DESIGN STUDIO 5

PROJECT 1 |PRELIMINARY STUDIES

The Preliminary Studies is a preparatory assignment that focuses on investigating basic notions of the city, and learning from examples of community library around the world. This assignment aims to firstly introduce students to the basics in urban design and its relation to architecture, and secondly, studying and determining the programmatic function, societal role and spatial layout of a community library and architectural responses for urban infills. The Preliminary Studies comprises of three components: Site Documentation, Site Analysis, and Precedent Studies of Urban Infills and Community Library.

OBJECTIVES

1. To have an overview of the formation of cities and introduce basic concepts of urban design in relation to architectural design

2. To introduce and implement basic methodologies of urban studies

3. To investigate the role of community libraries in traditional and contemporary urban societies

4. To examine various examples and architectural responses for urban infills

LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Conduct case studies and site analysis to generate an understanding of the physical and cultural context and development of urban environments

2. Determine and describe the role of a community library in a contemporary urban setting

3. Examine and establish appropriate architectural responses and strategies for designing within an urban infill site

4. Produce necessary documentation (diagrams, mappings, photographic images, orthographic drawings and models) to record and communicate site analysis findings, and for further use in the coming design stages

PROJECT 2 | FINAL PROJECT "SENTUL COMMUNITY LIBRARY"

For the rest of the semester, students will concentrate on designing a community library within an urban infill site. The design of the building is to consist of appropriate architectural responses that address the aspects of the urban street context and user behavioural patterns as discerned and analysed in the Preliminary Studies.

Apart from developing an appropriate formal and elevational strategy in response to the character of the street, the design should take into consideration a holistic application of structural, spatial, functional and environmental requirements to address the user needs for a community library. The design development of this project will include an introduction to the legislative restrictions that impact an architectural scheme, the integration of lighting and acoustic design, as well as the design exploration and detailing of the façade and building envelopes that is coherent with the architectural language of the overall design project.

OBJECTIVES

To take into consideration key aspects of urban design and context in relation to architecture
To develop an awareness and basic compliance to Design Codes and Statutory Requirements
To emphasize the importance of elevational context and composition in developing architectural design
To implement and explore the conceptual, schematic and design development phases in an architectural design project

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Produce a design outcome for a community library that is site-specific through its formal, cultural, legislative, structural and environmental design responses.
Apply basic knowledge of urban architectural typologies, infill design strategies, and community library programming
Demonstrate fundamental knowledge and awareness of local design codes and regulations
Design within the constraints of feasibility and in response to basic design codes and statutory requirements
Utilise study models, diagramming, mapping, orthographic plan-section and elevational studies to explore and resolve relevant spatial, structural, functional and environmental issues in the design development phase
Produce drawings (both 2D and 3D), models and presentations to verbally and visually communicate architectural ideas and scheme.