Design Methodology Contents : 1. Introduction
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1.1 Research Objective 1.2 Research Question 1.3 Motivation 1.4 Methodology 1.5 Limitation And Scope 2. Layout of a design process in Architecture
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2.1 Nature of a design process 2.2 Nature of solving a design problem 2.3 Traditional vision about the design process 2.3.1 First Dimension - Sequential stages 2.3.2 Second Dimension - Decision making process 2.4 Practical models 3. Balance between conscious and unconscious activities
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3.1 Rational model 3.2 Intuitive model 3.3 Link between rational and intuitive model 4. Chapters
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4.1 Defining parameters for gathering knowledge before commencing the design process 4.2 Define parameters for site analysis 4.3 Understanding area brief 4.4 Concept Inspiration : How to develop a design concept in architecture? 4.5 Proceed : How to mould the concept into functional entity 4.6 How to incorporate service infrastructure during design process? 4.7 Verify the structural capability 4.8 How to incorporate sustainable design techniques in initial design concept?
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10 12 15 19 29 35 44 49
1. INTRODUCTION Design is seen to be a strategic problem solving which utilizes creative ability along with arts and science to generate apt solutions to problem situations. These problems can be solved in many different ways and each way is co-related to conscious and subconscious thinking of the designer; however, they go through a pattern or sequence of steps for achieving their designs from conception to completion. This methodology critically analyze, evaluate, compare, and propose alternative methods for creative problem solving. Each architect uses his own conceptual frameworks that can assist in setting boundaries and framing reasonable objectives. 1.1 AIM : Frame a strategic thinking and the design process in architecture. 1.2 RESEARCH QUESTION : 1. What is the schematic layout of a design process in Architecture? 2. How to strategize for the problem solving? 3. How to strike balance between conscious and unconscious intellectual activities for sustainable design development? 1.3 MOTIVATION : 'Fear of blank canvas' When I begin with a painting; I have a concept in mind. I want to put it on the white screen but there is something which doesn't let my brush move. It's perfection. It's the child's voice to make something grand and authentic. I get baffled by so many constraints in my mind such as what colours to use? How deep the hue should be? Which type of stroke should I use? Where should I make a contrast? How to begin?
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1.4 METHODOLOGY : Chapters :
Define parameters for gathering knowledge before beginning with the design process
Define parameters for site analysis
Understanding area brief
Concept Inspiration : How to develop a design concept in architecture?
Proceed : How to mould the concept into functional entity
How to incorporate service infrastructure during design process?
Verify the structural capability
How to incorporate sustainable design techniques in initial design concept?
1.5 LIMITATIONS AND SCOPE This dissertation is limited to scale of designing a building complex. The dissertation doesn't provide approach to design towns or urban scale projects. This dissertation is limited to academic level examples as aid to the discussion. Scope of this paper diverse in both unconscious activities and conscious activities.
2. LAYOUT OF A DESIGN PROCESS 3
The final product of the of the design process depends on three primary operations:
Gathering information: information that conveys how to organize, analyze and pick a design approach. Such information should be seen as a whole.
Testing: Relating the gathered information to architect's capabilities.
Evaluation process: judgment on the appropriateness of these decisions to the problem of design.
The Design process is a very complex process which contains two types of intellectual activities: Unconscious intellectual activities: which related to the designer’s intellectual and creative abilities? Conscious intellectual activities: This related to the designer's rationality and logical abilities.
2.1 NATURE OF SOLVING A DESIGN PROBLEM There are various complexities involved in a design problem and to solve a design problem one needs problem solving strategies and need to put creative efforts to reach a solution (Information Methods For Design & Construction,1980): The quality of the design problem may be pre-determined. This information gives path to specific solution. The nature of the above information and surrounding physical environment. Capacity, expertise and self knowledge of the designer, which focuses on the creative side. Other factors involved in the design process (owner, user, and specialized agencies). 2.2 TRADITIONAL VISION OF DESIGN PROCESS The Royal British Institute of Architecture one of the educational institutions, described the design process as a "two-dimensional process" : The first dimension (the sequential stages of design process) and The second dimension (the decision-making process).
2.2.1. The First Dimension (The Sequential Stages of Design Process)
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Identifying the problem and put the program down to the implementation phase of the project. The architect's views regarding the stages of the design process varies and the following is some architectural models for the design process stages and sequence: Asimov's Model 1962: He divided the steps and stages which the architectural design process passes through into (RIBA handbook, 1973): Primary Needs, Feasibility Study, Preliminary Design, Detailed Design, Planning for Production, Planning for distribution, Consumption Planning, and Project Delivery. RIBA’s Model: Royal Institute of British Architecture decided and stated that the design process consists of twelve steps which categorized into four main stages (RIBA, 1967): - Briefing (Inception - Feasibility Study) - Sketch Planning (Outline Proposal - Scheme Design) - Working Drawing (Detailed Design - Production Of Information - Bill Of Quantities - Tender Action) - Site Operation (Project Planning - Operation On Site – Completion - Feed Back) diagram concludes and presents a review of some architects and theorists opinions about design process stages. 2.1.2 The Second Dimension (The Decision-Making Process) A horizontal formulation of the decision-making process with repeated courses which occur within each stage of the architectural design processes (analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and decision-making). Archer’s Model: He determined the decision making process into some steps: (Brief – Programming - Data Collection – Analysis - Synthesis – Development - Communication – Solution). Laseau’s Model: He determined the decision making process into six sequential steps (Laseau, Paul, 1982): (Problem Definition - Information Gathering - Developing Alternatives – Evaluating Alternatives - Solution Selection – Communication). (table2) concludes and presents a review of some architects and theorists opinions about decision -making during design process stages. 2.2 Practical models for design methodology
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(Dr. Eman Sabry Abdellatif Abo Wardah et al, 2016) presented in a paper, a review of design processes of famous architects through analyzing their knowledge backgrounds, analyzing their inspiration sources, understanding their development tools and displaying the final results.
The data produced by them is formulated below.
Architect
Frank Ghery
Knowledge
Inspiration
Development
Background
Sources
Tools
Final Results
Canadian
Sculptors and
Scribbling a
Morphological
American
Painters
sketch - New
forms in a
architect, he
floor plan –
wonderful
belongs to the
Strategies
composition
Modern architecture Schools.
Zaha Hadid
Iraqi British
Nature
Digital
Sculpted
architect -
Sculpture
techniques and
buildings
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American
artwork and
Advanced
appear like a
Architecture
Organic
Sculptural
mystical object.
schools -
architecture
techniques.
Express fluidity,
following Le
velocity and
Corbusier and
lightness.
Frank Lloyd Wright schools in architecture. Toyo Ito
Peter Zumthor
Japanese
Natural forms
Digital
Branching
Architecture
and structures,
techniques and
design - Tree
schools -
Islamic patterns,
Sculptural
Buildings -
following Le
organic design,
techniques and
Façade as
Corbusier and
and Tree
models.
structure that
Oscar Neimeyer
structure.
directly
styles in
expresses the
architecture.
flow of force.
Swiss architect –
Lifting building
Physical model
Branching
following Le
PILOTIS, to allow
to represents
design - Tree
corbusier's style
a sequence of
the initial phase
Buildings -
in architecture -
green areas
of the project.
Façade as
Five points of
and free
structure that
architecture -
movement of
directly
conservation
pedestrians.
expresses the
architecture.
flow of force.
3. Balance between conscious and unconscious activities Conscious activities relates to the designer's intellectual and creative abilities. 7
Unconscious activities relates to the designer's rationality and logical abilities. This leads to two approaches (Information Methods For Design & construction, 1980) : 3.1 The Rational Model: This approach is based on the fact that the design process is a logical process and can be explained, it depends on analyzing all the design problems and attitudes to a group of minor problems and initial molecules that are easily analyzed to basic components and solving each part separately, and then assemble These molecules once again well to create the best solutions. 3.2 The Intuitive Model: represents the development of the patterns language penned by Christopher Alexander , so that they become more flexible and tailored creative thought of the designer, which he described as Black Box, where the more creative ideas inside the mind of the designer, involuntary way inside the dark box containing the stock of knowledge and previous experience of the designer. 3.3 Balance between rational and intuitive model The Design process is a very complex process which contains two types of intellectual activities: Unconscious and Conscious intellectual activities. How to combine and compose out of the conscious and unconscious activities. Designing is a process formed from three main phases: knowledge, Developing Tools and Invention.
Designing Method for the famous Contemporary Architects consists from 3 main stages:
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- First phase: Knowledge : Knowledge is the foundation for all designing process. We architects and designers are obliged to be informed about everything that was designed in the past and on a daily basis. - Second Phase: Developing Tools : to analyze buildings and “Understand” them. Tools that will help us cope with the abundance of architectural information. - Third Phase: Invention: Once we develop our tools, it will lead us to realize our design idea, our “invention” and get a high quality and creative architecture. New architectural language and conception of space was developed. The following diagram Reflects processes of “conscious and unconscious” inspiration among Architecture.
Summary: A foremost general approach satisfying the above notions towards an architectural design process would be to gather knowledge about the project and analyse the inventory of 'To-dos'. Once the knowledge is attained, tools have to be developed accordingly to act on it. Inspiration could be derived from existing and relevant buildings, architectural styles and nature. The developing tools and inspiration has to act together to form an invention that is our design concept. The knowledge background and inspirations displays the texture of design which can be seen in different design process models of famous architects formulated above.
4.Chapters 9
4.1 Defining parameters for gathering knowledge before commencing the design process All architecture begins with a concept. A concept is an abstract idea that underpins one's project. To an architect, the concept is what distinguishes a work of architecture from mere building. The basic purpose of architecture is to seek solutions to a problem. The apprehension we have determines which problems question we ask that will determine which problems our architectural problem will solve. Developing a concept allows one to convert the apprehensions into concrete guidance for the entire design process. Choosing a starting point for your design can be intimidating and an early stumbling block for any designer at any skill level. The concept shouldn't be rigorous; the more malleable it is, the better as the project progresses concepts moulds itself accordingly. most architecture arise as a result of many smaller concepts working together as a part of larger concept. There may be organizational concepts, material concepts, functional, or structural or formal. Before we can develop a concept we first have to understand the practical constraints of the project in order to form questions which lead to design. Design process initiates with gathering of knowledge and then analysing and assessing the same within the given parameters. Primarily this consists three types of information : The knowledge we require can be full filled primarily by three types of information
Site information
Client information
Building typology
Site information/ Site analysis : Includes the gathering details as per the following criteria which is mainly the geographical features, history and culture, economics and citizenship details.
local climate
prevailing winds 10
soil type
neighbouring built
vegetation
building context
history
culture
special liabilities
opportunities
legal framework(zoning)
Client Information : Client Information helps us to understand the vision and purpose of the client for the particular building. An architect should understand their budget, personality traits and organisational politics which might occur in the team in order to develop concept in alignment with client's vision. The client and building type together is what an architect calls a program (Area Brief). Program (Area brief) includes :
Detailed accounting of all the spaces the building will contain
Detailed list of rooms/spaces
Sizes
Typology Information : The third type of information is the building typology. What is the function of the building? Is it a museum? or a school? or a residence? To learn about the building typology, one has to analyse any notable or relevant information of historical precedence. The essential problems that were faced by these type of structures are grasped. Understanding the history of archetype allows one to approach a problem from a fresh perspective. Once the architect understands the typology once he sees the opportunity of any problem solving by recruiting things differently. For an unfamiliar building typology, the building precedents have to be researched and the information obtained has to be used for underlying framework for development of the program (Area brief). 11

type of building

precedent study

what problems we are trying to solve
All of this necessary information has to be collected for every single project. Once all the information is gathered, it has to be processed into a useable form. This inventory can also serve as the progenitor for the design concept - our seed idea. And rather than shunting creativity these constraints often incite the design process. The site analysis is more readily translated to a physical diagram to give clarity to the thoughts regarding the concept. 4.2.Defining Parameters For Site Analysis The site visit is one of the first things in the design process. After the completion of a site visit, a detailed site analysis has to be done so as to really grasp the features of the site, which will play a crucial role during the design. Here are some of the points one must pay attention during the site visit as well as during the site analysis and study. Location While describing the location one must find out where the site is located and what is the approach. The name of road or street and distance from junctions is also important. Orientation knowing more about the orientation helps an architect to judge the sun path and wind direction which will help to orient the design and optimise the usage of sun and wind to maintain temperature and height of the building. For instance, in a warm tropical climate, the bedrooms will be placed such that they are not facing the west or the south. Temperature & Sun path The entire temperature range is determined and fluctuation determined by knowing the daily average temperature and monthly average temperature of the area. This information has a great impact on the design as it will guide one to reduce the amount of direct sunlight in warm climates to reduce heating.
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In colder climates, the design will try to maximise the amount of sunlight incident on the building so as to have maximum warmth as possible. Wind direction Most of the locations will have a general major direction from which the wind comes. Consider the direction of the wind so that it can be channelized through the interiors. This will play a major role in placement & size of openings. The thing to be remembered is that the wind direction may vary from place to place inside the site itself and thus have to be checked from a few different places especially if it is a large site. Soil type & condition This is very important from a structural point of view while designing buildings. The safe load bearing capacity of the soil is to be found out after which the structural system and the foundations will be designed accordingly. Sandy, clayey and laterite soils have different properties which affect design. For example the Black cotton soil for example, is perfectly normal when in a dry state. However, as soon as it comes in contact with water, it starts to expand, which will have a very adverse effect on any building designed on it. Thus, it is important to be aware of these characteristics to avoid problems in future. Topography Topography refers to the slope and level of the land – whether the land is flat and plain, or whether it is sloping? From a design point of view, a sloping site will be more challenging. If a site is sloping, the exact slope can be interpreted from a detailed Contour map. The contour locations and spacing of contours will play a big role in the sitting of the building. It is always better to design buildings along with the contours, integrating it into the design to reduce unnecessary cutting and filling of soil. Also, during the site visit, it is important to check out the stability of the slopes – whether the slopes are solid enough to permit construction on it.
Vegetation & natural features 13
The vegetation will consist of all the trees, flora and fauna present on the site. marking onto the site plan during the design stage itself. Along with the location, diameter or spread of the branches, heights are to be measured. Different trees have different characteristics – the spread of leaves, the speed of growth, the spread of roots, falling of leaves, water requirement, soil nourishment etc, Also play a major role in the design by highlighting, accentuating and harmonising design. Along with trees and vegetation, other natural features like rock formations, swamps, marshes etc. are also to be considered in design. Precipitation & Hydrology The amount and time period of rainfall is to be found out and this average annual precipitation is calculated for good design. The study the water drainage pattern in the site - whether it stagnates, or if it flows following the natural slope, this has to be analysed to incorporate in the design. The Relative Humidity of the place also has to be found out to determine the moisture content in the atmosphere. Cross circulation of wind at the body level is a must for comfort in places with relative high humidity. During the site visit, one needs to identify water bodies present in and around the site like ponds, lakes, rivers etc. The presence of water can lead to reduction in the overall temperatures. And add to the moisture content in the atmosphere. The water body should be integrated into site map. The water table is another very important feature in any site study. This refers to the level below the soil at which water is present. For areas close to water bodies, the water table may be very shallow. A shallow water table will affect the stability of foundations and additional precautions will have to be taken. Infrastructure facilities This refers to the services present in the location. The major things to be considered are the water supply, drainage connection, waste disposal, electricity supply etc. These are important while planning the zoning in the site.
Surrounding land uses & buildings 14
One also needs to pay attention to the surrounding land uses and building around the site. If the land uses are incompatible, it may lead to creation of issues in the design. For example, if there is a school right next to the site, the noise disturbance will have to be factored in while designing. Too tall building readily blocks the flow of wind and sunlight. Prominent Vision lines / Visual linkages This becomes a very important element in the design process. The views to the site as well as the views from the site are to be carefully considered while designing. Locally available resources One should consider locally available resources and materials available at and around the site, which can be used in the design. This is especially relevant today when the design has to be as sustainable as possible, by reducing the transportation energy & costs. 4.3 Understanding Area Brief Budget is inter related with the size of the project. There is no sense in beginning any design work until the client is aware of the rough cost of the work which at this stage is directly tied to their wish list of spaces and the sizes of those spaces. After the programming exercise is done. The relative size of spaces can be diagrammed on the site plan as zoning. For an unfamiliar building typology, the building precedents have to be researched and the information obtained has to be used for underlying framework for development of the program (Area brief) . This could also be the launching point of the concept. What is F.A.R ? FAR is calculated by a simple formula - total covered area of all floors divided by the plot area. Suppose the builder has got a plot of 1,000 sq m and the permissible FAR, according to development plans, is 1.5. He is allowed to construct a building on 1,500 sq mt of this plot. It is the ratio of the total floor area in the building compared with the total plot area. The constructed area would include the basic structure, walls, staircase or lobby space. FAR may be different in various cities, municipality, locality or even depending upon the nature of land- industrial, residential, commercial, algricultural or non-agricultural. This is 15
because the organic growth pattern, population dynamics and construction activities varies from city to city. Much depends on governmental regulations.
What is Floor Area Ratio
FAR value in Indian cities The maximum FAR value in Indian cities doesn’t exceed 2.5. Even within one city, it is not necessary that the same value is applicable to all areas. What it means for a developer FAR is one of the key determinants for development in the country. A low FAR, as is considered in the case of India is a deterrent to construction. The rapid urbanisation has already put pressure on the limited land resources, especially in Delhi. Extra FAR would help developers with extra space and in meeting the demand and supply gap. An increased FAR means one can build more, sell more and thus prices of projects could go down. However, this alone cannot cut down prices and it needs to be used judiciously, not abused. But when is FAR violation noticed? 16
The violation comes to notice only when the developer takes the completion certificate from the concerned development authority. Sometimes illegal flats may also get registered with the revenue department because completion certificate is not a mandatory document for registration of apartments. Common misconceptions Going vertical is impossible if FAR value is low An adequate FAR value will help in sustainability. Adequate open space is the need of the day especially in the case of a natural disaster like earthquake. Dense living means you are furthering the risk. Higher the FAR value, lower is the property value Increasing the FAR may reduce the per capita cost on development infrastructure. Prices of flats are not dependent on FAR value alone. Increase in FAR means land values may also go up since buildable space increases. In the absence of higher FAR values, developmental projects suffer When town planners determine FAR values, they do consider the health of our development projects as well. There is no hindrance to development even if the projects are based a little away from where the bulk of the population lives. Lower FAR values means less employment opportunities The construction agency employs a sizeable population. The industry as a whole also contributes almost 8 per cent to the GDP. However, the cost of negligence could be disastrous. Maintaining equilibrium between sustained, planned growth and development is important.
Sample area brief 17
Area Brief for far 4 private development housing Site Area : 20 hectares (approx) Density : 200 DU/hectare
DU: Dwelling Unit
Total no. of DU: 4000
1 Hectare:10,000sq.m
@ 4.5 person/ DU= 4000 * 4.5 = 18000 Areas for Commercial and Public Buildings: 1) Primary School : 4000 m2 2) Sec. School : 12000m2 3) Religious Buildings : 520 m2 4) Banquet Hall : 4000 m2 5) Electrical Sub Station : 80 m2 6) Local Shopping Centre : 3000 m2 7) Service Market : 1000 m2 8) Informal Market : 100 m2 9) Taxi Stand : 40 m2 10) Sewage Treatment Plant : 50 m2 11) Coaching Centre : 400 m2 12) Dispensary : 800 m2 Total area for above mentioned built = 25990 m2
Ground Coverage : 50% i.e. 1 hectare = 1,00,000 m2 Ground Area left for Housing = 1,00,000-25990 = 74010 m2
Max Height of G+14
Housing FAR = 4 Therefore, Total Super Area= 4 * 2,00,000 m2 = 8,00,000
Area Required for Housing based on Requirements Unit Area
% of Units
No. of Units
150
20
800
120
30
1200
90
35
1400
50
15
600
18
Therefore, Total Built up Area Required for Housing = 4,20,000 m2 Total Super Area = 4,20,000 + 15% for services =4,20,000 + 63,000 = 483000 m2 Area left from FAR= 8,00,000- 4,83,000 = 3,17,000 m2 This Area can be used for commercial areas
4.4 Concept Inspiration: How to develop a design concept in architecture? The site Buildings interpret their surroundings and reformulate them in a way architect can react to views light topography historical features vegetation and others structures. A building concept in a rural setting, it establishes a dialogue between natural and manmade; in urban and sub urban contexts, it's a boundary between what one can design and what one cannot can editorialize this relationship: will it oppose nature or the local surroundings or compliment it? Will it disregard it or adapt to it? will it impose order on it or will it assume a different order? The site informs the organisation of public and private spaces. How one arrives and moves from the public gathering of spaces to more private sleeping. It shapes the location of windows which would be towards the sun to catch sunlight. The Client The client is the major force driving the concept. Not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also programmatically. The client provides financial framework for realizing the architecture. A good architect artfully addresses a client's need. A design concept is to divide public and private spaces and then take a position on their relationships. From here one can diagram their concept and iterate it. The Narrative The built space and how he would interact to people.
Materials 19
Architects often use raw materials of the building as their starting point for the design process. Structural concepts Conceptual structural design is about structural design aiming for more than solely carrying loads; it is about carrying loads in ways that, in addition to being structurally sound, appear meaningful, beautiful or otherwise interesting. Applied on work across the professions of architecture and structural engineering, the term conceptual structural design is about developing structures that unite structural functionality and visual form into a meaningful and interesting whole. Manifesto Design is a composition of elements. Elements can be compromised as point, line, form, shape, texture and colour. A designer apply design principles such as balance, proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast, space and datum on the design elements to make a composition. Manifesto is the brochure of design principles the architect is going to apply over the design problem. Sample manifesto : TEN PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD DESIGN Dieter Rams 1. Good design is innovative. 2. Good design makes a product useful. 3. Good design is aesthetic. 4. Good design makes a product understandable. 5. Good design is unobtrusive. 6. Good design is honest. 7. Good design is long-lasting. 8. Good design is thorough down to the last detail. 9. Good design is environmentally friendly. 10. Good design is as little design as possible.
Disrupt typology 20
Having researched the building typology, how can one disrupt long held beliefs or organizational layout. It is called thinking out of the box. For example : Big's power plant BIG's Amager Bakke Waste-to-Energy Plant, which is currently under construction in Copenhagen, will blow rings of smoke and feature a 31,000-square-metre ski slope on its roof. "One of the things that I love about architecture is that it is the art and science of turning fiction into fact," "Right now you can say it's a science-fiction idea to have a power plant with smoke rings and ski slopes, but in three years they will ski on their power plants in Denmark." Bjrake Ingels
BIG'S Waste To Energy Plant - Disrupt typology
Form Design is a composition of elements. Elements can be compromised as point, line, form, shape, texture and colour. A designer applies design principles such as balance, proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast, space and datum on the design elements to make a composition. Form is the shape and structure of something as distinguished from its material. Form characterizes the structure's shape, texture, size, position, colour, orientation, visual inertia. Form can be moulded into a more interesting or harmonious 3-D composition. To work on a form of an architectural structure it's an approach to take a basic shape and then transform it. (Form Space and Order, 1979) Transformation of form 21
Dimensional transformation
Subtractive transformation
Additive transformation
Dimensional transformation Transforming a form by altering it's one or more dimension keeping the nature of the form same. For example transforming a cube into a cuboids
Dimensional Transformation
Subtractive transformation A form can be transformed by subtracting some of the volume of the form. The form may or may not retain its initial identity depending on the extent of subtraction
Subtractive Transformation
Additive transformation A form can be transformed by adding additional elements to its volume. The nature and identity of the transformed form depends on the relative shapes and relative sizes.
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Additive Transformation
Centralized form A number of secondary forms clustered around a dominant central parent form
Centralized Form
Linear form A series of forms arranged sequentially in a row
Linear form
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Radial form A composition of linear forms extending outwards from a central form in a radial manner.
Radial Form
Clustered form A collection of forms grouped together by proximity or sharing of similar visual trait
Grid form A set of modular forms regulated in a three dimensional grid.
Grid Form
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Form can be inspired by an existing entity as in the case bird nest inspired by a nest and lotus temple inspired by a flower.
HOW TO FIND IDEAS? When mental state is facing saturation to find ideas it’s best to pick up what you have and compose it. Bisociation Arthur Koestler - the art of creation The pattern underlying the creative act is the perceiving of a situation or idea, L in two self consistent but habitually incompatible frames of reference, M1 and M2. The event L, in which the two intersect, is made to vibrate simultaneously on two different wavelengths, as it were. While this unusual situation lasts, L is not merely linked to one association context but bisociated with two - arthur koestler In simple terms - bisociation is linking of two completely separate, unrelated ideas.
Bisociation
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The design for sears tower in chicago by Bruce Graham and Fazlur Khan of skidmore owings and merill is a perfect example There is a story that the two partners were having lunch together at the Chicago club they were mulling over design concepts for an office tower and they were discussing the need for novel approach for what was to be the tallest building in the world. Structurally they agreed that a series of tubes with shared walls was an extremely efficient way to support a very tall building, but that approach would also yield a rather bulky mass as compared with the simple steel frames in common use at the time. It is said that Graham Paused and looked at the table at his pack of cigarettes and he grabbed a small bundle of them in his fist and he proceeded to push and pull them to different heights. In this moment, he realized that if each tube were staggered vertically both their slenderness. In this moment, he realized that if each tube were staggered vertically both slenderness and their structural integrity would be preserved.
Sears Tower Form
Linking the idea for a skyscraper with a pack of cigarettes - two seemingly unrelated things - provided this novel concept for the Sears Tower.
Sears Tower
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Now, bisociation requires unconventional thinking. commonly held beliefs and repetitive thought processes will always yield similar results :
Permutations
Permutations rather than mutations, variations on a theme rather than some hyper-flexible thought that permits going beyond the expected solutions. Accepting conventions and limitations like the maximum height of a building leads to solutions that incrementally advance previous successes: a more efficient structural steel frame rather than the tube concept in the previous example. Bisociation destructs previously held limitations while creating and establishing new ones. There are four stages of creativity (The Art Of Thought,1926):
Preparation
Incubation
Illumination
Verification
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The interplay of these stages, between conscious and unconscious thought - he contends - the process that allows us to produce creative work. So here's the process he describes.
Preparation : This stage lays the ground work, the foundation for thinking to follow. It collates the questions, seeks to understand the context, and to develop an understanding of the problem in order to focus the efforts of the next three stages. In architecture, this would be like conducting precedent research, understanding the conditions of development, the zoning, code regulations, and site analysis. Incubation : This stage happens in the unconscious. In the previous stage, preparation, has filled the mind with all this information to process and the incubation period sets the unconscious mind to work on it. Discovering and forging connections is central to the success of incubation period and Wallas actually suggests that working on multiple problems at once actually increases the odds that the incubation period will be fruitful. This forces the mind away from developing a singular solution into a place where it's unconsciously investigating several briefs at once. Illumination : This stage is the source of the most anxiety in my creative life. Now, illumination follows an undefined period of incubation. It's the beam of light shining down from the clouds upon the patch of earth you have never seen before. Quite often, I feel like I am approaching illumination only to be pushed back. But, when ideas begin to reveal themselves I know that illumination is near. Usually these thoughts, or as Wallace calls them, trains of association - precede another round of ideas that press a little further forward and eventually to the solution. Verification : In this stage we test and fine-tune the idea. For some, this is an easier process than others. The unconscious processes that deliver the illuminated concept to the conscious-self haven't done all of the calculations necessary to prove the idea is valid or even good. Illumination doesn't drop a fully formed idea on the desk. One have to work at it building layer upon layer of trace, testing and sketching and applying physical effort. By contrast, Maya Lin, the architect of Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, likens her process to that of laying an egg. The essence of her incubated ideas combines into a singular package that needs very little care or guidance to express her original intent.
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Invented deadlines Goldfish grow to the size of the tank they are in. well, the same is true for design work. Set aside eight hours to complete a series of design concept and it will take a work day to complete the task. When I'm stuck and looking for inspiration, I like to cut the time I have allotted in half. Become an observer Ideas are everywhere, but one needs to condition themselves to receive them. Attention should be paid to the things that have been missed because of mind being so focused down on the page in front of you. zoom out; look at things from a new perspective. Subtracting to solve Take three of your precedent study solutions and completely invert them. often the best solution is the simplest, the one that involves the fewest moves, the one that's most pure, and the least convoluted. 4.5 Proceed : How to mould the concept into functional entity ? THE NEXT BIG STEP The first step in making the concept real is to sketch a floor plan and then give that plan a three dimensional form. A floor plan is a quick way of describing the hierarchy and relationship of spaces and it begins fixing their real physical dimensions and shapes. Throughout the design process architects must continually consider the design in both the plan and the sectional or volumetric view. It is easier to begin with sketching a plan and then make a three dimensional view either in model form or by sketching. The Form ( order ) There are many ideas that we must then edit into coherent primitive building. To get here, the best general area on the site to build and the approximate size of the structure. This is tied to the client's needs and their budget. From this point, rough sketching has to be done to over the site plan for allocating spaces where they make sense. This stage is called bubble diagram. The bubbles represent the rough size of the rooms and each has specific adjacency requirements. For example in a 3BHK apartment flat, the master bedroom will want a dressing area and a bathroom 29
nearby. The living room wants to be near the dinning and kitchen and so forth. The building footprint among smaller simple building volumes positioned on the site has to be divided. The public and private spaces have to be divided and located then circulation pathways are traced that link the two together. Sample bubble diagram :
After having the basic plans layout done, decision making of form is proceeded.
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Circulation If the circulation is disoriented it would cause considerable mental stress to the user. A person must be able to explain any given address within the building, to any other person, who does not know his way around, in one sentence. Circulation of the structure is highly influenced by the functionality of the architecture of the built. An approach : (Pattern Language, 1977) Zoning : Identify functional zones or realms. There might be a very nested system of realms characterise the first and largest of these realms as the entire complex. Each realm has a main circulation space, which opens up directly from the entrance to the realm. The entrances to any realm open directly off the circulation space of the next larger realm. Layout very large buildings and collection of small buildings so that one reaches a given point inside by passing through a sequence of realms, each marked by a gateway and becoming smaller and smaller, as one passes from each one, through a gateway to the next. choose the realms so that each one can be easily named, so that you can tell a person where to go, simply by telling which realm to go to. Form When we speak about form we are referring to not only to building's shape but also to its size, the scale, its colour, and texture; basically, all the visual qualities of an object. Form has a direct relationship to space in that it influences exterior and interior rooms. Form is perhaps the most obvious and outward expression of our perception of architecture. In many ways form is like an icon it's how one imagines a building, for example dome is an iconic architectural form.
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The way building looks is known to architects as its formal language and much like developing a concept, creating one isn't a singular act. The way architects choose to design a building's form and how it shapes space is very personal (unconscious level). In addition to function, form can be developed as a response to context for example the climate, the site conditions, local constraints as well as the cultural context or local building traditions. Form could be a result of the building size, how big or small it is and also the results of the materials we choose to make it from. For example the laws of physics would tell that a steel and glass structure must have different formal properties than of a concrete structure. Accentuating Form A building cannot be a human building unless it is a complex of still smaller buildings or smaller parts which manifest its own internal social facts. (Pattern Language,1977) Functionality of a space is defined by the activities done by the social institutions and building shapes itself by sufficing the needs of these social institutions. In case of monolithic buildings, personal interaction is lost and people interact in a factory like mechanical culture. Translate the building program into a building complex, whose parts compliments the actual social facts of the situation. Even a small building, a house for example, can be conceived as a "building complex" perhaps part of it is higher than the rest with wings and an adjoining cottage. Accentuating Complex An approach (Pattern Language, 1979) A complex of buildings with no centre is like a man without head. For any collection of buildings, decide which building in the group houses the most essential function as a human institution. Then form this building as the main building, with a central position, higher roof.
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Symbolism by form A building's form is an important signifier of what it is and what we can expect it to be in a given context. For example a cathedral has a distinctive form. The massive scale and size of the cathedral and its spire were its intentional cues that conveyed the idea of power of churches in the society. This was made manifest in the architecture through an intentional distortion of the building's form and scale. This was made manifest in architecture through an intentional distortion of the building's form and scale. It was designed to display power and to make people feel insignificant while standing at the nave. Likewise the spire was designed to be visible from all parts of town; it was the architecture's form that made the abstract concept real. Its walls were made of stone, the properties of which were required structural support and lateral bracing and thus the buttress was deployed to resist the tendency for the walls to bow outward; a material and a formal idea. One might disagree whether these were the appropriate materials to use, or the proper scale, but the conceptual ideas quite obviously influenced the shape and formal language of the architecture. How to work on form during an architectural design process? An approach : There is a danger in fixing a building's form to early in the design process. It can short circuit a deeper exploration of ideas and potential relationships. One way to resist this is by using only the loosest of building forms to represent form in a model. Use blocks made of thermocol and orient them in compositions as an aid to visualisation of primitive forms. These rough blocks can be overlaid on sketched plan ideas to suggest how spaces can be related to each other and they're anonymous enough to be interpreted into many different formal directions as you develop the design. It's likely to fall into a process of making highly expressive idiosyncratic form making. However crafting beautiful objects while ignoring the tectonics or the physical experience of space i.e. how it actually feels to be there doesn't necessarily make good architecture. To help one avoid designing only the form or image of a building and prioritizing it above utility or function; it is required to imagine the experience of a place. Narrate in terms of quality of light, or arrival, or the soundscape, or the proportion of it to the subject, to the landscape or other structures, or smells even. Thinking about a building's materials and 33
relationship to natural light sets it in real human terms and it imbues the work with meaning and a sensory experience beyond our sense of sight. One might layout paths of travel on site. Begin with the arrival and then the entry. Consider how one moves through a place. Can the architecture enhance the experience or enrich it? Is it abrupt, or calming, disorienting or deceptive. uplifting? Constricting, sheltering or open? Exposed? Think about the scale of spaces, compression and release, darkness and light. Think about scale of spaces, compression or release, darkness and light. We can achieve some fairly complex and interesting spatial relationships from the spaces these individuals forms create between them. Practical language : Each option the architect explore has financial implication for the client. A good architect would test only a few safe options rather than trying infinite different options. An approach : Present the client three options 1. Expected or obvious approach To propose what the client is expecting. 2. Unexpected One is a solution they wouldn't ever expect 3. Hybrid Somewhere in between the first two. No matter what one chooses, after presenting some revising would be advised. In early design process, sketches are approximation of spaces but once you assign some real spatial dimensions, you would quickly find all you have sketched is not reasonable. Early design works results in more ideas than you will be able or want to use. Good designers like writers know that first draft is always terrible. First drafts must be edited.
What are the ideas that are energizing the design?
Which ones will you draw to the fore and make more clear?
Editing your design is all about clarity. What aren't you saying clearly enough?
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An approach :
Place a fresh layer of trace on the plan and begin diagramming.
can you diagram it at all?
Is the circulation clear?
Is the entry clear?
Are the spaces in the right locations?
Are they roughly the right size of what you're trying to achieve?
What doesn't make sense?
What can the concept we chose tell us about how we want to edit the plan and the model?
You can't possibly process all of the information you need to in the first round of revisions. Every design undergoes dozens of iterations before landing at the plan building and during construction, things will continue to change. 4.6 How to incorporate service infrastructure during design process? How to incorporate underground parking Conceptual layout of parking is made while working on the design concept. A bubble diagram for ground floor is developed. A gird is taken up with columns of apt thickness at the intersections. The grid is usually of size 6m x 8m. Entry and exit ramps of the car parking are noted while considering the transit roads around and inside the site. With the bubble diagram as a layer above the parking plan, cores, service shafts, staircases, fire exits are marked. It also have to be ensured that none of the above should obstruct the transit of cars in the basement.
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Shielded parking Large parking structures full of cars are inhuman and dead buildings - no one wants to see them or walk by them. At the same time, if one is driving, the entrance to a parking structure is essentially the main entrance to the building- and it needs to be visible. On ground level, the shield is especially critical. Shops are useful since they generate their own pedestrian scale immediately. And since the need for parking often goes hand in hand with commercial development, shops are often very feasible economically. In Paris, many of the most charming and beautiful apartment houses are arranged around courtyards, which permit parking inside, away from the street. There are few enough cars so that they don't destroy the courtyard, for the houses; and the street is left free of parked cars entirely. There is also a need for the driver to be able to spot the parking structure quickly and see how it is connected to the building he his headed for. Parking, which is specifically for the use of visitors, must be clearly marked as an important entrance - a gate. While you are parking your car you must be able to see the exit from the parking area which will lead you into the building. This will let you search for the closest spots, and will mean that you don't have to walk around searching for the exit. Put all large parking lots, or parking garages, behind some kind of natural wall, so that the cars and parking structures cannot be seen from outside. The wall which surrounds the cars may be a building, connected houses, or housing hills, earth berms, or shops. Make the entrance to the parking lot a natural gateway to the building which it serves, and place it so that you can easily see the main entrance to the building from the entrance to the parking. How to compose service cores and plan fire escape routes ?
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1. Design Guidelines for Fire Escape Staircase a) Fire Rated Door: The Staircase should be equipped with a 120 minute rated fire entry door and this door shall open into the staircase. b) Widths and Dimensions: Fire escape staircase should be 1 m wide for residential buildings, 1.5 m wide for hostels and educational buildings and 2 m wide for hospitals and assembly buildings; and the tread should be 250-300 mm while riser should be 150 mm. c) Pressurisation: All internal staircases should be positively pressurised (forcible air pressure) by using fans etc. to prevent the entry of smoke from other parts of the buildings (air passes from the staircase into internal parts of the building) and no service shaft should pass through it. d) Ventilation: Any building having an area of more than 500 m2 per floor requires two staircases and at least one of them should be ventilated directly to the outside air on an external wall because in an enclosed staircase, any smoke that escapes into it will cause smoke logging and reduce light in exit as well as cause inhalations of fumes. e) Segregation: The staircase leading from the higher floor to the ground floor and the staircase coming from basement should be segregated so that fire from basement should not reach to the ground floor. Eventually there should be two doors- one for the basement evacuees and one for ground floor exit. Fire Escape Travel Distances It is the maximum distance that a person needs to travel to reach the fire escape staircase or ramp in case of a fire in any building: the distance is from the farthest corners of any room through a door, passage or any other obstruction to the way of the fire escape staircase. Some Escape Distances: (i) Residential, Education and Institutional Buildings: 22.5 m (ii) Business, Mercantile or Assembly Buildings: 30 m (iii) Industrial Buildings: 45 m If a building has sprinkler system of protection, the fire escape travel distances given above are increased by 50 % for each category and if it is a basement, these distances are usually halved.
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Refuge Areas 1. What is a refuge area? The purpose of a refuge area is to allow people on higher floors to reach a position of safety on the upper floors itself, if the vertical means of escape are blocked or ineffective. The occupants of the refuge area are then evacuated by fire brigade staffs through special recovery vehicles that can reach higher heights. 2. Design Considerations for Refuge Area: a) It should be a secure place where fire should not reach and so its entry should be with a 60 min fire rated door. b) The periphery of the building facing the refuge area should have 230 mm brickwork or non-combustible construction. c) A Refuge area should be provided for a building with more than 24 m height i.e. a building with more than 7-8 floors. Fire Escape Lifts (High Rise Buildings) Fire Lift is a recue purpose lift with a fireman switch and fire resistant doors. It works like any other normal lift but takes up power form DC i.e. a backup mode. Requirements for Fire Lifts: a) Max number of lifts in one lift bank = 4. b) One fire lift should be provided 1200 m2 area of buildings. c) Lift lobby should have self closing smoke stop door with 30 min fire rating. d) In case the lift opens into the basement, lift well should be adequately pressurised. Requirements of Basements The access to the basement shall be either from the main or alternate staircase providing access and exit from higher floors. Basements should not be used for kitchens, workshops, assembly spaces, storage if inflammable oil or for installation of electrical Substation. The basement shall be partitioned and in no case compartment shall be more than 500 sq m. and less than 50 sq m. area except parking. Drive-way around buildings and Service shafts 1. Drive-way: the drive-way width should be atleast 4.5-6 m and there should be no parking from the driveway towards to the building. 41
2. Service shafts: all service shafts shall be sealed at each floor levels to prevent the vertical spreading of fire and smoke. AHU Shutoff The air condoning system or air handling unit (AHU) should be switched off during a fire because the return air allows air from any other area under fire to spread to another: since an AHU feeds a no. of rooms, a fire in any room cases heat to be taken from the room and then routed to AHU, from where it is again dispersed into all rooms causing the spread of fire to all the other rooms. Thus the AHU needs to be shut off. It is automatically switched off electrically by the fire detection system. But if the AHU is serving only one space, say a Hall, then it does not need to be tripped because there is no risk of spreading of fire to other rooms, except for the AHU room itself. Some inferences: (a) Air conditioned rooms should have windows and ventilators to vent out smoke. (b) No duct should feed more than 2 floors: to prevent floor-to-floor fire spread. (c) Automatic smoke venting should be provided in large halls. Fire Control Room A Fire Control Room of 4 x 4 m should be provided on the ground floor of a high-rise or multi-storey building as close to the entrance as possible for easy accessibility in case of the mis-happening event of a fire. The Control Rooms Houses the following: (i)
Fire Control Panel
(ii)
Public Addressable System
(iii)
Fire Extinguishers.
Fire Hose Cabinet (FHC) A cabinet housing a fire hose reel, pipes and high pressure water valves for emergency use during a fire; to cool it down by hydrant is called a fire hose cabinet or FHC. It measures 1200 mm X 600 mm in plan and it is a red coloured metal cabinet with a glass front. In case of the emergency the glass front is broken; the hose reel is unrolled and plugged to the water valves which splash water to cool down the fire. It should be readily accessible during the fire with minimum distance from the fire prone areas and can be recessed in wall or clear wall mounted.
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Requirements for Building Design for Fire Safety 1. The level of combustible materials in a building to be reduced to the minimum. 2. There should be adequate fire escape staircases & fire lifts with min escape distances. 3. These Survival and Escape routes should be obstruction free. 4. All floors and vertical Shafts should be segregated all floors. 5. Special measures to be taken for basements: for smoke extraction & occupant evacuation. 6. All areas of the building should be adequately ventilated. 7. All Electrical Installations should be kept a little away from the building and should not interfere with the fire protection systems, 8. Installation of active fire protection systems according to design guidelines. Design Guidelines for Fire Protection Systems (Detection and Suppression) 1. Purpose of the System (detect/suppress). 2. Protection goals of the owner. 3. Type of occupancy that needs to be protected. 4. Type, quality and quantity of the material present. 5. Required response time. 6. Area by area analysis of the building and its content in the form of results which one wants to see. 7. Complete understanding/description of system operation including compatibility of all the equipments that are interconnected. Fire Safety Guidelines for Housing Systems 1. Determine type of fire protection system required. 2. Allocate the space required for the equipments. 3. Integrate the entire fire services requirement. 4. Various ways of selecting systems: (i)
Fire safety is not mandatorily required in plotted housing as per law.
(ii)
British law says any building having more than 20 occupants should have a smoke detector.
5. Hose reels, hydrants, sprinklers etc are mandatory in all public buildings & basements. 6. Other requirements include: underground water storage tank with a diesel pump near it, an electrical booster pump, fire control room and smoke controller. 43
7. Space requirement for a plant room (that consists of the above) is a must. 8. A fire escape plan is a must for every public building 4.7 Verify the structural capability How to verify column sizes and column spacing? As the span increases thickness of columns and beams would increase. Maximum span noticed is 12m and minimum is said to be 4m for feasibility. Overhead room decreases as the span increases. The column layout depends on the design.
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4.8 How to incorporate sustainable design techniques in initial design concept? Whether we want to play with light or retain heat or make the spaces cool. Whether we want to add green roof or green garden. It all comes around to our site constraints. The temperature, the view, the wind etc. Once the site constraints are noted, sustainable techniques are selected and added to the design when the form and functionality of the built is being decided. Sustainable Architecture Techniques Sustainable architecture is designing buildings to comply with the principles of social, economic and ecological sustainability. These buildings also resist negative environmental impacts throughout their lifespan. There are numerous sustainable techniques that can be applied to make a building more green and energy efficient but to pick one. It depends on the site, typology of project, budget, scale of project and focus of design. (Simplicable.com)
Blue Roof
Carbon Concrete
Daylighting
Deep Water Cooling
District Heating
Embodied Energy
Environmental Issues
Garden Kitchen
Green Roof
Green Walls
Light Pollution
Light Shelves
Light Tube
Lightness
Mixed Use Architecture
Passive Design
Passive Design
Quality Of Life
Rain Gardens
Rainwater Harvesting
Shipping Container Architecture
Smart Glass
Soft Engineering
Sunlight Transport 45
Sustainability
Sustainable Design
Sustainable Lighting
Tall Wood
Urban Density
Urban Design
Urban Heat Islands
Vertical Farming
Walkability
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References : Form, space and order by Francis D.K. Ching U.S.A.P study material www.manifestoproject.it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floor_area_ratio http://www.firstinarchitecture.co.uk/how-to-carry-out-the-best-site-analysis-in-the-class/ www.sciencedirect.com https://simplicable.com/ http://www.mace.manchester.ac.uk/project/research/structures/strucfire/Design/Metho dology/presentation.htm Pattern language by Christopher Alexander 30x40 design workshop
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