in detail, an infinite amount of possibilities is suddenly opened up. These differences are highlighted by their placement against a neutral white backdrop. Similar to my first study of bamboo, a relationship develops between the amounts of white wall shown, and the amount of bamboo shown. The bamboo plays host to a changing array of patterning with the walls behind it, and the collage examines this through the changing degrees of obscurity, ranging from a complete white wall, to total obscurity of the white wall via the bamboo leaves.


This collage is a study of the texture and quality of the white walls. Different patterns play out on these white walls, as light is filtered through leaves and bamboo sticks, whilst moss and dirt gather. Here, the walls act as a backdrop for the various processes occurring within the gardens: some as fleeting as a shadow, whilst others more lasting, such as weathering. Parts of the walls begin to mirror the branches and leaves of the bamboo, through the combined effects of these processes. The walls take on similarities with the elements of the garden. It is interesting to me that the weathering of the walls is not only endured, but also appears to be accepted and celebrated as a continual process of change within the garden, adding another layer of depth to one’s visual field.


This collage was my first in a series of bamboo studies. Through the placement of bamboo against a white backdrop, a series of textures and patterning begins to occur. The pattern of the bamboo itself, the patterns that the light and shadows make against the white walls, and the texture of the white wall itself, all create an interesting visual experience. By removing the bamboo from its traditional context of a forest, it begins to take on an abstract quality, further enhanced the two strips of photos, that seem almost to mirror each other, but do not quite form an exact opposite image. Simultaneously, this collage speaks of transparency, and increasing degrees of obscurity. There is a progression from a white wall, to a forest of bamboo sticks. The bamboo never fully hides the white wall behind it, but creates an increasingly obscured image of the backdrop.


This collage is an examination of the different textures, colours and materials encountered in Chinese gardens. Close-up shots of moss, rocks, leaves and stone represent the different elements found within the gardens. The white lines that snake through the collage show a path cutting through the various ground-cover. I was influenced by the way the natural environment seems to grow and take control of the man made elements in the gardens. Trees branch out, moss spreads, leaves fall. All of these natural processes slowly impinge upon the man made paths, creating a living, breathing garden.


This was my first collage and also one of my few attempts at a realistic perspective. I tried to examine the way small objects (rocks, shrubs) often mirror their bigger counterparts (mountains, forests) in shape and form. I created an image of a mountain and forest, using close-up shots that I took of the rockeries in the gardens. It is interesting to note the strong relationship small objects often have with large objects, and how there appears to be a distinct link between the two. Many of the small rockeries in the gardens did indeed look like cliff faces, caves, or mountain ranges. By actually using photos of the smaller objects, assembled to create a larger object, I tried to demonstrate this notion.


Red is a colour that I saw very rarely in the Chinese gardens, especially amongst the natural elements. I noticed that this particular tree had been planted in a very specific place, allowing the dramatic red colour of the leaves to contrast with the plain white background. Had the tree been planted next to shrubs of green, it may not have had the same dramatic visual effect. In this way, I attempted to convey not only the great colour contrasts that exist in the Chinese gardens, but also the importance of the specificity of site, and the careful planning that must be involved. If I were to remake this collage, I would perhaps site the tree in its context, to reinforce the careful organisation of the garden.


Light, texture, and continuity were the main themes of this collage. The predominance of white as a backdrop colour is very obvious in the Chinese gardens. Light plays a changing and diverse array of patterns on the walls and groundcover, filtered through doors and windows. I found it interesting that one can find similar patterns, colours, and textures from various parts of the garden. There seems to be a consistent visual and textural style that is continued throughout the man-made elements of the garden. In this collage I attempted to recollect photos from various parts of the garden, to form one cohesive image. Although I feel the collage can be read as a clear perspective image of a doorframe with light shining through it onto the ground, I also feel this is one of my weaker collages, as I wasn’t able to properly convey my ideas, such as the continuity of light upon surfaces, and the similar surface textures found throughout the gardens.


This collage was my first in a series of studies of white walls. The notion of white walls as a boundary was interesting to me. Each of the gardens that we visited featured similar whitewashed walls acting as a boundary. Interestingly, all of the interior partitions also used similar white walls of the same height. As one explores the gardens, one is constantly confronted by these walls, some of which you can pass through via gates and openings, and others which simply enclose the garden. Whilst you are in the gardens, it can be hard to tell the difference between the two types of walls. I felt that perhaps this was intended to give the impression that there was always something beyond the horizon of one’s visual field, and the garden could continue indefinitely in the imagination, rather than ending at the boundary walls. Is there something beyond these walls in the collage, or does the garden end here?


This collage is a continuation of my study of white walls. I wanted to further explore the theme of walls as a boundary, but in a different way. From my experience of the Chinese gardens, almost all of the white walls can be seen as a backdrop for the foreground elements of the gardens, such as rockeries, trees and ponds. In this way, white walls can usually be seen as boundary walls that recede into the background, whilst allowing the focus to be placed on other parts of the garden. Keeping this in consideration, I was very surprised to find in the Master of Nets garden, many walls that actually formed a part of the foreground, and rather than receding, instead came forward at a sharp angle. This interesting change placed focus on the white wall as an object rather than a backdrop, and I have similarly featured this corner wall as the centre of this collage.

Daily Photos - Suzhou Trip 5/12/08-14/12/08

This photo was taken at the top of Tiger Hill, on one of the last days in Suzhou. By this time, there was a great group dynamic, as we had all spent a week living, eating and photographing together.


One day we ordered KFC delivered to our hotel rooms, and everybody ate together out on the corridor floor. We occupied almost the entire fourth level of the hotel in Suzhou, so students would often leave their room doors open and wander between the different rooms. We even started a practice where each student would stick photos of themselves on their door so people could identify who stayed where.


When we started making collages, we would usually lay out all our photos on our beds and search for inspiration. This process was later refined and took about 1/8 the time it took originally. Making the collages turned out to be quite fun, as people would often group together in rooms and help each other. Chris Malouf and James Martin singing Disney theme songs as they worked had to be the most interesting approach though.


The very motherly Lyna Lao was constantly buying us food. Here she had just bought a packet of nuts, and we are all trying our best to get the outer shell off (which was harder than it looks).


I found this area of Suzhou to be really interesting. It seemed to be a halfway point between the 'old town' areas and the 'new town' areas.


The group lunches that we had were a great way for students from all different years to meet. In this photo there are students from 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year architecture. I think everybody left this trip having made friends from other years they never would have met otherwise.


This photo was taken in one of the first gardens we visited, called the Master of Nets garden. Everybody always came together for group photos.


One night a group of us decided to play bowling in the corridors, using coconuts and water bottles. It is amazing how a simple game brought everyone together.


Helen Lai (4th year) teaching Chris Malouf (1st year) how to use chopsticks. Many of the older Chinese students were really helpful to some of the younger students, including myself, teaching us about Chinese customs, or helping to translate things for us.


This is a shot of the backstreets of Suzhou. Some of the buildings are hundreds of years old, with no running water. I found it fascinating that these areas existed within 100 metres of a busy shopping district.

Final Reflections

Architectural communications has been one of my favourite courses so far in architecture. Each workshop that I took (architecture in motion, atlas of colour, architectural drawing) has been so different and unique, and I feel I have learnt new sets of skills from each one. Architecture in Motion helped me to develop skills in non-verbal communication, stylistic drawing, sequencing images and film-making. Atlas of Colour allowed me to try my hand at various forms of visual communication, including painting, collage, and assembling of materials into a book. Finally, Architectural Drawing helped me to refine my technical skills in precision and linework for presentation drawings.

However, what I have found most interesting was not how different each course has been, but how one can pick up on common threads running throughout. Architecture is not simply an object: it encompasses feelings, emotions, experiences, ideas and concepts. Architecture In Motion taught me to understand architecture as a device that can transport you to another state both mentally and physically. Atlas of Colour taught me that architectural gestures can speak to subconscious ideals of beauty and harmony. Architectural Drawing taught me to see buildings not simply as objects, but as vessels for ideas and thoughts. I see all of these ideas as relating to a deep, intangible notion of the beauty and essence of great architecture, and I will strive to bring these ideals into all that I design from now on.

Drawing Workshop

This drawing workshop was really useful to me personally, as I have often had trouble with the technical aspects of architectural drawings. So far, I have generally been far more successful with loose sketching and rendering, than I have with technical drawings, so I chose this course as a way to improve on this area. I feel of all the communications courses I took, this is the one where I have made the biggest improvement. An understanding of page composition, line weight, technical precision, and drawing technique has enabled me to create final presentation drawings that I am very proud of. I am really excited for the next Design Studio submission, as I feel I will be able to easily transfer these skills we were taught into the presentation drawings that we have to submit for our final project.

Final Images for submission:


In this course we were pushed to examine a building, and construct presentation drawings that revealed your own personal understanding of said building. In the graphic composition, I tried to represent both the strong verticality and simplicity of the external shape of the building. For the 3D perspective drawing, I drew three images: the first, an angled perspective of the building; the second, I drew all the negative spaces of the building from the same perspective; and in the third, I exploded these negative ‘boxes’ to give a better view. I believe the building plays on notions of positive and negative space, with a simple overall shape that has been cut and dissected, creating an ultimately complex form. It was my intention to convey the interesting horizontal and vertical spaces within the building, through these drawings.


I chose to spread the drawings out as with as much white space as possible, to create a greater impact for what black lines I did put on the page. I also found that using artline pens on trace paper leaves a bold, beautiful and almost glistening effect. I would really love to use this style again in Design Studio.

Draft Images:



Previous Exercises:
Plan, section, elevation of cup and saucer

Rendering of Botta house (placing building within a different landscape)

Colour Theory Workshop

Of all the architectural communications courses I took, Atlas of Colour was easily the most demanding. From week one, we were consistently pushed to create interesting and personal artworks or exercises that demonstrated the colour theory we were learning in class. I believe it was this constant push to try new things, experimenting with different mediums, colour combinations and techniques, which resulted in an ultimately satisfying ‘Atlas of Colour’. Each week we were taught theory on colour (how different colours work together, how to create active and passive colour schemes). This was all completely new to me, and I found it fascinating. At the same time, we were taught new techniques to apply this knowledge (use of watercolours, inks, collage). I had never used watercolour paints before, but I found it to be a captivating medium to work with. For this reason, I chose to branch out and experiment as much as possible with watercolour, using it for a number of different exercises. Even in the short span of a few weeks, I think you can see an improvement in my paintings. This is a new skill I feel will be extremely useful over my architectural career, as I have already started to do watercolour paintings regularly in my own time, both as concept sketches in design studio, and for personal interest.




I found the practice of constructing a physical book to be fun, challenging and rewarding. I was very happy with my final Atlas, and the way it was navigated. I chose to split the book into two halves along either side of the accordion fold. One half housed the colour theory notes we learnt, whilst the other displayed the exercises we had done in class and at home. Because I felt there was such a strong link between the theory and the exercises, I decided to physically link the two sides. I cut circles in the pages, which allows the reader to glimpse the colour exercises through these holes, whilst reading the colour theory notes. In this way, both sides can be read simultaneously, and in comparison with one another, rather than the more boring approach of reading one side, then reading the other, without understanding a link between the two. Within the actual book construction, I kept to a simple colour scheme, using only a light cream paper with deep red lining, and a red ‘thread’ that starts on the title page and continues throughout the book, leaping through the holes, and leading the reader on a ‘journey’ through the colour atlas.





We were asked to make a ‘tunnel book’ on the end of our Atlas. I felt this was a way to demonstrate an understanding of what we had learnt in the preceding weeks (colour schemes, composition, physical construction). Again, I kept the colour scheme simple, using only different shades of red. As inspiration for the tunnel, we looked at an art installation that featured veils of glass stained with colour. Rather than literally trying to recreate the boxes of colour from this installation, I took the idea of layered colours, and developed it in my own way, to create a swirling tunnel of shaded reds.






Colour 'mountain' (colour wheel according to intensity of hue)

Photoshopped window inspired by 49 veils (the one in my book looks really different to this, but every time I upload it, it seems to reverse the colours. I actually don't mind the look of it like this though)

Watercolour Rendering of CCTV Tower - Rem Koolhaas

Watercolour map of Rem Koolhaas's face

Collaged plan of Seattle Public Library - Rem Koolhaas

Collaged Elevation of Seattle Public Library - Rem Koolhaas


watercolour rendering of 49 veils (personal interpretation)

quick sketch I did whilst at the 49 veils (I didn't have colour pens, or even a lead pencil, so I had to make do with black ink)

Study of Precedent Book - S,M,L,XL by Rem Koolhaas

Architecture in Motion Workshop

I found this workshop to be both a fun and interesting learning experience. Some may have discounted film as irrelevant to architectural practice, but I found it very useful in the way we were pushed to think of architectural experiences beyond the everyday. Through documenting a space, and morphing it via modelling and drawing, I tried to convey the notion that architectural spaces can hold significant emotional impact. My film featured a man entering a room, as the ceiling begins to drip liquid. He stumbles through looking for an escape, as the black liquid comes crashing down around him, quickly filling up the room. This substance begins to possess him, and he stumbles towards the wall, looking for a way out. This wall cracks apart, leaving him entirely alone in a great wasteland.

Within my film, I tried to reference the way different architectural spaces are related to one another, and can cause strong emotions and elicit powerful reactions. The film is clearly metaphorical, and a demonstration of the strong effect certain architectural spaces can have on people. I believe in this way, film as a documentation of architecture can be an extremely powerful tool. Finally, I believe that Architecture in Motion was a great course, as it allowed us to experiment beyond 'conventional' architectural modes of communication.

This is the final film:


Stills from the final film:




The techniques of assembling a stop-motion film, and drawing the various components with charcoal, provided a great learning experience. With this knowledge, I really would love to return to the medium at some stage and create another film of this sort. I have always been interested in film, and I think this is a great way to tie in this interest with my interest in architecture.

Concept Sketches/drafts:




Early Storyboarding/Ideas