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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.

S2 Term Break

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S2 Week (Term Break)

Term break

After the last submission on week 7, we had a week of term break. I spent most of my time doing studio readings, thinking and some design work (and working full-time at office). Unfortunately I didn't do much writing (so I can't post my thoughts). However I did do a project flow summary and hopefully it will be the guideline of my project folio (physical project journal) and my final crit presentation.

1)Identify Issue

2)Create Task

3)Find Solution

Project introduction:

- Primary introduction of studio and choice of topic (what inspires me to select this topic?)

- Islam and Muslims in the West (demographics and predicament)

- Mosque Architecture (traditional and contemporary)

- Mosque in the West (the development, problems)

- How/what should a western (Sydney) mosque be?

- Where should it be built? (Site analysis)

- Key design ideas (aim and task)

- Sydney Mosque programs and objectives

Design Section:

- Design inspiration (Islamic Art, Contemporary Art, Islamic doctrine, traditional and contemporary architectural discourses)

- Main design concepts

- Design experimentation and exploration

- Concepts and ideas (through diagrams) that generate design

- Propose design (drawings and models)

- Structure and construction (Details)

- Environmental strategies

Conclusion:

- Project summary

Design Project Development Submission

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S2 Week 7

We are officially in the mid of semester! *kudos* It has been a busy week as usual but I managed to stay on my toes. This week is our Design Project Development Submission. In this submission, I have decided to revisit my primordial intuition and use my haptic abilities which is to merely use hand drawings and physical models. This mode co-relates to the idea of embodied thinking which draws back to the essence and nature of things. It strikes a parallel to Islamic principles of humility, unity and Dhkir (remembrance of God).

Design

After Friday studio, I was ask to design the retail area of the development and also not to ignore the immediate context. Therefore in this week's design exercise, I tried to articulate the retail area and its connection to the 'main' space. Also, give thoughts to the boundary condition and its relation to the adjacent buildings.

The sketches below are the main retail area facing Crown st. It consists of retail units and 'souk' stalls on the ground floor and a restaurant on the upper floor. The retail area extends towards Riley st to connect to the main mosque.

Besides that, I continued to do the remaining design work while drawing plans, sections and perspective for the presentation board. (look below for the drawings)

Presentation

AO Presentation board print: consist of plans, sections, interior and exterior perspectives

I started my presentation by introducing my project (from semester 1) with Powerpoint presentation.

Models

I edited the 1:300 scale model which I made 2 weeks ago and made a few more study models to explore on structure and spatial quality.

1:300 scale model on site: viewing from south-west

close up: viewing from south-west

viewing from south-east

viewing from west

viewing from east

Study models:

1:100 scale model: exploration of spatial quality of the 3 main spatial zones (zulla, riwaq, sahn)

1:100 scale model: entrance from Riley St

Review

The overall presentation went well and I received many useful feedbacks.

Critic feedback:

-Introduction was awkward and not good enough. questions posted on the powerpoint were grammatically incorrect. Overall, it should be more well prepared and designed for the audiences that are new to this topic.

-However I became more confident and comfortable in my presentation towards the end while presenting my design.

-Need to strengthen and clarify my concept. Clarify the targeted issues and solutions.

-Prayer hall needs to be further articulated as it is the main space.

-Juries suggested that I should present my project to the Muslim community

As this topic is new and unfamiliar to many people, it requires very clear and concise explanation. The provocative nature of this project also generates many questions during the crit session. Therefore we spent most of the time discussing about the general topic rather than the architecture itself.

Personal Reflection

Generally, I am happy with my progress and my 'new' design but unfortunately I was let down by my presentation because of lack of preparation and coherency in my speech. However I am looking forward for my next presentation and prepare myself better for a more consistent, precise and coherent presentation.

Nevertheless I am in a good position to progress to the next level.

To do list:

Details

Building services

Structure and Construction

Materiality

Environmental consideration