CARNATION KNG | NUS ARCHITECTURE YEAR 2 SEMESTER 2 | ARCHITECTURAL PORTFOLIO
CONTENTS INVESTIGATING THE URBAN SITE THE PRIVATE IN THE PUBLIC HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT FURTHER THOUGHTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INVESTIGATING THE URBAN SITE: INITIAL OBSERVATIONS AT THE BEACH ROAD SITE
“Eyes reveal a meeting-point For loners and loiterers: A sense of things reducedConversations that trickle through Brief noddings at lift landings, Teenage rhetoric scrawled, in liquid paper, On the stone-table chessboard, (Where the king used to sit) The grandiose house-selling dreams of residents Compacted in anonymous letterboxes; As an afterthought, an old man pees Under a public phone. A place to be avoided, this, How in its vastness it devours hours. Little wonder then, Why residents rush through void decks Back to the cramped comforts of home As if in fear of what such open space might do To cosy minds.” Extracted from Void Deck by Alfian Bin Sa’at Published in One Fierce Hour (1998)
TRACES OF INTIMACY
LEGEND
SITE MAP
AREA OF FOCUS
2 46
H RT E NO RIDG B FC
10
8 46
7 46
H NT DGE I BR GDN
12
E TH TAN L SU
9
19
8
7
CRAWFORD ST
13 CP MS 14
EN LD AN GO ULT ZA S LA P
JALAN SULTAN
AL IW S AL RT R A T C
4A
18
4
15
17
MINTO RD
5 46 6 46
4 46
AL IW K AL AR EL P T HO
ILE XT RE TE ENT C
GE R D NOR TH B RID
5
6
AH JJ HA AH D IM MJ FAT
3
GO
2
1
LE
NG O MP AM KA GL RK PA
NG O MP AM KA GL C C
MI EN LD FC
TE GA Y /C) CIT (U
BEACH RD
IER EM PR INN
HN JO ST HQ
LE MI EN LEX LD MP GO CO
LE MI EN ER LD W GO TO
SCALE 1:1000
SITE MAP
LEGEND URINE STAINS PROVISION SHOPS GATHERING AREAS 3
PUBLIC TOILET 3
1
TYPE OF STAIN
3
2
10M
5M SPOT 5M
10M
1
In this instance, the urinating culprits - by taking into account several elements such as their proximity to others, existence of physical obstructions, their own physical orientation - were able to see the privacy in what was designed to be a public space.
1
2
1
1
TYPICAL PLACEMENTS OF URINE STAINS OBSERVED AT SITE 1
AT A CORNER
2
ALONG A WALL
3
IN STAIRWELL
Despite the site being generally a public space that is exposed to various elements such as human and vehicular traffic, traces of urine were observed at several locations. These urine stains suggest the occurrences of public urination by the community. While public urination poses a hygiene problem to the general cleanliness of the area, I saw the stains as a further suggestion of how people appropriated the spaces around them.
0
20 10
40M 30
URINE STAIN MAP OF HDB BLOCKS
STUDY OF STAINS AS AN UNDERSTANDING OF BEHAVIOUR
TYPE 1
TYPE 2
PLAN VIEW
AT A CORNER
A
TYPE 3
ALONG A WALL
IN STAIRWELL
C
A’ B
B’
MAIN CIRCULATION PATH 0
1 0.5
2 1.5
MAIN CIRCULATION PATH 0
4M
1 0.5
3
2 BEACH ROAD GROUND LEVEL PLAN
C’
2 1.5
MAIN CIRCULATION PATH 0
4M
1 0.5
3
3 BEACH ROAD GROUND LEVEL PLAN
2 1.5
4M 3
7 NORTH BRIDGE ROAD GROUND LEVEL PLAN
INDEX OF URINE STAINS OBSERVED ON SITE
TYPE 1
TYPE 2
SECTION VIEW
AT A CORNER
A
A’
0
1 0.5
2 1.5
4M
B 0
3
IN STAIRWELL
B’ 1
0.5
2 BEACH ROAD GROUND LEVEL SECTION A-A’
DIAGRAMMATIC INTERPRETATION
TYPE 3
ALONG A WALL
2 1.5
C
C’
0
4M
1 0.5
3
3 BEACH ROAD GROUND LEVEL SECTION B-B’
2 1.5
4M 3
7 NORTH BRIDGE ROAD GROUND LEVEL SECTION C-C’
PERSONAL SPACE SOCIAL SPACE PERSONAL SPACE SOCIAL SPACE
SOCIAL SPACE PERSONAL SPACE PERSON BOUNDARY NO TRESPASSING ZONE
PERSON BOUNDARY NO TRESPASSING ZONE
PERSON BOUNDARY NO TRESPASSING ZONE
INDEX OF URINE STAINS OBSERVED ON SITE
E SCAP LAND AS E R A
THOUGHTS FROM SITE STUDIES Greater insights of the Beach Road site were gained through the process of gathering observations, drawing connections and interpreting the findings. The observation of how intimate privacy could be derived from the most public of spaes was indeed intriguing.
A MAM O H S P
X
A MAM SHOP
RY BAKE O H S P
6 X
BUKIT T AR MINIM
ANALYSIS OF THE VIEWS ON SITE
BASED ON THE CONVENTIONAL LIMITS OF THE HUMAN FIELD OF VISION A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF HOW VIEWS FROM MAJOR INTERSECTIONS ALONG THE MAIN CIRCULATION PATHS OVERLAP.
With respect to the area I have focused on, a central location comprising of several existing outdoor seating areas and a playground was chosen to be the area where my design interventions will proceed.
THE PRIVATE IN THE PUBLIC: DEVELOPMENT OF A DESIGN STRATEGY
PRIVACY IN PUBLIC: A DIAGRAMMATIC INTERPRETATION Inspired by my initial site analysis, the notion of privacy in public is interpreted diagrammatically. Combining the understanding of proxemics and the limits of the human visual scope, I attempted to derive configurations that provide users the most privacy in public with the least use of physical boundaries.
USER BOUNDARY
SCALE 1:100
PROCESS MODELS EXPLORING DIFFERENT BOUNDARY TYPE
SCALE 1:200
USER
PROCESS MODELS EXPLORING DIFFERENT BOUNDARY TYPE
SCALE 1:200
USER
USER BOUNDARY
SCALE 1:200
USER BOUNDARY
SCALE 1:200
CONCEPTUAL SKETCHES - THE PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE OF WALKING THROUGH THE MUSEUM
MEANDERING THROUGH THE PUBLIC AND THE PRIVATE Drawing from my site analysis and diagrammatic experimentations, I seek to develop a scheme for a community museum that embraces the notion of individual privacy without compromising on the public quality of its function. As such, the development of a scheme that facilitates the seamless transitions between the public and private realms within my designed space becomes a crucial design challenge, and a driver for my design strategy.
HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT:
PROPOSED SCHEME FOR A COMMUNITY PRINT MUSEUM AT BEACH ROAD
E IDG
H RT
AD RO
BR
NO
BLK 9 BLK 4
BLK 8
BLK 7
BLK 5
BLK 12
BLK 3
BLK 13 (MSCP) BLK 6 BLK 2
BLK 17
BLK 14
CH EA
AD RO
B BLK 1 BLK 15
SITE PLAN SCALE 1:2000
SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMMES 1. RESIDENTS’ COMMUNITY GARDEN 2. MAIN GALLERY 3. INFORMATION COUNTER 4. SUB-GALLERY 5. MUSEUM GARDEN 6. MUSEUM SHOP 7. LARGE WORKSHOP 8. SMALL WORKSHOP 9. GARDEN SHED 10. WORKSHOP GARDEN
GROUND LEVEL PLAN SCALE 1:250
SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMMES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
ARTIST RESIDENCE ARTIST STUDIO ROOF DECK GALLERY OFFICE STORAGE
SECOND LEVEL PLAN SCALE 1:250
SECTION A-A’ SCALE 1:200
SECTION B-B’ SCALE 1:200
GROUND LEVEL
SCALE 1:200
SECOND LEVEL MAIN CIRCULATION OCCASIONAL CIRCULATION MUSEUM VISITORS RESIDENT COMMUNITY RESIDENT ARTIST
SCALE 1:200
CIRCULATION PATHS
FURTHER DETAILED DESIGN DEVELOPMENT: RESOLVING THE GALLERY BUILDING The gallery building, being the most prominent in the museum compound scheme, is selected to be developed in greater detail. Through the resolution of construction details and accentuation of key landscape features, the sense of “inside” and “outside” is further diluted.
EXPLODED ISOMETRIC SCALE 1:250
SECTIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF GALLERY SPACE SCALE 1:100
METAL ROOF DECKING INSULATION 15MM LAMINATED GLASS PANEL
UNDERLAYMENT CEILING LINING
STEEL MESH EMBEEDED INTO CONCRETE (FOR CREEPER GROWTH)
2 DEG. FALL
ALUMINIUM FLASHING
REINFORCED CONCRETE WATERPROOF MEMBRANE
STRUCTURAL STEEL BEAM
DRAINAGE CELLS GEOTEXTILE FABRIC
ALUMINIUM FLASHING STEEL BRACKET
REINFORCED CONCRETE WALL PANEL
15MM DOUBLE-GLAZED GLASS PANEL
SEALANT
INSULATION SOIL
SUPPORTING STEEL FRAME
C-SHAPED STEEL PURLIN
PLASTER FINISH
SAND
METAL CLIP
DRAINAGE PIPE
STEEL MESH EMBEEDED INTO CONCRETE (FOR CREEPER GROWTH)
DETAIL A SCALE 1:10
DETAIL B SCALE 1:10
HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT Through intersections of external landscape elements and the building form, the entire museum compound becomes a constant interplay of landscape and building envelope. By dissolving physical boundaires, museum users can experience the notions of intimacy and privacy, while conscious of the sensations of being out in the open. Quite literally, it is as though one is exposed yet concealed - hidden in plain sight.
ARTIST’S IMPRESSION
SUB-GALLERY SPACE DURING REGULAR SEASON
By achieving such design intention, ideally the community museum becomes a place where the existing community, visitors and content creators are able to congregate without feelings of intrusion. The museum becomes a place where the notion of the individual is championed above the collective, where one is encouraged to self-express, while being able to interact with others.
ARTIST’S IMPRESSION
SUB-GALLERY SPACE DURING FLOWERING SEASON
SCHEMATIC MODEL
SKETCH SECTIONAL MODEL
FINAL SECTIONAL MODEL
FINAL SECTIONAL MODEL
VIEW FROM MAIN GALLERY
VIEW FROM SECOND LEVEL
VIEW FROM SUB-GALLERY
FURTHER THOUGHTS
DIMINISHING BOUNDARIES As this design journey for the community museum comes to a closure, much still remains to be explored, probed and developed. Drawing inspiration from some architectural works I greatly admire, I identified several aspects in my scheme for improvements. For instance, I felt that greater interventions could be made to the existing urban terrain to further accentuate the seamlessness between the external landscape and the building envelope, like how at Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial (Fig.1), architecture becomes landscape and vice versa. Another instance will be the further modifications of the building envelope itself, where lessons could be taken Junya Ishigami’s sensitivie treatment of the built form in his courtyard house (Fig.2) - to encompass the sensations of the outdoors, indoors. Ultimately, design is an infinite, ongoing process. While this earlier journey has been arduous, it is undoubtedly a fruitful one. Over the course of 13 weeks, challenges were posed to my preconceived ideas of what a museum, a landscape, an architecture are. Personally, I see the end of this project as only a beginning of a longer journey, and am excited to see how far a simple idea of simply hiding out in the open can take form.
Fig.1(Source: ©2003Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Fig. 2 (Source: Junya Ishigami + Associates)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all who have supported me in this journey of discovery and learning. Special mentions to my tutor, A/P Lilian Chee, my studio mates, my parents and friends who have contributed to the completion of my project in one way or another.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © CARNATION KNG 2017 carnationkng@gmail.com PUBLISHED IN SINGAPORE