Master of Architecture Architectural Design Thesis II Design Report
“Promenade of Rebirth: Embracing, Unfolding the Void of Life between Existence and Death”
Name: ID: Topic: Cluster: Tutor:
Pang Yuqian 0351114 Transition & Contemplative Architecture Emergent Types Ar. Huat Lim
Table of Content 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Problem Statement 1.2 Research Question 1.3 Aim & Objectives 2.0 Background Study 2.1 Transitional Architecture 2.1.1 Types of Transitional Space 2.1.2 Types of Transitional Movement 2.2 Contemplative Architecture 3.0 Site Study 3.1 Site Selection 3.2 Site Analysis 3.3 Existing Healthcare Quarter 3.4 Schematic Master Plan 4.0 Design Framework 4.1 Proposed Program 4.2 User Group 4.3 Activities & space 4.4 Thought & Process 4.5 Overall Design Framework 5.0 Schematic Design 5.1 Design Progress 5.1.1 First Schematic Plan 5.1.2 Second Schematic Plan 5.1.3 Third Schematic Plan 5.2 Design Development 5.3 Possibility of Spatial Perception 5.4 Special Study 6.0 Final Design 7.0 Working Drawings 8.0 Presentation 9.0 Reference
1.0 Introduction
Home is the impermanence stay of life, and Hospital is the place of acceptance, where life and death are accepted and certified. It always experiences a series of climactic moment during the journey from home visiting to hospital and leaving the medical healthcare in the event of primary care checkout, emergency admission, and inpatient stay.
The project proposed a series of promenade crossing emphasizing on the journey of users as a connection of emotions directing to sequences of contrasting spatial experience for recuperate, relaxation and reflection to accommodate and respond to the user emotional needs and functional requirement.
1.1
Thesis Statement The current speed of life does not allow enough interstitial time for things to just kind of settle down. These moments of liminality are important in people’s everyday lives as they allow for unfocused thinking. The lack of rules or order in this transitional allow it to be a functional place of everyday escape.
This proposal seeks an emergent typology that allows user a room to breathe, to digest what they have experience, and to prepare for what is to come.
1.2
Research Question
Main Research Question How to create an architecture journey that makes people feel alive, be present, and heal?
Sub-Research Question How does transitional space manipulate spatial experience that triggers spatial empathy (emotions)?
1.3
Aim & Objectives
Aim To explore the potential expression of contemplative space through understanding of transition.
Objectives To explore and experiment the link between architectural form and human emotions that constitutes the manipulation of contemplation effect.
2.0 Background Study 2.1 Transitional Architecture The journey between spaces is more magical than the destinations. It is the period where the transition that the present encounters occur, the spaces where one’s sense of arrival and departure is generated. There is a visibly potential and attention which need to pay to circulatory spaces within, realizing that the movement around the building takes on a special and spiritual dimension. Along with the transitional path, contemplative practice can be engendered. By exploring contemplative practices and spiritually, the transitional spaces will embody societal valued and aspirations and connecting the architecture to the occupants in deeper ways. Well-designed transitional spaces in the building provide rich experience along the journey and achieving contemplative practice with the enhancement on psychonautic elements. Transitional spaces are the gaps which prevent occupants from having sudden shock but implementing contemplative practice. If a design is all about ‘surprise, surprise, surprise’, the spatial will lose influence possibility as it do not allowing occupants to process what those ‘surprises’ mean to them. They do not receive the message of space, and by the end, they do not ‘hear’ the architecture that ‘speaks’ to them.
Transitional architecture focuses on spatial design, thus generating spatial experiences that shape user emotions.
2.1.1 Types of Transitional Space 2.1.1.1 Transition between two destinations
The in-between spaces that link one primary space to another. The journey from point A to point B.
2.1.1.2
Transition between exterior and interior space
The spaces occur at the threshold of an interior space where the ending of an interior or exterior spaces leads to the beginning of the other.
2.1.1.3
Transition between nature to buildings
The transitions between two extremities of environments need to be smooth.
2.1.2 Types of Transitional Movement While transition spaces are in-between spaces that link one primary space to another, being in a state of transition in architecture also means to move. There are 3 main types of movement in transitional space.
2.1.2.1
Direct Movement
A target-oriented movement in which the user wants to get from point A to point B directly and probably takes two to ten minutes to reach a destination within a building.
2.1.2.2
Random / Unorganized
Random or unorganized movement allow user to wander around in spaces which gives the user time to think.
2.1.2.3
Intervals
Where interval activities could happen along the way from point A to point which indulges their mind and body to enable forgetting the state that they are in.
2.2
Contemplative Architecture Contemplative spaces focus on the relationship between the user, the space, and the higher realm through spirituality. Spirituality is the stage of life in which one finds meaning, hope, comfort, and inner peace. Buildings for worship, places associated with rituals from birth to death, even commercial places that sell materials used in rituals, places for meditation and retreat, and related residential buildings, treasuries, are all examples of contemplative architecture. There are separate places of worship as well as campuses with a variety of amenities such as cafes, libraries, book shops, artisan centres, chanting halls, and assemblies (Dengle, 2015). Additionally, contemplative spaces are also considered as combined accessories for transitional spaces. There are different ways in which the purpose of the space can be evaluated. In a hospital, contemplative space can accelerate the process of healing in a patient. The learning process of students in a school or the work efficiency of employees at a workplace can be improved by such space. Specific building types must be designed considering the use of the building, the user, and the feeling the design must evoke. The design process must start with the thought process, which gives guidelines for: • • • • •
The climactic moments within the user’s journey of the architectural design The experience the occupant will go through. Maximum positive benefits of the space of contemplation on the user with the help of architecture Providing “Breathing space” to absorb the experience of architecture. Imparting better learning, creativity, healthier behavior, and mental peace
The architecture language in the transitional and contemplative spaces should be more focused on spiritual realms. Wondering, what are the architecture languages which we use for our spaces? Is it an indoor greenery oasis? Or is that a way we compose the height, size, and location of opening? The final purpose of the choices will enable the occupants to think, behave, feel themselves and process the journey to the fullest possible.
3.0 Site Study 3.1 Site Selection Bandar Baru Sentul
The proposed sites are located in Bandar Baru Sentul and bleeds into Sentul Selatan. Density in Bandar Baru Sentul is intimate but not overfilling; a community with lots of potential of harmonious vigorous living. Nestled between commercial urban programs, the site is a place of residence and dwelling with religion, educational and healthcare programs. It is potentially a zone of retreat and rest, appropriating therapeutic and wellbeing programs.
3.2
Site Analysis
Bandar Baru Sentul is a major township in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur. Sentul is a satellite city for the city center of Kuala Lumpur, located only 3km north from the heart of the city. Two edges, namely LRT Railway and Gombak River have created distinct boundaries, breaking the site from its neighbors, and determining the area of its own. Districts are divided based on identity and usage. The most prominent district in the site is the residential district which covers about 70% of Bandar Baru Sentul. Despite this, other districts like commercial, education, healthcare, and religious districts effortlessly blend with the residential buildings, providing a sense of place. Accessibility to site are surrounded by a series of arterial road which consists of Jalan 1/48a, Jalan 2/48a, and Jalan 3/48a. These roads are the most important road access by the vehicles as they connect Bandar Baru Sentul to surrounding areas. The strategic location of Bandar Baru Sentul invites various types of people and activities. Bandar Baru Sentul has a high density of movement in terms of vehicles and pedestrians.
3.3
Existing Healthcare Quarter
The zone surrounding site comprises of Jalan Pahang and Jalan Tun Razak is a healthcare zone where half of it is Hospital Kuala Lumpur, and KPJ Hospital located. This zone consists of mostly the working class as most of them are doctors and nurses who work near the hospital. Within 5km of radius, there are six medical centers including hospital, such as Sentul Medical Centre, Lourdes Medical Centre, KPJ Tawakkal Specialist Hospital, Sentosa Medical Centre, KL General Hospital and Hospital Puswari, and two institutions for respiratory and heart attack.
3.4
Schematic Master Plan
4.0 Design Framework 4.1 Propose Program This thesis introduces Contemplative Center serve as an annex program to next to healthcare facilities such as Hospital by exploring the transitional and contemplative architecture. The project proposes a series of promenade crossing emphasizing on the journey of users as a connection of emotions directing to sequences of contrasting spatial experience for recuperate, relaxation and reflection to accommodate and respond to the user emotional needs and functional requirement.
Conceptual Section of proposed idea on transitional space.
4.2
User Group Primarily, Family member of patient is the targeted user of the program, where they could kill their waiting time and providing spaces for them recuperate from what they have experience throughout the events happen in hospital. Secondary, Professionals and staff from hospital, including doctor, nurses, caretaker, where this could be an escape space from their stress environment of work. Tertiary, open to Public, as space to practice moments of liminality to allow unfocused thinking.
Type of event happening in hospital can be categorized into 3, which are, 1. In the event for primary checkup (Schedule Event) 2. Emergency Admission (Emergency Event) 3. In Patient Stay (Important event) And, throughout the occurrence of event, emotions evoke, engaging in release either positive emotion (love, happiness, relief & etc.) and negative emotion (fear, anxiety, worry)
4.3
Activities & Spaces In order to provide a ‘breathing space’, space needs are identified into spiritual needs and physical needs.
Open theatre
Retail
Isolation Room
Café
Counseling
Meditation
Garden
Waiting Loung/AV Room
Library
Rooftop Lounge
4.4
Thoughts and Process
4.5
Overall Framework
5.0 Schematic Design 5.1 Design Progress 5.1.1 First Schematic Plan
5.1.2 Second Schematic Plan
5.1.3 Third Schematic Plan
5.2
Design Development
5.3
Possibility of spatial perception Based on the design development, sketches of diagram illustrate the possibility of spatial perception as the design intention.
5.4
Special Study Special study on user’s emotional engagement throughout the journey of visiting hospital and returning to home.
6.0 Final Design
Section X-X
Section Y-Y
Main Entrance View
View from Lobby towards Meditative Zone and Café
View towards Open Theatre from Meditative Zone
View towards Isolation Room & Counseling Room
Meditation Room
View from Hospital connection towards Library and AV Room (Waiting Lounge)
7.0 Working Drawings
8.0 Presentation
9.0 Reference 1.0 Abulawi, R., Walker, S., & Boyko, C. (2019). Healing by design: design of public spaces for children’s hospitals. In Research into Design for a Connected World: Proceedings of ICoRD 2019 Volume 2 (pp. 427-438). Springer Singapore.
2.0 Donaldson Megan, 2014 – The Break Space, Psychological relief in architectural transitional spaces – Master Thesis Explanatory Document. 3.0 Fuentes, F. (2015). The Phenomenology of Contemplative Space. 4.0 Gibson, J J, 1986 – The ecological approach to visual perception. Hillsdale, N.J, London. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates 5.0 JD, R. P. B. (2017). Transcending Architecture: Contemporary Views on Sacred Space ed. by Julio Bermudez. Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 21(2), 184-186.
6.0 Lee, K. (2022). The Interior Experience of Architecture: An Emotional Connection between Space and the Body. Buildings, 12(3), 326.
7.0 Maliki, N.Z, Abdullah, A., & Bahauddin, A - 2015. Recalling the Transitional Space: City home and Kampung. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences (ISI),170, 605 – 612. 8.0 McColl-Kennedy, J. R., Danaher, T. S., Gallan, A. S., Orsingher, C., Lervik-Olsen, L., & Verma, R. (2017). How do you feel today? Managing patient emotions during health care experiences to enhance well-being. Journal of business research, 79, 247-259. 9.0 Raghani, S., Brar, T. S., & Kamal, M. A. Exploring the Relationship Between Contemplative Spaces, Human Experience and Spiritual Architecture. 10.0 Razak, M. A. R. M. A., & Jaafar, M. (2012). An assessment on faulty public hospital design in Malaysia. Journal of Design+ Built, 5(1).