Common Module - AY25.26 CTS B

I strive to integrate personal experiences into my work, creating art that reflects diverse perspectives while delivering designs that resonate with simplicity, clarity, and intentionality. I am deeply committed to growth — expanding my skills and embracing opportunities that challenge me personally and professionally. I envision my design making a difference in people’s daily lives, and gradually scaling to impact broader communities. Over the next five years, I aim to evolve into an art‑directing role in an agency or organization that shares my values of meaningful, culturally grounded work.

One studio whose philosophy strongly resonates with me is Teo Yang Studio. Based in Seoul, the studio is deeply rooted in Korean heritage — particularly the hanok tradition — and translates that legacy into a modern design language. Teo Yang’s studio doesn’t simply preserve the past; it engages with it thoughtfully, seeking “beautiful possibilities for the future” while honoring tradition’s essence. In projects like the Bukchon hanok renovation, Yang preserves the architectural spirit of traditional Korean homes while introducing glass, clean structural lines, and spatial openness — creating a dialogue between past and present. In his EATH Library showroom, his design references old Korean medicine, hanji paper, and moon‑jar shaped windows, while inviting modern craftsmanship and materials.

This approach deeply inspires me, because I also believe that tradition is not static. Rather than simply referencing the past, I want to critically engage with lineage — reinterpreting it through visual work, interaction design, or spatial identity. Teo Yang’s balance between restraint and richness, and his belief that preserved heritage can become a living, evolving form, align with my own mission: using design to reflect where I come from and where I might go.

My strengths — visual communication, adaptability, and attention to detail — are tools I intend to use in service of that mission. I imagine designing interfaces, zines, or environments that draw from cultural memory, but remain relevant and accessible. In doing so, I ask myself: whose stories am I centering? What histories am I translating? How can I remain humble yet ambitious, critical yet reverent?

Critical self-reflectivity is woven into this vision. I interrogate my positionality as a designer: which traditions do I honor, and which might I risk oversimplifying? As I grow, I will lean into my curiosity — learning from practitioners like Teo Yang who collaborate with artisans, rethink materials, and practice intentional design rooted in culture.

In doing so, I hope to build a design identity that is both deeply personal and universally resonant: rooted in tradition, yet always moving forward; respectful of lineage, yet open to reinterpretation; simple in expression, but profound in meaning.

(431 words)

References:

Stathaki, Ellie. “Contemporary Hanok House Renovation, Bukchon, Seoul, South Korea — Teo Yang Studio.” Wallpaper, Wallpaper* Ltd, 16 Oct. 2022, www.wallpaper.com/architecture/contemporary-hanok-house-renovation-bukchon-seoul-south-korea-teo-yang-studio.

Carrasco, Moises. “The Korean Hanok: Exploring Traditional Architecture’s Environmental Principles.” ArchDaily, 20 July 2025, www.archdaily.com/1031973/the-korean-hanok-exploring-traditional-architectures-environmental-principles.

Bradbury, Dominic. “Designer Teo Yang Carries Korean Traditions into the 21st Century.” Architectural Digest, 4 June 2021, www.architecturaldigest.com/story/designer-teo-yang-carries-korean-traditions-into-the-21st-century.

Our group’s manifesto—“Design as inquiry, imagination as intention,” “Reflection transforms experience into understanding,” and “Examining artistic traditions and lineages reveals how design communicates across time and culture”—is deeply thoughtful, but I believe it can be strengthened. I would reframe it as: design is inquiry; imagination is intention; reflection is the transformation of experience into insight and action; and traditions and material lineages are actively engaged and reinterpreted so that design communicates across time, culture, and context. This change from passive “examining” to active “engaging and reframing” underlines that as designers we don’t just look at history—we intervene in it, question it, and reshape it through material, process, and cultural sensitivity.

In my Studio project for Archifest (theme: Interplay: Light and Reflection), I developed posters, a mobile website, brochures, and mockups. I approached design as inquiry—experimenting with layout variations, testing navigation flows on the mobile site, and prototyping brochure folds. Reflection was never an afterthought; each round of feedback prompted deliberate revisions in both visual structure and interaction design.

In my Materiality module, I am creating a zine rooted in my personal lineage and cross-cultural journey. I don’t just borrow tradition—I reinterpret it: the sequence, paper texture, form, and typography all bear meaning. In my Design Skills module, where I’m crafting a video, imagination-as-intention becomes concrete: each cut, shot, and beat is a considered argument—not just style.

Beyond practice, my Critical Thinking Skills B class has been crucial. It taught meta-reflection—examining how I think, why I pick certain materials or forms—and forced me to give voice to my design reasoning, rather than relying purely on instinct. It also exposed me to questioning whose perspectives are embedded in tradition: whose lineage am I engaging with? What cultural assumptions lie beneath my design? The cross-disciplinary lens of CTS B—drawing from ethics, history, philosophy, and cultural studies—directly undergirds my studio, material, and skills work.

Similarly, Li, Ho, and Yang’s design‑thinking research on Chinese handicrafts introduces a sustainable design approach grounded in five modes of thinking—with the body, mind, heart, hands, and soul—and proposes the evaluation of prototypes with indicators that reflect cultural, experiential, and interactive value. Their work shows how design thinking can revitalize material traditions rather than preserve them statically.

Finally, the book Analysing Design Thinking (Christensen, Ball & Halskov) offers a theoretical grounding: it explores how designers think and co-create across cultures, emphasizing metacognition, negotiation, and cross‑cultural understanding.

When I combine all these tools—studio practice, material exploration, video production, and critical thinking—I see a clear chain: inquiry → imagination → reflection → materialization → communication. This sequence has become the backbone of my design philosophy, and it’s precisely why I’d revise our manifesto to underline engagement, transformation, and dialogue—not passive observation.

(448 words)

References:

Huang, Ko‑Hsun, and Yi‑Shin Deng. “Social Interaction Design in Cultural Context: A Case Study of a Traditional Social Activity.” International Journal of Design, vol. 2, no. 2, 2008.

Li, Wen‑Tao, Ming‑Chyuan Ho, and Chun Yang. “A Design Thinking‑Based Study of the Prospect of the Sustainable Development of Traditional Handicrafts.” Sustainability, vol. 11, no. 18, 2019, article 4823. doi:10.3390/su11184823.

Dam, Rikke Friis, and Teo Yu Siang. “What Is Design Thinking and Why Is It So Popular?” Interaction Design Foundation, 2018, interaction‑design.org/literature/article/what-is-design-thinking-and-why-is-it-so-popular.

My initial attraction to the Bus Guide 88 poster was purely visual, but it quickly became a way for me to understand artistic traditions and lineages in graphic design. Its bold colors and dynamic forms immediately reminded me of the Seoul ’88 Olympic poster. Beyond the visual similarity, the Olympic imagery carries strong personal meaning. The 1988 Olympics played a major role in bringing global recognition to Korea, and as a Korean, seeing this aesthetic echoed in another work made me reflect on how design can carry cultural pride and historical memory. Both posters express the energetic, maximalist style of 1980s Postmodernism—saturated colors, geometric rhythm, and a sense of optimism—revealing a shared lineage shaped by globalisation and rapid development.

This idea became clearer during our class field trip to the National Gallery Singapore, where I got to see Chua Mia Tee’s National Language Class (1959) in real life. Even though it looks nothing like the 1980s posters, it belongs to another important artistic tradition: Southeast Asian Social Realism. Through its careful depiction of students learning Malay, the painting reflects the post-war effort to define identity and nationhood. It continues a lineage of realist art that documents cultural transitions and social hopes.

Placing these works side by side helped me see how different traditions—Postmodern graphic design and Social Realism—respond to the needs of their time. One represents global modernization and national emergence; the other captures the quieter shaping of identity. Analyzing these lineages encourages me to think about how my own design work can draw from history and culture, not just style, to create more meaningful outcomes.

(266 words)

References:

“Bus Guide 88 (1988).” graphic.sg, Singapore Graphic Archives, 1988, www.graphic.sg/gallery/bus-guide-88-1988.

“Logo Design.” Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics, Olympic.org, Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, www.olympics.com/en/olympic-games/seoul-1988/logo-design.

In Week 3, our class tasked us with producing a short documentary under a tight timeframe. Our group chose to focus on excessive screen time and its effects on daily life, a topic that was both relatable and socially relevant. This framing helped guide our creative choices and establish the documentary’s core themes: awareness, balance, and the human impact of digital habits.

Collaboration was central to the process. We divided roles, brainstormed concepts, and combined research with personal narratives to create a cohesive story. Communication was essential to ensure that the creative vision was shared and that each member’s contribution strengthened the final product. This iterative dialogue highlighted how teamwork in design extends beyond task allocation to include negotiation, active listening, and shared accountability.

Feedback highlighted that our documentary lacked on-screen text, which made the narrative harder to follow. This revealed the importance of intentionally integrating visual aids—such as titles, captions, or graphics—to guide the audience and reinforce key points. I realized that clear visual storytelling is as important as creative imagery; visuals should complement and expand on written or spoken ideas rather than leaving interpretation entirely to the viewer.

Working under a compressed schedule strengthened our problem-solving and adaptability. Overall, the activity emphasized that effective design communication balances creativity with clarity, integrates visuals intentionally, and relies on flexibility and mutual trust. Beyond completing the documentary, I gained insight into planning under pressure, making deliberate design choices, and appreciating diverse team contributions.

(242 words)

References:

Bernstein, Gaia. “How Big Tech Made Us Screen Addicts.” New Statesman, 17 May 2023, newstatesman.com/culture/books/2023/05/big-tech-made-screen-addicts-unwired-gaia-bernstein-review.

McDaniel, Brandon T., et al. “Daily Smartphone Use Predicts Parent Depressive Symptoms, but Parents’ Perceptions of Responsiveness to Their Child Moderate This Effect.” Frontiers in Developmental Psychology, vol. 2, 14 Aug. 2024, doi:10.3389/fdpys.2024.1421717.

Saat, Nur Zakiah Mohd, et al. “Relationship of Screen Time with Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Quality among Adolescents: A Cross‑Sectional Study.” Frontiers in Public Health, vol. 12, 29 Nov. 2024, doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1459952.

Devi, Khumukcham A., and Sudhakar K. Singh. “The Hazards of Excessive Screen Time: Impacts on Physical Health, Mental Health, and Overall Well‑being.” Journal of Education and Health Promotion, vol. 12, article 413, 27 Nov. 2023. PMC, PMC10852174.

Reflecting on my Week 1 sharing about animal-testing bans and the rise of non-animal methods, I realized my presentation leaned heavily on global institutions and scientific facts. While this structured the discussion, the feedback highlighted that I needed to take greater ownership of the reflection by framing my key themes clearly and integrating visuals intentionally with text. Thoughtful imagery—such as contrasting caged laboratory animals with organ-on-chip systems—can both illustrate concepts and evoke an emotional response, bridging analytical and affective modes of understanding.

This reflection became more personal when I considered insights from my brother, who used to work in biomedical research. Learning about his experiences with lab practices and alternative testing methods helped me understand the practical and ethical implications in a tangible way. Situating the discussion in Singapore further enhances relevance, particularly under the Biomedical Sciences Initiative, where institutions like A*STAR develops alternatives such as human-cell models and organoids. Incorporating these examples makes the reflection more contextually grounded and evidence-based.

Expanding the lens to Asia strengthens the argument. Countries like India, South Korea, and Taiwan have already banned cosmetic animal testing, demonstrating that cruelty-free innovation is part of a broader regional movement. By combining research, ethical reasoning, and personal insights from my brother’s past experience, I was able to draw independent conclusions about the challenges and opportunities in transitioning toward non-animal methods. This process has deepened my understanding of how design communication—through careful framing, visual support, and narrative context—can clarify complex issues and engage audiences meaningfully.

(248 words)

References:

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). “Animal‑Free Reprogramming Improves Safety.” A*STAR Research, 12 Aug. 2014, research.a-star.edu.sg/articles/highlights/animal-free-reprogramming-improves-safety/.

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). “An Animal‑Free Prediction Model.” A*STAR Research, 1 June 2016, research.a-star.edu.sg/articles/highlights/an-animal-free-prediction-model/.

Teo, Josiah. “Local Start‑Up Launches Animal‑Free Cosmetics Testing Platform.” The Straits Times, 21 Mar. 2023, straitstimes.com/tech/local-start-up-launches-animal-free-cosmetics-testing-platform.