Design Studio 4 [ARC2128]
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.
Introduction
Precedent study is a form of study in which researchers use past literature or previously studied findings to develop new ideas and concepts.
Objective
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.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the project, student should be 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.
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
Precedent B
Precedent Study A: Stage 1
Salburua Nature Interpretation Centre
Double Decker: John Hardy House
Belum Rainforest Resort
Belum Rainforest Resort
STAGE 2: DISCOVERING THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL NEEDS FOR CONTEXTUAL ARCHITECTURE
(Group & Individual)
Class Site Analysis (Group) Does not carry Marks
Project 1: Proposal Phase 20%
Objectives:
1. To identify and analyse environmental and social needs of a site
2. To propose for Nature Appreciation Center
Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify site condition, topography, vegetation and socio-cultural events.
2. Identify enviroment issues that influence architectural design/
3. Identify and analyse enviroment and social needs of a site for basis ofdesign proposal.
Interim Presentation 30%
Progress are on moderation with the lecturers, to be put in at a later date.
Project 3: Final Design and Presentation 50%
This project requires students to propose a communal facility accommodating several related functions such as meeting and learning in a suburban context. Students are to develop their own concept for the communal space based on their research of the area and the community’s needs. This working method is intended to have the student design in near full-freedom; however they will be required to make an informed response firstly to the surrounding context. Their capacity to respond architecturally and contextually to this task will form part of the basis upon which they will be marked.
Site Location
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. (https://www.mns)
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.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the subject, students will be able to:
1. Apply ideas of environmental sustainability in design
2. Design and create architectural spaces with consideration of environmental poetics in relation to the basic natural context and existing built context which impact on users’ experiences
3. Combine the environmental needs, the site (site topography, history and socio-cultural events), and the users’ experiences within simple building design in the open landscape/suburban context.
4. Produce drawings (both 2D and 3D), modelling and verbal presentation to communicate and visualize architectural design and ideas based on clustered spatial typology.
