Vedasri Siddamsetty

The above picture is a satellite image of The Palms, Jumeirah taken from Google Earth.

The Great wall of China was the only man-made feature visible from the moon for nearly centuries. But come 2001 I believe that there is the formation of a club. The Palm Jumeirah had joined in and now for the second of the trio the Palm Jebel Ali.

While reading a quite hilarious blog about elevators in a building of the Dubai skyline I was compelled to look at the satellite image of the skyline of Dubai. But then the palms caught my eye. They are a feat of mankind. Brilliant to say the least. The extended beachline is a marvel. A house in the Palms is much more than a piece of luxury, its when luxury moves over grabbing a piece of history.

I am impressed. It is a work of art wherein the world is literally a canvas.

There’s something very right about Wright.

Be it Orville or Wilbur Wright, Frank Llyod Wright or the very recent Adrian and Jeremy Wright. They are the most recent Wright brothers to make news for a quirky and fun project in design.

Lexon is a company that patronizes and sells products that speak volumes on design. Their latest commission is BURO. Fun stationary that will complete your desk. I personally like them cos when placed next to each other, they remind me faintly of building blocks. That perhaps is the intention.

Lexon has their stores listed on their website in case you want to get your hands on one of these.

For more details read on.

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So my new post comes after quite a hiatus considering that blogs are supposed to be an everyday affair.

The truth is Ive been having a couple of rough days. Too much brooding and worrying. If only worry was a switch and I could turn it off. Looks like I cannot!

So I took a trip to an ice-cream parlor. Ice-creams are one of my favorite things. To top it all I went to one of the best marketed ice-cream store that I have ever seen. Its introduction came like a couple of weeks ago. When lunching at Ion Orchard I noticed a kiosk with a blast of purple. Its not like am crazy about purple but the frenzy around the stall caught me eye. Fact is that am not totally blessed with a sweet tooth, I even doubt if I have a one-half of it. But my observation came handy today. The store is called “Once upon a milkshake” and no three dots do not follow the last word. Metaphorically I wondered if it meant all troubles end there??

At the counter I noticed a great thought over the design of the counter was made while the chirpy assistant was a pleasure to deal with. A little purple back wall behind the assistant enrobed in green creepers added that wee bit of enormous class. Predictably I choiced upon a flavor that would record that highest percentage of chocolate. I wanted to kill the sadness in one shot! The milkshake that ensued was crazy thick and extremely milky. As it slowly slid down my throat it felt like I was walking up the steps of heaven. But unfortunately as the straw reached the end the steps ended. Bliss followed for some moments. As does all comfort food its effect waned and I was flown first class into reality!

The residence of the Indian Ambassador to Singapore is a rather splendid one. Located on Peirce Road in Singapore it is the grandest of the heritage properties on the island. Built in 1911 the bungalow, is a part of the many black and white style bungalows built by the British dotting the island. Tucked away in what one can all the green scape of the island, the house stands on a mounded hillock. The Indian government is said to have purchased the bungalow in about 1948 for a paltry sum.  In 2000s the highly dilapidated bungalow was decided to be renovated and additions to the house were agreed upon.

Ideated by Singapore based architect Steven Siong the bungalow was re-created to match with precision its predecessor. Freshly painted and gleaming with pride its soul seems to have risen like a phoenix. The Ambassador’s wife was gracious enough to let me get a peek into what can be easily touted as the grandest heritage residence in Singapore. The older part of the house remains intact. With a winding driveway, a porch stepping down into a large garden the entrance is grand and warm at the same time. Stepping into a main lobby we are greeted by not only the pictures of India’s current President and Prime Minister but also a promise of what lays beyond. The louvered glass and wooden frames show a glint of the courtyard beyond. The dining room flanks the lobby on one side while a grand staircase embraces the lobby on the other. The dining room is large and elaborate and surprises. With walls in black and the ceiling and floor in white and the architraves of the 1911 the decor is quirkyly goth.

The courtyard behind the existing house is the first of the many new structural additions to the house. Envisaged to use the Hindu Mandala concept of building, the courtyard is made central in the house plan with the addition of a drawing room at the far end. The drawing room again, is elaborate and has a Japanese ring to it. The central roof of the room is lifted higher to let in ample sunlight and completely glorifies the space.

Out of the drawing annexe is a meandering path that leads to a lawn space with a swimming pool that is woven into it. Far across is seen smaller units that are residences of the other officers of the High Commission. The house breathes and while at it encourages you to breathe as well. India seems far away with only art works showing a reminiscence. Bronzes of the various Indian dances are freckled over the semi-open spaces in the outdoors.

The outside comes in and the inside goes out extremely effortlessly and fluently in a house that is splendid by light, night and sight.

It is estimated that over 90% of singaporeans live in public housing. The housing development board builds and sells these units at a subsidized price for their people.

When my goodself, got to live in such a phenomena it sparked an interest in public housing around the world. Living in affluent neighborhoods in landed houses there is no real perspective on housing. Generically speaking the mass housing is one of the most important typology of building.

Upon research I find that in most countries of the world, public housing has been taken very seriously. Housing figures prominently in the list of public infrastructure. Low or high in density countries like the United States, Australia, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, a few notaries, have built their public housing purely in the interest of the public. They did not have to entice developers or use other means of self-interest to house their people. When socialistic endeavours as such are made it is difficult or almost impossible to handle the mix of people. New Orleans in the United States has a terrible repute in regard of the people who live in the area. Crime rates are considered high and living in public housing is almost lethal. But in the Netherlands and closer home in Singapore the absence of crime, or rather the stiff handed measures against crime keeps the standard of housing considerably higher.

Tropical climate does command the need for heating systems. The apartments in Singapore perform efficiently, they are essentially matchbox size houses built at an affordable cost and with neat finishes. Going upto 12 usually and 40 storeys sometimes the main effort of the housing is to provide decent housing for its citizens. The layouts of HDBs have evolved over time but I found that the underlying principle has not changed. Today HDB has different strata even in their public housing. The Pinnacle at Duxton, is HDB for the elite. Located centrally and with an award winning design, it is by far the best. However modest the HDBs do serve their purpose and do the needful.

HDBs are also equipped with garbage chute compressing units that complete the first part of the decomposing process. The effective systems of waste removal through the chutes is a quality that marks the worlds best public housing. For construction pre-cast walls, columns and beams are used. Block walls are employed for the inner walls. Safety and security are also two prime considerations for design. In more recent times the government is beginning to pay attention to the aesthetics of the housing complexes all across the island. Considering they are all in your face, it would help if they looked pleasant.  Simple, effective and needful is the public housing in Singapore.

Dezeen is one of the most informative design and architecture website.

Their new launch dezeenscreen.com is a portal that showcases architecture as a moving picture.

 

Split your lifetime into minutes of ten each. Then do all you can to while away as  little of the tens as you possibly can.

The words are the crux of the life of the man himself. The man in question is Ingvar Kamprad from Elmtaryd who also lived in Agunnyard. A simple name that has made a big difference. So much so he was the world richest man in 2007 and continues to figure in the list of the uber rich. His story, like all the success stories began at his late teens and has sailed on till now when he an octegenarian.

Many years after IKEA being in business I got to visit the store. The store for one is utterly delightful. Every store, the brand and the graphics have all one usp and that is of good design. The price is kept low and is almost unbelievable. You dont have to be rich to be clever they say. One cant help but agree with such marketing captions. The quality of wood used is definitely questionable and in most cases it may not be wood at all! But as of today with all the environmental worries the marketing manager at Ikea is definitely not a worried man. Made with recycled materials and keeping in mind all the sustainable issues. They may not have furniture for keeps but they do have fun, quirky stuff if only you’d like replacements every 3 years! Nevertheless with my eye for beauty I fall in love with IKEA everytime I go there. And yes the swedish desserts, they make me want to have a sweet tooth. Smart, chic. Two words that precede the most important, cheap.

Though our house is not filled with furniture from IKEA ( Indians that we are, long-lasting means everything to us), we do buy all the accessories that IKEA makes to for an easy existance.

So much so now am their friend. Quite literally!

A bday treat basket for my 24th birthday all the way from my family!!

Realisations galore, new ideas lure

for lo! behold am now twenty-four!

A yearful of less warning

and good sense dawning

not to mention the learning

as the year begins to close

Tales of adventure

of not so far dentures

looking for greener pastures

and whirlwind ventures

A new beginning

in corporate living

seeing and working

a novelty in being

Strengthening of the heart

and bonding with the hearth

helps mend things burnt

with a firmer resolve

Ambitions come close

take form and get a hold

for there is much more

in the offing I am told

As I bury another year

spent in considerable fear

and become more dear

to everyone who is near

I learn what I need to know

of patience and brow

of beauty and lore

for I have found my chore!