【INTRODUCTION】    【GALLERY】  
【PART 1】    【PART 2】    【PART 3】
ON ELASTICITY OF SPACE 
BY  ĐINH THẢO LINH (℅ BA-BAU) 


1.
Conversation with Cao Việt Nga 
(℅ ba-bau)
 
L: Have you thought about what I mentioned yesterday regarding the elasticity or flexibility of space? 

N: Reflecting on the experience there, and revisiting the footage, I perceive the elasticity of space primarily through the presence and absence of people. This temporal dimension—their appearance and disappearance—imbues the space with a kind of elasticity. It exists within a certain timeframe, and then it fades. Secondly, despite being an outdoor setting, the visual composition feels enclosed, structured, almost bordered. It's as though the space is defined by a circle that contains it, rather than being fully exposed to the street. However, while processing the still images—most of which frame elements within this circular boundary—I noticed the only true variable was the light. Light from the outside interacts with the scene. While internal light also shapes it, it's primarily the external light—the rush hour traffic, spectators stopping to observe—that shifts constantly. These two aspects frame how I understand the elasticity of the space. 

L: How do you perceive the relationship between the image and the reality observed, both during and after the event? Since viewing through a camera lens or monitor alters perception from direct sight, how do you navigate this dynamic, as the one deciding what to shoot, from which angle, and why? How does this relationship manifest for you? 

N: While making the shot list, I focused heavily on centralizing both the imagery and the perspective of the roundabout. Most shots were taken from a high vantage point, looking downward, using lighting and equipment to further concentrate attention on the roundabout— even though it is already a focal point in itself. Comparing moments when I wasn’t filming to when I was, the imagery can be understood as a continuous flow—light streams, with the roundabout not being the sole object, but part of a larger context of surrounding activity. Yet, through the act of filming, the camera's gaze framed the roundabout as a landmark, the center of attention, with everything else around it functioning as supplementary. For instance, the details that persist whether or not they are captured, like the man who continuously circled the area, or the conversations happening nearby—though I didn’t focus on how others were observing the roundabout, its presence always existed on another layer. The MRT, which at times I couldn’t fully capture as it passed, served as a marker of time, a rhythmic element. 

There are also humorous juxtapositions that I didn’t notice while filming, but became apparent in the images afterward—such as scenes of people eating, juxtaposed with the garbage truck in the background, or rice drying on the ground in contrast to the trash opposite to it. As an observer, even though we were close, the lens maintained a distance. On a technical note, for example, Đạt’s camera, using a zoom lens, allowed him to get closer, whereas my wide-angle lens, though physically closer, rendered the images more distant. So, while it felt like I was within the space, I couldn't capture its close-up intricacies. 

2. 
Roving roundabout: a guide 

The heart of the whirlwind is said to be the safest place, even if only temporarily—a concept often stated and one I have come to accept as true. Perhaps, the heart of the roundabout—the nexus of urban traffic—is the safest place. Safe from traffic accidents, safe for drying rice, safe for the chess games of local men, safe for us to enjoy a meal (?)

Yet, this safety is precarious, due to the continuous potentialities and ever-changing nature of this "invulnerable" space. Thus, within this central point, we devised the following situation:
  1. Create an intimate space for a small group (How intimate could it be under the gaze of others?)
  2. Seating arrangement: The group will be seated, as sitting signifies comfort and openness for exchange. Lying down is too comfortable and private, making collective dialogue difficult. Standing feels provisional, as if ready to move, rather than to engage. (How can we ensure that sitting occurs freely and comfortably?)
  3. High level of flexibility and guerrilla-like (Are objects easy to move? What objects should we bring into the roundabout, and how many of them?)
  4. Duration sufficient for meaningful interaction (How long is long enough to be a quality encounter?)
  5. Generate confusion and curiosity (How can the shipper from Grab Food navigate where we are? What do the local businesses around us think about what’s happening?)

3. 
We forgot the sky, didn’t we?

The interplay between ceiling - wall - floor is something I pay close attention to in spatial design, particularly within interiors. Although this space is not an indoor environment per se, I still apply these principles for observation and projection. For me, intimacy arises when the environment is personal, welcoming, and conducive to close connections and communication. Here, the relationship between ceiling - wall - floor is stretched and bent at the joints, creating a reflective space at core, like a lake in the center of a valley. At the moment of the dinner, this reflective space (of togetherness) within the roundabout seemed to open a gateway to each individual's inner space. 

Throughout that evening, I never looked up. Neither did the camera lenses. The sky was there. Dark as always, I guess. Polluted as always, I guess. I looked down at the ground while arranging and dismantling the space, I looked sideways while crossing the street to avoid being hit by a vehicle, I looked directly at my dining companions while conversing, and I looked up at the advertising signs and lights of nearby cafés and eateries. 

I wonder, what kind of space have we just created? A safe space? A contemplative space? A reflective space? A temporary space? An adventurous space? 

And I wonder, what is the frame of reference we can apply in designing these temporary spaces?