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The day that these youths have been spending countless hours preparing for is FINALLY here… SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2007 =D
I’m sure all of them went through this day with mixed feelings… excited that it is finally here, nervous because they have to pitch to the final panel of judges, sad because all 12 of them will split at the end of the night, and happy because they can finally go home to the warmth and comfort of their house and family.
Let’s have a look at what the last day of the Creative Youth Xchange was like for these 12 amazing people =)
The Country Rose has been like a war zone for them… the tables have never been neat since the day they arrived, but all that is what I call “Creative Mess” =P This is also the area where they spent their time brainstorming and creating all their wonderful ideas and masterpieces… where “blood, sweat and tears” was shed to reach the finishing line.
Admira looks through her autograph book… Admira, I forgot to tell you… I LOVE YOUR “I have nothing to wear” shirt (the one she’s wearing in this photo). Everytime you wear it, I wanna steal it from you =P But then I thought… “if I do that, then you’ll REALLY have nothing to wear.” Hehe!
Johnny pre-empt that the youths would want to have something to take home with them to remind them of their CYX experience. So, he designed an autograph book, and gave each of them one to write messages to each other.
Her beautiful smile =D She is ALWAYS smiling, and ever so cheerful… it’s unbelievable how she does it! (… that shirt, I still want it, LOL!)
Let’s head on over to the Kranji Loft, where the chair exhibition is…
Presenting to you…
Admira Pustika’s Chill Bill –
The designer intended to create a space to sit and relax while listening to music and finally read a book she has put away for a long time. This chair is crafted from wooden panels and woven attap leaves to add comfort like pillows do. The structure lets her get lost in surrounding nature elements like how she likes to sunbath by the beach front. The orchids watch over her from above while she takes her nap.
Ong Limin’s Fireplace –
A cozy nook. Made out of bamboo, wood and stone, the cold touch of the materials warmed by the fire make it comfortable to sit low. The intricately pattern alternating between bamboo and wood for the base give the feeling of intimacy while the stone top acts like the binder.
Chien Lin’s Lazy Bone –
The feeling while building the chair and the foresight of taking this experience further to all is the inspiration behind the design. An outdoor seating in a garden setup that itself is complemented by the choice of materials, makes you want to plop yourself on after a long walk in the garden on a hot summer day. This aspect of comfort and laziness is what stands out as a feature and design consideration.
Mikko Fong’s Back To Nature –
Back to Nature stands for just what it is, back to simplicity and comfort. Crafted out of materials that bring out the raw and natural feel, symbolizes nature as the designer sees it. The back rest is interestingly shaped as a leaf to generate a physical interaction between the user and the surroundings.
Linda Yuliana’s Summer –
Feel the warmth of summer as you sit on this chair. That is what the designer wants to convey. The aesthetics, the functionality, the balance and availability of materials being the key governing factors, gives out the most logical and practical end product. Simple yet beautiful, a fascinating combination of wood and stone brings out the desired effect.
Lin Yushan’s Flipsides –
Gets people to change their mindset and bring them closer to the nature by looking at the transition between the two aspects, organic and modern city life. As the chair is structured back-to-back, it conveys the idea that the two work together. The choice of material of wood reveals the organic quality and the concrete reflects the modern aspect of the chair. Both elements create balance as they compliment each other as cohesive elements.
Huang Zhi Ming’s Chair-Man –
The Chair-Man is a dining chair. It exudes modernism with its clean-cut lines and strong concrete materials. The chair’s firm structure keeps its user’s back upright giving a good posture while also giving comfort. The designer effectively imparts a feel of importance and confidence to the user through the chair while seated on it.
Calvin Chua Tin Giap’s Mummy Chair –
The idea of this chair is to visualize the cold exterior of a mother who is full of warmth from the inside. The chair conveys just this feeling, the cold stone outer structure, and the warm relaxing cushion, and more importantly, the strength of the woven rope that binds these two aspects.
Do Nguyen Lap Xuan’s Station –
The designer thought the chair relates back to personal experiences. The bench is the designer’s station, a reflection of the feeling of nostalgia, and the comfort of home. The small little details of life, whether green moss, stones, pebbles, water hyacinth or fishes is the story the chair tells to those who sit on it.
Sangeeta Ramakrishnan’s Yin Yang –
A seat built with available materials need not be temporary is what the designer feels and portrays effectively through the chair. The stark vertical support balances the bold horizontal seat. The colour black stands out amidst the sea of white pebbles and screen of bamboo. The slender plant compliments the vertical and balances the bulk. Interplay of colour and texture teases your senses and enriches the experience. It is an outdoor seat just as effectively as it is an indoor one.
Bao Xiao Xiao’s Zen –
The process of building the chair is transparently evident in the finished product. Step-by-step, black stones are piled up to make the stanchion. That is true to its function, supports the horizontal plank seating. The balancing stanchion of long bricks, apart from supporting, nests bamboo shoots. This itself is complimented by pebbles. All in all, a feeling of Zen, a tranquil state is established.
Ling Han’s Secret Garden –
The most significant aspect of design is definition of space, to create a place. This is what dictated the terms of the design, and the designer has created an entity which at the same time effectively breaks the barriers of confinement through the right amount of punctures and interaction with the outdoor space. An inspirational private secret garden.
While waiting for the judge to arrive, the youths decided to take some goofy and silly random pictures =P I guess that’s one way to relieve stress and anxiety ^_^ Here are some never-before-seen photos!! You saw it FIRST here!!
Admira thinking “Hmm… are they here yet?”
Admira thinking “Oh My Gosh!! Is that them? HIDE ME!!”
Mikko & Admira =)
Welcome to Limin’s salon… be prepared for the wildest hair-dos you’ve ever seen =P Admira, are you a happy customer?
Mikko likes eating hair…
but Sangeeta, like most of the rest of us, prefers eating biscuits =P
*Gasp* A pierced tongue =P Mikko’s proud of it!
CYX… where best friends are made! =D
Uh oh… I feel a cat fight coming this way 
Hmm… Limin’s trying to make herself look taller by standing beside Xuan =P Limin, stop being so mean!
Everybody’s Uncle Ming =)
OK… the judges are arriving soon… let’s focus! No more horsing around…
In the morning, there were 3 judges who came… and they are none other than:
Mr Lai Choon Hung, Dy CCO for CapitaLand
Mr Benny Ong, Fashion & Lifestyle Designer
Mr Eliam Eng, Director Nyee Phoe group
Upon arriving, Johnny gave a briefing at Country Rose on what the Creative Youth Xchange programme is about, as well as the judging criteria.
The judging began shortly after the briefing, and knowing that this is the panel of judges that decides who wins the CYX 2007, the youths put their best foot forward, and put on a MAGNIFICENT presentation =)
Whilst waiting for the 2nd round of judging, everyone sat along the curb, awaiting for the next judge to arrive…
WHOA!!! She’s Here!! Judge arrives in her shiny red Mercedes convertible!! Who is she?
She is none other than Ms Elim Chew. Ms Chew is the founder and the current president of 77th Street (S) Pte Ltd. Elim founded 77 th Street in 1988. It was her first foray into the retail industry and has since revolutionized the streetwear scene in Singapore.
Also here with her (her sidekicks) are her 2 personal assistants (PA) =)
People, let’s get the show going!!
During the pitch, each of the youths had to do a presentation on the chair they designed and built and on their green secret idea, their two main accomplishments for CYX.
To get the ball rolling, Ming was first up…
Sorry Ming, I do not have any pictures of you presenting. I was looking for the camera during your presentation… and it ended right when I found the camera =(
After Ming was Sangeeta…
Followed by Admira…
Limin was up after her…
And then Mikko…
Xuan presenting in her usual giggly and smiling self…
… she even manage to persuade Ms Elim Chew’s personal assistant to test out her COMBE =)
Followed by Chien Lin…
… and the unbelievably quiet and talented Calvin =P
Pitching after him is Linda…
Followed by Yushan…
Finally we have Ling Han…
and last but not least, Xiao Xiao… who TOTALLY amazed me with her performance =) She has learnt ALOT and improved SOO much since her first day here. She spoke with so much confidence and conviction ^_^
And that wraps up the judging.
After the judging, Yushan brought Ms. Elim Chew around to view the exhibits…
At 5pm, the reception counter was set up, and our receptionists for the evening are Xiao Xiao and LiMin.
Our ushers for the evening… Chien Lin, Ling Han and Calvin .
Our Green Secrets tree and voting boxes…
The Green Secrets tree grows throughout the evening as more guests and visitors arrive and share their thoughts and feelings by writing a message on the leaves…
At the reception counter… our CYX mentors, Aaron and Ix.
Right before the event starts, Yushan gets interviewed by a reporter from the Today paper =)
We are also very honored to have Ms Earth Singapore 2007 with us tonight…
Shirlene, Director of Phish Communications, was the emcee for the night…. and she did a smashing good job =D
First up to give his speech, Mr Kenny Eng, Director of GardenAsia Pte Ltd…
Followed by Mr Baey Yam Keng, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility for CapitaLand…
Last but not least, giving us his views is Mr. Zaqy Mohammed.
And now… for the moment these youths have been waiting for for the last 11 days… for the moment we’ve all been waiting for all evening… the announcing of the CYX 2007 winner!
(… waiting anxiously for the winner to be announced!!)
BEFORE we announce the winner, let’s present each of these youths with a certificate of participation to acknowledge their efforts, hardwork and talent, not only during these 11 days, but also for their CYX entry submission prior to the programme.
At this point, Shirlene announced “At this moment, 9 of the youths have received their certificates, and the remaining 3 youths that have NOT received their certificate will walk away tonight with, not only their certificates, but also a cash prize!”
And the winner for the Creative Youth Xchange 2007, who will be walking away tonight with a cash prize of S$10,000 goes to…
CALVIN from Malaysia!!!
The 2 runner-ups for the Creative Youth Xchange 2007, who will be walking away tonight with a cash prize of S$2,000 each, goes to…
Admira from Indonesia!!
Xuan from Vietnam!!
With that, the ceremony came to a close.
Everyone proceeded to the Petals & Leaves Bistro for a sumptuous buffet dinner =)
Everyone, except our winner, Calvin >_< He had to do a little bit more work before getting dinner =P But I’m sure he didn’t mind his 15minutes of fame =D
Every end is a new beginning and it’s never over until it’s over =)
Although this marks the end of the Creative Youth Xchange 2007, it is also the beginning of the journey to unravel the many hidden green secrets.
What’s next? Where will we be heading towards?
Stay “tuned” to find out! =D
But before we go… let’s have one more look at our CYX 2007 winner:
OH NO!! He’s getting bullied by the 2 runner-ups =P
OK… ok… they were just messing around with him…
Right before everyone leaves to go home, we had one FINAL meeting… and just in case you didn’t know, in CYX, we have meetings for EVERYTHING =P (… maybe even to decide where to meet for lunch, LOL)
And the FINAL group picture for the night before we bid farewell…
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