Architectural Design Project
Module Coordinator : Ar. Prince Ivis Favip
Tutor : Ar. Eric Chang
The focus of this capstone project is "architecture with an impact," and it entails developing an architectural intervention that integrates sensitivity in the internal space designs, the demands of external restrictions, and the mediation between architecture and socio-cultural needs. This semester's studio, which moves on from the previous one that concentrated on urban streets, attempts to strengthen the urban fabric by concentrating on the requirements and goals of the area and its residents in in connection with the present. The project's focus on pertinent and real-life topics allows students to comprehend the relevance of their design and fully engage with it approaches. Discover out how their work affects social, cultural, and environmental factors as a result.
April 2024 - August 2024
Project 1A: Pre-design Studies & Analysis
Group Work
In this phase, students in groups are to investigate, study and analyze the site to understand valuable components before designing. The study will enable students to gain familiarity with the site. To be immersed by 'sensing the city' allowing each to look into the current conditions of the site and relate it to the target user and objectives of the project. Hence, developing the most appropriate strategy and programme align to the project typology & parameters.
Roles in Group work:
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Group Coordinator for progress and tutorial sessions
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Diagramming for Urban Grain
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Drawings for Site Section
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Developing presentation boards
A Tale of Two Cities
The architecture position intends to resonates the Robin Hood economy by providing help to the charitable organizations which lack of formal space by generating revenue from the Singaporean and local tourists. The architecture provides a platform/ third space for the Johor Bahru people to orchestrate a harmonious fusion of community-centric spaces and commercially viable spaces, thereby catalyzing a paradigm shift towards sustainable urban development.
Johor Bahru
Project Site
Site Plan
The Site is located in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Johor Bahru. Jalan Tan Hiok Nee is a historic street in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, named after a prominent Chinese leader, Tan Hiok Nee. The street is known for its vibrant cultural heritage, featuring traditional shophouses, quaint cafes, and local eateries. It's a popular spot for tourists seeking history, culture, and local flavors.
Presentation Board
Project 1B: Design Strategies and Exploration
In this stage and upon clearly understanding the 3P’s people, place, and project, students will take the project to the next level. Under the tutor’s guidance and studio direction, students are to progress by exploring the project proposal presented by the group in Project 1a, individually. Each student is to explore design ideas within the proposal into multiple angles and possibilities, looking carefully into the spatial quality, form composition, and aesthetic. The design exploration is to represent the designer’s inquisitive nature through a series of schemes to analyze, test, and challenge the ideas. During exploration, students are advised to look into the suggested readers and relevant buildings to gain a better grasp and understanding of the project on a programmatic and design level.
Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, a historic artery in Johor Bahru, is undergoing significant changes as tourism and modernization begin to overshadow its rich cultural heritage. This transformation has led to a fading of familiar local scenes, replaced by contemporary trends that cater primarily to tourists. As a result, cultural awareness among residents, especially the younger generation, is declining.
The proposed architecture program seeks to address this issue by revitalizing cultural awareness through a thoughtful integration of heritage and modern trends. The focus will be on arts and food, emphasizing a fusion and confluence of the old and new, which will serve as the core elements of the program.
The architectural solution aims to rejuvenate the site’s energy by placemaking through the insertion of an iconic landmark to enhance Johor Bahru’s urban city context. The place will serve as versatile platforms for cultural exchange, where traditional elements are re-adapted to align with contemporary trends. This re-adaptation is vital for ensuring that these cultural aspects resonate with modern sensibilities and lifestyles, making them appealing and relevant to the younger generation.
By blending tradition with innovation, the program will foster a renewed appreciation for Johor Bahru's cultural heritage, ensuring its relevance and vibrancy for future generations. This approach will transform the area into a third place that seamlessly integrates culture and heritage. The architectural vision aligns with the concept of "Bangsa Johor," celebrating the shared cultural elements that unite the people of Johor Bahru. Through this revitalized urban hub, the community will rediscover and co-share their rich cultural legacy, reinforcing a sense of pride and belonging among residents. This project will exemplify urban regeneration and cultural heritage integration, creating a vibrant, inclusive environment that honors the past while embracing the future.
In order to reintroduce these elements to the younger generation, fusion is taken into account to fused the old and new. The fusion between food and art is also being explored, eg to see food as art and art as food individually. Fused activities like food sculpture and plating studio is being introduced.
I started to look into the patterns and morphology of the surroundings shophouses. Patterns are being produced through markers on butter paper. I also produced two schemes to explore different spatial configuration which focuses on porosity on ground floor level. My P1B submission went well and was being crit by Ms Teh. She have gave me several comments to help in my next step of design exploration. Ms Teh suggested me to narrow down my program by focusing on two only while translating the patterns into plans. She also suggested me to focus on exploring the process of old and new, maybe creating gray zones to transfer people from one space to another.
During Personal Development Week, I participated in several seminars about wide range of topics. I also started to change and improve my design after the comments from P1B. I started to model out my massing on Sketchup to see how the spaces could work and translate them into plans and section. The porosity of the ground level to ensure free flow of pedestrians is being considered. Hence, I decided to use an open plan approach for the ground level, strategically putting walls for necessary areas only. The interplay of soild and void are being explored in sections. Elevating the five foot walkway to higher levels is also being considered to connect different spaces.
Project 1C: Urban Room
A fully resolved and developed design scheme with the incorporation of environmental strategies and technological strategies and technical resolution. In this phase, students will be aided with additional input from a series of lectures focusing on poetics, tectonics, sustainability, building safety compliance, façade, and aesthetic and presentation techniques. Furthermore, aide on Environmental & Technology (E&T) and Structural Concepts (SC) are included to further enhance the passive cooling strategies and the effect of structure and materiality enhance the user experiential qualities of a building besides its aesthetic and structural purposes. As a final year student, the level of work expected should demonstrate critical thinking skills, structural sense, sensitivity to key issues of the environment, compliance with law & regulations, highly explorative and impactful. The students are expected to come up with a comprehensive and clear final design presentation and report aligning with the objectives and requirements of the project
A Confluence of Culinary and Arts
By blending tradition with innovation, the program will foster a renewed appreciation for Johor Bahru's cultural heritage, ensuring its relevance and vibrancy for future generations. This approach will transform the area into a third place that seamlessly integrates culture and heritage. The architectural vision aligns with the concept of "Bangsa Johor," celebrating the shared cultural elements that unite the people of Johor Bahru. Through this revitalized urban hub, the community will rediscover and co-share their rich cultural legacy, reinforcing a sense of pride and belonging among residents. This project will exemplify urban regeneration and cultural heritage integration, creating a vibrant, inclusive environment that honors the past while embracing the future.
Diagrams
Approach View
Approach View 2
Bazaar
Food Sculpture Studio
Spice Garden
Fusion Cafe and Plating Studio
Rooftop Garden
Presentation Boards
Physical Model
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Time has flown by since I first started my degree online, building a full-scale structure at home, to now, completing my final project review. Studying architecture was far from easy. I faced doubts, ups and downs, and my confidence wavered at times. But I never wanted to give up because my passion for architecture kept me going.
For my final design project, I proposed a revitalization of Jalan Tan Hiok Nee in Johor Bahru to enhance cultural awareness by creating a third place for the local community, where food and art take center stage. The architecture itself is a blend of old and new, crafting intriguing spaces that cater to integrated programs and seeks to create an impact to the site for people to increase their cultural awareness in the urban context. The design pays homage to Sungai Segget’s past as a fishing village, where residents used kelong structures to make a living.
The design process was exhilarating, from sketching to using software like Rhino and Grasshopper. I owe a huge thanks to Ar. Eric Chang for pushing my design boundaries and limits—this project wouldn't have been successful without his guidance. I’m also grateful to Mr. Prince, my module coordinator, for a smooth and engaging semester in ADP. The valuable feedback from the panelists, Ar. Chan Munn Inn and Mr. Ahmed Zareh, offered me new perspectives on how to improve the project.
As if the curtains of finale was drawn, my degree has slowly come to an end. I believe that even more exciting challenges lie ahead.