Architecture Design Studio 4

ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO 4 (ARC 2128) (ARC2126)

In Semester 4, themed “engaging environment and community”, the studio explores design by harnessing environmental qualities and conditions for human and environment sustainability through a project with a specific community of users within a given context. The project involves precedent studies on design projects that are responsive to the environmental conditions and sustainable issues. Using the precedent studies, students explore the environment poetics of the building enclosure that respond to the basic natural context such as the sun, wind, heat, cold, energy issue and the existing building context (which has clustered built forms for example community centre, nature appreciative center, research centre). Considerations should be given to the complexity of the programme, site topography and vegetation, socio-cultural events, and variety of passive strategies for sustainable design. The design work should contribute to and merge harmoniously with environment and the site, and provide the best of experiences for the community of users. Students are required to demonstrate applications of knowledge gained from Environmentally Sustainable Design and Building Science 1 modules from prior semesters and integrate research from Asian Architecture module.

The teaching objectives of the module are:

 Introduction of site-planning, particularly clustered organization of architectural form/space.

 Contextual responses that focus on community/social needs and environmental consciousness (climate and topography)

 Integration of Plan-Section in the architectural design

 Exploring new/current technology in architectural resolution

Project: NATURE APPRECIATION CENTER

STAGE 1: PRECEDENT STUDIES (Group)

Precedent study is a form of study in which researchers use past literature or previously studied findings to develop new ideas and concepts. Stage 1 is to seek and investigate existing knowledge on similar scheme and sustainable architecture that respond to the basic natural context such as the sun, wind, heat, cold, energy issue, and context. The main aim is to analyse architectural precedents for:

1. Spatial typology

2. Spatial programming

3. Poetic relationship between the built and natural setting.

Precedent study A

In groups of 4-5 students, select a precedent for analysis. The precedent study should provide the following analysis:

SPATIAL TYPOLOGIES

1. How are the spaces organised or arranged?

2. How did it inform the way spaces are used, moved through and experienced?

PROGRAMMING: What are the breakdown of areas and their functions? How are the spaces related?

The nature appreciation centre that we chosen is Nishorgo Nature Appreciation Centre situated in Bangladesh.

Precedent study B

Project: BELUM RAINFOREST RESORT

POETIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BUILT AND NATURAL SETTING

1. What is the design strategies employed to celebrate the relationship?

2. How are the spaces articulated in terms of the poetics, sensuality and tactility of architectural spaces?

Spatial types (how did the spatial typology used influenced the way spaces were experienced?)

Flow of experience (identify key circulation/journey, and select at least 5 experiential spaces to study). For each space, study the following:

Engagement with senses;
Manipulation of light and its effects on space (natural & artificial);
Texture and materiality;
Scale and proportion of spaces (in relation to human)
Co-relate the plan to one of the most interesting section of the building.
Study the section and analyse how it is designed.

Comment on the relationship between inside/outside, volumes and scale of space, variation and hierarchy of spaces

Upon completion of the project, we are able to:

1. Utilize precedent study as research technique

2. Reflect precedent and techniques of analysis in the critique and development of projects

3. Demonstrate the ability to execute a design integrating the analysis of precedent and context within the process of design

4. Respond to environmental concerns in the development and realization of design projects through the study of precedent.

STAGE 2: DISCOVERING THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL NEEDS FOR CONTEXTUAL ARCHITECTURE

(Group & Individual)

Stage 2 is to identify and analyse the site context for design exploration. In groups, carry out a thorough research on the subject and site analysis. Individually, a student is to Identify and analyse environmental and social needs of a site that lead to formulation of the design programme and contextual responses.

Objectives

1. To identify and analyse environmental and social needs of a site

2. To propose for Nature Appreciation Center

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Task

1. Students are to measure and study the physical

features of the site such as contour, vegetation,

existing structure, etc.

2. Students are to observe existing features such as

access, approach, view, wind etc.

3. Students are to conduct interviews with stakeholders –

community, users and authority – on needs

4. Students are to capture all observation by photo

taking, video and sketches

5. All data to be collated analysed and synthesized

for design proposal.

From the site analysis, our class divided into sections such as circulation, existing building, landscape etc. Our sub-group of existing building and sub-group of circulation because when we circulate the other part of the town we can discover the existing building as well. Therefore, we also help out with the site model.

8A1 Site Analysis Produce by Whole Class

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Our Group explore this part of the town. Below features some pictures of this part of the town.

Circulation and Existing Building Site Analysis done by our group

B. Individual

Proposal for a Nature Appreciation Centre based on Precedent Studies and Environment and Social Needs analysis.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify site condition, topography, vegetation and socio-cultural events

2. Identify environmental features that influence architectural design

3. Identify and analyse environment and social needs of a site as basis for design proposal

PROJECT: NATURE APPRECIATION CENTER (Individual)

This project calls for a design of a simple public building with some complexity that includes the complexity of site topography and vegetation, socio-cultural events, and variety of strategies for sustainable design.

It explores design solutions that harness environmental qualities and conditions for human and environment sustainability through a project with a specific community of users. Students explore design solutions that reduce environmental impact utilising clustered spatial typology and passive design approach. The design work should contribute to and merge harmoniously with nature and the site, and provide the best of experiences for the users.

Objectives

 To develop awareness of environmental sustainability in architectural design.

 To develop the student’s ability to meet the imperative and inter-related environmental and social needs, as well as make poetry with the buildings.

The Project

Site : Sepang

Brief : Nature Appreciation Center

Building Siting : Setbacks as per authority requirements (where applicable)

Building Height : 2 - 3 Storeys.

Approximate Floor Area : 800 sq m. (with the possibility to expand)

Facilities : To provide a Mixed-Use Facility to accommodate community’s needs.

A. Core Spaces

 Meeting / Interactive Space

 Learning

 Refreshment

 Commercial

B. An additional space of specific activity deem necessary based on analysis and design program proposal

Vehicle : Access and Parking (min 1 for handicapped and 10 for non-handicapped visitors)

Occupants : Consideration for disabled (wheelchair) access

Public Access : Consideration to the Public/Private accesses and separation

Pedestrian Circulation : Consideration of the pedestrian accesses into and around the Site.

Other service facilities to be provided as per required

Site Information

The site of the project is within the area of the Malaysian Nature Society Environmental Interpretive Centre in Sepang, Selangor. Located approximately 75 minutes from Kuala Lumpur, the Environmental Interpretive Centre (EIC) is dominated by landscape of mangroves and rivers. It also acts as a sanctuary to many species of flora and fauna such as the endangered smooth otter, which has been adopted by the EIC as its logo.

EIC was established on 9th April 2009 and trained its focus on the conservation of mangroves and the Sepang Rivers. This centre also plays an important role in promoting eco-tourism. Eco-tourism is defined as minimizing impact on environmental

interaction with nature, community involvement, environmental activity and economics sustainability. In this respect, EIC acts as the centre point in promoting the entire existing eco-tourism products in Sepang.

Because the board printed out is later handwritten on the board itself therefore i using typing to represent my handwriting as the board is too large to be scan. :)