SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

THE DESIGN SCHOOL

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT

NAME: JAKE SIA CHYI SERN

STUDENT ID NO: 0314396

TOOL SELECTED: SPONGE

WORD COUNT: 480

ENGLISH 2 (ENGL 0205)

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1: NARRATIVE ESSAY

LECTURER: CASSANDRA WIJESURIA

SUBMISSION DATE: 14TH NOVEMBER 2013

The first thing I did to determine what object to use as 'the tool' was

to observe my surroundings carefully and pick an object that is suitable. The first

location that came to mind was the kitchen because I spend many a time there

enjoying a hearty meal with my family and also because the kitchen was one of

the suggestions in the brief. Once I had found a location, I then browsed through

the large array of cooking and dinning utensils that varied from the forks and

spoons to the pots and pans. Then I remembered something that was always

sitting by the sink, the sponge. I told myself that the sponge is a neat piece of

equipment that is used regularly so why not. I decided to use the sponge as my

object because I am familiar with it as I spend most of the days washing the

dishes.

The sponge's brand is Scotch Brite, a well known brand in the field

where cleaning products are concerned, where its quality is to be considered the

best or at least one of the best. As I observed the sponge up close at the kitchen

table, the first thing I caught was that it had fine edges resembling a cuboid or

more or less cubic in shape. Its top side is covered with a layer of coarse dark

green and the rest of the sponge is bright yellow and smoother than the green

side. Its whole surface was covered in tiny pores which only allowed element

such as water and air to diffuse through it. As I lifted it up, I had noticed that it

was as light as a feather, similar to lifting thin air itself. However when I added

water, I began to feel the weight resting upon my palm. I squeezed the sponge

and felt it get lighter once more. I then smelled the sponge. Turns out the sponge

have both the aroma of detergent and the stench of cooking oil since the sponge

is closely associated with such substances. The sponge always came in contact

with tap water hence its temperature is likewise considerably low. When the

sponge is dropped it produces close to no sound at all but when thrown into the

basin makes a little 'thump' sound. However, when the sponge is full of water and

thrown into the basin, it produces a deeper and louder sounding 'thump'. My

sponge was already quite worn out so it cannot maintain its solid shape very well

and is rather wobbly than compared to how it was when brand new. Of course

due to the frequent usage of this sponge, its bright yellow colour has turned

slightly brownish because of the dirt stains. I wouldn't say that my sponge is a

unique sponge rather it is just like all the other millions of sponges in the world.