philosophy
Huat started thinking about design processes many years ago while teaching at the AA, and then later at the Bartlett. After many more years of interacting with students and teachers, both abroad and in Aisa, it seems there is not a lot to say for a methodology or a framework let alone a primer that would give eveyone what they would consider to be a blueprint for a design courseware that is perfect. Huat's work at zlgdesign has largely been a lot of design development processes in the organisation serving to give us a self-critique on some of the ways we want to make exploration of our own internal design and creative techniques. Huat calls this design intelligence, revisited and built over many years to survive critical investigation and intellectual discourse on all levels of their work.
Again, many years later into setting up zlgdesign in Asia, with Susanne Zeidler, they started to do away with adapting to or embracing mainstream typology in their buildings but only to take their stance and follow artistic directions set down at the onset of the conceptual phase of design, minus the styling.
They’ve always maintained and believe that their Architecture is about people, and never about style or about winning “beauty” contests, although they like competition. Their work embrace [and thereafter adopt and develop to maturity] whatever comes in the way of development of their designs, whether this makes sensible methodology or not. These processes are not ends but means to create something new, something unique, specific and exclusive to the Project. The Duyong project for instance, is definitely of the place, echoing the arts and culture of the fishing village of Trengganu, whereas the AAR Centre contemplates the essence of the site to inform the shape of the built form.
