Varekai in Manila

We are so so lucky to have witnessed the extreme artistry of Cirque du Soleil here in Manila thanks to my stepdad who generously treated us to an extra-ordinary, amazing wonder.  My son Joshua was transfixed the whole time.  Would love to gush over every detail but somebody else succinctly expresses what the show is all about.

Writer and director, Dominic Champagne wrote this which was included in the not-your-usual souvenir program:

"Since these are crazy times and it is our duty not to surrender the world into the hands of fools, may this show be for you as it has been for me a celebration of the coming together of brothers and sisters and of the joy of challenging limits.

"Let yourself be swept away by the courage and beauty of these acrobats, dancers and actors, who, every day, wherever the wind may take them, risk their lives trying to attain the sublime to touch the sky, to defy the law of gravity and to dance in the fires of volcanoes so that they can tell the world that something else is possible."

Day and Night

During the day, work goes on here at the guardhouse.

While from 9pm to 5am, this is the only time work can continue on the finishing the spiral shaft where the pace has slowed because of the space limitation.

Thanks Mia

I left the Architecture world ten years ago and so when my friend Mia invited me to critique her students work at the new School of Design and Art at the De La Salle University College of St. Benilde, I tossed and turned and hoped I could give a valid excuse to say "no" because what the heck am I going to contribute to her class when I feel like I'm just starting in the field over again from scratch, from zero, from nothing.  Mia and I worked in the same architecture firm a long time ago, but while Mia went on to open her own firm and has been practicing architecture ever since graduation, I chucked architecture out the window and switched (non-) careers two times since then.  

However, I was reading this book that got me convinced I have to say "yes" because it's an invitation from a dear friend.  

The book proved to be right because the experience was rewarding in many aspects.  First, I was able to see and an admire and incredible building worthy of a school nurturing artists and designers.  The views over Manila are fantastic and natural ventilation works in the corridors.  Second, I was able to reconnect with another dear friend who also serves in the school and who was my super inspiring mentor when I was doing my architecture thesis.  Third, I was able to help out Mia in her class and fourth, it was a lot of fun giving constructive comments to the students, feeling a lot like Simon Cowell but with the kindness of Paula Abdul.  It was great to see what the future of architecture may look like and to re-live memories back when I was a student and the world ahead was wide wide open and architecture was just the most awesome thing in it.

Here's Arch. Mia Quimpo before her classroom.   The other advantage of this school is that they don't pack the classes and Mia only had 18 students.  Upon entering her classroom, I felt like one of those fictional movie characters frozen in cryogenic state for eons who suddenly finds herself jolted awake in a different era.  Each student had a laptop and did all their drawings, plans and perspectives in the computer while I belonged to that age when we drew with paper, pencil and the drafting board wasn't just a table for sleek silver Macs.   Simply mind-blowing how the world marches forward.

Here's a video of the school building: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVy08CiObuM

Break on Through to the Other Side

 The spiral staircase shaft is ready to be connected to the main room on the ground floor.  Working in such cramped, airless space makes it more difficult and time-consuming to do any task and as usual, I underestimated the time it takes to finish the job.  This time and cost estimation is something I have to improve and rectify and learning along the way is quite pocket-draining but may be the only way at this point. 

This is the frame of the false wall that we're putting up on the other side of the staircase.  Work now is only limited during off-hours so that the customers won't be bothered by the construction noise.

This is the false wall in place with all the joints masking taped many times over to ensure that no dust enters the room.

It starts with a little hole that becomes the new entryway.  But there is still a lot to go before we can take down the false wall -- refine and paint the staircase, form the additional cement steps needed to meet the ground floor on the other side, tile the floors, repaint the walls and ensure that no dirt or smell is there when we finally remove the temporary wall.

                                          You know the day destroys the night 
                                          Night divides the day 
                                          Tried to run 
                                          Tried to hide 
                                          Break on through to the other side 
                                          Break on through to the other side 
                                          Break on through to the other side, yeah 

                                                                                           The Doors

Project No. 4

We're three days away from finishing Project No. 3 and this morning, we started on Project No. 4.   It's a guardhouse for our compound which the homeowner's association has been wanting to improve for quite some time.  When the strong rains pour, the guards get soaked since only two pieces of plastic held by masking tape and wood nailed to the wall protect them from the elements.

 It's a rather small guardhouse but it's also a rather small village.  We only have three streets and only two out of them are named: first and second.  The third and unnamed street is like the linking line in the letter H.  So no need for a fancy gate, just the basics.

This is the makeshift mirror which we hope to replace with something safer and less edgy.

This is our proposed extension and additional storage cabinet.  We're also installing fixed glass panels and glass doors.

My Design Mistakes

Big rains came last week and tested our sliding glass window and laminated floors and they bombed!   Water seeped in and the result were unsightly bubbles on the floor.  I should have had Sahara waterproofing mixed with the concrete.  I have to get this problem fixed before the next strong rains come or else put a quick fixer upper "trapal" as shield for the balcony opening. 

Yucky bubbles. Gotta re-order some planks.

 Meanwhile, on the other side of town, progress continues and the walls around the spiral staircase have been put in place.  However, I made a design booboo.

I wanted the smoked glass to be positioned so the light followed you as you went up the spiral but I made the mistake of designing the openings using the old staircase configuration which had six steps more than the current one so you ended up with . . . .  

. . . .the light at your feet instead.

At least the intention worked in the third set of openings but still, I should wait before making a harsh condemnation of the mistake. 

Just last week I was ranting about the client committing a design sin of making the steps higher than what it should be so it becomes uncomfortable for the user.  Now, I don't know which one is worse -- committing your own design error or just accepting somebody else's.  The answer is the mistake at the moment of realization.  The one that currently makes you slap your forehead and go Homer Simpson D'oh!  But after time passes, it fades into the background and it doesn't sting as much as that point of discovery.  

The Other Near the Finish Line

The other project in Quezon City is near the finish line.   Target date of completion is next Sunday. 

The spiral staircase steps were reduced drastically by the client from 17 to 11.  A bit too steep but the good thing is we proceed with the project having gone over the hump.