Final Presentation

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S2 Final Week

Final Review

It was both nerve-racking and exciting to come to an end of a year-long graduation studio. The final review was my last chance to convince others about my research and design intervention. I was lucky enough to have 4 external juries: Xin Ruan, Richard Johnson, Paul Hogben and Katrina Simons + my tutor, Paola.

I begin my presentation with my research background (introduction and theoretical framework) accompanied by powerpoint and continued presenting my design intervention with powerpoint, video presentation, presentation boards and my model.

Presentation Materials

Presentation Slides

Open publication - Free publishing - More sydney

Presentation boards (printed on 3 A0 size panels)

Open publication - Free publishing - More sydney

Video presentation

SYDNEY MOSQUE from lionel teh on Vimeo.

1:300 Model

1:100 Sectional Model

Presentation Speech:

The speech is to be read with the presentation slides. It is merely a guide line and therefore it may be fragmented.

Review

Overall review was a positive one. They were very pleased with all my presentation materials. The main critic (or rather the things to improve) is matters of complexity and simplicity. There is a need to 'edit' the project to achieve a subliminal simplicity and at the same time achieve great complexity. Yes, this is very difficult. However by overcoming this difficulty will differentiate a great architect from a good architect. I hope that I can get there one day.

Production & Catalogue

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S2 Week 14 & 15

Production

There has been a few changes to my initial plan for early submission. In conclusion, I will be able to present my work on the actual presentation day like everyone else. These 2 weeks are vital for me to polish all my presentation materials (including boards, video, models and speeches).

I have also prepared my project statement and selected a few images for graduation catalogue.

Project Statement

The project explores the contemporary issues of Islam in the west and investigates the development of western mosque architecture particularly in Sydney, Australia.

Today, many western mosques are anachronistic to modern times; often fabricated from revivalism or historical eclecticism and struggle to relate to a local Western context. Also, many are becoming more liturgical and mono-functional. These impositions impede the assimilation of secular society towards Islam and consequently assist the construction of Islamophobia.

The aim of this project is to identify the underlying Islamic essences/principles in mosque architecture. Subsequently, express these principles within a contemporary framework in a secular context; Sydney. The discourse of western mosque architecture is also accompanied by matters of culture, tradition, economy, politics and technology.

The proposed multifunctional Sydney Mosque consists of a prayer hall, a cultural centre, a public park and a retail centre. It will be located within the urban context of Sydney city (Surry Hills). The inter-woven public amenities (park and retails) allow free access to both Muslims and non-Muslims in and out of the site. Ultimately, the aim of this project is to dwell on the notion of transparency, redefining religious boundary and redefining the manifestation of Mosque architecture within a secular, contemporary and urban context. Subsequently creating a peaceful platform for a greater assimilation (of Islam in the West) to occur.

Catalogue Images

Work in progress

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S2 Week 13

Work in progress

Working on:

-Presentation boards

-1:300 scale model

-1:100 sectional model

-Video presentation

-Folio (compilation of semester 1 & 2)

Production

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S2 Week 12

Presentation Production

It is a another week of production for me (and design too). I am trying to find the best way of presenting my work graphically (drawings, renders and compositions).

Updates on my request for early submission: I was also told that I will not be given a chance to present my work early, instead I will have to pre-record my presentation and present it on week 15 with my absence. I was clarified by the school authority that presentation (verbal) is a privilege not a right.

Therefore I need to work twice as hard to produce great presentation.

Exiting yet exhausting (not too bad)

ArchNet

I posted my project in a discussion forum on ArchNet a while ago and received 2 responses. Click here to view the page.

Presentation

I will not post my presentation material due to time limitation. However I will post the final presentation when I am finished.

Design and Production mode

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S2 Week 11

2 more weeks to my final submission *Arrrh!*.

Computer spatial visualization

I am currently working on AutoCAD drawings and Sketchup modeling.

Here are some of the Sketchup model images:

Birds eye view of the roof/public park (landscape yet to be designed)

Main public courtyard space with ramp coming down from the roof park and ramp going down into basement courtyard/carpark/auditorium/prayer hall

Bookshop with reception and staircase to the office

Lobby looking through a reflective pool courtyard into cafe

Office space looking into main entrance

AutoCAD

Drawing of a lower ground floor plan (lightly photoshopped to add shadows and wall color)

Physical Model

I am also making a 1:300 scale model to fit into the main site model.

Process pictures

Half completed model on light-box

I need to make the central ramp in the courtyard and the roof park on top.

CADing and Design

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S2 Week 10

Design struggles

I have been struggling with making design decisions that articulate the architectural spaces, the overall architectural language and the structural concept. At the moment, the design has too many segments of different spaces with complicated (/messy) spatial quality and structural systems. There is a severe lack of clarity (I felt!).

The whole building design is driven by a strong geometrical rational (which is the radiating Islamic-inspired pattern), therefore there is a need to simplify the structural system and a clear overall design language. I need to find a design vocabulary that can be use to articulate all the different spaces in the building.

This week:

I spent most of my time translating my hand sketch plans into CAD drawings.

While CADing, I have also work with sketchup model hand in hand to make sure the structure works 3-dimensionally.

Besides computer, I also work with hand sketches and cardboard (study) models.

Next week:

Continue working on CAD drawings, 3d computer model and physical model.

Also, I have to work of design details simultaneously.

Yet another busy week!

Screen Design

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S2 Week 9 & 10

Jali screen

Traditionally screens are use in Mosques to separate:

-male and female area

-religious and secular area

Besides visual separation, the perforation allows gentle light to filter through and encourage natural ventilation.

Making jali screen, Agra

tomb of Shaikh Salim Chishti - 30mm thick marble jali screen

Contemporary Inspiration

I am also inspired by contemporary work by Kengo kuma's Chokkura Plaza & Shelter. The austere stone work is cleverly designed with perforation which allows a gradual change in sizes of perforation.

The stones are stacked with a custom designed steel plate sandwiched in between each layer.

The primitive material-stones is poetically cut and assemble. The result possesses both traditional and contemporary quality.

Exploration:

In my design, I will be exploration means of creating a modular system (possibly concrete block casted into custom shape) to fill in the wall opening. In filling the wall, the modules will also determine the openings in the wall (its profile and sizes).

Initial hand sketches of ideas

CAD pattern exploration on different modules and configurations

Composition of modules on building elevation - aligning with floor and ceiling height

designing the modular steel fixing members

Possible wall opening configurations:

elevation 1

elevation 2

elevation 3

elevation 4

elevation 5

Application:

The holes would also be used as storage space.

Sketchup model of modules placed to fill the wall opening

Work work work

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S2 Week 8 & 9

Design

It is back to Design after holiday.

I am trying to simplify and clarify my overall design. Hopefully I can crystallize my ideas into architectural expression that are clearer. Here are some of my design process sketches. Although it is on plan but I am also thinking 3-dimensionally (including spatial quality, structure, design details, etc).

Structure and design articulation

Simplification of structural system (color coded)

Interior spaces and layout

Detail drawings (wall and ceiling system)

Together with drawing, I also build sketchup 3d model to help me in spatial visualization. Here are the sketchup model images:

Sketchup Massing to work out building heights and levels

Expressing the structure on landscape

Week 7 sketchup model

Prayer Hall

The prayer hall is the most important space within the building. It is where Muslims congregate to pray and to receive sermons.

According to the Hadith, the only requirement of a Muslim prayer space is cleanliness. There are no formal requirements of this particular space. It is evolving naturally from different time and places that expresses different needs and influences.

This space is not a mediator to GOD but it has the ability to enhance the experience of a man's connection to GOD.

The prayer hall in this building is embedded in the ground and a proposed public space directly above it. Therefore there are 3 major issues:

-how to bring in natural light?

-how to naturally ventilate the space? and

-what activities to introduce onto the public roof (park)?

Sketches of design process:

Juxtaposition of radial pattern of the building and the rectilinear configuration of the prayer hall

Design details of walls and water feature

Prayer hall study model:

Plan view of prayer hall

North elevation of Prayer Hall

Prayer hall entrance from courtyard

Circulation area viewed from main prayer hall

View from Ground floor balcony, looking towards Qibla wall

View from 1st floor Balcony towards Qibla wall and South wall-light well

View from 1st floor Balcony towards Qibla wall and North wall

Arch / no Arch?

Vault / no Vault?

I was struggling to fit in the arches and the vault into my design. Initially it was chosen because of strong reminiscence of traditional Islamic architecture and also because of its transcendental spatial quality. However with the constraint in my project (strong planimetric geometrical rational) , it is rather difficult and pointless to try to fit in this traditional architectural vocabulary.

In the past, arches are often use not just for symbolism but for structural reason. However in my project, reinforce concrete will be use for structure, therefore the arches are merely for aesthetic and (maybe) symbolism but not functional.

Models of vault and arch studies:

Sketchup model studies:

Hence I decided not use arches and vault.