Architecture Portfolio 2023 Part 4

P R T

THE GREEN COMPANY

Year three Semester two Studio Leader: Colin Seah, director of MOD Site: Singapore Science Park

The

public promenade, the research incubator and the academic workplace.

The brief

The project will investigate the smart resilience of analog space through the programmatically fluid concept of an Open Building Lab - a contemporary re-mix of a Greek Agora with a Building R&D facility - a place of assembly that provides a social stage for exchanges, interactions, and knowledge around what it means to design buildings and experiences for the 21st century.

The aim of the studio is to explore the smart resilience of analog space by getting down to the fundamentals of architectural integration and basic elements of architectural design as the critical tool-kit that will enable us not only to maintain relevance, but to make a positive impact in ways no other professions can.

Students are expected to understand, test and reinterpret canonical elements of architecture: floors, walls, roofs, envelopes, doors, windows, structure, M&E systems, environmental solutions, etc to create an architectural syntax and spatial articulation unique to their programme and project goals. Students are also expected to demonstrate control over architectural spatial and compositional devices such as thresholds, vistas, circulation, planning, proportion, scale, experience etc. as a clear methodology to how building elements come together to reinforce their project’s vision.

THE GREEN COMPANY

Algal research laboratory

The research facility seeks to drive the future of green living, by investigating algal bio-facades as a sustainable and natural alternative to traditional building envelopes.

The building envelope is usually associated with permanence and protection from the outer world. Bio-facades seek to allow humans to transcend the seeming detachment imposed by the envelope and better relate to their surroundings.

Currently, algal bio-facades present a revolutionary technology of integrating living organisms into performative living structures. Hence, bio-facades are designed to be more energy efficient due to their improved sun shading properties, ability to enhance air quality and potential in today’s circular material economy. However, with existing bio-façade technologies, there is further research to be done; for example, a viable 3D fabrication process, higher degrees of customisable design and environmental performance integration, especially given Singapore’s tropical climate.

Isometric diagrams of possible algal panel configurations for experimentation

Envelope detail (left): Section of work space, featuring algal panel fixtures mounted on the ‘living cube’

Humans and their environment

The facility thus employs the replication of pocket living spaces within the facility, for daily personal and scientific assessment by the public and the researchers, respectively. These living spaces are also designated thresholds between the outside and inside, designing opportunities to investigate the bio-façade’s efficiency in mediating the relationship between humans and their environment.

Because there is a need to draw the public into the building, and allow them to experience for themselves the biofacades and their resulting spaces, the test subjects should extend beyond just the researchers; and there is the huge resource of the public to draw from.

The facility introduces a shortcut from Science Park road to South Buona Vista Rd and back.

The Green Company wishes to bring together the spheres of both nature and man closer, by having both the resident researchers and the public live with algae as close companions.

Hence, the name Green Company.

Long Section B-B’ (Above): Cutting along the workspaces, public promenade and 3D-printing fabrication spaces (From left to right)

A unification of two branches

The scientific and the architectural branches of the facility are separated into two masses. The scientific branch studies the different strains and behaviours of algae, and tests the application of algae, for the production of bioplastic or the application of its bioluminescence for example. Meanwhile, the architectural branch focuses on the design of algae facades and experiments on bringing these bio-facades onto buildings. Each branch and office is a self-sustaining island that is distinctive but incomplete without the other spheres of research and creative knowledge.

The two masses are then oriented towards two points of connection; the bridges on the first and third floor of the facility. These bridges are what the building celebrates since it is the place for collaboration and innovation and where the two spheres intersect. Hence, programmatically, the first floor of the facility consists largely of public spaces, like the foyer, experiential algal labs, the exhibition spaces and the open makers lab. The central atrium is where the cafe is located, alongside intimate work and discussion spaces that are located on terraces.

The biggest test space is this same central green terrace where there is a large space frame for modules to be tested on. This space is thus a patchwork of roofs; it has a main frame structure that allows for new roofs and canopies to be tested. Independent canopies or standalone structures may also be tested here. Under these canopies, the public promenade melts into this mixture of public and private space. This terrace is also the point where the two branches of research and design meet; this makes for more opportunities for interaction and collaboration.

Short Section A-A’ (Above): Cutting across the algal research laboratory, terracing atrium and terraces that permeate the second building (From left to right)

Workspaces and their pockets of green living spaces

In continuation with the previous idea of self sustaining islands, the workspaces are broken up into project sized islands. Each workspace also has an accompanying discussion space, a meeting room, and a garden or veranda.

These pockets of “living spaces”- also known as living cubes- thus manifest as protuding masses that are shrouded with the experimental algal facades, so as to facilitate living under the protection of algae. In this facility, experiments go beyond the durations set by the scientist. They have to be lived with, since it is the new future of green living that they are trying to promote. Living would soon to be associated with algae and nature.

Each island is separated from one another by courtyards or atriums. This allows for visual connectivity and to use wind to passively cool down the building mass.

Floor Plan 1F (Right), Floor Plan 2F (Extreme Right): Showcasing the progression of visitors and researchers upwards through the building

Floor Plan 3F (Above), Floor Plan4F (Right):

Showcasing the progression of visitors and researchers upwards through the building

The public promenade

To attract the public, the bio-facades also front the building first, and serve as a visual landmark and public destination.

The rest of the building follows the escalating landscape, and peers over one another in a cascade of flat roofs and facade test cubes. This crafts a sense of approach; as the public ascends the promenade, more facades are revealed. The central green terracing space with the various canopies indicate the direction of the promenade.

Living cubes

Smaller modules are for living spaces that are more intimate, like discussion spaces, meeting rooms and individual workspaces. They protrude out of the main building mass to increase the experimental facades’ exposure to the surrounding environment.

Perspective of workspaces (Above) Perspective of facility from Science Park Road (Right)

Perspective of front of building, from carpark (Above)

Perspective of Public Promenade and terracing atrium (Left)