Pei Jun Tan talks how she approaches her design projects, surprises in the BIA & the biggest challenge she has faced in the development of her graduation scheme. 

1. Describe your proposal in 3 key words:
Revive - Rejuvenate – Refresh

2. In what way do you find you approach your design projects?
Research plays a vital role in my design approach as it guides my design to fit into the criteria. My methodology begins from the site, familiarising myself with the context, history and function to assist my design strategies. The next step involves research into the clients and their needs and wants for the proposed brief. These two elements allow me to be able to think about my future design from different perspectives to then begin my design planning and resolution process. I believe if you have strong idea backed with solid research from the beginning, it will even be able to assist you even in the resolution phase. As well as research I feel that precedent studies allow me gain a better understanding of what is out there.

3. What has surprised you about the BIA?
The quality of work is definitely one thing that always surprises me! When I was in first year looking at the various graduate projects I was amazed at what could be produced by people in this course. Every year I get not only amazed at the works that people in my cohort produce but also students in the years below, and how some are so well thought through and communicated in such a unique and evocative manner.

4. Biggest challenge/s you have faced throughout the development of your scheme? How did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge would probably be the general spatial planning of the site especially in drawings at 1:500 and 1:200 as the scale was very overwhelming. It took me a very long time to understand the spaces within White Bay Power Station and therefore made designing the spaces and their connections an extra challenging task. To overcome this I not only look at the site in two dimensions but in models so that I can have a clear understanding in my mind how spaces flow into each other and connect.

If you would like to check out more of Pei Jun's work please head to: https://imprint.be.unsw.edu.au/projects/pei-jun-tan