INTERFACES : THE MEDIA LAB

Abstract

“As the world races towards the close of modernity, the modern city is faced with perpetual crisis in its process of globalization as it suffers attacks at every level? the most potent being the information and communication technological revolution. With the advance of the information age, one begins to re-examine the established models of architecture and architectural productions and perhaps even necessary re-invent them. This thesis is an attempt to stimulate a comment on architecture as reflective of that conditiorii and seek to recognize possible presence of new architectural spatial typology and urban communities that may evolve as a result. The proposed programme is a media lab: an info-educational, multi-disciplinary research facility. With the advance of information age, networks of information, disciplines and industries are increasingly overlapping one another, with media (information and communication technologies) permeating across all networks Media as another layer though does not give rise to a physical network when superimposed on a fabric can enhance its configuration and experiences, Located in National University of Singapore campus, it adopts the varsity's campus masterplan for the 21st century; "a place imbued with a creative, dynamic and cross-disciplinary spirit". Sited at a confluence of circulatory paths, the laboratory's siting holds much significance for the programme. Owing to the multi-disciplinary and interactive nature of the research processes going on the media lab, the needs of individuals and groups fluctuate and vary. The architecture has to address the temporary territorial claims laid by the different groups of individuals, individuals from different disciplines or faculties; that move into and out of the research "pods". The thesis attempts to address permanence and transformation in spaces and searches for a system in which totality has complete integrity yet allows for both planned and unplanned evolution.