architecture portfolio
Personal Statement When I first began my undergraduate studies, I soon realized I found satisfaction in the art of design. Throughout the four years of pursuing architecture, I believe that having a visual stimulus in your environment is important. For instance, if I’m walking through a street, I would find more exciting to see an eclectic mix of buildings, rather than rows of uniform houses. So, I wanted to create a building that would both excite its users as well as onlookers.
I am also interested in set design as it has the ability to provide social connection. Social interaction is the meaningful contact people have with one another. “Meaningful� is an important word here, because it implies an exchange that includes real communication, even if only for a moment. By visiting the site of several urban cities, I noticed the mixture of diverse cultural community has lost the connection among each other. With difficulties that these areas face, my design is to encourage social interaction and trade between people with the concept of levelling and exchanging. One example that stands out is the Malacca Multicultural Center that I designed to provide a platform for the cultural exchange in the city. I find it exciting by using the ramp to
wrap up the building so as to promote the visual connection throughout the transparency of the building. By creating spaces where all members of the community can meet naturally and get to know each other as human beings, communities can become communities in the true meaning of the word. Nodes have to attract people for some reason, so a building will mark a node only if there is a well-defined activity as well. I believe that architectural elements include everything that man builds to connect natural elements and reinforce the activity nodes. So the prominent buildings should provide a node for human activities as a focus for paths and succeed. One of my examples is the Brickfield Community Library that using the strategy of stacking and permeability of spaces to create visually axis and layering within the path of the library.
I have always enjoyed sketching and modeling during the design phase and I consider myself to have the uncommon combination of creative flair, personal enthusiasm and technical ability allied with the intellectual capacity to cope with the demands of this career. With these qualities I believe a career in architecture is right up my street.
Content 01 Pulau Besar Visitor Interpretive Center 01-10
02 Mah Meri Cultural Center 11-22
03 Brickfields Community Library 23-38
04 Malacca Multicultural Center 39 -54
Pulau Besar Visitor Interpretive Center
1
The proposed site is located at Pulau Besar-an island of Malacca. The design proposal is a distinct and unique structure with a strong sense of identity and character. It has a highly expressive, sculptural quality, infused with a sense of light and space. Light and views are the driving of the house. The design is inspired by the Pulau Besar topography, which consists of caves, rocks, stones and boulders.
The colors and textures of the buildings imitate and unified the architecture with its surrounding context. Light interplay with texture of the material or even the contrast between modern industrial components such as unfinished concrete against marble could create powerful architectural gesture which associate with the sense of time and spatial quality.
2
Massing Development
The first massing was intentionly designed to create the distinct and unique structure with a strong sense of identity and character.identity and
The second massing was developed with bigger floor area and more proper manner of the diagonal form.
3
The third massing was developed by creating specific openings according to different views of the site, so as to enhance the spatial quality.
The fourth massing was finalized by enhancing all the openings and diagonal form accoring to the site context.
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The diagonal and cave-like interior spaces create the sense of exploration of the users.
Different openings in different spaces to provide meaningful views to the users to appreciate the site.
6
1. souvenir shop 2. reception counter 3. exhibition hall 1 4. cafeteria 5. public gathering space 6. female toilet 7. male toilet 8. office 9. building support 10. store room
ground floor plan
1. exhibition hall 2 2. roof terrace
first floor plan 7
section a-a
section b-b
8
right elevation
left elevation 9
front elevation
rear elevation 10
Mah Meri Cultural Center Mah Meri Cultural Center is proposed to be designed in the Mah Meri Cultural Village. It functions as a community and developement center for the Mah Meri indigenous community. As the culture and art of Mah Meri is getting neglected by the society nowadays, this cultural center is designed as a bridge to reconnect the indigenous community and visitors for ideas and knowledge exchange. Besides, it also promotes the art or weaving and carving to the society.
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12
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The proposed site is in the Mah Meri Cultural Village, which located on Pulau Carey, Selangor. The Mah Meri is an ethnic group native to western part of Peninsular Malaysia. Most of the members of the Mah Meri tribe live along the coast of South Selangor from Sungai Pelek up to Pulau Carey.
HIERACHY
CIRCULATION
VENTILATION
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Combination of site analysis, which is shown in the site model.
15
The transperency of the building becomes one of the design strategies to provide the visual connection to the users.
The interlocking of spaces which creates the informal transition spaces for interaction of users.
The connection of spaces, using the steps to create the continuous circulation through the building.
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INTERLOCKING
CONNECTION
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1. male toilet 2. female toile 3. resource center ( library ) 4. resource center ( reading area ) 5. communal hall 6. carving area 7. weaving area 8. briefing area
ground floor plan 19
void void
1. male bathroom 2. female bathroom 3. pantry 4. store room 5. accomodation 6. av room 7. discussion room 8. gallery 1 9. gallery 2
void
void
first floor plan 20
1. weaving area 2. carving area
21
3. gallery 2 4. gallery 1
5. communal hall 6. reading area
7. library 8. discussion room
9. accomodation
section a-a 22
23
Brickfields Community Library In the congested and bustling situation of Brickfields, the community library acts as a node to reconnect the people. Having a community library in Brickfields area not only able to attract different demography users, it can function as an information and knowledge exchange hub for the community too. Besides, the insertion of greenery is done in the library as well in order to bring in the life of nature into the city.
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Brickfields gets its name from the brick industry which was once its main economy activity. It is located along the Jalan Tun Sambanthan (formerly Jalan Brickfields). SITE
Today, it is a multi-racial town with high percentage if Indian People, therefore it is also known as Little India. Brickfields has always been considered as the backwater of Kuala Lumpur but with the launching of KL Sentral Development Project, it is expected to experience another building booming period.
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STRENGTH OF SITE
potential target student
short walking distance to site
blind pedestrian pathway provided
high accessible
illegal activity
traffic congestion
lack of vegetation
WEAKNESS OF SITE
limited car park
STREET ANALYSIS residential grocery office printing shop electronic shop medical service for blind cafe / restaurant unoccupied car park / open space retail hotel other services
private
semi private
public
Floor levels across the street shows a clear change of hierachy in use from public to private. 26
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1. firestaircase 2. entrance 3. tourism lounge 4. check out counter 5. blind reading area 6. feature staircase 7. lift lobby 8. av room 9. firestaircase 10. multifunction hall 11. external courtyard 12. water feature 13. outdoor cafe 14. book cafe 15. cafe kitchen 16. female toilet 17. male toilet
ground floor plan
1. firestaircase 2. young adult reading area 3. reading lounger 4. lift lobby 5. counter 6. feature staircase 7. informal discussion lounge 8. discussion room 9. staff office 10. firestaircase 11. female toilet 12. male toilet 13. building support 14. garden bridge 15. outdoor cafe 16. indoor cafe
first floor plan
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1. historical display corridor 2. public computer hub 3. periodicals collection 4. children reading area 5. young adult reading area 6. poetic corridor 7. discussion room 8. building support 9. continuous covered 5-foot path 10. entrance of library 11. feature staircase 12. multifunction hall 13. green wall toilet
section a-a
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1. firestaircase 2. service counter 3. children reading area 4. feature staircase 5. outdoor reading area 6. staff office 7. garden bridge 8. multifunction hall 9. external center courtyard 10. book cafe
section b-b
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Nature Appreciation Some greenery aspects such as trees, flowers, water features was inserted into the library not only for aesthetic purpose but to increase the quality of the spaces. Besides, the programmes are well planned situated around the greenery spots to encourage interaction as well as nature appreciation.
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Spatial Quality Light and shadow of the spaces are carefully designed to create a poetic quality to every specific space. View from a space to another together with materiality are also well managed to enchance the spatial quality.
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The outdoor feature staircase that connects every floor providing the visual connection to every space and programmes. It not only functions as a connection of programmes but also a connection of people.
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Malacca Multicultural Center
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Sitting in a city that demonstrate a succession of historical and cultural influences arising from its former function as trading ports linking East and West, Malacca Multicultural Center functions as a platform for cultural exchange, promoting the idea of togetherness between different demography of races. It works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values.
40
LITTLE INDIA
SITE A CC LA
R
R IVE
MA
JONKER STREET
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CHURCH
DUTCH SQUARE
Malacca, the most complete surviving historic city centres on the Straits of Malacca with a multi-cultural living heritage originating from the trade routes from Great Britain and Europe through the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and the Malay Archipelago to China. Both towns bear testimony to a living multi-cultural heritage and tradition of Asia, where the many religions and cultures met and coexisted. They reflect the coming together of cultural elements from the Malay Archipelago, India and China with those of Europe, to create a unique architecture, culture and townscape.
41
STRENGTH OF SITE
Center Point 1. trategic location 2. leading to the core of UNESCO Heritage
District Center Point between 1. Commercial 2. Heritage/ historical 3. Government
Near to the main tourist attraction -- Jonker Street
OPPORTUNITY OF SITE
Involvement of Bastion Victoria ruins -- allow history and culture education to take place
Secondary Entrance -- from the river
JA L
AN
BU NG A
RA YA
Focal/ starting point -- before entering UNESCO Heritage Core
MALACCA RIVER
A
AR
AH ND
AN
BE
L JA
MADONNA
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CHURH
JALAN BANDA KABA
JALAN LAKSAMANA
PUBLIC BANK
42
The main feature of this project would be the big ramp that wrap up the whole building while the various programmes are vertically organized in relation to access. The ramp and public spaces that wrap the central core volume would have different programmes happening on it individually. The architecture of this design tends to create a big void between different ramps, so when the programmes go on, it connect visually and spiritually the people from different spaces in order to create interaction.
43
The whole buidling is elevated up one floor height to maintain the open circulation pattern on the ground level.
A longitudinal window was designed on the facede facing the riverside on the upper floor to provide better view and spatial experience to the users.
The double-volume street performing square and entrance is designed to be open, welcoming high accessibility to the public.
The Bastion walkway was designed right above of the Bastion ruins to provide better visual connection for the visitor towards the ruins.
44
1. cafe 2. female toilet 3. male toilet 4. lift lobby 5. library ( book collection ) 6. library ( reading area ) 7. storage 8. reception counter 9. discussion corner
first floor plan 45
1. lounge 2. art & craft interac- tive workshop 3. storage 4. female toilet 5. male toilet 6. lift lobby 7. multipurpose exhibition space 8. art & craft exhibition space 9. storage 10. art & craft exhibition space 11. outdoor terrace
second floor plan 46
47
1. street performance square 2. entrance 3. Bastion walkway 4. cafe 5. library ( book collection ) 6. discussion corner 7. art & craft interactive workshop 8. art & craft multipurpose space 9. art & craft exhibition gallery 10. outdoor terrace 11. outdoor terrace 12. staff office 13. basement car park
section a-a
48
CAFE
LIBRARY ( BOOK COLLECTION ) 49
50
ART & CRAFT EXHIB ITION GALLERY
BASTION WALKWAY 51
52
53
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