What is the project?
The three-day workshop for Holy Innocents High School’s students centred on inculcating human values in architectural design. Facilitated by professors and students from the architecture and industrial design programmes, students aged thirteen to fifteen worked collaboratively on designing new spaces in their school based on the school’s five values of Humility, Integrity, Respect, and Love.
Why Is It Important?
By introducing a value-based design workshop, the students could reflect and share what the school’s values meant to them. The workshop respected the students’ points of view, gave them a voice, and empowered them to shape spaces in the school based on their needs and aspirations. Moreover, as we witness increasing inequality and fracturing of our society with divisive views on race, religion, gender, and politics, the studio hopes to find common values that we still share, especially in a multi-racial country like Singapore.
What were the outcomes?
The workshop was divided into Discover, Frame, Ideate, and Build. In the Discovery stage, students selected their values and shared what they meant to them. In the Framing stage, they identified design opportunities through insights gained from the Discover phase and co-created collages to communicate their spatial ideas. The Ideation stage saw them offering different spatial alternatives and iterations. Finally, they made models of the spaces in the Build stage and presented their projects to fellow students, teachers, and facilitators. There was a total of five projects- An extension of the existing library, a wellness and care space, a chillout space, a space for K-Pop fans, and an existing disciplinary space for disobedient students redesigned for reflection, counseling, and care.
Team leader: Ar. Thomas Kong (Architecture)
Co-leader: Ar. Cheah Kok Ming (Architecture)
Co-leader: Donn Koh (Industrial Design)
Student assistants: Architecture- Cheow Yan, Wan Nabilah, Min Yi, Grace Huang, Chris Chua. Industrial Design- Winnie Lim, Petrina Leow, Jeraldine Boh, Xixin.
The three-day workshop for Holy Innocents High School’s students centred on inculcating human values in architectural design. Facilitated by professors and students from the architecture and industrial design programmes, students aged thirteen to fifteen worked collaboratively on designing new spaces in their school based on the school’s five values of Humility, Integrity, Respect, and Love.
Why Is It Important?
By introducing a value-based design workshop, the students could reflect and share what the school’s values meant to them. The workshop respected the students’ points of view, gave them a voice, and empowered them to shape spaces in the school based on their needs and aspirations. Moreover, as we witness increasing inequality and fracturing of our society with divisive views on race, religion, gender, and politics, the studio hopes to find common values that we still share, especially in a multi-racial country like Singapore.
What were the outcomes?
The workshop was divided into Discover, Frame, Ideate, and Build. In the Discovery stage, students selected their values and shared what they meant to them. In the Framing stage, they identified design opportunities through insights gained from the Discover phase and co-created collages to communicate their spatial ideas. The Ideation stage saw them offering different spatial alternatives and iterations. Finally, they made models of the spaces in the Build stage and presented their projects to fellow students, teachers, and facilitators. There was a total of five projects- An extension of the existing library, a wellness and care space, a chillout space, a space for K-Pop fans, and an existing disciplinary space for disobedient students redesigned for reflection, counseling, and care.
Team leader: Ar. Thomas Kong (Architecture)
Co-leader: Ar. Cheah Kok Ming (Architecture)
Co-leader: Donn Koh (Industrial Design)
Student assistants: Architecture- Cheow Yan, Wan Nabilah, Min Yi, Grace Huang, Chris Chua. Industrial Design- Winnie Lim, Petrina Leow, Jeraldine Boh, Xixin.
Selected Projects
Care and Refection Corner
The current disciplinary room is transformed into a space for disobedient students to reflect on their behaviours and actions. The disciplinary master’s role will also be changed to pastoral care, counselling, and well-being. The project argues that the five values are best exemplified in the redesign of this space.
The current disciplinary room is transformed into a space for disobedient students to reflect on their behaviours and actions. The disciplinary master’s role will also be changed to pastoral care, counselling, and well-being. The project argues that the five values are best exemplified in the redesign of this space.
The Wellness Place
The space extends the community garden and connects two levels of the school. It is designed to cultivate respect and love for nature, and is landscaped with lush trees and plants that will create quiet spaces to relax and be among nature.
The Social Library
The library is a place for peer learning and social interactions. Oversized furniture fills the space to create a fun, mutually supportive environment. The scale change conveys a sense of smallness and, by extension, humility. It is cared for by the students, which they hope will gain the trust and respect of teachers.