mocaEssence : photo blog

book for my kids in the future ;)

2009-07-07T21:57:00.003-06:00

::three little pigs- the architect's version::

2009-07-07T18:38:00.005-06:00

::Panta Rhei School by i29::

at first glance, i thought this was a model shot.

and i've always love the contrast of black and white on a pristine model.

but i was wrong.

this is a built project!

spring studio update & rumble

2009-05-18T04:08:00.005-06:00

::studio update::

for the spring quarter, AUD at UCLA does this thing called ::rumble::

basically, everyone will be finished with production at the same time, do a department-wide installation all together, have a one day long mega review marathon, and then the work will be on a public exhibition for the whole week. the intention is to generate interaction with the public and local professionals and show case the work that was done during the school year.

tech seminar with ben ball

2009-05-18T03:50:00.005-06:00

::courtyard installation::

repurposed material->installation->new products recycled coffee sleeves->installation->furniture

click image caption for more photos.

2009-05-05T19:46:00.002-06:00

'furin' by takram & toyo ito

while searching for inspiration for our tech seminar project, i came across this beautiful installation done by takram design engineering group and architect toyo ito. below are two videos that thoroughly demonstrates the intelligence behind the installation:

updates

2009-04-06T22:37:00.004-06:00

updates for winter quarter's final review are up.

again. school >moca

2009-03-06T04:23:00.003-06:00

-column locations & sizing

-interior partition's materiality

-hierarchy of plate thicknesses

-skin to plate relationship

-variations of skin: opaque, translucent, transparent

-roof treatment..garden? perforation in skin?

...."

this list of things I need to resolve goes on...with 10 days left..and we are supposed to finish with the "design" phase tomorrow and just produce material for the final review for the next week...

gotta learn how to pause and be ok with imperfection.

school > moca

2008-11-24T00:53:00.001-06:00

seaslug
Originally uploaded by mocaluva.

therefore...see work produced under this equation

i <3 special commission- part II

2008-10-10T11:09:00.002-06:00

mosnter #80 on the daily monster! ^^ ::the daily monster::

[to be continued]

i <3 special commission- part I

2008-09-21T21:19:00.005-06:00

::ninja vs penguin::

i met em and wey through steve. and have been secretively admiring emmy's illustrations since i found out about their blog. xP

i was very excited when emmy asked me if i could crochet amgurumi dolls of "ninjia" and "penguin". it was very fun process trying to figure out all the little details to make them look as close as her drawing. it was also my first time crochetting without instruction! it actually made crochetting more relaxing and spontenous since i didn't feel like i was going to forget "how many stictches did i just finish?"

it was even more rewarding when i saw pictures em took of the dolls while she was on a trip in taiwan..it's alway a pleasure to know your clients are satisfied with your work. ^^

i <3 utada

2008-06-20T10:31:00.004-06:00

::LAST FRIENDS/PRISONER OF LOVE::

the best japanese drama i've ever seen... amazingly well done by some these young actors/actresses.. extremely intense plot...with utada's newest single "prisoner of love"!

i must say..this one is going to top "first love" you can tell she has grown from the bittersweet puppy love to a strong love that takes in pain and tear of life

p.s. i wonder if hikki cut her hair short to match ruka's (the main actress of last friends)? =P

ruka(left):michiru(right)

i want.

2008-05-01T16:00:00.001-06:00

::diana+::

when jelly meets archi.

2008-05-01T13:48:00.003-06:00

::jelly competition::

for fellow jelly loving architects out there... this is perfect for us! mm...how would i want my jelly architecture to look like.. that is something to ponder ;)

::april fool::

2008-04-25T12:36:00.002-06:00

::the mightycard::

i know im really behind on the april fools stuff.. but i just came across this yesterday...and thought it was "mighty" clever xD

::portry smell::

2008-04-24T10:18:00.002-06:00

how do you portray smell? my mom shared with me a novel by german writer, patrick suskin, this past winter.. a horrifying yet delicately thought provoking story- "perfume" the ability to smell plays such a crucial role in our lives, but we often over look it. experiments showed that with the aroma we cannot taste.. wonder..how could one illustrate ::smell::?

meet mr. p

2008-04-16T13:27:00.003-06:00

::mr. p from propaganda::

the "mr. p" collection from propaganda is one of my favorite designer's items out there.. "propaganda" is a thai design company with a great sense of humor... gotta love the look of these little men and they bareness... it's definitely one of its own kind...=) i first encounter mr. p in the headquarter of Eslite Bookstore (誠品) in Taipei and couldn't resist to smile and applaud for the designer's creativity.

now you can find some of the mr. p items selling on ::shopmodi:: in the US! and they are decently priced!

the power of laser!!

2008-03-11T12:00:00.003-06:00

::engrage your book::

for those that love to carry a little black moleskine and feel super artsy... this is something that can kick your coolness up a notch!

::engraveyourbook:: is the brother company of ::engraveyourtech:: they can laser graphic precisely onto your choice of books or high tech gadgets. in comparison, i think the book idea is way more appealing for me than the tech.. i think i'm too scared to my baby ipod or mac all the way to portland... but moleskine?! of course! it's one of the necessities for any designer! and adding these cool graphics will make it an super awesome gift for yourself or anyone!

it's on the same line as screen printing moleskines..but this time you can do it on a leather moleskine!

::shoofly's etsy store:

2008-02-25T13:38:00.007-06:00

::a little nightmare music::

stumbled upon this when i was surfing on youtube...and got stuck watching all the videos on their website and wanting to see them live...

who'd thought?! a korean guy with a brit..making music so hilarious that you won't think they are professional classical musicians!

now lets just pray they will come to the states with ::a little nightmare music:: !

a little sneak peek for all you curious ones~ =)

2008-01-31T21:52:00.000-06:00

::gocco supplies on sale!:: i admit. i got lazy..and i felt really bad letting this wonderful tool just sit in my apartment...so i am selling it to someone else who will put it to a better use~ ^^;

China's big year

2008-01-24T23:32:00.000-06:00

ELLE Jan 2008

when i saw this article in the elle magazine today, i thought 2008 is going to be a very very unforgettable year for china

during my winter trip back to home (shanghai, china) we took a trip back to beijing..visiting our previous homes/ old spots and all the new and ongoing changes of the city

one of the big items on the itinerary was visiting the olympics park i end up seeing the stadium and the aquatics center from afar (more pictures to come)

i have to say, china is trying very hard to build itself so to compete with the western world..london..nyc..berlin the architecture in china is a statement for its ambition in politics, economy..and cultural influences

i love these photographs..

the juxtapositions between high fasion and the absurd and un-refineness of these post modern architecture in an underdeveloped site seems to bring out the contrast of china's past and present.

2007-10-07T22:02:00.001-06:00

read one of these great little books when you were little? i did! =) saw the Mr. Men and Little Misses series at b&n today...and brought back some childhood memories... i think i read them when i was in kindergarten? they are some great little characters for little people.. or big people too!

stina persson

2007-10-05T20:22:00.000-06:00

stina persson

i love watercolor. if i had to pick one medium to use to express my emotions, my thoughts, i would use watercolor.

watercolor is a very ambiguous technique. it calls for so much planning and delicacy, yet it cannot be easily mastered due to its freeform nature...you can never know how a watercolor painting will turn out when you first lay your brush on the paper...the water will flow as your emotions and thoughts spread..and the colors will blend, overlay, and vola! magic is induced.

today i came across this artist on the web, stina persson, and i was in awe. so rarely a watercolor artist can reach such a passionate yet extremely coherent presentation in watercolor..and that's what I saw in her work...image after image..they show playfulness, style, and precision all at one flow of colors.

go to her website at www.stinapersson.com and make yourself speechless.

doodling on the walls

2007-08-12T09:39:00.000-06:00

"insomnia" at blik

GRE has totally taken over my life for the past month (or more).. but...secretively i have been procrastinating by looking at wall painting/graphics related stuff...that's been talks about picking colors for some friends' new townhouse apartment, possibility paint for a coworker's house flipping project, and doing some special projects for my parent's new home in shanghai.

perhaps it was the table top apint experience that really got me inspired and wanting to paint more and put crazy doodles on large surfaces. but i had no idea there was so much wall graphics related products out there!? man, these creative genius are way ahead of me and making me feel not creative and original at all with my ideas!

since i'm still one week away from being done with my GRE test...so i guess i could only share i have found on the web with everyone in the mean while. and hope one day, hehe, i could share with you some results of my personal projects ;)

::blik surface graphics ::

::wonderful graffiti::

::behr paint:: (affordable and easily found at home depot)

::muurwerk::

2007-07-07T23:04:00.000-06:00

i have moved my shop to etsy.com about a month ago because of various reason. i wanted more people out there to get to know my craft work and personally i am a big fan of etsy, the online handmade crafts market. it is much easier to maintain than having to build all the pages myself and it will not be viewed only by my family and friends but anyone out there looking for a nice piece of handmade jewelry. for those who has gotten the shop@mocaEssence email last winter, I am starting a new line of paper goods (paper jewlery too!) on top of my original crystal+bead collection. It's a result of childhood hobby of origami making and my love for anything paper+print! oh! one more thing! the shop has officially gotten it's Chinese name! It's called :文思坊:, pronounced as :wen si fang:. It means the shop that collects the thoughts & creativity of wenny. it was a name that my mom had come up with when we talked about doing out own creative product line many years ago. so please click the image above to go to shop @ mocaEssence :文思坊: on etsy!

readings..

2007-06-28T08:59:00.000-06:00

dwell magazine

i know i haven't really written an entry on design related stuff for a long time...been trying to just concentrate on studying GRE and therefore haven't got a chance to scan some of the great finds that I saw on magazines/books that I read this past month...i promise there will be a update this weekend.

but in the meanwhile, those of you who are interested in what i have been reading... other than the ever so wonderful+ green oriented + prefab & design/built enthusiastic dwell magazine, i been reading this new magazine called *blueprint*, a publication by martha stewart. this magazine is not as professional focused like all the big architectural magazines out there but it's got a wonderful diversity of different design items out there. i found my special graduation gift idea for architects from the march issue of blueprint...it's just full of great and decently priced design products! it's definitely a good leisure reading! ^__^ enjoy!

blueprint magazine