SCHOOL of ARCHITECTURE and BUILT ENVIRONMENT B. Sc. (HONS.) in ARCHITECTURE
AR 518 & AR 718 Integrated Architecture Design Project (Year 3- UNIT C) July – November 2022
PROJECT 1: 15%
Site Analysis & Site Reaction
INTRODUCTION
By 2050, cities will accommodate 70% of the world's population. In cities like Kuala Lumpur, the following issues are very visible: traffic congestion and pollution; low quality and under-utilised public spaces; poor public health; homelessness; and negative perceptions of safety. The majority of people living in cities struggle on a daily basis to meet their needs, and these unresolved urban conditions can lead to unhealthy situations.
Unit C promotes design and thinking approaches that may programme urban settings to create a more tranquil environment. These design implications for communities may provide humanitarian assistance and resilience programmes while also safeguarding existing sustainable development. Through architectural interventions, the urban site could be a solution for a larger framework of community in promoting peace and injecting resilience among them.
Man-made crises have severely impacted urban environments, as evidenced by the frequent flood events that occur in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. “Soil sedimentation and low-lying areas located below river level are among the causes of floods in several parts of the federal capital after two hours of heavy rain this morning.” (May 25, 2022, The Malay Mail). This flooding also had a significant impact on people's livelihoods in the city of Kuala Lumpur, which identified as the highest population density in the country, with 7,188 people per square kilometre (DOSM, 2021), and the prolonged flooding is not the norm for the local people.
The confluence of Kuala Lumpur (pictures taken from 123rf.com and NST online)
SCHOOL of ARCHITECTURE and BUILT ENVIRONMENT B. Sc. (HONS.) in ARCHITECTURE
AR 518 & AR 718 Integrated Architecture Design Project (Year 3- UNIT C)
Unit C design projects will be organised into three thematic projects to guide students in the formulations of; P1 A research topic & site analysis; P2 Conceptual planning of the urban and site; P3- The final design proposal. The suggested themes are: ‘KL Flash Flood’ - ‘KL Urban Traffic’ - ‘KL City Making’
Key points of interests include (points are adapted from ThinkCity grants programme):
1. Building resilience programmes
2. Community programmes 3. Adaptive re use
4. Space management and activation
5. Green building innovation
The main references for the design project:
1. Aldo Rossi (2011). The Architecture Of The City.
2. Shuhana Shamsuddin (2011). Townscape Revisited: Unravelling The Character of Historic Townscape in Malaysia.
3. Gordon Cullen (2010). The Concise Townscape.
4. Kevin Lynch (1960). The Image of The City.
Alternative references are;
1. Maganjeet Kaur and Mariana Isa (2015). Kuala Lumpur Street Names: Guide to Their Meanings and Histories.
2. Jeff Speck (2013). Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time.
3. Donald Watson (2011). Design For Flooding: Architecture, Landscape and Urban Design For Resilience And Climate Change.
4. Jan Gehl (2010). Cities for People.
5. Jane Jacobs (1961). The Death and Life of the Great American Cities.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
UPON COMPLETION OF THIS MODULE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO –
AR 518 Architecture Design Studio 05
AR 718 Integrated Architecture Design Project 06
July – November 2022 by Aainaa Suhardi
CLO1 Interpret an urban context into recognisable urban strategy with the site and program planning (C2, PLO1)
CLO1 Study in depth understanding of site context and impending issue. (A3, PLO4)
CLO2- Demonstrate design Strategy in response to social/economic/cultural issues with program(s) and architectural intervention. (P4, PLO6)
SCHOOL of ARCHITECTURE and BUILT ENVIRONMENT B. Sc. (HONS.) in ARCHITECTURE AR 518 & AR 718 Integrated Architecture Design Project (Year 3- UNIT C) July – November 2022
PROJECT 1A- SITE ANALYSIS OF THE CONFLUENCE AREA (GROUP WORK)
CATALOGUING URBAN CONTEXTUAL LAYERS
Each group will conduct a site analysis which includes layering diagrams and a written analysis of designated topics to be compiled into an ‘A3 Catalogue’ format (portrait). Next, each group will produce an ‘abstraction model of reaction’ (size A1) based on the designated site studies to support the catalogues.
The following groups are:
1. Catalogue of Unit C sites within the Confluence of Kuala Lumpur; (Aainaa)
• Site plan + Boundary Lines + Building Setback
• Major site sections and elevations
• 3D Model of the Site in Sketchup file (do not exceed 20MB size)
• Building heights/density/plot ratio/legal and planning matters
2. Catalogue of buildings and landscapes within the Confluence of Kuala Lumpur; (Norizan)
• Building/land use/zoning
• Utilitarian infrastructure
• Landmarks, nodes
• Housing or collective living possibilities
3. Catalogue of history and crises within the Confluence of Kuala Lumpur; (Ashran)
• History of Kuala Lumpur- the rural and urban liminality (past, present, future)
• Identification of disaster events & its challenges (past, present and future)
• Kuala Lumpur’s architectural manifesto and proposals
4. Catalogue of people and culture within the Confluence of Kuala Lumpur; (Hisham)
• Cultural mapping
• Socio-cultural analysis
• Interviews etc
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS (PROJECT 1A GROUP WORK)
1. Printed A3 catalogue of the findings
2. Model of abstraction reacting to the findings (mixed media artwork of A1 size)
3. Prepare the necessary items for verbal and visual presentation format (MIRO format presentation or powerpoint)
SCHOOL of ARCHITECTURE and BUILT ENVIRONMENT B. Sc. (HONS.) in ARCHITECTURE AR 518 & AR 718 Integrated Architecture Design Project (Year 3- UNIT C) July – November 2022
IMPORTANT DATES:
1. Site Visit 7th July 2022
2. Site Analysis Workshop (site presentation, draft of catalogue and draft of model)18th July 2022
3. Submission of Project 1A 20th July 2022
City catalogues samples from Pinterest, New York City Map artwork by artist Ruben Marroquin, City suitcase of the Big Apple by artist Yin Xiuzhen and Miniature of Hong Kong’s urban life by artist Joshua Smith
SCHOOL of ARCHITECTURE and BUILT ENVIRONMENT B. Sc. (HONS.) in ARCHITECTURE
AR 518 & AR 718 Integrated Architecture Design Project (Year 3- UNIT C) July – November 2022
PROJECT 1B- A ‘WARM UP’ DESIGN-THINKING PROPOSAL (GROUP OF 5- mixed of Semester 5 & 6)
DOWNTOWN KUALA LUMPUR’S LANEWAY IMPROVEMENT
(in conjunction with THINKCITY Laneway Improvement Programme)
Quotations from the THINKCITY programme; The laneway improvement programme initiated by Think City and the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL) is the first community based public realm improvement programme in Downtown Kuala Lumpur. The objectives are:
1. Improve pedestrian connectivity
2. Create safer public spaces
3. Boost economic activities
4. Build community and empower pride/ownership
The selected laneways
1. Lorong Lebuh Ampang (completed)
2. Lorong Yap Ah Loy (completed)
3. Lorong Bandar 13 (completed)
4. Lorong Bandar 11 (on going)
5. Lorong Hang Lekiu (on-going)
6. Lorong Tun HS Lee (North)
7. Lorong Tun HS Lee (South)
8. Lorong Pudu
9. Lorong Tun Tan Cheng Lock
THE INTEGRATION OF THE LANEWAY DESIGN IMPROVEMENT RPOJECTS TO THE SITE OF THE CONFLUENCE OF KUALA LUMPUR
The suggested interventions on these laneways are related to the public domains. They are examined in various parts of Kuala Lumpur. This research contributes to our design programme by elucidating the distinctive balance between individual laneways and their urban surroundings, as well as the laneway specific issues. The suggestions will seek to design a temporary, portable structure which can also be detachable or transportable Examples of interventions that can be proposed: eatery area, meeting spot, pop-up library, art installation, meditation space, and so on. Please refer to- https://www.pps.org (PROJECT FOR PUBLIC SPACES). The idea can accommodate between 2-10 people and requires little maintenance. For example, a meditation cabin for 2 persons that can be deployed to any flood-prone neighbourhoods in Kuala Lumpur that lack essential amenities and shelter.
