PORTFOLIO 1 . BA ARCH . NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

PP O OR R TT FF O O LL II O O

ALLY TAN year 1 semester 1 / 2019 / studio WYY b.a arch / national university of Singapore

Abstract. seeing / thinking / making Any form of representation is a three-fold process.

This portfolio will comprise of 5 selected work that showcases creative, communicative & representation process throughout the 13 weeks of year 1 semester 1.

Portfolio by Ally Tan A0209253J Studio WYY

Contents. topic 1 / katsura imperial villa topic 2 / schroder house & maison cook topic 3 / golden mile complex topic 4 / tectonic bridge & dome topic 5 / computational design thinking

01. katsura imperial villa to discover: axis / rhythm / symmetry / hierarchy / repetition / proportion

Katsura Imperial Villa.

plan / section / elevation Completed in 1965 in Kyoto, Japan, Katsura Imperial Villa was thought to be designed ahead of its time by western architects as it went beyond classicism.

Exercise 1 taught us the fundamentals of how to read and draw a plan, section, and elevation, and how they should reflect each other coherently.

This is crucial as drawings are a reflection of what a building is like in 2 dimensions.

With this set of drawings, I gained insight to some of Katsura's design principles such as spatial qualities, grid, pattern, rhythm, proportions and hierarchy.

Following the use of different line weights and textures, I was able to highlight the relevant characteristics of this building.

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Katsura Imperial Villa.

process sketches

Through this set of processes, I was able to identify some of the design elements used that help aid in the design of Katsura.

These elements include: -

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spatial planning and qualities hierarchy of spaces scale and proportion axis and symmetry light and shadow materiality building system

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Katsura Imperial Villa.

plan / section / elevation ANALYSIS With the help of process sketches, this analysis aims to showcase the various design intentions through the plan of Katsura Imperial Villa.

1. Tatami mats helps in defining the dimensions of spaces with 3 different typologies placed symmetrically along the vertical and horizontal axis.

2. Circulation is divided into 2 main routes – served and servants. Served routes mainly accessing the private areas and servants routes mainly accessing service areas.

3. Shoji Screen helps divide spaces into multiple functions, allowing view on both the vertical and horizontal axis, forming a grid pattern.

4. Rooms are layout and staggered based on the different light intensity required.

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Katsura Imperial Villa.

plan / section / elevation ANALYSIS Through the analysis of section, hierarchy of ceiling can be seen. Playing with ceiling heights restricts movements according to the functionality of rooms. Verandas also acts as transitional spaces between interiority and exteriority.

Hierarchy of roofs can also be seen in the elevation of Katsura with the new palace (served) being the highest and servants being the lowest.

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary elements are also used to show pattern and proportions.

Elevation

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Site Plan

Section

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02. schroder house maison cook to discover: form / movement / structure / sequence / private / public

Schroder House.

process analysis

Exercise 2 carries forward the skillset acquired from exercise 1 such as understanding plans, sections and elevations. To analyze and represent its design principles of Parti and space using axonometric and isometric drawings.

PROCESS Through an in-depth process and analysis, I was able to extract the design principles and considerations taken to design the Schroder house.

Taking site into context, to see how the house reacts to its surrounding. By studying its plans, to see how its spatially organized and how circulation affect its spaces.

The idea of “Function over Form” where functionality played an important role in helping the house take its form. How studying the façade to understand the lack of symmetry that closely follows the De Stijl Art Movement.

Group analysis: Ally, Ashley, Izzy, Mx

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Schroder House.

exploded isometric / axonometric Schroder House designed

by Rietveld showcases flexible and open spaces.

With the function of the spaces revolving around the core stairs, it creates a centrifugal movement and radial circulation.

The structure of the house consists of angular lines and no form of curves which emphasises the spiral stairs and centrifugal movement.

The lines from the interior space is then carried forward to the facade of the house.

The house closely follows the De Stijl movement and is shown in the facade. It consist of 2 components that intersects each other in the X,Y&Z axis; lines and planes.

Through the dynamic lines and planes, it creates a collage similar to the art movement.

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centrifugal movement / spiral stairs / flexible open plan

dynamic collaged facade

dynamic faรงade components

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Maison Cook.

exploded isometric / axonometric Maison Cook designed by Le Corbusier touches on the 5 points of Architecture.

The house is arranged to highlight the double volume living space on the top two floors and is achieved through a variety of volumetric spaces.

The house has prominent public and private spaces using the concept of free plan. The stairs are made half landing and thus creates a linear continuous circulation from floor to floor.

The Free Faรงade is mostly flat and uses the impression of mass along with Ribbon windows to block its interior spaces. In contrast to its flat faรงade, the interior consists of many curved walls and columns- Pilotis.

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linear movement & stairs / free plan

free faรงade / ribbon windows

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03. golden mile complex to discover: tectonics / social / urban architecture / building systems / interiority / exteriority / streetscape / entries / approaches / arrival

Golden Mile Complex.

Site visit

To better understand the building, a site visit was conducted. This site visit will enable us to develop a keen sense of experiential, phenomenological and social understanding of the spaces, as well as the people whom they serve.

Interiority

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Exteriority

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Golden Mile Complex.

sectional perspective Exercise 3 applies the knowledge of a section and scale to use. With the technique of projection, experimenting with different picture planes alongside different standing, vanishing points allows different perspectives to be made.

Golden Mile Complex utilizes functionality and materiality which resulted in Brutalism within Post-modernism in Singapore. With its high density of commercial and residential use, golden mile emerged as a “linear city�. My sectional perspective aims to show the stepped terrace structure alongside its social and physical context to its site surrounding and most importantly the coexistence between interiority and exteriority such as the activities within the building that resembles the street.

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Golden Mile Complex.

sectional perspective

04. tectonics dome tectonics bridge to discover: structure and load / weight distribution / structural design / connection detailing Groupmates: Ally, Ashley, Izzy, Zhia Wen

Material and Tectonics.

paper experimentation / model making / visual representation DOME PROCESS With the chosen material of paper of 250gsm or lighter, to design – a dome with minimum diameter of 400mm supporting a load of 1kg within a central diameter of 200mm.

Through the different experimentation of trial and error, to find out the strengths of paper and use the material to the best of its ability in tension and compression.

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Material and Tectonics.

paper experimentation / model making / visual representation DOME - MODULES Through various trial and error, we decided to go with triangular modules that form bigger modules consisting of hexagons and pentagons as they could structurally support 1kg in tension and compression.

Being modular also allowed us to mass produce and assemble in large quantities.

6 modules forming a hexagon

5 modules forming a pentagon

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Material and Tectonics.

paper experimentation / model making / visual representation DOME – MODULAR SYSTEM Modules are arranged with the combination of Hexagons and Pentagons.

Hexagonal modules are flexible and thus allows modules to connect to each other to form the dome’s shape.

Pentagonal modules are rigid thus allowing the dome’s curvature to be formed without collapsing.

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Material and Tectonics.

paper experimentation / model making / visual representation DOME – 700g

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Material and Tectonics.

paper experimentation / model making / visual representation DOME – PLAN / SECTION / ELEVATION

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Material and Tectonics.

paper experimentation / model making / visual representation BRIDGE PROCESS With the chosen material of paper of 250gsm or lighter, to design – a bridge spanning across 600mm supporting a load of 1kg at midspan.

Utilizing the same concept applied to the dome, we experimented using the same triangular modules to assemble the bridge.

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Final model

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Material and Tectonics.

paper experimentation / model making / visual representation BRIDGE – PLAN / SECTION / ELEVATION

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05. computational design thinking to discover: method / time / information / process / computational design

Computational Design Thinking.

part 1 - codes

Exercise 5 practices a step by step process alongside strategic design thinking where the process of seeing, thinking and making can be documented in architectural representations of drawings and models without the use of computers.

Part 1 is an introduction to information systems and how they can be translated via another language such as a code.

With the chosen infographic, I extracted out the elements of it ( boundaries, nodes, direction, typology ) and translated it into a code based on circles.

Legend

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Infographic

Translated Infographic

Computational Design Thinking.

part 2 - codes

The code of circles enables many variations and compounded functions such as intensity, solid & hollow, linetypes & lineweights, positive & negative spaces.

Part 2 is the process translating 2D data into a dimensional space assigning an action to function.

of 3by a

Vinyl was chosen as the material as it is responsive and rigid thus enhances and emphasizes the actions done to it. This linear material allows flat planes to be 3 dimensional with the actions applied to it.

Translating from my code, the actions that I mostly used are folding, pinching, twisting, pulling, pushing, pushing , stacking, compressing and overlapping.

Compounded Functions

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Computational Design Thinking.

part 2 - model ACTIONS

Folding reflects intensity as you determine how much to fold and the frequency of each fold.

Compounding further from my code, one circle can be considered as one unit(scale), to end one unit I used compression as it stops the lines.

Using overlapping and stacking to translate negative and positive space. To emphasize more, the act of pulling and pushing the fabric, creating voids on opposite ends.

The action of pinching n twisting to translate nodes.

Pinching and overlapping to represent direction as it becomes linear.

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Compounded section cuts

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Computational Design Thinking.

part 2 - model

Computational Design Thinking has taught me how we can design through a generative step by step process and how this method driven process enables us to create and regenerate complex geometries and parametric form.

By inventing a single code of translation allows replication to other possibilities to be made. Thus, showing how similar design concepts can be applied throughout architecture.

Casted Models: Section cut 1

Section cut 2

Section cut 3

Section cut 4 53

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Line Exercises.

straight lines and curves

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