Site-Specifically Beautilitarian
Research Book
BANGKOK Edition
This research book was published accompanying the Year 4 Semester 2 Architectural Design V class taught at International Program in Design and Architecture (INDA) Chulalongkorn University Academic Year
2017-18
Site-Specifically Beautilitarian Studio Chutayaves Sinthuphan / Bea Vithayathawornwong
CONTENTS 4
INTRODUCTION
Between Dichotomies III: Beauty of the Mundane 6
RESEARCHERS
7
CATALOG OF BKK B&Bs
9 47 87
Active Ventilation System Drainage System
Garbage Management
109 Ground-Level Access 165 Parking System
179 Passive Cooling Ventilation 197 Storage System
229 Sun Shading & Light Filtering 253 Vertical Circulation
Introduction
Between Dichotomies III : B e a u t y o f t h e M u n da n e The practice of architecture operates in the continuum of the mundane and the sublime. Mundane utilitarian functions co-exist with the very architectural entity that produces affects, expressions and experiences. Louis Kahn’s served and servant spaces together epitomize the classic dichotomy; so does the iconic Centre Pompidou or Jean Nouvel’s Institut du Monde Arabe , albeit in a very different fashion. Beauty is a common awe-inspiring mechanism of the sublime. According to the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, “the sublime was routinely coupled with the beautiful to produce a classificatory system for judgments about experience.” While humanity, philosophy and the arts fundamentally embrace beauty, Architecture, on the other hand, has had a troubled relationship with the construct. Modern architectural discourse, with its general tendency to over-intellectualize, tends to eschew 4
beauty, proclaiming its subjectivity and indefinability undebatable. From a part of the Vitruvian Triad—firmitas, utilitas, venustas —beauty has become one of Architecture’s most notorious no-no’s, regardless, or precisely because of, its inherently visceral nature. Ornament, a progenitor of architectural affects, is closely related to beauty yet far more debatable. Historically, architecture has reverberated between denouncing and deferring to the function of ornament, from Gottfried Semper’s theory of ornament to Adolf Loos’s denunciation of ornament as a crime. The pendulum has swung from ornamented traditional architectures to Modernism and back again to ornamental revival in contemporary architecture. Ornament is the figure that emerges from the material substrate, the expression of embedded forces
through processes of construction, assembly and growth. It is through ornament that material transmits affects. Ornament is therefore necessary and inseparable from the object. It is not a mask determined a priori to create specific meanings... It has no intention to decorate, and there is in it no hidden meaning... [O]rnaments are intrinsically tied to architectural affects. –Farshid Moussavi, The Function of Ornament (2006) The Miesian edict God is in the Details has shepherded generations of followers on the the path of exquisite detailing towards customized tectonic beauty— the UK-based practice Wilkinson Eyre among them: [W ]e recognize the importance of good detailing. An ingenious concept is not enough on its own. Indeed, in my view, however striking the concept, it will stand or fall on the quality of its detailing...In order to be considered complete designers, architects need to be interested in how to make things, how all the different components function together. We express ourselves by working out the configuration of the various components and it is anathema to hand over control of this element to anyone else. –Jim Eyre, Bridging Art and Science, “God is in the Details” (2001) This option studio is situated at the junction of architecture, construction, building and infrastructure systems that
respond to practical necessities of today’s built environments. The studio aims to conduct a collective investigation into the relationship between beauty and utility—the opposite ends of the sublime - mundane spectrum — in urbanistic, architectural, and interior context. • How can mundane, utilitarian necessities inform or become the genesis of architectural expressions and affects? • Is beauty/aesthetics perceptible in the act of concealing, camouflaging, ornamenting, accentuating, or celebrating the mundane? • Can beauty of the mundane ever be elevated to the level of the sublime? We ask each studio participant to take a personal, critical stance, propose a mode of relationship, then define and generate beautilitarian design components that demonstrate tectonically and aesthetically such relationship. Components are intended to be sitespecific – contextualized and tailored to real-life scenarios, actual requirements or predicaments, and/or existing buildings / structures in the Yaowarat district of Bangkok. The studio places great emphasis on the development of custom architectural details, fabrication & construction techniques, construction drawings, and the production of physical mock-ups and prototypes. The aim is to help equip students with highly valued practical skills in architectural detailing and construction drawings. Understanding of construction materials, tools and techniques is imperative to developing these skills. 5
RESEA RCH E R S
INDA Y4S2 Molpasorn Shoowong Napapat Lasavanich Nawapan Suntorachai Pattapoom Tammasrisawat Pavis Tungpanitansook Phakthaphat Phawatpholphaisarn Pimaubsorn Sirisook Pudith Chatteeraphat Rhun Naranong Sirapob Thangseresuk
6
CA TA L O G OF BKK B&Bs
The vibrant Yaowarat District of Bangkok presents limitless
specimens of the mundane and, arguably, the sublime.
Everyday spectacles co-exist with a myriad of infrastructural
& utilitarian challenges. Stockpile of buildings in the
neighborhood predate and have been grandfathered by
modern-day building codes. Daytime and nighttime, formal
and informal, commercial activities define the characters of its streets and alleys. In this phase the entire studio conducts a
collective survey of the neighborhood and produce a Catalog
of Old Town Bangkok B&Bs (Beauty & the Banals) : a
compilation of diagrams and drawings cataloging architectural
and urban conditions / predicaments in the neighborhood. The Catalog shall address the framework of the mundane and the
sublime, with regards to utilitarian & infrastructural issues.
7
ACTIVE V EN T I L AT I ON SY STEM
10
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM
CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNITS ON PRE-EXISTING FAC ADE
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM (CONDENSING UNIT) INSTALLATION OF CONDENSING UNIT ON STEEP FACADE
This building is located near an intersection to Yaowarat road, due to the short gap between the facade of the building, the installation of the condensing unit has to be installed while it being rotate in order to fit into the facade.
This building is located on Charoenkrung Road near the intersection to Yaowarat Road. Due to the design of the facade, condensing units are installed at an angle to fit into the narrow gaps
Another assume reason of this rotated installation is also the fact that the condensing unit might be able to ventilate better since it is expose to vacant space in the air of the street.
between existing f acade fins. The benefit that comes with this whimsical installation is the increased ability in ventilation as the units are being exposed to open air. 11
23.5mm + +23.5
20.5mm + +20.5
+ +17.5 17.5mm
14.5mm + +14.5
+ +11.5 11.5mm
8.5mm ++8.5
5.5mm ++5.5
++3.5 3.5mm
12
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM
CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNITS ON PRE-EXISTING FAC ADE
THE CONDENSING UNIT IS BEING ROTATED,
CONDENSING UNITS INSTALLEDOUTING AT AN ANGLE, HALF OF THE UNIT IS FLOATING THE BUILDING’S FLOOR HALF OF THE UNIT EXPOSED TO OPEN AIR
13
14
TARZARN SHOPHOUSE, CHAROEN KRUNG ROAD
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNITS
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM (CONDENSING UNIT) DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNIT INSTALLED
The four story shop house located on Charoen Krung road the house facade is being design to apply security to the resi -dent while also specificly locate the blinding on front of the door in each floor to also provide privacy for the user.
The four-story shophouse facades are designed with screens located specifically in front of all door access to the balcony, providing security and privacy for residents. Although
Although each house has the exact same design on the facade each of them however install the AC condensing unit differently. While some of the resident applied them up on the hand rail of the facade to provide more space on their balcony. But it also
every unit employs similar facade design, the configuration of its condensing units is completely different from one another. 15
16
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNITS
+16.6 + 16.6 mm
+13.6 + 13.6 mm
HIDDEN UNIT
HIDDEN UNIT
+10.6 + 10.6 mm
EXPOSE UNIT
EXPOSED UNIT
+7.6 + 7.6 mm
BIGG EXPOSE UNIT
EXPOSED UNIT
+3.6 + 3.6 mm
occupy the window space and ended up blocking part of the available visibility on the facade. Some of them installed the unit right on the balcony floor itself. With this application, almost all part of the unit is being hiden behind the handrail
Some residents install their condensing units above the balcony handrail, keeping their balcony floor vacant although it means the room’s visual accessibility is compromised. Others sacrifice their balcony floor so the units
but it also took up space on the balcony. On some floor, diff-erent size of condensing unit is being install to supply different use for the resident. While most of the first floor is a shop, larger unit is being installed in this case on top of the building shading
can be hidden from sight behind the handrail. Different unit sizes can also differentiate the f unction each room occupies. The larger condensing unit sitting on top of the overhang is used to service first floor commercial space. 17
18
T WO-STOREY SHOPHOUSE, YAOWARAT ROAD
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNITS
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM - CONDENSING UNIT DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNIT INSTALLED
These old two storey shophouse is located within the Yaowarat district. With the old design of the shophouse, the first floor has a normal slanting down shading. In this case has no stable structure to place the condesning unit. Most of the
These old 2 story shophouses are located within the Yaowarat District. The 1st floors possess typical awnings over the pedestrian walkway. In this case, there is no stable structure for the condensing units to be placed. Most shophouses had to install an additional structure to house
houses has to add an additional structure to house the unit. Either by putting small structure near the facade itself or an entended one to have an additional space. Some of the house put the unit right on the facade opening for an easier connecti-
the units. With limited space, some of the units are installed against the facade wall, sometimes resulting in the restriction of window openings. To avoid this problem, some constructed an extended platform to create more space, while some stack the units vertically to save space. 19
TWO TYPES CONDENSING UNIT TWO TYPESOFCONDENSING UNIT IS BEING STACK TO STACKED TO REDUCE REDUCE SPACESPACE USE
++10.0 m 10.0 m
++7.0 7.0 m m
++4.0 4.0 m m
INTALLED BESIDE WINDOW OPENING AVOID BLOCKAGE NOTTO BLOCKINGTHE OPENING
for the pipe between the AC split system. With different location installed, some results in a limitation for the opening of the window.
20
TWO CONDENSING TWO SMALLER UNIT PLACE ON FRONT OF WINDOWUNITS RESULT ON EXTENDED PLATFORM LIMITED SPACE
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNITS
WO TYPES OF CONDENSING UNIT IS BEING STACK TO REDUCE SPACE USE
CONDENSING PLACED ON TWO SEPARATEUNITS HORIZONTAL STRUCTURE HORIZONTAL STRUCTURES BESIDE PLACE NEXT TO THE WINDOW TO PLACE THE CONDENSING UNIT WINDOW OPENING
A BIG ADDITIONAL STRUCTURE PROVIDE A
WIDE SITTING SPACE FOR THE COND EXTENDED PLATFORM PROVIDES WIDER ENSINGFOR UNITCONDENSING WHILE ALSO NOTUNITS BLOCKING SPACE THE WINDOW OPENING WITHOUT BLOCKING WINDOW OPENING
FRONT OF WINDOW RESULT LIMITED SPACE
A SMALL STACKED STRUCTURE IS BEING
SHELVED ALLOWS ADDEDSTRUCTURE TO HOUSE TWO DIFFERENT TYPE OF CONDENSING UNIT TO REDUCE USE STACKING OF CONDENSING UNITS SPACE TO REDUCE SPACE
21
22
HONG JHUA GENERAL STORE, YAOWARAT ROAD
ACTIVE VENTILATION SYSTEM
PREDESIGNED CONFIGURATION OF CONDENSING UNITS
Hong Jhua General Store is a slightly curved building that runs along Yaowarat Road. Being a commercial building it tends to its aesthetic presentation by trying to place the condensing
units in a unif orm manner along the f acade. However, the units are not perf ectly aligned and the AC pipes are still exposed, thus leaving an unorganized impression. 23