Studio 13

Miniature

Xiaojing Sang

This studio is available to students enrolled in ABPL90169 Design Thesis.

Studio Description

Miniature art has roots in China, Japan, India, for a very long history. This appears in painting and crafting form and this type of art presents the creator's perception of the life he has experienced. In China, this is a folk art with its long history that has rooted in the lives of ordinary people. In India and Japan, many of the presentations of this art are stories of people's daily lives.

In the history of oriental painting, the abstract presentation of miniature figurative painting has always been a unique form of artistic style. This form of expression requires the creator to have a meticulous observation of the shaped objects, from the form, colour, texture, all need to be vividly portrayed. The observe point of artistic depiction, is particularly important for the creation of Miniature. The artistic creation of Miniature depends on the way of thinking.

The compositional approach in Miniature can be applied to architecture design methodology, as this art is also a kind of thinking and attitude towards life, which tests the depth and richness of the creator's experience. The creation of Miniature is the essence of a broad comprehension of art forms. From this point of view, elderly village design has similarities. The most difficult part of designing for the elderly is to condense the most exciting pictures in a limited setting. Because the experience of the elderly is the richest, their memories and desires need to be projected in an environment where they can live.

Everyone gets old. When we are too old to get out of a building or even a room, what kind of environment do we need? In terms of physical to psychological needs, what kind of design can give us a nearly satisfactory answer to our long and rich life like Miniature?

Studio Outcomes

This studio will not limit students in terms of specific design conditions and requirements. In the design process, on the basis of satisfying the fundamental requirements, according to each student's own design direction, studio leader will discuss with the students to formulate more detailed design requirements. What it needs is for students to re-explore the thinking mode of "how to design". After trained in undergraduate and graduate courses, it is time to review and summarize themselves. When rethinking the design approach, the challenge that students will face is to research and reflect the weaknesses of current elderly centre/village design, the elderly centre chosen as the research object can be in any city and in any country, students need to use the Miniature method to define and design their own conclusions.

Studio Leaders

Xiaojing Sang: Bachelor of Arch (2003), Tongji University, Shanghai; Masters, UNSW (2006); 2012-14, Tutor of Level D, UoM; 2007, Lab architecture studio; 2008-12 Lyons architecture; 2012-17 Denton Corker Marshall; 2020, Tutor of Design Thesis Level, UoM; 2021-current Gray Puksand.

Readings & References

In the process of research and design, reading materials are formulated by students according to the needs of exploration.

Schedule Mondays 18:15-21:15 and Fridays 09:00-12:00

Contact Handbook