project one
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on-site observation journal & video
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This project is an on-site exercise where students have to observe, sketch and document the physical and the immediate context of the site. It can be from an element as broad as the urban planning itself down to the smallest detail of the ornaments used in the building. Some of the physical aspects may include building or structure such as a bridge; architectural elements such as windows, doors, five foot ways; architectural features such as ornaments, keystone, arches over windows, carvings, tiles layout; construction details such as staircase, roof structure; the physical context – overall urban layout, street furniture; traditional transportation such the trishaw.
The cultural aspects that can be captured also are people of the place doing their daily activities; cultural elements such as clothes, furniture, glass and china, food; traditional trade – incense shop, street side cobbler, other family businesses; urban qualities such as the rhythm created by the repetition of roof volumes, the serial visions and vistas, the circulation nodes.
As a start, it is COMPULSORY for all students to manually draw the plans, sections and elevations of the building that the group has measured, as an expression of the students’ understanding of the building.
The sketches are to comprise at least 2 each of these categories:
1. The Genius Loci
2. Cultural Attributes
3. Technical /Construction details
A video documenting the measuring exercise and the building is required to provide actual experience of the building.
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The objectives of this project are as follows:
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To train students to be observant to their surrounding
To instill the culture of documenting as part of the learning process in architectural education
To enhance students’ graphic communication skills in capturing important details and the spirit of the place
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Below is the sketch journal produced; incorporating The Genius Loci and Cultural Attributes of Alor Setar, Kedah.
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m e t h o d s o f d o c u m e n t a t i o n &
m e a s u r e d d r a w i n g s
Below is the video produced.
project two
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report & photobook
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The report is an additional document that accompanies the set of drawings for the building that is measured during the semester. Basically, the report will elaborate on the significance of the building measured from various aspects such as architectural, historical and cultural. In this report, students are required to relate the architecture of the building to its significance, highlighting how the two support the inhabitation of the building. Students are required to submit photobook as part of the report.
The objectives of this project are as follows:
To document the significance of the building to accompany the measured drawings
To enable students to analyse the relationship between architecture and the significance of the building as well as its inhabitation
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project three
measured drawings & model
The project will be carried out throughout the semester where students will be assigned to measure and document a historical / architecturally significant or heritage building and translate all the data into a set of drawings. Each group will have to only measure one particular building assigned by the course coordinator. Apart from doing the measuring exercise on site, students will also need to do additional research in order to piece together all the important data about the building.
The model will provide additional physical information of the building.
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This project aims to produce a set of measure drawings of a historical and/or architecturally significant building or structure in a specific location. A report containing important and historical information of the building will complement the drawings. It is an on-site exercise where students are required to execute fieldwork and hands-on measuring exercise.
