Design portfolio

Andrew Law

ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO ‘15 - ‘17

“the contextual study”

ANDREW LAW

刘子航

“to feel the essence of your architecture, not just through light and shadow but through context”

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“THE DIRECTION TO GO”

Architecture, to me it’s an expression of a specific site. It has to be contextual where it kept the sense of place through the expression and representation. I would say it’s my ideology through three years of studying, the importance of context in architecture.

The perception has led me to the conception on how I blend the architecture to the context while preserves the local aesthetics in a contemporary sense and translate human activities and experience through reinterpretation of architectural form. It’s an attempt of re-interpretation based on the theme and needs of user through different contextual approach. The local element has to be incorporated in its abstract form. However, it may be a monumental existence which will break the whole streetscape, therefore it’s a contemporized regionalism approach which will therefore making an impact to the specific context that portrayed different qualities in a relevant way.

The importance of context is directly engaged to the user. It engages the experience, understanding, appearance of the whole architecture that is to be presented to the user. Therefore, I have been trying ways to make my design “in relevant” to the context with different approaches.

Firstly, the approach through the topographical context of the site. Secondly, the context of the community where it solves the problem through design. Thirdly, contextual through the injection of local qualities. Fourth, contextual through human activities in which to blend the human and architecture together. Through each process, I’m able to understand more on how to harmonize the relatiobship between human with the context through architecture.

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d es ig n proj e c t l ist a retreat house situated at cape rachado seeks to fuflfil the need of adventurous

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botanist.

an elderly center situated at a community area that seeks to reconnect them

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through design expression and spatial experience.

an urban infill with the programme “library� located at Jalan TAR seeks to im-

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plement the street experience to create the informality.

a gallery of health that aims to release stress, an extension of the landscape, as

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the heart of Tasik Titiwangsa.

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community library

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c3 urban context

17’ - architectural studio V

In the urban fabrics, streets plays an important role to enliven the whole context.

The library injects the contextual elements (street and human activities within the building, revitalizing the site while preserves the vital program and user needs.)

The aims is to reconnect the youth to the site with a “vertical street� injected in the building, therefore preserving the identity of Jalan TAR.

built up space : 1200 m2 location: Jalan TAR user: community typology: urban infill

key plan (nts)

site plan (nts)

T he s ite is lo c ate d at Ja l an TAR , a wel l k now n text i le d ist r i c t w hi ch is pre v i ously k now n as a t in mining site and a shoppi ng st re et d e c ad es ago.

T he site its elves is sur rounde d by d ivers e d d ist r i c t such as c u ltura l, comme rci a l w here accomp anie d w it h b ot h and ne w archite c tura l pre s e nce.

Howe ve r, t he s ens e of t he site is ver y i n for ma l, w it h ver y d ivers e i n te r ms of ac t iv it ies.

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urban boxes The scattered building forms, the representation of the elements of the site, echoed each other in a certain way, that is to align along the “street�, creating a harmonized relationship between the culture and local identitiy through form.

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the process its a thoughtful process on how to combine spaces with different typology together. The “five foot walkway� is then introduced and progress through five floor. Different typologies of spaces is then stacked on to the walkway giving people a spontaneous sense of walking along the street.

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the contextual elements the building injects street, where we see is as the important element of the site in which the identity and sense has to be incorporated, ranging from large to the small scale details has to be considered in expressing as the total representation of the site. There are soft and hard, tangible and intagible stuff that is incorporated.

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observation deck the blurred facade brings harmony that doesn’t kill the street of hustle and buslte in the daytime.

timber louvers

shophouses typology

5 foot walkway

it enlightens the whole street, bringing clarity to the dim, blurred site.

the arrangement we see the plan on every floor having the common character, the “five foot walkway”, where we have urban boxes stacked along the walkway, in that case creating a sense of “walking in the street”

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ve r t i c a l st re e t Through the idea representaiton of “vertical street�, the library is able to provide the sense of site - informality, to the user where the user is able to stroll around and decide where they want to go based on their needs. The injection of textile activities is vital as well, as the library is a mini representation of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman,

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Section A-A’

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textile gallery, an experience of walking through the “textile district”.

the youth is able to grab the books whenever they one, providing the “five foot walkway” being the core of contact points between different user.

street sense is created, where greeneries is injected to provide a very informal sense of library.

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design process a step by step studies process through sketchings.

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retreat house

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15’ - architectural studio II

The irregularly sloped topographical condition has led to the conception at which the building is to blend with the nature condition of the site. With this approach, it’s able to bring the user and the nature into a closer relationship.

built up space : 150 m2 location: Cape Rachado, Melaka, Malaysia user: adventurous botanist typology: retreat

trees

view to the sea

sloped topography

nature

site context

LOCATION PLAN

KEY PLAN

SITE PLAN

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I

FLOOR PLANS through the walls, through the intersection, through scales, through volumes, shaping the overall experience and formation of the form.

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II

BLENDING while adapting to the site, with different volumes of space interlocking together with the referrence to the contour of the site and coexist with the trees.

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II

FITTING the volume of each floor gradually decrease to give the sloping experience and an understanding of the progression of the site.

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III

EXPERIENCE the spatial experience is based on the contour of the site, giving it an on site experience, creating a relationship between inside and outside.

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the standing tree From the bird view, the retreat coexisted with the surrounding trees, leaving the site “natural�.

inside out the building has alot of opening that receives lights, providing views, providing permeability between the surrounding and the interior, an inside-out experience.

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Physical model physical model on the slopping topography of the site.

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design process we see the plan on every floor having the common character, the “five foot walkway”, where we have urban boxes stacked along the walkway, in that case creating a sense of “walking in the street”

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elderly’s center

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16’ - architectural studio IV

The design says it all. The sun-shading faรงade reinterpret the main intention of the center, to reconnect the community. The design is arranged in an unified yet scattered manner which each blocks intend to complement each other.

built up space : 400 m2 location: Taman Kanagapuram user: elderlies typology: elderly community center

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site context + design feature

perforated skin

community context

open interior

in between space

The site is located at Taman Kanagapuram, an suburban area.

This area is mainly occupied by retirees or eldery. In the fragmented, community-less context, the priority is ti reconnect the community through design. In this case, we can speak about total reorganization of space, in order to remedy the situation.

The problems has led to the formation of the idea of the whole structure, consolidating a communicative environment and activity, as important elements in the engagement and interaction between each other.

“Design Algorithm” the idea of taking and improving the design layout through the condition of the site, applying problem solving design, features and arrangement. reinrepreting commmunity in the process itselves, everything is taken in to consideration in the context of “how do we reconnect the community”.

reconnecting commmunity

large open space

in between space

views

climatic response 40

framing the community the facade is designed to have various sized opening that allows elderlies to frame the community in different perspectives. more openings are created at the front to frame the landscape.

color coded trees different artificial colored tree acted as a point that gives the elderly the location on where to go and where to stay, easying the circulation of elderly

scale and proportion each spaces have different height and sizes which creates different experiene for the elderlies and for them to differentiate between public and private space

permeability through openings openings are abundant in this elderly center therefore provide constant visual interaction between individuals.

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isometric (NTS)

open quality a spatial quality that is very open, able to ensure visual and physical connectivity. Permeability is ensure throughout the buiilding, rejecting the idea of “spaces�.

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Ground GroundFloor FloorPlan Plan(NTS) (NTS)

First Floor Plan (NTS)

Roof Plan (NTS)

floor plans

front elevation (NTS)

section B-B (NTS)

right elevation (NTS)

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therapeutic recreational

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c3 urban context

17’ - architectural studio VI

Nowadays, people especially in the urban area are experiencing constant stresses, in need of an urban getaway.

The intention is to create an therapeutic extension in an oasis context, therefore to integrate the whole site into a therapeutic district.

built up space : 2500m2 location: Titiwangsa Lake user: community typology: recreational center

timber louvers timber louvers roof observation deck

grand foyer

community stair

entrance

urban and site issue

design intention

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massing strategies

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design diagrams

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environmental strategies

contextual response

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the site the site itself is in front of a big lake, Titiwangsa lake.

Cool breeze and active spaces are immediate activated create a certain pedestrian flow. the idea of extending the landscape is to act as shelter and to preserve the human flow, therefore connecting to the site.

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ground floor / nts

first floor / nts

second floor / nts

the spatial arrangement to plan comprise of both formality and informality to caters and differentiate between public and private. the spaces on ground floor are created in a more clustered form, creating numeorus in between spaces. first floor, has its spatial continuity from ground floor connected with corridors while the second floor is in a more public context with complimentary of the roof.

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the idea is to create a “therapeutic gallery� in the context of both formal and informal, to further facilitate the therapeutic experience through quality spaces with nature injected into the building.

t herap eut ic g arden

in between spaces

basement carpark

informal library

book vault

gathering/ event space

herb garden

herb garden

cafe

multipurpose event space

green roof

north elevation / nts

the appearance the apperance of the building has certain part linked to the landscape, while some of the part are lifted up to create views and openings. however the activities are in a continuity flow from the ground. spaces in its clustered organization creates some complexity in the massing, creating diversity in a comprised form.

south elevation / nts

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in between gardens, an informal interactive space with greeneries surrounding.

entrance, warm and welcoming, inviting the user to explore the spaces in the midst of nature.

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herb garden, a very spatial space covered with grid shell roof, a very open yet covered garden allowing people to indulge within.

first floor, a long walking observation deck for people to walk on, with grid shell creating the quality of light and shadow.

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outdoor community area

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design process we see the plan on every floor having the common character, the “five foot walkway”, where we have urban boxes stacked along the walkway, in that case creating a sense of “walking in the street”

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