What's in a name

We've been asked many a time why PLY?

Before we started up the practice and were dreaming about names there were many names floating around in our minds. A few years back any name that had the word 'Urban' was fashionable. Then there was 'Office for' and 'Office of' etc. There were also names that suggested or were derivative of the word 'architecture' - hence all the 'archi-something' names that were popular of the previous generation of architects (well, at least here locally) emerged. Or a name that reflects a firm's work culture or interest, a methodology it believed in, its ethos, modus operandi. Traditionally of course, people have long used their names for their professional business. Either in full, or of late in acronyms like ABCD Architects which was convenient too.

So, why PLY?

Practice of Lee and Yeo (our last names). Not quite what we were thinking of all these while but simple enough for us. Not quite the ubiquitous building material known in short for plywood, although we do like working with it. Nor is it so much to 'ply' the trade although we inevitably do it. Perhaps its about layers, which we do like to create in the meaning of our work, and definately not anything to do with the mathematical equivalent.

And Studio because its not office, atelier, collective, collaborative, laboratory, workshop, architects, design etc.

The architectural Interior 02

Continuing the architectural interior discourse. Recent work under construction.

The architectural Interior 01

I say 'Interior' with a capital 'I' as this is afterall an interior work confined within the 1,200 sqft shell of an existing loft apartment. More and more we are getting ourselves into this field of work and finding opportunities within the typology to intervene. But I say it is 'architectural' not because we are architects - for, architects are supposed to conceive of a space differently from say, how an interior designer/stylist would anyway - but rather - a mode of thinking. We see plan layouts as typological constructs to interrogate, cabinets and storage as space defining, furniture as built-up elements to organise program and we tend to limit the quintessential interior designer's palette of materials to only a colour or two at our disposal. Perhaps it is about setting ourselves a kind of constraint to innovate out of, a kind of working method and approach?

Some pictures of the recently completed apartment :

The entire apartment interior is gutted out, revealing the existing attic structure.

Completed.

[Photos : Jeremy San/Stzernstudio]

I just realised that the photos do not have furniture in them. Guess we are just not cut out to be interior designers. Visit the project on our website for full description.

3 Months

Its been hectic and a busy 3 months now since we started out on our own. On the work front there's been a couple of interior projects to work on, we took part in one competition, completed the design for a 500 unit residential development overseas and got to know a few potential clients with whom we are pitching for a varied spectrum of work, from conceptualisation of a shopping mall's spatial identity to exhibition design, amongst other things. Although there were times where we worked stretches on end, of which we must have spent a record least number of hours with our kids, I must say its been a very fulfilling experience. Sometimes we wonder why we have not done this earlier.

Now that we have our own little practice going something that has kept us constantly thinking of is how we are defining our practice in terms of its direction and approach to design. But more importantly - what we are doing to reach that ideal with each project that comes our way, or at least to set the trajectory right. Its no easy task as it is largely a result of what projects you get to work on, whatever comes our way.

Supergarden

[Image : Design Singapore]

PLYSTUDIO was chosen as one of 10 architectural practices amongst the final 22 design creatives selected to represent Singapore at the recent 11th International Architecture Exhibition, Venice Biennale 2008. The Venice Biennale is an international showcase of architecture and design ideas at the intersection of contemporary culture and discourse.

View of the Exhibition [Image : Design Singapore]

Drawing of the Exhibition [Image : Design Singapore]

SUPERGARDEN is the title of the exhibition/installation at the Singapore Pavilion. As a SUPERGARDEN Presenter, PLYSTUDIO was required to submit an Object which best reflects the firm’s design culture, interests and way of working. Collectively, all 22 objects will be exhibited in a curated landscape, each created by Singapore’s very own design creatives. The notion of 'Conversations' is the chosen platform for engaging the exhibition in which an audio installation of sound domes will form and make the conceptual connections between the exhibitors.

PLYSTUDIO's The Picnic [Image : PLYSTUDIO]

PLYSTUDIO's The Picnic [Image : Jing/SuperHyperreal]

Our object, entitled ‘The Picnic’, is a site-specific installation that embodies our interest in redefining ‘type’ through contextual readings. This is manifested in the transformation of an earlier work into 3 further typological constructs. A full description of the work can be found in our website.

Do visit www.supergarden.sg to view the exhibition and listen to the conversations. You can even download the accompanying book. Here's the section on us :

Excerpt from Book [Image : Design Singapore]

SUPERGARDEN will run from 14 September to 23 November 2008 in Venice after which it is scheduled to travel to Torino and return at a later date to Singapore.

Just want to add that we at PLYSTUDIO are very honored and pleased to present at Supergarden. Thank You curators and organisers for this. In the process we have got to know more of our own local creatives too.

[Image : PLYSTUDIO]