Saturday, April 26, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Divergence of the Buddhist Experience
Divergence of the Buddhist Experience
For
long, Buddhism has spread and materialize its ideology and teachings through
the experience created by architecture and ceremonies that the Buddhist
perceive in order to plant and manifest the idea into ones mind. Divergence of
Buddhist Experience is a virtual space that allows the user to illustrate and
materialize their envisagement of the experience that they desire to enhance
the Buddhist practices and ceremonies according to the individual preference. Each
contribution from the user will then be used to form a creative network
platform that act as an archive to store all the designed virtual spaces that
can be shared and accessed by every user. The constructed virtual space must be
used to house virtual 16 meters tall Phra Sri San Phet, the same as what the
Grand Hall used to function. Each space will then be used for Buddhist practices
and ceremonies, accessible by the people onsite and online.
The
user who is on the real physical site of Wat Phra Sri Sanphet Grand Hall will
be granted access to the design interface via the creative virtual headset
consisting of a virtual ocular device with a camera attachment to record the
surroundings, a hand gesture recognition device, and a built in open back
headphone, allowing them to see, hear, and manipulate the virtual elements
respectively, of both the design interface and the constructed virtual space. Only
the user onsite will be able to construct the virtual space as they will be
able to perceive and scrutinize the context, ambient atmosphere, and variables
of the physical site. The user will be given the constructed virtual grammar
that act as a foundation where they will be constructing upon. Every
architectural design element must be placed on the same existing layout of the
ruin.
The
design interface aids the user by enabling the new perception through
transition of reality such as the ability to see sound, enhancing the
creativity and as well as truly understand every single choice and element that
they choose. Each choice being made will be shown to the user instantly so that
they may experience their creation in real time to achieve the desired effects.
They will interact with the design interface through physical body contact with
the virtual elements which will response with the user for every certain body
gesture. Once the virtual space has been constructed, it will be stored in the
online archive of each individual account. It is an interactive platform where
different users can access and experience every virtual space through the same
medium of the virtual headset and a 3d scanner to record their body and
transform that into digital format into the online network. This network allows
the Buddhist society from all around the world to form a new community through
virtual space that doesn’t just give the user conventional spaces but a
holistic archive where contribution creates the network itself. The users are
able to interact with other online and onsite user who chooses the same space
to perform the practices and ceremonies together.
This
interactive network is designed to blur the demarcation of ideology on how
Buddhist practices and ceremonies should be experience. Being a core of the
space, the Buddha image act as a portal in which the user is able to
materialize and manifest their thoughts of the new space should be. This space
embraces different perspectives from both Buddhist and non-Buddhist user,
creating a divergence to enhance the experience.
the interior of Divergence of Buddhist Experience |
Virtual Grammar
The
original Grand Hall design will be use as a default virtual space where both
the user onsite and online can come a use this same main channel of Divergence
of the Buddhist experience. The space must be use to house a virtual 16 meters
tall golden Buddha image. They will be carrying out Buddhist practices and
ceremonies in front of the Buddha image.
The
user can create their own roof, wall, column, and floor based on the same
layout of the Grand Hall ruin. Each element will be a simple mass of
architecture. However, the user can manipulate and tweak the surface of each
element according to their own desire such as increasing the height of the wall
and ceiling. They an add or subtract from all the surface of the elements.
The
user can select all natural material to be applied to every architectural
elements of their design. The feature was made to embrace the user who is also
non Buddhist but choose to contribute to this virtual platform by the
individual knowledge of his or her own religion. They can also apply the material
to a specific point of the surface, creating a new pattern and atmosphere for
the user of the space.
Candles
will be the main artificial light source and one of the offerings the user will
have. During the Wan Kao Pansa period the user will be able to manipulate the
surface an form of the candle at will to create and mould for aesthetic
quality. This candle will then be offered to the Buddha Image as the Tawaii
Tian ceremony and a way of making merits. Candles can also be placed anywhere
in the space to engulf the user with new arrangement of lighting.
Virtual Headset
The
virtual glasses will be projecting the image from the world camera to enable
the vision of the surrounding. The image of the virtual interface will be overlaid
on top of the surrounding image and is interactive through the creative third
eye on the top. On top is the creative third eye device is the leap motion sensor
that tracks and recognizes the motion and hand gesture to enable the
interaction between the user and the virtual interface. Each hand gesture will
trigger the stimulation and response of the virtual space. The dual world
camera is small in size and is mounted on to the virtual headset as devices for
scanning the visual data the user is looking and sent the acquired data to the
virtual glasses to be projected to the user. Because this real time virtual
interface requires a lot of body movement, the tri lock system will ensure that
the virtual headset is properly fasten to the users head without creating any
discomfort to the user while carrying out the Buddhist practices and
ceremonies. Gilded Thai ornaments are carefully designed onto the virtual
headset as a symbol of human according to the pattern of Thai art. Each
ornament on different part of the headset is derived from the costume pattern
of the human in the Thai pattern, specifically the headwear part.
Final Reasearch: The Grand Hall of Wat Phra Sri Sanphet
The Grand Hall or Grand Vihara is once
used to place the 16 meter tall Golden Buddha called Phra Sri Sanphet. The is the hall that the Royals used to carry
out and perform religious Buddhist ceremonies for the City of Ayutthaya. The
plan of the Grand Hall has a strong axis that leads the people towards the
Gigantic Buddha Image which was latter destroy by the Burmese army. Most part
of the Grand Hall was destroyed in the fire due to the use of wood framing
which causes the whole structure to collaspe. Only the walls and parts of
colums was left to be seen at the current state so most of the part is a flat
plane that is not often visited by the user.
However
the left over part was enough to let the viewer envisage the space of what it
would look like and how it is used during the period fo Krung Sri Ayutthaya. The
transparent Vihara is the state of the Grand Hall before it was destroyed. The
image is being overlayed onto the ruin which shares the same layout. The form
and material is based on the layout and materiality of the ruin as well as the
architectural style of Ayutthaya. The size of the grand hall is the biggest
structure in Wat Phra Sri Sanphet because it must house the 16 meters tall
golden Buddha Image as well as signifying the absolute power of the monarchy
over Krung Sri Ayutthaya.
Most tourists is usually observing the
ruin from a distant because most of the part is left open and visible to the
eye therefore there is no need for the people to walk inside and observe the
ruin. The common type of tourist is foreigners who travel in group tour so that
they may understand what it is. The Grand is surrounded by four other ruins
which is smaller in size and is used to carry out Buddhist ceremonies by local
people during the period of Krung Sri Ayutthaya. The most visited ruin among
the five is the Wihan PhraTri Lokanat because it is located before the
entrance. The most common point of observation is the front part of the ruin
which is the most significant view. Here the user can observe almost every architectural
element of the ruin as well as sharing the same sequence of how the space is
used before during the period of Ayutthaya. Another common point of observation
is from the Chedi Phra Sri Sanphet which enables the user to see the Grand Hall
ruin from above. Because the Chedi Phra Sri Sanpet is the most visited ruin in
the area, this causes the Grand Hall to be observed as much as well.
The ruin of the Wat Phra SRi Sanphet Grand Hall |
the stand of Phra Sri Sanphet were left intacted to the ruin |
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5:07 AM
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Final Research: Sanphet Maha Prasat Throne Hall, Ayutthaya, Thailand
Language is always a collage, borrowing. It is constant evolution but usually have a source. The Sanphet Maha Prasat Throne Hall is one of the significant buildings in Ayutthaya both political and architecture. As a book the palace is a fascinating story that now becomes a lost book. Paradox occurs due to interpretations were made.
Any translation has mistake but in mistake everything is deviated. Archarological evidences, record, depiction, book, illustration, other Throne hall and replica are studied to visualize matter of fact and matter of concern of this throne hall.
The throne hall was built by Somdet Phra Boromma Trilokkanat in 1991 B.E. and renovated in 2320 B.E. during Somdet Phrachaoyuhua Borommakot Period.
- Only based of the structure is left nowadays and even it located next to Wat Pha Sri Sabphet but only few tourists visited here.
- The filled ground level misunderstood the visitors. It was filled during the grand palace excavation in Rama V period.
- The accessibility was divided into three levels, the king, Royalties and nobles.
- In the past this throne hall was used to administer, receive envoys and arranged big ceremony such as coronation.
- Throne and Umbrella are the most significant elements in the grand palace throne hall. They are used to identify grand palace and palace.
- Wall is load barring wall. It was influenced from western during late Ayutthaya period.
- Roof structure called ‘Ma Tang Mai. Only temple and palace can use this structure. It is adaptation from Khmer’s stone structure.
- Garuda is symbolic of ‘King is demi god’ derived from Brahmin.
- Layer roof with delicate Kranok pattern indicates the owner dignity. The top peak roof called ‘Yod Prasat’. It is symbol of grand palace throne hall and representing the importance part in this throne hall.
Chakri Maha Prasat |
prof.Dr. Santi Leksukhum's hypothesis illustration |
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3:52 AM
Palace of Public Opinions
The visitor is treated to a constantly morphing landscape of public opinions. As the off-site public votes on issues (online), they become topics of discussion virtually represented at the site. |
The
Palace of Public Opinions is an attempt to reimagine our interaction and
attitude towards political opinions. It offers a spatial and temporal interval
that allows for public discussions and criticisms of political issues of the
country to be generated. It serves as an interactive three dimensional
diagrammatic archive of public opinions that deal with the underlying politics
of the physical transformation of land and disputes over territorial ownership.
The virtual space allows for the visitors to view real-time opinions. It also
serves as a mass gathering space for when there are events such as an election.
The visitors are encircled by the live virtual scoring process of the poll.
This infrastructure of public opinions is an operable representation of
reality that is measured and evaluated by the citizens of today’s digital
democratic society.
The Palace of Public Opinions, a real-time measure of public
satisfaction and attitude towards the current political issues, takes on a
collaborative approach in order to accumulate information which is used for
observation, measurement and assessment of reality that has minimal amount of
distortion and filtering. Current political status of the nation is then
abstracted and translated into a spatial representation.
The virtual space treats human as a measuring tool to measure the
values of both quantitative and qualitative public opinions. It aims to work
as a generative platform where the matters of fact or the pragmatic reference
to the real world will be observed and reconstructed as an abstraction of
reality. It serves as a space where the non-pragmatic reference will be created
upon. This includes the more specific interpretation that is driven by
culture, sophistication, emotion, imagination, or speculation. The users of the
space will be able to experience this accumulative data spatially.
The project displays a symbiotic relationship between the past, the
present and the future of the people, of the system and of their coexistence.
Our lives inevitably revolve around politics either in a direct or indirect
way. Since the beginning of civilization, humankind has created systems of
governing where the most powerful entity is the one who would rule his
constituents. We, the governed, rely our lives on the stability of our leader.
In recent years, social media has become influential and increasingly
used in political context. Social network websites and blogging services
become the current platform for political communication. They allow the public
to actively and constantly participate not only to share information in general
but also to give political opinions through the network.
In this
era of digital democracy, the virtual space acts as a political communication
platform that sources its data from an online infrastructure and monitors
rea-time opinions of the citizens both quantitatively and qualitatively. The
project speculates the working of political communication platform and how
public opinions can be represented to offer access to a more transparent
politics.
Data dynamically shifts as opinions are formed. Each issue is generated
around the Sanphet Mahaprasat Palace. Each representation of issue is
structured by two types of facts, facts about the issue and facts about the
voters. The former comprises of what the issue is about and where it is
happening in the country. The latter displays occupation and age-range which
are factors necessary to know in order to understand the value of the opinions.
Occupation here is classified into five sectors as follows
Primary Sector: agriculture, mining, forestry, farming, grazing,
hunting, fishing and quarrying.
Secondary Sector: metal working and smelting, automobile production,
textile production, chemical and engineering industries, aerospace mnufcturing,
energy utilities, shipbuilding and construction.
Tertiary Sector: retail and wholesale sales, transport and
distribution, entertainment, restaurants, clerical services, media, tourism,
insurance, banking, healthcare and law.
Quaternary Sector: government, culture, libraries, scientific
research, education, information technology
Quinary Sector: top executives or officials in fields as government,
science, universities, nonprofit, healthcare, culture and the media
The
height tells how long the issue has been brought up for. The issue moves
towards the center once it has been nominated by more than 50% of the eligible
off-site voters.
The lens allows for the public to perceive representations of opinions
of their fellow citizens wherever they are in the country and to get an overall
view of the country at the site. With modern scientific and technological
developments, we are now able to visualize and interact with live data. Yet
despite these advances, this innovation is still speculative and subject to errors.
When we are entering into the digital age, the risk of being virtually
fed with filtered information or being under government surveillance is greater
than ever. The lens is, on the contrary, turning the uncertainty into an
opportunity, a possibility. Instead of the governing watching you, you are now
watching the government.
The
cultivation of opinions reflects the working of the nation’s political domain
in its bright light of appraisal and respectively, the inevitable refusal and
denial. We are assimilated to this political culture so deeply that undeniably
we grumble and resent the system. Our discontents are eventually manifested in
protests and mass gatherings. The Palace of Public Opinions accommodates
public gatherings, allowing people to exchange opinions, to make up their
minds, to reassess reality.
Issues move in towards the ruins of the Sanphet Mahaprasat Palace according to current trend. |
A virtual map on the sky represents current issues happening across the country. |
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3:08 AM
Final Research: The Sanphet Mahaprasat Palace, Ayutthaya, Thailand
Ruins of The Sanphet Mahaprasat Palace, 2013 |
The The Sanphet Maprasat was built in the reign of King Borommatrailokanat. It was one of the most important structures of the whole Ayutthaya kingdom. It was used for royal purposes such as receiveing ambassadors from foreign countries.
Ruins of The Sanphet Mahaprasat Palace, 2013 |
The Sanphet Mahaprasat Palace signifies the centralization of power, the power that the monarch holds supreme authority in governing the nation. The architecture of the building symbolizes religious beliefs. The five-tiered roof symbolizes Mount Meru which is the place where the gods reside, and the belief in the idea of the Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. The kings had divine power and were considered an avatar of god, the incarnation of the Vishnu, or more commonly known in Thai as Narayana, the supreme god that preserves, sustains and governs the universe.
Significant events that happened during the time mainly revolved around the aspects of conflicts, trading and foreign settlements. These issues deal with territory, land use, land ownership and transformation of land which have great impacts on the development of the nation. During Ayutthaya period, the Portuguese came and built their quarter, churches and trading stations on a plot of land that was allocated by the king as opposed to the Dutch whose interests laid solely in trading. Their soldiers served the kings of Ayutthaya in exchange for trade privileges. The French’s advancement in technology was applied to the design and construction of fortifications and city walls while the English did not fare very well and had bad relations with the country. The power of Ayutthaya was also challenged by both the internal and external conflicts. Good political relationship with the Portuguese and the Dutch resulted in them volunteering to help serve Ayutthaya in various uprisings. These issues have great impacts on the development of the nation.
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2:43 AM
Final Presentation: Language of Thai Architecture
One story consists of many paragraphs and in one paragraph
there are many sentences that narrate different stories and each sentences is a
compound of many words. Each word has different meaning and this meaning comes
from letters that have different roots combining together to create one
meaning.
Every element that is selected to compose a story is crucial
to shape the right story.
So if architecture is a language then one must be able to
speak it.
The dictionary was designed in 3 dimensional space as Thai
architecture has much more dimensions than language. Structure of the
dictionary is arranged by resolution of the elements, which are building block,
ornament, pattern, material and finish consecutively.
‘Represents a thing in all its complexity’ from Latour’s
lecture. A thing doesn’t have only
matter of fact but also contradictory and controversial natures of matter of
concern. A gable of a palace can tell both
status, power, hierarchy, wealthy of the owner and art and culture, style,
influence, economic in that period. Every element in Thai architecture
communicates differently. If one single primary element of Thai pattern
changes, the entire meaning and possession will change.
A word in dictionary presents visual, name and root of the
element. The position and accessibility of it presents hierarchy and rule that acquired
from the architecture’s strict grammar.
Showing all its complexity one can’t read it. Gombrich’s the
perception of order explains about the different between seeing, looking,
attending and reading. Eyes select only some part to read to attend to look and
to see. The resolution of seeing ability decreases respectively to the level of
contemporary disable that specific part.
These varieties of visions can guide and teach the audience
through the strict grammar.
Language is always a collage, borrowing. It is constant
evolution but usually have a source. The Sanphet Maha Prasat Throne Hall is one
of the significant buildings in Ayutthaya both political and architecture. As a
book the palace is a fascinating story that now becomes a lost book. Paradox
occurs due to interpretations were made.
Any translation has mistake but in mistake everything is
deviated. Archarological evidences, record, depiction, book, illustration,
other Throne hall and replica are studied to visualize matter of fact and
matter of concern of this throne hall.
The throne hall was built by Somdet Phra Boromma Trilokkanat
in 1991 B.E. and renovated in 2320 B.E. during Somdet Phrachaoyuhua Borommakot
Period.
- Only based of the structure is left nowadays and even it located next to Wat Pha Sri Sabphet but only few tourists visited here.
- The filled ground level misunderstood the visitors. It was filled during the grand palace excavation in Rama V period.
- The accessibility was divided into three levels, the king, Royalties and nobles.
- In the past this throne hall was used to administer, receive envoys and arranged big ceremony such as coronation.
- Throne and Umbrella are the most significant elements in the grand palace throne hall. They are used to identify grand palace and palace.
- Wall is load barring wall. It was influenced from western during late Ayutthaya period.
- Roof structure called ‘Ma Tang Mai. Only temple and palace can use this structure. It is adaptation from Khmer’s stone structure.
- Garuda is symbolic of ‘King is demi god’ derived from Brahmin.
- Layer roof with delicate Kranok pattern indicates the owner dignity. The top peak roof called ‘Yod Prasat’. It is symbol of grand palace throne hall and representing the importance part in this throne hall.
The drawing of ‘the past’ only bases on Prof. Dr. Santi
Leksukhum’s hypothesis illustration which is one’s interpretation. Then what is
the level of tolerance? How much deviation is acceptable? And which one is the
most reliable?
Any language is in constant evolution and change. It is
natural of it to evolve. This tolerance needs to be regulated by a specific
institution for a specific language.
Thai language is administered by The Royal Institute, Rajchabandittayasatan.
The obligation of the institute is to act as consultant on
academic matter,
to compile dictionaries, encyclopedias, terminologies and
coin new words
and to
establish criteria of Thai usage in order to preserve and promote Thai
language.
Likewise, This virtual space acts as consultant on academic
matter. It allows archeologists to explore and share their experience to find
the tolerance, deviation, regulation, change and evolution of the rich Thai
architecture language and also to preserve and promote the language.
In the space audiences will translate their ideas to 3d virtual
model using translating tools. Due to
regularness of Thai architecture it can be translated by many tools one is Thai
typewriter.
Typewriter can be interpreted as translating tool that
translates idea, intangible, to physical, typed paper. To translate the idea
the typist has to learn the language.
- Ability to write the language
- Ability to type and cognitive
The typewriter
- Ability to translate to typography
Readers
- Ability to read and understand the meaning
During the invention of Thai typewriter two Thai consonants
were eliminated because of not having enough keys. The revolution of Thai was
the result of translating English typewriter to Thai typewriter and these two
alphabets officially disappear from Thai language.
However Typewriter is just an example of all translating
tool. This virtual 3d diagram shows the differences between different means of
expression. Body languages, verbal, are the most fundamental tools that require
the least learning process. The datascape manifests the process of translating
idea to physical through wide range of tools both accessibility and
sensibility.
Goggle is mediator that leads audience to experience the
augmented reality by taking images with video camera, modifying the image based
on virtual space and input action then real time displaying it on glasses.
The goggle is attached with motion capture system for
real-time analysis of hand movements using infrared cameras.
The augmented space will give the audience pre-conceive idea
of what this space does and how to use it before entering.
The circulation of the audience will be controlled by
virtual architecture that real time changing to lead the audience through the
sequence of perception.
The first stage, the space displays various translating
tools. The audience can explore different tools and learn language of each tool
before choosing a tool to work with.
Different tools require different language and grammar. For
Thai typewriter, it requires abilities to read and type Thai.
The audience will be taught Thai name of every single
element.
To exploring Thai architecture the audience have to type the
virtual typewriter to create 3d space. Using written language to translate your
idea.
After learn its language, the typewriter will circulate
around that person. This interface allows the audience access to the dictionary
to use as reference while exploring the space.
Next sequence, the audience will enter to three-dimensional dictionary.
The visitor will learn and understand relationship and rule of each element. To
study the element in details, the interface allows to access the specific elements
by rearrange the specific part closer the person.
Then, the visitor can explore and experiment Thai
architecture. While still access to the dictionary with the interface that
circulate around each person
While exploring the regularness of Thai architecture, the
grammar will auto correct the composing and also allow revolution of Thai
architecture by adding and subtraction the dictionary.
Thanks to the regularness of Thai architecture margin of
auto correct and revolution can be found.
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2:23 AM
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