Alexander Erikkson Furunes and Sudarshan V. Khadka, Jr.
BluPrint|Special issue Issue 2, 2018

Our Work Is A Lot About Understanding The Value Of Collaboration And Trying To Form Shared Meanings Within A Group Of People. We Use The Architectural Design Process As A Method Of Building Relations And Meaning In What We Make Together.

Alexander Erikkson Furunes and Sudarshan V. Khadka, Jr.

Beacon Academy Graduation Address,

June 6, 2018

Introduction

First of all, congratulations! Today is a big day for you and we can definitely feel the positive energy all around us. Soon enough you will be moving on to some of the most prestigious institutions in the world. We know it has taken a lot of effort for you to get here and we are honored to celebrate this occasion with you.

Today, we will share some ideas that we wish someone had told us when we were your age. It was not so long ago, but I remember at this time in my life, I was very concerned about the choices I would make, who I was, what would I become and how were these decisions contributing to the narrative or story of who I wanted to be.

We all play a role in various stories throughout our lives. The schools we chose, the professions we specialize in, and the people we relate to. In some ways, it is helpful to see our lives structured through a series of nested and overlapping stories. The layers of which relate to narratives of the self, of society, and of history.

The story of the self positions you in relation to others. It is rooted in your experience and knowledge, and helps you reflect on the decisions and choices that you make in life, to decide where you want to go.

The story of society is where our personal narratives have something in common. You are all here because of your commencement ceremony. This is what you have in common, and what you have in common can be a source for building new and collective narratives. These are stories about ambitions, values, and meanings that we take ownership of and relate to.

The story of the present is rooted in the past yet also related to the future. It is the duty of those in the present to mediate the narrative critically.

Denne historien er fra Special issue Issue 2, 2018-utgaven av BluPrint.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra Special issue Issue 2, 2018-utgaven av BluPrint.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA BLUPRINTSe alt
Windows Over Windows
BluPrint

Windows Over Windows

It’s what you do when you’re a green-loving architect like Formzero’s Cherng Yih Lee, and your client isn’t interested in the forest outside

time-read
5 mins  |
Volume 4 2019
The Office Of New Life Stories
BluPrint

The Office Of New Life Stories

D-Associates Architect’s office building in Jakarta is just how principals Gregorius Yolodi and Maria Rosantina want it— green, creative, and nurturing—just as they want their team to be

time-read
5 mins  |
Volume 4 2019
Stark Beauty
BluPrint

Stark Beauty

When you’ve got great bones designed by Park + Associates, the structure should be the architecture

time-read
4 mins  |
Volume 4 2019
Sunday's Best
BluPrint

Sunday's Best

Willis Kusuma’s multi-functional Mister Sunday elevates the Jakarta café scene with the timelessness and formal honesty of concrete

time-read
4 mins  |
Volume 4 2019
Brut Force
BluPrint

Brut Force

Raw concrete is experiencing a renaissance, but how compatible is it with tropical weather? Jakarta-based architect and frequent concrete user Willis Kusuma responds

time-read
6 mins  |
Volume 4 2019
Workaholics Finish First
BluPrint

Workaholics Finish First

Bangkok’s Architectural Studio of Work-Aholic (ASWA) takes their first stab at WAF and counts on the power of spatial storytelling to take home the prize

time-read
3 mins  |
Special Issue 2
People Obssessed With Design
BluPrint

People Obssessed With Design

Park + Associates: Crafting architecture with good bones and spaces that resonate with individuals

time-read
5 mins  |
Special Issue 2
Firm Follows Feeling
BluPrint

Firm Follows Feeling

Bangkok-based landscape architecture firm P Landscape emphasizes the human experience and feeling through contemporary integration of art, culture, and ecology

time-read
5 mins  |
Special Issue 2
Tried and Tested
BluPrint

Tried and Tested

WAF and INSIDE multi-awardee Hypothesis’ researchintensive approach produces complete design solutions that are anything but formulaic

time-read
2 mins  |
Special Issue 2
Crew's Control
BluPrint

Crew's Control

Young Thai studio Creative Crews finds a worldwide audience for three very different projects: a rural homestay, a classroom for the blind, and their own office, all indicative of the practice’s adaptive design solutions

time-read
5 mins  |
Special Issue 2