Architectural Studio III

Project 1: Journey of the 5 Senses

Within the first project, we were exposed to thoughts of spatial quality and poetics of space.The study and exploration of different spatial organization methods is important in design because it informs human occupation, behavior, and experience within architectural spaces. As such, the we had to design walkway that allows users to experience the journey of 5 senses. But before the design phase started, we have to carry out precendent studies on two different type of body with different architectural forms.

As for my group, we carried out precedent studies on Villa Rotonda, to study the spatial qualities of a concentric form and Church Bagsvaerd to understand the linear qualities of it. With the understanding of both concentric and linear qualities of a building.

After the understanding of linear and concentric forms, the design phase begins with the understanding and translation of given literatures by our own lecturers. We chose to work on a song 'Luka' and a short story entitled 'Once there was a free bird'.

From there on, each piece of literature was translated into a walkway that allow users to understand the poetics portrayed by each piece of literature.

Project 2: Site Analysis & Concept Development

Society, culture, history, memory and the landscape of a particular place echoes the meaning of that ‘place’, or its ‘genius loci’. In this second project, we are to response architecturally towards the site which is rich in heritage.

A site analysis is needed to understand the site well and to start off the design phase with a conceptual development on a visitor interpretive centre.

A culturally rice place that acts as our site is the Bukit China cemetery in Melaka. As such, a site visit was held and a video documentary on the site analysis is produced.

From there on, conceptual form of the visitor interpretive centre blooms from inspirations obtained from the site. As for what I've obtained, the concept of death is obtained due to the site.

Project 3: Visitor Interpretive Centre

Continuous from the previous project, the conceptual form is further revised and thus continued in project 3. The form has been changed to allow a more evocative form to take place and creating a much more poetic place. As such, to revise on the previous project, the concept as well have been changed to 'Reminiscing about the dead' which evokes the thought of a solemn place that creates memories.

From there on, the concept was broken down into design elements which gave been to an eye-like plan which is symmetrical and has a strong axis in the middle that draws passers-by to enter the visitor interpretive centre. The VIC features a reflective pond in the middle with a tree which portrays the form of the continuous life after death.

Apart from just the poetics of design, certain elements such as buildability and the incorporation of passive cooling design is designed as well to ensure that the building's components is realistic and the building requires lesser energy to cool amd keep the building at a comfortable rate.

MJ | Architecture