Yujoe Lum

I’m Lum Yujoe, a friendly, quirky and enthusiastic individual. I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad and gain exposure to various cultures and design philosophies after being flown in from Malaysia. I will always be appreciative that I’ve progressed this far in my journey, making new friends, working with them, and even going beyond what I thought design was.

In fact, using LEGO bricks to construct tiny homes when I was younger sparked my interest in architecture and design. Similar to LEGO, my inspiration as a designer pushes me to assemble a lot of tiny pieces to create a space that not only satisfies my clients’ needs but also creates an atmosphere that speaks for itself.

I believe that sustainable design isn’t just an ethical choice; it’s the inevitable future. Hence, I’ve catered learning skills that allows me to create a unique design style that achieves an elegant balance between nature and architecture.

It’s time for me to venture into the industry and build a name for myself.

The Terrarium

The Terrarium is a sustainable architecture that supports the less fortunate by introducing new food systems and adolescent rehabilitation programmes for Sunshine in West Melbourne. The project focuses on its objectives for the community through its various programme spaces and activities dispersed throughout the compound, where members can feel safe to interact, support one another, and inform future generations about the significance of sustainable food systems and be independent people in society.

In general, like a terrarium, we want to take care of the participants in our programmes and be completely self-sufficient to lessen our impact on the environment and the neighbourhood where we live.

The Terrarium - Market Hall

The market hall is divided into 2 sections, the community market and the food market. The community market helps support small neighbourhood businesses while the food market offers fresh produce and groceries at a steep discount, in return these programs help support Sunshine's vulnerable community. Both markets are equipped with foldable pop-up booths that help create a flexible and adaptable space to suit any type of event.

The Terrarium - The Learning Oasis

Discovery Oasis is a dynamic library specially crafted for young explorers. It's a place where children and adolescents can embark on a journey of learning, study, and relaxation. With its relaxing design, accessibility to the internet, and diverse collection of books, Discovery Oasis provides a stimulating environment for inquisitive minds. Whether it's diving into the pages of a book, venturing into the digital realm, or simply unwinding in a cosy corner, this space is a gateway to the exciting world of knowledge, inviting young learners to set sail on their educational adventures.

The Stack

The project is a deep exploration inspired by the versatile shape of a simple Lego brick, aiming to transform an abstract form into functional spaces for a community hub. Through experimentation with patterns, scales, rotations, and more, the project pushes the boundaries of the cuboid shape. Embracing the playfulness inherent in Lego, the design invites audience exploration, utilising a multistory grid-like structure with interactive elements like spiral staircases and winding paths.

The result is an immersive architectural experience that embodies the creativity and engagement associated with Lego play.

A Museum Of The Handmade

The Museum of the Handmade is located in Docklands, Melbourne. It is an innovative sustainable design integrating active solar shading using ceramic tiles that adjust its orientation based on the sun’s position throughout the day. The project demonstrates a dedication to sustainability by utilising passive heating and cooling systems, a planted roof covering a concrete sloped frame, and eco-friendly materials like recycled wood for furniture. The structure exemplifies an innovative and environmentally conscious approach to architectural design.

Acknowledgement of Country

The School of Design and Architecture respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and knowledge-keepers of the lands, waters and sky that surround us, where we work, learn, create, communicate and make place. We recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded and this always was and will always be Wurundjeri Country. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who continue to make a better world through design.

We extend our acknowledgement to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, alumni, real-life clients, and knowledge keepers, who have contributed to our own education diversity and growth. We will continue to ensure that staff and students respectfully honour ancestral connection to Country and Place in everything that they do.

We are dedicated to the notion of design to make a better world and we acknowledge that making tools, shaping place, sharing stories, making meaning, wayfinding and collaborating have long been and continue to be both central and integral to First Peoples' cultures. We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ cultural contributions have continued relevance to design practice and commit to: reconciling ancestries of design and contemporary practice as well as pursuing culturally and professionally appropriate ways to engage with a diverse population of colleagues, industries and clients. In a time of treaty-making and voice we understand that there are overlaps between caring for Country and the sustainable production of goods, services, experiences, products and buildings.

Guided by the principles of respect, reconciliation, and reciprocity we undertake to indigenising and decolonising design practice by dismantling colonial structures and challenging biases that have marginalised Indigenous voices and design.

As students of SoDA you will be given opportunities to both engage with and educate yourself in Indigenous creative practices and cultural protocols through a lens of inclusivity, diversity, respect, mutual understanding, inter-cultural dialogue in all aspects of design practice. Indigenous people have been telling stories, making tools, and connecting to Country through visual media, placemaking and place marking for more than 60,000 years and these practices are part of an ongoing, evolving and live tradition.