E-Portfolio by Teoh Jin Wen
Project 3: Wellness Centre PLUS
(Individual) Building upon the masterplan from the previous half of this project, I expanded further on the zone's features with the help of groupmates Gerald Kho Ming Xian and Jasmine Tan Yi Wen. This second half of the project focused on the design of a wellness centre that would respond to the contextual needs of the botanical park, neighbouring taman and clinic. It had to include a PLUS component that would bring the community together.
The building had to have a floor area no larger than 900m2 and a minimum of two floors. In conjunction with the Advanced Architectural Construction and Green Strategies for Building Design module, there was a focus on the construction systems and passive design strategies used in the building.
While I had fun developing this studio project, the execution of the idea left much to be desired. My presentation board composition and time management skills leave much to be desired. Still, I am glad to have been able to apply what I learned from previous semesters in this project.
Go to Final Product.
Masterplan Development
Along with two groupmates, we developed the zones further to include a more detailed plan, such as bringing the water into the urban farm as part of irrigation, using grids to illustrate the promenade area and parking lot, and an organic building plot.
Workshop: Precedents Analysis & Conceptual Modelling
From the previous half of the project, we established a design concept of integration and interaction. putting my own twist on that, I thought about what the park and the neighbourhood had in common, and came upon the concept of integrating nature with nurture, as both interact to bring up the next generation.
During this workshop, I conducted a few casse studies pertaining to the clustered building layout concept and wellness centre design. Through several sketches and models, I explored the possible configurations I could take to best accomodate the concept.
Main takeaway: Determine the circulation via existing paths, nodes and areas of activity. Play with solids and voids. Utilize courtyards and greenscape to bring light and nature into spaces, creating sensory areas.
Conceptual Presentation
Following up on the workshop, I determined the circulation through the building site as grids, which in turn established the building orientation as well. Initially a greenhouse was to be placed on the second floor, orientated north-south, but it was later dropped for it was not appropriate for the climate. Hydroponic farming to create green walls would be used later instead.
Main Takeaway: Have a connecting element that ties all the building clusters visually and that would ease circulation and shelter from the elements.
Workshop: Building Construction & Passive Design Strategies Integration
This workshop encouraged us to seriously research and evaluate the construction systems and passive design stategies we wish to implement within our design. I consulted a few case studies, and illustrated through sketches an overview of the strategies I wished to utilize in my design.
Interim Presentation
For this presentation, I managed to develop the key features of my design. It would feature a central axis that would facilitate the main circulation through the structure and a central staircase equipped with a wheelchair lift. The PLUS programme of the wellness centre is the various workstations and studios that allow for community activities such as soup kitchens, low-waste workshops, large dinners and community discussions etc. that give the surrounding community a reason to gather. It encouraged healthy communal habits as it sits among existing trees, giving its respect to what existed before it.
Main Takeaways: Improvements to overall circulation, such as at the drop-off and loading bay area are needed. Switch the positions of the main kitchen workshop and dining area and bring the storage room closer to the loading bay. Have the compost room further from the building to both celebrate the action of composting as well and keep the displeasing smell away from the main body.
Final Presentation
The wellness centre Propagate is designed to be a reason for people to gather, and a place where nurturing habits can be taught and passed on while in a natural environment. Using a clustered building layout to spread the building among the existing trees, it gives the imagery of a tree shoot that has branched.
Reflection and Learning Outcome
MLO 1
MLO 1 - Analyze the environmental qualities and contextual needs of a site and apply ideas of environmental sustainability.
The roofs, facade system, and materials were chosen with the climate in mind, responding appropriately with passive design strategies, such as brise soleil and courtyards, attempting sustainable design.
MLO 2
MLO 1 - Design and create architectural spaces with consideration of environmental poetics in relation to the basic natural context and existing built context (harness environmental qualities of the site to inform design) which impact on users’ experiences
The final product lacked evidence of this, but I feel that a lot of our earlier exploration in the week was able to involve the environment within the structure's experience. I must be able to carry the learning from explorations further throughout future projects.
MLO 3
MLO 3 - Combine the environmental needs, the site (site topography, history and socio-cultural events), and the users’ experiences within simple building design in the open landscape/suburban context.
Preserving the existing landscape and using it to guide the design of the building ensure it would be part of the featured experiential qualities of the site and paid respect to the park's history as a green repositry.
MLO 4
MLO 4 - Establish an appropriate level of understanding of materiality and detailing as means to capture experiential qualities of the design.
The materials were chosen to contrast with the site in tone, but still match the earthly qualities of the site. The detailing leaves much to be desired, such as with the greywater system and wall-to-floor connection details. More research and application is needed in that regard.
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MLO 5
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MLO 5 - Produce drawings (both 2D and 3D), modelling and verbal presentation to communicate and visualize architectural design and ideas based on clustered spatial typology.
The exploration of the clustered typology through both 2D sketches and drawings along with 3D sketch models was very fun, as it helped to visualize the experience through the building.
I'm glad I was able to create many sketches and more models than last semester. Here's to more the next.
TGC 1.0-
DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE
TGC 1.1. Able to put theories into practice.
TGC 1.3. Understand professional practice within the field of study.
I was able to practice passive design and implement the cluster typology into the final building design. I also learned much about designing loading bays, drop-off-points, and other approaches to a building.
TGC 2.2. Locate, extract, synthesize and utilize information effectively.
TGC 2.3. Be intellectually engaged.
This exercise encouraged objective evaluation as well as empathetic reasoning of decisions taken in conservation and tourism planning, looking to multiple perspectives and sources to form opinions.
TGC 3.0-
THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS
TGC 3.1. Think critically and creatively
TGC 3.2. Define and analyze problems to arrive at effective solutions.
I tried to solve the rainfall, water conservation and ventilation requirements through the roof design, implementing double roofs and slopes. I realize now that a different, more shell-like structure would be much more sheltering and appropriate.
TGC 4.0-
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
TGC 4.1. Communicate appropriately in various settings and modes.
I managed to be more courageous than last semester in asking for help. There is much improvement needed in my visual and in-person verbal communication skills. While appropriate to an extent, they are still barely even coherent.
TGC 8.0-
DIGITAL LITERACY
TGC 8.1. Effective use of ICT and related technology.
I had improved literacy with REVIT, but I still lack efficiency with the programme. I also was unable to fully utilize Photoshop as a production tool as a result. I will use the upcoming break to polish up on these skills and become more fluent in its language.
