ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO
DESIGN STUDIO 4
SVETA SATHYANADHAN H00331489
01 INTRODUCTION
understanding the project brief
02 SITE ANALYSIS
macro analysis plus function micro analysis site selection
03 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
zoning volumetric analysis
bubble diagrams project lenses
• landscape design - softscapes
• sustainability
• tectonics - skin studies
• spatial form
04 FINAL DESIGN PROPOSAL
architectural drawing package exploded axonometry applied project lenses project visualisations
VEIL COMMUNITY NARRATIVES
Designing a community centre in the hub of Karama that has a minimal impact on the existing park, while also considering that a majority of the community has expressed that they would not be keen on having a building in the park that disrupts the current experience.
The project aims to respond to this common sentiment of park users by creating an interactive facade through a secondary skin that performs multiple functions while concealing the builing edge - hence the name VEIL
The key vision for this project was to retain the playfullness and vigour of the park thereby giving back to the community while encouraging interactions and providing users with a wholesome experience and insitilling a sense of community within them.
AL KARAMA, DUBAI
Karama is a residential district of Dubai that was built years ago and has not undergone many changes since its construction years ago.Most of the residential quarters like the Sheikh Hamdan Colony have been built years ago and they consist of 3-5 storied buildings that provide affordable housing for families and bachelors. Some features of traditional Islamic architecture are visible in the buildings; arched window designs, mashrabiya filters. Many of these older colonies are currently being demolished and rebuilt.The resident demographic comprises mainly of Asians; Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, and others. The reasonable rent attracts many families to live here. Many buildings found in Karama have shopfronts on the ground floor, and residential on the upper floors which. Groceries and restaurants are found in abundance here. Graffiti culture is found in abundance in the facades of Al Wasl buildings.
Karama is characteristic of shopfront buildings that cater to the residents, contributing to the busy atmosphere.The park serves as the only space contrasting to the busy buildings found in abundance for people to take a pause from the congested environment around. Low rise buildings of heights 12-18m surrounding park.The site is surrounded by retail stores, restaurants,repair shops, that make it convenient for the residents living close by.
The surrounding buildings having heights ranging from 12-18m do not cast any incident shadows on the park and they do not help block off any daytime sunlight. Hence the only shade in the park comes from the on-site existing vegetation.
ACCESS POINTS
EXISTING VEGETATION : Ghaf, Palm and Neem trees are found in abundance.
PROJECT SITE : KARAMA PARK
The Karama Park is located in the hub of the busy residential city which is densely populated.
It is the only green patch that serves as a breather within the concrete jungle of Karama, surrounded by buildings.
Residents use this park to get a fresh breath of air from their busy lives.
The park is busiest during early weekday mornings and weekend evenings, when most people gather to meet friends and enjoy the nature.
Many visitors enjoy sitting on the grass beds while relaxing. USER DEMOGRAPHICS WEEKDAY MORNINGS
EXISTING ACTIVITIES : The park engages its visitors with various activities that ensures that the visitors keep coming back.
RELEVANCE TO USER GROUP
Tourists
They are often found wandering around the streets of Karama in search of Souveneirs to take back home. The experience of the weaving studio will help them experience the heritage of the country and leave with a wholesome, long-lasting experience.
Women - Mothers and Nannies
A lot of stay-at-home mothers and nannies visit the park to look after children that come to play. However, there are no existing activities dedicated for their engagement. The proposed activity here will serve as an opportunity for them to meet new friends and enjoy their leisure time while also allowing them to gain income from the created crafts.
India, Pakistan and other countries are well known for their regional weaving crafts.
The weaving workshop will allow these expat residents to gain a sense of connection with their home countries while also learning about UAE.
Cultural Crafts and Weaving Workshop
Weaving is an age-old traditional craft practiced in the region for decades. The skill of this art form delivers a certain understanding of the cultural heritage of the country to the person practicing the craft.
As observed in the illustration beside, traditionally, this was practiced by the women in bedouin families. It was considered as an activity for women to practice in their leisure, while getting together with other women and friends.
They often used this woven fabric as the skin for setting up tents for their temporary settlements.
SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS
The craft is practiced while the weaver sits cross-legged on the floor, and weaves with the equipments placed at knee height on low lying tables.
The crafts are later sold off and this return money can serve as an income for the weaver. The communal activity will also enrich peoples communication skills, as they meet new people from different backgrounds.
Primary entrance areaideal to maintain as is Quiet compared to center - visitors relax here
Tucked at the end of park – minimal disruption Away from primary entrance - element of surprise
Surrounded by parking lotrelatively less cluttered than patches closer to buildings
If the project is located in ths site parcel, it blocks of the primary entrance point and will make the entrance of the park less inviting. This would disrupt the tranquility of the experience of the current park, and draw a ot of attention to the project. Hence visitors would stop coming to the park to enjoy the nature, as it is. In conjunction to that, in my opinion, it is ideal to maintain the park entrance as is, because it is a key feature.
• Central area of parkhigh impact
• Flat land
• On-site trees must be uprooted to build here
• Busy with activities
If the project is located in ths site parcel, it blocks of the primary entrance point and will make the entrance of the park less inviting. This would disrupt the tranquility of the experience of the current park, and draw a ot of attention to the project. Hence visitors would stop coming to the park to enjoy the nature, as it is. In conjunction to that, in my opinion, it is ideal to maintain the park entrance as is, because it is a key feature.
ANALYSING INTERACTION OF APPLIED BLOCK WITH SITE CONDITIONS
• TOWARDS NORTH EAST
• Closer to the ongoing construction site of the Al Wasl Hub
• Close proximity to the pathways creates a congested feeling.
Most visitors use this land parcel to lay on the flat grass patch, meet friends and enjoy the nature. Building the project here would take that key feature why people visit the park, away from them and disrupt the flow of existing activities within the park, and this strays away from the core values of this project.
• TOWARDS SOUTH WEST
• Well-tucked in the back of the park
• Away from pathways – allows better movement,
•
• Away from the busy night market and other activities.
ZONING PROCESS
FINAL ZONING
The Basement accommodates resource spaces together, for the convenience of the visitor.
The functions placed in the basement are those that require sound insulation. This provides the silence required for meeting spaces and the library, in contrast to the more noisy unctions on the ground floor.
The Ground floor is pushed inward by yet another setback of 3m. This prevents congestion and being placed towards the back, helps to tuck the project further towards the end of the park, to blur it better into the site.
The ground floor houses the more lively spaces such as the social hub, to create a very inviting atmosphere for a visitor to experience on entrance. This will also attract more visitors into the community centre due to curiosity.
Having a smaller volume on the First floor will contribute to a more seamless visual experience for a passer by, It also opens opportunities to blur the edge conditions of the building better.
The weaving and crafts studio being placed on the first floor allows an open space that looks into the double-heighted space in the ground floor. The terrace garden will allow visitors to enjoy the serenity of the park from a height.
ROCK-CLIMBING COURSE ON BUILDING FACADE ?
STEPPED ROOFTOP ACCESS ?
Since the common sentiment of park visitors is to avoid any building within the park, the design of this project can be approached in such a way that the building facade is highly playful, thereby making it a more well-rounded experience for the park users and hence responding to their concern.
The aim of this project is to create an equally extroverted and introverted design that captivates the viewer and encourages interaction.
Proposing a wall performs does multiple functions.
At some points it becomes one with the wall, at some points it peels upwards to create shading devices for entrances. It also reaches the ground and becomes benches. At the higher level, this secondary skin is drawn upwards to perform as a parapet.
Creating a niche in the backside of the project.
Currently the parking lot area is not very interesting. To draw more visitors into the project by adding to their curiosity, the project has a designed glass facade that looks into the interior spaces. This may also function as a diffused light catch.
On the outside, it could be used as a garden space with some casul seating
The usage of Skylights and clerestories will aid in creating an interesting play of light in the interior spaces while preventing overheating of the building skin.
Existing on-site trees block off most of the incident sunlight.
This would mean that the placement of regular windows will not effectively illuminate spaces as they will not be capable of capturing sunlight as most of it gets blocked off by the trees.
Thermobimetals are those metals that display mechanical displacements when subjected to temperature changes.
Due to the difference in thermal expansion rates, the two metals curl up to different extents, causing them to curl and open up.
At normal temperatures, the thermobimetal facade panels remain closed Hotter temperatures result in the panels curling and open up
• REEDBEDS - GREYWATER MANAGEMENT
The thermobimetal facade system would be employed facing the north-western region to enusure effective capture of winds in the prominent wind direction.
This would help reduce the load of cooling on mechanical HVAC systems and thereby reduce the negative impact on the environment.
It is a system that reacts to atmospheric temperature to inlet air installed in the façade facing prominent wind flow.
Reedbeds will function both as a landscape feature, as well as an alternate method of greywater management system.
• VERNACULAR BUILDING METHODS IN THE REGION - Bedouin Tents • CASE STUDY - Nomad Pavillion - Jordan
Looking back at vernacular building methods to see how the region dealt with weather conditions. Traditionally, goat skin fabric was used for it cooling properties. The cooling mechanism of tents, with the light fab ric that regulated temperatures throughout the day.
When sunlight is incident on a cactus, the presence of multiple ribs helps prevent overheating of the entire cactus, as the ribs in-turn cast shadows, thereby cooling the plant.
ARCHITECTS :
Dina Haddadin Rasem Kamal
This pavillion situated in the Jordanian desert draws inspiration from vernacular concepts of bedouin tents.
The geometry has been inspired by the Black Iris flower - the national flower of Jordan.
The skin of the pavillion’s surface has been designed specifically to tackle extreme heat conditions of the desert.
To recreate the properties of goat skin, the project usesfabric that is wound over steel pipes and natural rope, to create strong, triangular structural units.
The compression occuring due to the inward-outward pressure of these structural units gives it its exceptional strength.
Traditionally, wind towers were used often and they were attached to houses and other buildings to tackle the regions heat.
Smocking is a common weaving technique that creates 3D patterns on fabric. The ribs created can help with temperature control to bounce off the excessive heat from the afternoon sun off of the rest of the building.
Following this method in the building skin would also link up with the pus function - weaving and traditional crafts studio.
helps in bringing sunlight directly into the interior spaces to passively illuminate the building.
These membranes are preferred for their
• light weight
• they allow light to permeate through
• they help in controlling temperature
This project aims to utilise the natural wind, light and other features to the maximum, to increase the efficiency of the building, and reduce its dependance on mechanical services, thereby reducing carbon footprint.
Hence, PTFE is an ideal material here, as it passively illuminates interiors.
Varying the heights of each panel accommodates clerestories
Working on a framework that allows space utilization withing the site parcel, without heavily impacting the park. From site analysis, visitors detest the idea of any built spaces in the park.
The lightweight design draws a contrast between the bulky existing buildings near park. The interior of the project should not completely cut off connections with the park. This iteration reflects the park surroundings withing the interiors. This is aceived by maximising the inlet of the sites natural features including wind flow and sunlight
ACCESS
- two entry points; public, park
GROUND FLOOR VOLUME
- pushed towards the back of the park
FIRST FLOOR VOUME
- pushed behind to have a seamless visual experience, building tucked better into site
SECONDARY SKIN
- introduced to emphasise the playfulness of the project situated in the park
SETBACK
- maintaining a 3m setback from the parcel boundary
GENERIC MASSING
- niche introduced to draw attention from the car park side
LANDSCAPE WALL -
- benches introduced into the wall, where it hits the ground
BASEMENT VOLUME
SOFTSCAPES
- smoother edges help blur the building edge better
The project aims to harmonise with the park with its organic spatial form such that it maintains a playful nature while being equally introverted and extroverted. It has been designed giving priority that the building edge is concealed well, such that it does not seem like a building block to a person viewing the project within the park - hence the name VEIL.
Building the project in the south-western parcels towards the end of the park helps to tuck the building better into the parcel, and reduce the impact on the park, thereby retaining most of the site as it is.
A visitor, on entering the park from the main entrance has a sense of curiosity to visit the building, that turns into an element of surprise, as they walk closer to the end of the park.
The secondary skin performs various functions as observed here.
• It acts as a parapet for rooftop activities;
• towards the south-western side, it moulds into the form to become part of the wall itself.
• To create entrances, the secondary skin peels upwards to allow people to walk through and enter the building; here, it also acts as a shading device.
• It also creates a very interesting spatial eperience on the outdoor decking, with the play of light and shade.
• Finally, it also turns into benches, to accommodate an innovative seating.
The public entrance is not direct; this is to allow the visitor to have an experience of walking through the over-head peeling secondary skin. The functions placed here are more lively, in order to be more inviting for visitors.The visitor is greeted by the open social hub and exhibition space, onlooking the inverted glass facade, contributing to the welcoming feel.
The exhibitions take place on the large cascading stairs that also provide vertical circulation.
The micro cafe allows customers to grab a drink and relax in the outdoor deck while enjoying the parks views.
GARDEN
CULTURAL CRAFTS CENTER
WEAVING WORKSHOP
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
SCALE 1:100
Towards the left side, the moulding of the secondary skin, becoming one with the primary skin and functioning as a wall itself is observed. The social hub and exhibition are double heighted spaces, to provide an emphasis to the inverted glass facade.
The craft centre and weaving workshop is maintained as an open space where the furnitures follow the radial grid and act as dividers to define spaces.
The terrace garden is protected by the parapet that emerges from the secondary skin. This gives the space a very distinct spatial experience and impact.
The basement is illuminated passively through the glazing below the cascading stairs on the ground floor that draws sunlight. These function like clerestories.
For the closed rooms, light is drawn passively from glazing that is placed on the ground at floor level, serving as skylights for the basement.
The functions on this level are those that require sound insulation and need to be away from the noisy spaces on the ground floor. The integrated working space serves as a very convenient area for people to study, conduct meetings and discuss ideas.
The double heighted space of the social hub and coworking space contributes to a very welcoming space for the visitor as soon as they enter, and also maximises interaction.
The outdoor spaces have an interesting spatial experience due to the secondary skin that flows over-head.
The terrace garden experiences a distinct feeling with the parapet that grows from the secondary skin.
The skylights on the floor level of the ground that light up the basement can be observed here.
The inverted glass facade that draws attention from the car park area will instill a sense of curiosity in the minds of a passer-by, while also impacting the interior space.
BENCHES HAVING STEEL STRUCTURE CLADDED WITH WOOD
WOOD CLADDING CONCEALS STEEL STRUCTURE
SUPPORTS THAT ANCHOR THE BENCHES TO THE GROUND
SECTION DETAIL - AA'
SCALE 1:10
OPEN SWAGE SOCKET AND TURNBUCKLE
PIN ANCHOR
BASE PLATE
SECONDARY SKIN - STEEL
TIE BRACE CABLE
SECONDARY SKIN - TIMBER CLADDING
Proposing a Community activity - the residents can come together and weave over the the secondary skin. This could be communal activity that serves as an outlet for the resident’s sentiment.
People would weave in pale yellow and blue pastel colours when they are happy, and in shades of red when they are feeling low.
The benches feature as a landscaping detail.
The inverted glass facade on the right would help attract more visitors into the building, while also adding some liveliness to the parking lot which is currently not very interesting.
The glazing in the car park area catches diffused light that illuminates interiors while reducing thermal heat gain, thereby maintaining indoor temperatures.
Light is drawn into the basement by the strategic placement of stairs such that the light passes through the opening that are created as the stairs gain height, to enter the basement.
Additional light enters the underground floor through the glazing placed at the floor level at the ground floor.
Open interiors reflect the activities taking place and brings in a collaborative atmosphere and the visitors from the community feels a sense of togetherness.
Unless the space requires privacy, the use of opaque walls are limited. Instead, glass screens are used to define spaces while still maintaining the feeling of openness.
The concept of concealing the building edge with the help of a secondary skin has been maintained. The skin performs multiple functions : wall, parapet, shading device, benches as a landscape.
Proposing an equally introverted and extroverted design that attracts a lot of visitors. The residents can be seen taking part in the communal weaving activity here.
Prototyping on how the residents would weave over the secondary skin. They would weave over an existing woven support as well as hooks.
This communal activity acts as an outlet for the resident’s emotions, through the colour of the threads.
