ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO II
This module introduces the principles and methods of analysis, abstraction, and synthesis in design thinking that are common to many design fields, including building and architecture. The key emphasis of the studio is “User and Context”, which investigates the relationship between user and natural environment. In this studio, students will understand that user’s need and simple context affects the design decisions and emphasize the importance of space planning as a response to specific function and human needs.
Project 1. Famous Architects, Fabulous Houses
In this first project, students will work in a group of 6 to research and study on a building built by an architect.
The aim of the project is to ‘learn from precedents’ by interpretation and exploration of solids, planes, lines and frames in architectural design. Our task was to investigate how spaces are created from the making of architectural elements: architectonics, extract it and create 10 analysis diagrams and 10 diagrammatic models,
Precedent Study
The architect that we were assigned was John Bulcock and his masterpiece, Dama zAmya in Phuket. We had to conduct a thorough research on the architect and the building given. The information is then filtered and compiled into a slide for presentation and easy reference.
Final Model
Presentation Boards
1. Clara Lee 2. Joy Ann Lim 3. Rudy Izwan 4. Shazleen Shafiqah 5. Wong Teck Poh 6. Yee Mae Yuen
Reflection
I really liked this project and I think what I have learned here is really important in the upcoming projects. So, this project has taught me how to conduct precedent studies on a building and not just blindly accept what information that we can obtain on internet or on media, but instead to look closer at how an architect designs and how he plans the spaces in the house. During the research gathering process, we actually reached out to John Bulcock and asked him for more information about the house, which was really helpful.
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Another thing I learned was how to do diagrammatic analysis diagrams and diagrammatic models. This taught me to break down concepts into the simple and basic models/ diagrams for myself and other people to understand. When doing the presentation board, it was crucial to select the correct diagrams to explain the different concepts that we were going to present. We kept rethinking and re-planning on what diagrams to draw to explain each concept. It was difficult, but it was worth it.
Project 2(a). Tea Pavilion
For this next project, students are brought to Bharat Group Tea Plantation, Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands to conduct a site analysis. Then, students are asked to pair up and design a TEA pavilion with a maximum volume of 30m^3 on Cameron Highlands. This TEA pavilion shall include the activities of preparing, drinking, relaxing, meditating etc. in which furniture and equipment must fit and be incorporated with spatial planning. This structure should correspond to the site that you have chosen in Cameron HIGHLANDS. Adequate access, circulation and fenestration are mandatory.​
Site Analysis Slides
Design Concept
The main idea of our pavilion is that in this fast-paced life, people are impatient and eager to achieve the result of something without wanting to endure the process of it. We fail to see there’s beauty in the process of things and sometimes there’s a greater importance placed in the process rather than its result. In most cultures, the process of making tea is celebrated, from its processing to the act of serving. Visitors at Cameron Tea Valley just show up to drink the tea while admiring the view which is an experience lost within a sip. Our pavilion aims to let users experience tea not just through tasting it rather the art of making and serving it. There will be a new sense of appreciation as they drink each cup of tea. It encourages users to learn to pause, take their time and not rush through a certain process just to get to the end result. It is not about meditating when you take a sip of tea but rather to learn how to meditate through the process.
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So the main spaces in our pavilion is a tea preparation area where someone will demonstrate how tea is made and you then attempt to make the tea yourself, a drinking tea area as well as a sitting area for people who just climb up the hill.
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Mock-up Models
Presentation Board
Final Model
Reflection
From this project, I have learnt to conduct a site analysis with a team by knowing first of all what needs to be recorded, for example, the climate, wind direction, existing structures and dimensions of contours to make the site model. There was a different method to obtain the information for each part and it took some time to find out the most suitable method, but eventually we got the job done and got the information. Moreover, I realized that there are certain aspects that requires a person to actually to visit the site to know . For example, genius loci, the spirit of the place, needs to be experience first hand. It is not the same as just looking at the picture of the place nor researching on internet.
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Collecting information about a place and using the information collected is two very different things. For example, when my partner and I were designing the tea pavilion, we had to take into account aspects such as views and sun orientation and orientate the pavilion according to it. Another thing I learned was about 'constructability' of a design. During the final critic session, the accessors asked how was the pavilion going to be built and what kind of foundation and structure we were going to use. I think this is due to the reason that the next project has to be 'buildable'. It is quite a task to thing about. Well, I guess this is what the real world is like...
Project 2(b). Weekend Lodging
For this last project, using the site analysis from project 2(a), each student has to design a weekend retreat of floor area 150m^2. The weekend lodging is to include public and private spaces for relaxing, dining, cooking, washing, with consideration for design concept, anthropometry, ergonomics and the site.
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Design Concept
The target group are the working people and i aim for my retreat house to serve as a rest stop for this people, a place where they can rejuvenate and pick themselves up. In my design concept, I used the tea pavilion to symbolize the end goal and that the retreat house will be placed halfway of the journey there, symbolizing the break that they need so badly.
So people nowadays work are focused too much on work and they rarely take breaks, blurring their view of the target goal and slows down their productivity. I wanted the house to speak to this people to remind them that they will be able to enjoy a moment only once in their life and that working is not everything. I intend to do this with the play of lighting and the arrangement of spaces. As a person travels through the house, he will experience different intensities of light which creates different moods, separates spaces and emphasize certain spaces. So as the person approaches the end of the house, he will be able to take a good view of where the tea pavilion is, symbolizing that the person is able to see his the end goal more clearly with the break that he/she took.
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Progress
I did some precedent studies and research for this project which I recorded in some A5 sketch books. I also did some study models when experimenting with lighting as well as the progress and mockup models when designing the form. The pictures are all in the slide below.
Obtained from Archdaily page
Drawings Progress
Presentation Board
Final Model
Reflection
My reflection for this assignment is that we cannot forget what we have learnt in the previous assignments. Everything that we have learned previously, like drawing in design communication, analysis diagramming in project 1, building materials and building construction all are important to help support what we are going to design in our studio projects. At first learning the other subjects may seem pointless and not helpful at all. But after this assignment, I realize that I was wrong and should have paid more attention to the other subjects. Well, I still have two more years to go. Let's not make that mistake again.