Vertical X studio

feng shui

2010-02-17T20:33:00.004+08:00

feng shui
happy Chinese new year to all of u!! haha… here I have something to share with you guys – feng shui. haha… I am sure almost all the Chinese guys would know what is it ba… but how deep do we understand about feng shui? I personally not very understand about feng shui and seldom practice it, so for is consider new too.
here is some tips I get from a TV show during Chinese new year, hopefully can help someone in designing their buildings or fulfill your curiosity also never mind. haha….
when designing an office, the entrance of office should not face the entrance of lift core or other shop opposite to it because it is believe that some quarrelling would happen as everyone in the office might like to gossip. if it happened , then one might need to put the bamboo flute to blow the bad spirit out but not put the “octagon mirror” to reflect those bad spirit to the opposite owner.
the left side considered as the dragon part and the right side usually considered the tiger part. the right side is preferred to put something wood element like tree but if the right side area face an entrance , it is considered too bad because the combination of mouth and wood in mandarin word is called “ kun “ means difficulties.
the office tables if directly face toward the door , then the worker would receive the bad spirit such as feeling unwell and so on… the solution is to build a screen above 1m to hinder the worker from viewing. if the it is the main entrance , solid wall only enough to hinder the bad spirit. haha…
the position of air con should not be allocated above the sitting of a person or like the ceiling fan should not be right above the bed. the person would be feel stressful and uncomfortable.
the orientation of a building should against the wind direction because according to the ancient Chinese , a house is to protect us from coldness , so if the wind is blow in front the door, then one would feel so cold when the door opened. if the air con placed near the toilet , then the magnetic influence is not good to us.
in housing design , the dining area should not blend with the living area . a screen / blind should have in between. the arrangement of both dragon and tiger side should be almost equal. the kitchen should not be below than the other areas to avoid the outflow of wealth from the rear door. if there is three door placed together in a straight line , then it is advisable to close up one door.
I think that’s all for my sharing today. I believe that are still many and many facts or theories behind feng shui and some experiences you guys might get before. hope that you guys can contribute some to this blog and enliven it. hahahaha…..
Always heard someone said “ 风水骗你十年八年你都不知道( in Cantonese ) feng shui might cheat you eight to ten years unconsciously. “ what do you all think ??

DESIGN

2010-02-13T14:47:00.002+08:00

THESIS DESIGN METHOD
there are several steps in designing. it is a journey called BASIC design procedure or process that would be very interested as it involved in problem seeking and solving.
1. Brief – simple instruction and direction. this may be your problem definition , problem statement , problem identification or statement of intent.
from here , we may need to stated out
- scenario of setting ( come from the background of setting)
- background of problem
- aim ( ultimate decision – eg, build an aboriginal culture )
- objective ( answer from aims)
- hypothesis / research question ( related to objective )

 why problem seeking so important?
because it help us in initialing project and solve the problem.

 are we a creative person?
a creative person will not always think of the result of the problem but enjoy and interested into the problem solving process eg, cracking head and not much concern about the award or achievement? in order to be creative, we need to have good imagination , interest and play the opportunity for you to reimage. the malay idiom also got mentioned that “ di mana tenggelam ,di sini jalan”?

ways to collect data
A. get an idea through online , reference book to collect the general and seems / real / virtual data only
B. get into actual things , eg: get advice from other or visit the aboriginal centre to sense it ( see, hear , touch , smell , taste… haha!)
C. feel it deeply through the first hand experience and those who experience before. eg: design a keris , we might can find the craft maker
D. other : indirect resources like the photographer may touch and capture the keris before so they know its beauty part or the worker in craft industry may indirectly expose to part of the process of making keris.
nevertheless , there are other reason / problem rise and it is not in the working title . eg, the working title is to build an aboriginal center but it already having problem in relating to other aspects like tourism issue and the sustainable issue. aboriginal people not only being ignored and didn’t get any benefit , but also always being exploited as the original craft work they didn’t we didn’t appreciate as we always value it by money. we are concerned about how to improve yet wish to maintain the sustainability of community and building. if build a school , naturally is close to the education system. eg, an engineering school suddenly can have very excellent achievement after importing the musical instrument and multimedia resource into it. why? because it activate the other side of brain and can use both side con currently .
2. Analysis – seems like trying to take a big piece of an object to break it into many small pieces in order to see the relationship in between and so on , so that we can put or recompile the object into whole.
targets for our analysis
A. site / context ( site planning / analysis / synthesis )
B. user /client ( brief )
- eg, if the petronas is our our client , we have to very much concerned about the image and reputation= green colour maybe)
C. building ( included circulation / structure / building service / circulation??)
- it is sort of precedent study that we can find out the role studies and building studies
Method of analysis
A. comparison
B. SWOT
3. Synthesis – conclusion of analysis
A. start with IDEA – if really not idea at that moment , then just scripting
B. sketch scheme – have a proper scale and plan and other too.
C. sketch development
D. finalized scheme
4. Implementary :
how it is build ? but in school , these include the drawing , multimedia , model. multimedia become very public because it is movable.
5. Comunniciation
A. verbal
B. visual graphical
C. model
D. aid computer
actually all these five steps can be shortlist as a few words – IDEA & CRITIREA
only the 3 aspects we are emphasize : technical part , functionality ( at least should have the purpose of space eg, painting ?) and aesthetic effect.
this is what I wish to share with you guys , hopefully will benefit someone ….
meanwhile , hope you guys can share what you learnt too. happy learning 
and happy Chinese new year!!! haha…

what i learnt from model making

2009-11-03T17:44:00.009+08:00

in my design , I purposed to have double roof at one end because I decided to implement a man made movable solar panel into it. nevertheless , I faced the problem of jointing of roof. for a reference book , I found that there was a building – Church and community centre in Neu – A nspach is doing like that too with the second roof ( like the whole panel of roof being laid on the 4 main supporter ( I beam with column ). then tried to do that in my design too. unfortunately , when I cut the section , failed to show the supporter. panels are always questioning me the structure problem.
then , I tried to do structural model , see weather got other alternative ways to support my second roof.

while I exposing , I thought that the whole panel of structure can laid on the I beam but rupa – rupa nya….
1. seldom have some bigger size of panel of wood in market. all are in small small piece , so how am I going to support by as welded at two ends only ??
2. the span in my design is not coincide with the precedent studies I found. and It actually make differ. dimension of each material ( eg, metal ceiling ?, size of plywood 12x12 or 12x24? ) very important in the jointing we decided.

figure above shown the location of c channels ( pencils represented C channel)

how is it going to join my second roof?
1. supported by another set of column and beam like the typical roof structure but the only differ is it is lower , under the first roof and the column and beam is all visible.
2. hang on …
a. if metal ceiling just like the DML catalogue shown, then add on the c channel on top of I beam , then strip of ceiling can be tied on the C channel. the amount of C channel is depend on the dimension of ceiling.
b. if is wood , then put strip of wood like plywood would be more reasonable because it is very very expensive if use the whole panel of wood with long span.
c. it can be plaster ceiling too. hold by strip of wood on top .

I found that the typical solar panel is actually a massive and heavy structure and the supporter by a reference book ( façade construction manual – in psz library have) shown that used load bearing structure only can. so how I cope this problem?
in fact , the solar panel I decided to use is not in the market . haha.. is a new type of solar panel created by Zomeworks Corporation. they constructed their own solar panel and did the experiment. it is success in producing 15 A for each. below is the detail about the solar panel.
Passive Tracking Using Thermal Liquids
Present passive trackers consist of two copper tubes strategically mounted on the east and west sides of the photovoltaic panel, in areas of shading. The copper tubing is filled with a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) or hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) compound capable of vapourizing at low temperature environments. When solar radiation exposure increases the temperature one side of the photovoltaic panel, the compound in the copper tubing vaporizes. As the gaseous state of the compound occupies more area internally, the liquid state of the compound is shifted to the heavier, shaded area of the tracker. This thermal process is controlled by the aluminium shadow plates. This mass transfer process adjusts the balance of the photovoltaic panel system, causing it to rotate to the west.

As the vapourization of the CFC or HCFC content shifts accordingly to the direction of exposure to solar thermal energy, the passive photovoltaic panel tracks the direction and motion of the solar radiation. The system remains in the western direction at times of minimized exposure to solar radiation, with a dependence on early-hour solar radiation in order to return to the eastern direction. Standard passive tracking systems also require infrequent manual adjustments for the north-south direction depending on the season, as the system is not designed in a dual-axis manner.

2009-11-03T17:41:00.001+08:00

usually when we use I BEAM into our design , we just put it there ( on top of the column something like that ) to show its way of support. then will concentrated on design. what mean by design ? only design the form and layout ? actually not . design in term of structure also another important aspect to be consider.
structure is the basic and fundamental element for a building to stand. it give the sense of security to us. so , start design with structure is another good way to explore architecture I think.
for example , today I learnt there are 3 ways to put I beam on the column.
method B is the conventional and the simplest. only put it on top barely but the disadvantages is low aesthetic value for the whole structure as the I beam is expose to public
method C is the better way by extend the wall out a bit with the floor beam wider . as least now I beam is not expose to public but only can see in interior.
method A is the best way to hide the I beam as the bigger column on top is getting away the view of I beam from the eye level of human. in addition if we add on some decorative light on the column , shine up to the ceiling , it enhance the atmosphere and give a dramatic effect to your interior space.

Modern Architecture - Water Drop Resort

2009-10-21T12:09:00.001+08:00

Taken from www.mymodernmet.com

Designed in the shape of a water droplet, the Water Building Resort will be the first building ever to convert air into water, using solar power energy. A sunny, southerly facing facade made of photovoltaic glass will harness solar energy, allowing light to pass through. The northern facade will contain a ventilation system that will convert humid air and condensation into pure drinking water.

The bottom floor will also house a water treatment facility for purifying salty sea and rain water, along with a center to control water quality.

As the Water Building Resort is a resort complex, guests will be able to enjoy restaurants, gyms, exhibition halls, hotel and conference rooms, spa services, and an underwater aquarium; all of which will be based on the theme of water, the environment and renewable energy.

SENSE OF PLACE

2009-09-26T21:24:00.044+08:00

Places said to have a strong" sense of place" have a strong identity and character that is deeply felt by local inhabitants and by many visitors

Sense of place is a social phenomenon that exists independently of any one individual's perceptions or experiences, yet is dependent on human engagement for its existence. Such a feeling maybe derived from the natural environment, but is more often made up of a mix of natural and cultural features in the landscape, and generally includes the people who occupy the place

The National Trust for Historic Preservation offers a straightforward approach, calling sense of place:

Those things that ass up to a feeling that a community is a special place, distinct form anywhere else.

Kent Ryden provides a more textured response that recognizes the necessity of inhabiting place:

A sense of place results gradually and unconsciously from inhabiting a landscape over
time, becoming familiar with its physical properties, accruing history within its confines

Finally, the well-known geographer J.B Jackson offers this elaboration :

It is place, permanent position in both the social and topographical sense, that gives us our identity

Places that lack a "sense of place" are sometimes referred to as "placeless" or "inauthentic". Placeless landscapes are those that have no special relationship to the places in which they are located- they could be anywhere.

For example,
- Roadside strip shopping malls, gas/petrol stations and convenience stores, fast food chain, and chain department stores are often citied as example of placeless landscape elements

-Even some historic sites or districts that have been heavily commercialized(commodified) for tourism and new housing estates are sometimes defined as having lost their sense of place

Principles of urban design guide

2009-09-26T21:24:00.037+08:00

Urban design shapes the form, function, and character of the built
environment.Through the process of arranging buildings, transportation
facilities and infrastructure, urban landscape, and other public spaces,
urban design helps to create functional and attractive neighbourhood
and communities

Evoke a Sense of Place
In cities, a sense of place may derive in part from the natural
environment, but more often it's made up streets and buildings,
the way they're built and look, and the way they've been used
over time.Especially in cities, a place includes the people who
occupy it.

Enrich the Public Realm
The public realm includes all publicly owned streets, sidewalks,
rights of ways, parks and other publicly accessible open spaces
and infrastructure. As an attractive and functionable area, the public
realm should draw people off the streets and out of their cars
to experience the area. The public realm is enriched by design
standards that encourage mixed-use developments
and promote walking

Put Pedestrians First
Urban design standards should enhance the pedestrian environment
by promoting walkability. "Walkability" is the value of how well
the environment accommodates people living, visiting, working,
shopping, and enjoying time spent in a place, without cars
and walking to their destinations

Build to Human Scale
Human scale is the proportional relationship of the design elements
to human dimensions, presence, and movement. Buildings and the
urban environment should welcome people and encourage them
enjoy the area. Lower levels and building facades should employ
architectural elements and design details that pedestrians can
appreciate.

Fit the Neighborhood
Neighborhoods have recognizable physical, functional,
or lifestyle characteristics that set them apart from other
places in the city. Urban design standards should enhance
what is best and most unique about an area, and preserve
the character of the neighborhood for the environment of all

Frame the Street
Buildings are the primary elements providing the frame of
a street. The degree of enclosure formed by the distance
between buildings across the street, their height, the presence
and openness of the setbacks from the street, and the width of
setbacks between buildings all shape our view of the street.

Add Rhythm and Pattern
Rhythm refers to a regular or harmonious repetition of elements,
from the windows on the facade to whole buildings on the street.
Successive facades with the similar proportions and shared
patterns of the openings-not necessarily identical-set up a
rhythm on the street. At the scale of the city, a pattern is
a set of the relationships between the spacing and orientation of
buildings; between buildings and the streets; between buildings
and the open space; and between buildings and the way people
inhabit them

Entertain the Eye
The urban environment should be an attractive,
interesting place that draws in residents by providing a visually
interesting and stimulating area or neighborhood.

Parametric Form Finding in Contemporary Architecture

2009-09-25T19:36:00.000+08:00

Inserted here is a link to download a PDF file about

"Parametric Form Finding in Contemporary Architecture"

It's a work of a master's thesis.

Do read up about it.

There's example of a few famous architects' building masterpiece

and how parametric can be found in their building.

And also the parametric approach studies in form finding.

http://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/pub-ar_7972.pdf

ArchiFest2009

2009-09-25T18:01:00.006+08:00

Do take a quick look on the upcoming event, ArchiFest 2009 in our neighboring country.
Interested?
Click on the image to view its full size.

landmark ??

2009-09-24T19:23:00.004+08:00

which one is the landmark ? hehe...
prime orientation clues
function:
emphasize and also dignify the diversity of cities
to our eyes city areas which are important in functional fact but need to have that fact visually acknowledged and dignified
can perform to clarify the order of cities
a spot where it shows to advantage.
distinctive as a thing itself- size provide good orientation service and visual interest for people at a distance? other ?
example : the new York public library building set in its commercial matrix at fifth avenue and forty second street
example 2: the empire state building and the consolidated Edison = clock?
Philadelphia city hall…. surmounted by the statue of William penn , makes a splendid landmark from afar

see... if three giant structures exist at one place , then which one would be the landmark?
do you want your building as the landmark along that area?
haha...
example 3: the Rockefeller center in New York
landmark , not the towering structure behind it !

the surveillance system 3

2009-09-24T19:11:00.003+08:00

visual order : its limitations and possibilities
art
- shows us the meaning
- to illuminates the relationship between the life that each of us embodies and the life outside us
- to reassure us of our humanity
- rigorous
if large architecture problem , capable of being given order by converting the mistake of attempting to substitute art of life,
as a result , create profound confusion between art and life
taxidermy
creation of art and life in effect anonymous and consensus
society as enforcement and on the disciplined selectivity of purposes , materials and forms
designer should illuminate and clarifying life and helping to explain to us its meanings and order.
example : garden city planning
how to see a complex system of functional order as order? not a chaos?
1. understanding
2. clarify all as the mixture its self is key element ( kingpin ) its mutual support as order.
a city ‘s very structure consist of mixture of uses and we get closet to its structural secret when we deal with the condition that generate diversity.

the street pattern of a city
basic – gridiron plan
have many advantages , there are 2 main ways , nevertheless , of introducing sufficient visual irregularities and interruption
1. by adding additional streets where the street of the gridiron plan are too far apart , so additional street is necessary in any case for the functional purposes of helping to generate diversity
2. introducing irregularities and visual interruption where they are insufficient.
- create happy accident by natural means
example : San Francisco

( for more information , please refer to http://www.sfgov.org/site/planning_index.asp?id=41405 )
many hills constantly make separations between the nearby scene and the distance - looking along the street toward the rise? or looking down a slope?
this arrangement greatly emphasizes the intimate and immediate street scenes / ( straight and regular pattern can too ), without sacrificing the clarity of gridiron organization
a visual diversion need not extend across a straight street , but can be in the form of a building or group of building set forward from the normal building line to make jog, with the sidewalk cut underneath.
the pitfall :
a) there is little point in using them where there is no visual tale of street intensity and detail to tell. only 4 basic generator of diversity can be do.
b) visual interruption should be in functional terms , not dead ends , but “ corner ” . actual physical cut offs to foot traffic in particular are destructive in cities.
refer to : Eliel Saarinen said “ there must always be an end in view , and the end must not be final “
c) visual interruption get their force partially from being exceptions to the rule
if plaza along the side of a street are plentiful , the street disintegrates visually as a street , to say nothing of going dead functionally. jogs with arcades beneath, if they are plentiful instead of exceptional , just give us a narrower street and can be even become claustrophobic in their effect.
d) visual interruption is a natural eye catcher and its own character has much to do with impressions made by the scene.

the surveillance system 2

2009-09-24T17:39:00.009+08:00

anthropologist – Elena Padilla
( more information , plaease refer to http://my.safaribooksonline.com/9780596526801/privacy_in_an_age_of_data)
public character
how many people know about each other ?
who is to be trusted who not?
who is defiant of the law? and who upholds it ?
who is competent and well informed ?
who id inept and ignorant ?
to achieve a marvel of balance between its people ‘s determinations to have essential privacy and their simultanenous wishes for differing degrees of contact , enjoyment and help from people around.
fewer people along the sidewalk because there are fewer place to gather
lacks a sidewalk life – togetherness increase with one another.
example : garden city planning- chatham villages in Pittsburgh
- grouped in colonies around shared interior lawns and play yards
- equipped with other devices ( holds parties , dances , reunions / ladies activities – bridge and sewing parties )
city should be provide lack a natural & casual public life that is common for residents to isolate themselves from each other to a fantastic degree.
neighbor park + park behavior
a park tends to have 4 elements:
a) intricacy – variety reason and time to sit , play , watch , read , work….
b) centering - will have a place somewhere within them commonly understand to be the center – at very least a main crossroads and pausing point, a climax
small ? – pleasing the eyes
c) sun – building should not cut sun from park
d) enclosure – make a definitive shape – appear as an important event in the city scene
- far from being attracted by in definite left over of land oozing around it.
how is the relationship of cities and park?
first , to jettison confusion between real uses and mythical use
eg , it takes about 3 arces of woods to absorb as much carbon dioxide as 4 people exude in breathing , cooking and heating
the ocean of air circulating about us , not parks , keep cities from suffocating
nor is more AIR let into the city by a given acreage of greenery than by an equivalent acreage of street.
AIR knows nothing of grass fetishes and fails to pick and choose for itself in accordance with them.
example : Rittenhouse square in Philadelphin

- possess a diverse rim and neighborhood hinterland
- should abet this general reaction of patronage rather than work at cross purposes to it.

2009-09-23T07:47:00.000+08:00

the surveillance system
clear demarcation between what is public space and private space.
eyes upon the street
- natural proprietors of the street
- building on street have to be equipped to handle strangers to insure the safety of both resident and strangers oriented to the street.
sidewalk must have users on it fairly and continuously
- increasing the number of effective eyes
- induce the people in building along the street
you cant make people use street they have no reason to use
you cant make people watch street they have no reason to watch
nobody enjoys sitting on a stoop … looking out a window at an empty street
control on the acceptable “ public behavior “ if not on crime seems to operate with greater or lesser success through a web of reputation , gossip , approval , disapproval and sanction.
the basic requisite for surveillance :
a substantial quantity of stores and other public places sprinkled along the sidewalk of a distict; enterprises and public places that are used by evening and night.
1. to give people both resident and strangers for using the sidewalk on which these enterprises face
2. to draw people along the sidewalk past places which have no attractions to public use in themselves but become traveled and peopled as route to somewhere else. for criss crossing path with various kinds of enterprises
3. the sight of people attract still other people.
people generally are love watching activity and other people.
benches along the street :
a) watch the business in sidewalk
b) pedestrian crossing
c) traffic congestion
d) from bad weather
a lively street should consist of users and pure watcher
example: upper fifth avenue in New York / resident park avenue
monotonous sidewalk – x
putative user are populating
the value of bright street light for dispirited gray area rises from the reassurance they offer to some people who need to go out on the sidewalk
the building of BLENHEIM HOUSE are sixteen stories high, and because their height permits generous expanses of shunned area , surveillance of open corridors from the ground or from other buildings offers little more than psychological effect, but this psychological openness to view does appear effective to some degree. the corridor were designed to induce surveillance from within the building themselves. uses other plan circulation were built into them. they were equipped as play space , and made enough generous to acts as narrow porches as well as passageways.
how do we live with this insecurity?
three mode of living :
1. to let danger hold sway, and let those unfortunate enough to be struck with it take the consequences.
2. to take refuge in vehicles. exp: In log angeles.
3. to cultivate the institution of Turf eg: Hyde park kenwood

( to be continue)

The Concept of 1Malaysia

2009-09-13T15:08:00.007+08:00

Let's take a break for a while from architecture and talk about current issue. I would like to share a little bit of my experience and opinion about the concept of 1Malaysia.

Well, maybe some of you might think that this concept issued by our current Prime Minister is just a concept. Though in my opinion, this concept is important for us to study because it might bring something good out of Malaysia, thus maybe towards architecture. You might think this concept might not work, but to me, it can work and let me share you with my experience.

For 2 years in Kuala Lumpur, I have live under 1 roof with 7 multi-racial architecture students at B-14-18, Pangsapuri Bukit Baru. These student consist of:

Syukri - Malay
Hadzeeq - Malay
Iziq - Malay Sabahan
Cheng Chee - Chinese
Vincent - Chinese Sabahan
Sireesak - Siamese
Hoydenly - Kadazan Dusun

We are very happy together. We never mind our own business but we share everything together!
We hang out and watch movies at the cinema together almost like every week.
We eat lunch and dinner together and talk a lot of stuff that we agreed on.
We even sit in a circle, break fast together on a mat in the living room during Ramadhan.
When the non-muslim drink liquor or beer, we don't even care a bit, as long they are happy.
And the best part is, the house will occasionally become a war zone not because of fighting of misunderstanding, but virtual computer games shooting each other!

So, we are actually the key to 1Malaysia. It can work. But what exactly is the key? To me, it is toleration and purpose of being together for a better future.

These are the things that most Malaysians have to ponder about.
Have a nice day!

Illustration image of my housemate from 2007-2009

555 KUBIK

2009-09-12T10:39:00.002+08:00

"How it would be, if a house was dreaming"

A facade projection with the combination of sound,mixture of 2D and 3D...

555 KUBIK | facade projection | from urbanscreen on Vimeo.

Production:urbanscreen.com

Art Direction: Daniel Rossa - rossarossa.de

Technical Director: Thorsten Bauer

3D Operator: David Starmann shineundsein.de

Sound Design : Jonas Wiese

Neo City

2009-09-12T10:02:00.002+08:00

A new generation of the city...

City without human .....

City itself have it own life and own life way...

A student work by Hao..

Neo City from Hao on Vimeo.

Preview of Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010

2009-09-12T02:58:00.004+08:00

New Design Tool.Rhonda

2009-09-12T02:34:00.007+08:00

Design tools are evolving. How will it be in the future?

Rhonda is a 3D drawing tool developed by Amit Pitaru circa 2003...

Refer the link below to see the demo and some information..

http://blip.tv/file/2382221/

architectural identity

2009-09-10T16:51:00.005+08:00

Is identity a necessity, and what is the necessity of identity, or why do we search for maintaining our identity? The reasons might be manifold:

(1) political and ideologicalreasons

(2) the need for a sense of belonging for the local citizens

(3) a reaction against changes

(4) a need for cultural variety in a world whose culture is increasingly homogeneous during the era of globalization

(5) pride in national, racial, ethnic, or other social identities.

How can we identify a city if the buildings in the city look alike all around the world?

Can you differentiate which building is in Hong Kong and which is in Singapore?

A Big Source of Inspiration

2009-09-09T23:48:00.003+08:00

In this video, Daniel Libeskind shared his thought of architecture in term of form, spaces, desire and his believes. He made his strong point of view towards the attitude of designing along with interesting slides of his work through out this video. His work is one of a big source of inspiration.

revivalism

2009-09-09T15:30:00.000+08:00

Saturday August 29, 2009
Johoreans want development, cleanliness and city revived
BY NELSON BENJAMIN AND AUSTIN CAMOENS

Taking care: An MBJB worker tending to the plants in the city.

JOHOR BARU: Johoreans and non-governmental groups in the state capital are pinning their hopes on new mayor Mohd Jaffar Awang to revive the city and improve its cleanliness and infrastructure development.

They feel that Johor Baru must emulate better-developed and cleaner cities such as Malacca and Ipoh.

Mohd Jaafar is the sixth mayor, having taken over from Datuk Mohd Naim Nasir early this month.

Safety and conducive development are topmost on the minds of folks here.

Johor Baru Indian Business Association chairman P. Sivakumar said that the mayor needed to make Johor Baru a vibrant city “Cleanliness must be emphasised.

There should be more rubbish bins available and council officers should conduct spot checks on eateries and against litterbugs,” he said.

Johor Baru Tiong Hua Association manager Eric Ku opined that the mayor should work towards turning Johor Baru into a tourist and heritage centre.

“With the state administrative centre now located in Nusajaya, the mayor will have to carry out projects to preserve the city,” he said.

Civil servant Shahir Kahdirman, 50, agreed: “Our city is the southern gateway into the peninsula and we should develop more places of interest to boost the tourism industry here.

He pointed out that Johor Baru needed more recreational areas and its infrastructure was in need of upgrading.

Rozana Moktar, 26, shared the sentiment, saying that there was a lack of pedestrian pathways.

Also concerned with safety, tourist guide Anne Molly Camoens, 51, said that the city council should increase the network of CCTV cameras, especially in areas where the new night bazaars were located.

Dorris Wee, a retiree, was of the same view.

She said snatch thefts was a growing menace in this city and suggested that the local council form a special task force with the police to curb the crime, along with the problem of illegal moneylenders.

Another major problem here, said college student Kimberly Angkangon, was flood and that Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) must take immediate steps to solve it.

Road and garbage disposal systems are among other areas that land surveyor Seow Chin Leng, 47, hoped the MBJB would look into.

While quality infrastructure is vital, Johor Baru denizens such as Margaret Er and Magdlane Tuborng place just as much importance on the city looking good.

Er, also a tourist guide, said abandoned projects that dotted the city were an eyesore.

She cited Pacific Mall as an example, saying that vandals had painted graffiti on the walls and drug addicts had been stealing the metal fixtures.

Tuborng, 33, summed it up: “Our city still has room for improvement so that it can live up to its metropolitan status.”
Congested: One of the main roads in the city centre.

StarMetro welcomes feedback from readers. E-mail to metrose@thestar.com.my.

The Rhythm of Architecture

2009-09-09T03:45:00.000+08:00

refer to below link:

http://www.bredemeyer.com/pdf_files/PH021RythmChapter.PDF

Peter Eisenman

2009-09-09T00:10:00.002+08:00

In this video Peter Eisenman made his 6 points,
Point one: Architecture in a media culture
Point two: Students have become passive
Point three: Computers make design standards poorer
Point four: Today’s buildings lack meaning or reference
Point five: We are in a period of late style

The Leisure Farm Trip

2009-09-07T22:54:00.004+08:00

5.9.2009 Saturday sunny day

Leisure Farm Resort Visit led by Ar Hong
the main concept of Leisure Farm is rejuvenation
what make the resort special is the adoption of farm to the living,
you can see the ducklings and rubber trees there, even horse riding
to enhance theknowledge to the natural, name of plants have stated below or near to them
it is something like kampong but the houses are mostly modern architecture.. very rich kampong..
some of the residential houses look a bit sketch-uppy, some is awesome, and a few are what Mr Hong said "the eye sore" of Leisure Farm
many Singaporean buy their weekend houses here..

the houses are built along the river, just like every civilization start from river

the colour of river in Malaysia is always yellow as the soil contains iron

see the small wakaf under the shady trees

spice garden beside the wakaf

ducklings with Mr Hong and Gim Huang behind

look at the material of walkway

poo, sze ling's best friend, climb tree together haha

rubber trees

Mr Hong: "yinying why dont u sit down and enjoy the environment?" =.=

nice perspective and pose

National Library in Astana, Kazakhstan / BIG

2009-09-06T17:49:00.000+08:00

This is taken directly from archdaily.com which includes parametric design of today which is worthy to be shared =)

BIG was recently awarded with the first prize on an open international design competition for Kazakhstan’s new National Library in Astana.

The new building has an area of 33.000 sqm, arranged as a continuous circulation on a Möbius Strip, as the result of 2 interlocking structures: the perfect circle and the public spiral. The sections (see below) clearly show how the horizontal program shifts to a vertical configuration, combining vertical hierarchy, horizontal connectivity and diagonal view lines. The skin, which changes from wall to roof as the strip develops. It sounds a bit complicated, but the sections and diagrams explain this pretty well, and you can get the idea on how the spaces and diagonal views relate on the renderings. In short words, a clear lineal organization (ideal for an archive, library) is mixed with an infinite loop.

“What is a library but an efficient archive of books… and a path for the public to reach them” (Thomas Christoffersen, Project Leader)

This shape also looks forward to become a symbol for the nation: “the circle, the rotunda, the arch and the yurt are merged into the form of a Moebius strip. The clarity of the circle, the courtyard of the rotunda, the gateway of the arch and the soft silhouette of the yurt are combined to create a new national monument appearing local and universal, contemporary and timeless, unique and archetypal at the same time” (Bjarke Ingels).

But once again, BIG diagram´s are way better to explain this than my words. See the diagrams, sections and renderings after the break:

Typology

Diagram

Structure / Envelope

Program

Circulations

Ecotect analysis

6th floor plan

North-south section

East-west section

Elevations

Night view

Access

Interior

Model

Architect: BIG

Client: Kazakhstan Presidential Office

Collaborators: ARUP AGU

Size: 33.000 M2

Location: Astana, Kazakhstan

Partner-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels

Project Leader: Thomas Christoffersen

Team: Amy Campbell, Jakob Henke, Johan Cool, Jonas Barre, Daniel Sundlin

Gestalt Theory for "Space Making" - volumetric space

2009-09-05T04:40:00.002+08:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestalt_psychology

The relationship of human psychology, mind state and visual perception.
How do we conceptualize our design to enhance human's perceptual experiences in space?

Living, Growing Architecture

2009-09-04T08:48:00.000+08:00

those who are dealing with landscape, garden.. may take a look at this..
the power of mother nature..

some grow naturally because of the needs of the plant itself
some are created by human (same thing like bonzai but is much much bigger bonzai)
as the plants are alive and still growing, they actually gain strength over time
however it takes time to grow, be patience..

root bridges of india

the living railings

the growing chair

see more images on the link below:
http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2009/09/living-growing-architecture.html

Horizon Hill

2009-08-31T01:32:00.000+08:00

Horizon hill
The trip to this newly developed housing area is definitely an eye opener for all of us.

Feel it with your eyes on this photos.

Horizon hills house is designed in the middle of the golf field. Thus, the houses built here are luxurious in the middle of nature. beautifully maintained golf fi

The golf centre is one of the facility provided in this housing area. The residents here can play golf here as it is a high-class sport.

The way they turn natural lighting in a room where they softened the direct sunlight by using a layer of embossed glass. This create a very comfortable natural lighting for a room. A short stop at the toilet. Well, Its a bit too comfortable that we spend too much time in this toilet...XD

-A group photo is a must fro all trip-
Too bad...I'm not inside the photo because I'm holding the camera..

Tall shaded walkway with fans installed along the way.
I remembered someone says that this is very "sketchup"py...

The garden is carefully designed according to the contour. How I wish to own a house there. Too Bad, not the correct timing yet.

Nice pathway... But I doubt the grass can stay for a long time without maintenance. The concrete can absorb heat.

I wondered if the plastic bag we spotted that day had stuck all the way below the stairs. Other than that, I would love to walk through this stairs.

The walkway along the side of the housing area. Watching sun set here will be very romantic, I guess.

This housing developer promotes a new way of living when they provide a better place where a home is where we can have privacy, security as well as relaxation.

See it with your own eyes and you will love it.
-You might also like to have a look at some photos that I upload HERE.

-have a nice day-
~Juliekiing~

Significance of Sungai Segget

2009-08-31T00:14:00.000+08:00

Since 1800, Sungai Segget has been the source of Jalan Wong Ah Fook and Johor Bahru city development. When Temenggong Ibrahim arrive in Johor Bahru, his followers settled down by the river making it the source of their living. The river plays an important role to supply water to their home for washing, cooking and basic life needs. This settlement was Kampung Wong Ah Fook.

As the village grew, the residents of the village took the opportunity to trade due to the passing by trading ships from west to east using Selat Tebrau. Stopping by Tanjung Puteri (Johor Bahru old name), these traders reload their supplies before leaving towards their destination. Once again, the river known as Sungai Segget nowadays plays a role for small boats (sampan) from the ships to paddle towards the village and interact with the residents. These activities are the key development of Tanjung Puteri. One of the most significance growth is the establishment of Johor Market which is very popular during the early 1900's. Thus, once a village now evolved into a traders hub. Hence this event marks the beginning of the development of Johor Bahru city.

For decades, the growth of the city damages the river. Floods got worse till the need of flood gate at the mouth of the river. Thus the river is called Sea-Gate River but corrupted by locals becoming Segget River. Furthermore, pollutions becoming a major issue towards the river making it one of the most stinky and dirtiest river in Malaysia by 2005. An easy solution by the government (as always) is to cover up the river, buried the reminisce of Johor Bahru main history.

As a responsible architect, Sungai Segget is not supposed to be closed down. The river is the source of Johor Bahru city development. It was once the source of Johor Bahru golden age. Doing a project that revolves around revivalism, it is incomplete to ignore the existence of Sungai Segget. Thus, it need to be considered to be open again. With the technology available nowadays, it is not hard and very possible to revive the river into a stable state.

"Tanah Air - A Land with Water. Jalan Wong Ah Fook lives with this phrase. Without it, Jalan Wong Ah Fook would not exist." Quoted by Sanip Lasman (senior citizen, artist - painter)

Every city has a river source of their development:

London - River Thames
Egypt - River of Nile
Osaka - Osaka River
Kuala Lumpur - Klang River
Johor Bahru - Segget River???

So, are we going to ignore the existence of Sungai Segget now buried and being stomp by people walking over it? It is a debate that can go on forever...

Heritage Transformed with Thom Mayne

2009-08-30T02:18:00.002+08:00

A great talk by 2005 Prizker winner Thom Mayne in UCLS. Thom Mayne shared his thoughts in some of his works, his philosophy and the process of his works.

Rotating Tower, Dubai

2009-08-29T00:39:00.001+08:00

A successful parametric architecture is how workable the parametric building is and its contribution to the environment, for example in terms of energy efficient building itself.

I've always been amazed with the Rotating Tower in Dubai as how its rotating motion grabs the attention especially after the seminar presentation by the 4th year, talking about wind energy harvesting.

Watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgtX20FTdoM

Here I would like to provide the link to read more about the Rotating Tower:

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=10026

http://www.dynamicarchitecture.net/home.html

Opportunity

2009-08-28T19:49:00.000+08:00

International Islamic University Malaysia had been organizing a competition.

Musawah-Sharing the World

The theme of the competition is
"Universal Product for Disabled, Aged, and Children."

For more info, please visit my blog post HERE...

Activity Tablet

2009-08-25T13:24:00.003+08:00

Possibility

This simple method provides an opportunity to visualize more possibilities of human pattern flow when variety of human activities take place in a particular place which consists of different spaces. In so doing different spatial articulation is taken into consideration and more interesting solution in space-bonding can be done.

How to go about it?

For example,
1. Let say a 4X4 table is formed.

2. Activities filled in horizontally or vertically are conceived from the perspective of different category of human like, elders, couple, people who exercises, tourist etc.

3. Despite visualizing the set of activity in a horizontally manner which is conceived in the 2nd stage,
vertical manner can be perceived as well, even we can perceive it from bottom to top! so as in a incline manner. These are the set of human activities which probably would be happened spontaneously even without our consideration and planning.

CONCLUSION
With this method, a better and variety of articulation of space and spatial continuity can be taken into consideration and achieved.

conceived by GimHuang

Short Walk Trip (Part 1)

2009-08-24T20:42:00.001+08:00

Venue: Guo Guang Primary School bus stop

In primary school, one of the main issues is always how to tackle the dispersion of students so that it does not create jam or chaos. Therefore, the arrangement of the waiting point becomes the key so that the hectic situations will be reduced and students are more comfortable waiting after school dismissed.

So, in this first photo, what you will notice is the comparison between the existing waiting area and the new waiting area at the rear. The old waiting area, constructed using corrugated metal roofing, is a sunken area with low roof. Whereas the newly built waiting area is a daring construction of having a stretch of supporting columns at the centre, polycarbonate (slightly curved) roof, with double volume at one’s side, and another side, lower (still higher compare to the old one). You can see the difference evidently in the subsequent photos.

Here comes all the differences.

By having a higher roof, what we experience directly from the space is the difference in the temperature. The heat can be easily felt in the old bus stop. Stuffy, I would say. However, in the new bus stop, it is quite windy. The new bus stop encourages ventilation i.e. flow of air. Old bus stop, poorly designed in that aspect.

Of course, the issue will rise saying that when there’s rain, students might get wet in the double volume part of the new bus stop. But, they can always have the alternative to walk over to the rear where the roof is lower or even back to the old bus stop, isn’t it?

Echo would be another interesting difference at the space. Xinyi did stupidly shouted “aaa~~~~” at both low and high roof of the new bus stop and the reflected volume is undoubtedly different. At higher roof area, the speaker’s volume tends to be louder to be hearable. Oppositely, at the lower roof form, maybe whispering can be clearly heard from a distance. The echo is more at the lower roof form.

As mentioned earlier about the daring placement of the column structure, will the walking patterns change? Students walk in wavy line instead of straight line?

Maybe we should imagine when the crowds are there, how would they feel, how would we feel by then.

Relate the discovery back to the Wong Ah Fook Spine, we often complains that the journey from one point to another is not comfy. So how can we promote more walking culture there? Maybe this is what we can do? Add shelters to the journey?

A humanize designed journey. Then we can add a lot of the story line to the journey. The connectivity can be established.

For more photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=99755&id=583564670&ref=mf

Experience it and you will have your own discovery. ^.^

p.s. Thanks Ar Hong for the car ride and lunch =)

Way To Estimate The Number Of Customers

2009-08-23T21:12:00.000+08:00

Here is some mathematical formula to be shared, taken from “Five-minute mathematics” by Ehrhard Behrends. I found it quite useful in estimating the number of customers or visitors.

One of the chapters talks about the Queuing Theory, which is the branch of probability theory.

Have you ever had the feeling that the other lines at the post office or supermarket always move faster than the one you are standing in? Imagine there are 5 lines in post office, every line has approximately the same length and you have to pick one to queue. The probability that you will randomly choose the one that can move fastest is ⅕, which is 20%. Oppositely, you have 80% to wait at the slower line.

This concept of waiting in lines has been under investigation for a long time, “queuing theory” is one of the classical subfields of probability theory. Once you can understand completely about the theory, that understanding can be applied to describe a typical result. Imagine a business that serves the general public: customers arrive, are served, and then leave, it can be a restaurant, shop, we can even think of the visitors to a museum or tourists spot that attract tourists.

(Lots of us in this project in are dealing with customers and visitors, so I think the theory might be helpful in designing the space according to number of customers.)

Few assumptions have been made:
1.The customers arrive at random and individually.
The “random” means that one will not know when the next customer will arrive precisely, only there is a certain average interval between arrivals (technical terminology= exponentially distributed arrival times). The “individually” means no customer arrived in group. So, we assume, on average, a customer arrives every K seconds.

2.When a customer enters the “store”, he or she will be served immediately.
The customer will be served immediately so we can deduct the queuing time of customer. So, the time that the customer spends in the store, we can denote here by L= the average number of seconds that it takes to serve a customer.

The parameters K and L can be change, depend on the situation.
For example, an exhibition hall, we can denote
K= the numbers of visitors
L= the time that visitors spend on average viewing the exhibition
(can also be a measure of the attractiveness of the site)

The problem is to predict the number of customers present at any one time. A large K and small L indicate that on the average there will be a few customers present at any given time.

“How many seats for waiting customers should the locksmith provide?”
“How many waiters should the restaurant engage? “

Such predictions are possible using probability theory.

Let
K = the average time for customer arrives in seconds
L = the time customer stay at the store
λ = L/K
= the number of customers present in the store on average at any given time.

The probability that at a particular moment exactly n number of customers is present is given by the number where n! = the abbreviation for the product 1, 2 … n, n factorial
e = 2.718…, Euler’s number

Example:
Suppose on average, a customer arrives every 60seconds and stay an average of 2 minutes.

K = 60
L = 120
λ = 120/60 = 2

We can calculate the probability that at any given time there will be exactly n customers in the store, as the table follow:

The probability of at most 4 customers is 0.135+0.271+0.271+0.180+0.090= 0.947, or more than 94%. And so the probability of 5 or more is 1-0.947= 0.053, or over 5%.

Through the calculation, we can estimate that there will be four customers stay in the store most of the time. If the store can provide seating for four customers, then it will seldom happen that a customer has to stand.

(actually i don't know whether this important or not, useful or lebih.. i am glad if it helps..^^)

edited from Chapter 27:” Why Am I Always Standing in the Wrong Line?”; Five-Minute Mathematics by Ehrhard Behrends

Building Simulation Plug-In Available for Google SketchUp

2009-08-23T13:16:00.000+08:00

Integrated environmental solution (IES) which is the developer of software-based building performance analysis tools is releasing a free plug-in to Google’s SketchUp.

It is the same type of plug-in existed for AutoDesk Revit Architecture. But since most of us are familiar with using Google SketchUp to produce 3D buildings/model, it is a bonus point for us to learn about this new building simulation plug-in, when sustainability is best addressed.

This software helps users to run sustainability performance simulations and analyses on building designs. Also, it help designers to determine which building properties achieve the best results when they run performance simulations on different design iterations.

For highly detailed analysis, even the thermal comfort, airflow, daylighting, solar and even lifecycle cost simulations can be obtained.

This software is also suitable to those who wanted to experience and achieve sustainable building design.

Here I would like to provide the link to the article:
http://www.residentialarchitect.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=764071

Positive policies

2009-08-22T00:54:00.001+08:00

Taken from The Star featuring our very own Prof Taj...

Sunday August 16, 2009
Positive policies
ARCHITECTURE INSIDE OUT
By MOHAMAD TAJUDDIN MOHAMAD RASDI

The correct design policies can help create harmony and unity.
FROM the time I began my career as an academic in the field of architecture I have had three visions.
One is to produce policies that would help produce housing and community architecture for a united Malaysia – or, as the latest catch phrase puts it, “1Malaysia”.
Another is to produce mosque and Islamic architecture that transcends racial lines and architectural gimmickry, that would reflect the values inherent in the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad by using as a framework early Western modernist moral values and environment behavioural studies.
The third is to provide what I call democratic architecture in the design of administration buildings and institutions such as universities and in the planning of cities.
Architecture and planning practitioners today rely too much on the quick formulas of typological designs and sensationalised solutions to please clients. And they forget the needs of the users of the buildings, institutions, and cities. They forget also the responsibilities of being democratic citizens as well as the guardians of religions such as Islam.
Because of these flaws, Malaysia’s architecture, housing areas, and administrative complexes, along with the cities, are difficult to use, cause massive environmental problems, and give people the wrong perceptions of Islam and democracy.
In this and other columns in the future, I will try to articulate how policy can ensure that, first of all, housing in Malaysia fulfils basic human, cultural, political, and social needs. What about the environment and green architecture? Don’t worry. Once these basic needs are fulfilled, I would venture that 70% of green architecture issues will be dealt with.
We need to move away from this type of impersonal housing estate if we are to create harmonious communities. – File photo
Avoiding privacy violations
In a multi-racial country like Malaysia, it is important to understand and respect each other’s customs, rituals, and belief systems. Unfortunately, the design of flats and high rises as well as terrace housing in Malaysia shows a total lack of consideration for avoiding privacy violations pertaining to rituals and cultural values.
The most obvious violation is the visual violation that results from back-to-back windows in the rear alley. The 6m (20 foot) distance between windows allows violations of sight as well as smell. Placing blocks of flats adjacent to each other with a mere 15m (50 feet) separating them also allows sight violations.
Muslims who must observe the “aurat rule” (covering certain areas of the body) would have much difficulty in this case. Also, the smell of cooking would spread from houses opposite or adjacent, and this has the potential to cause racial tensions.
The burning of incense by Indians or joss sticks by Chinese would also cause smell violations as the smoke would spread to neighbouring houses. Idling cars would also cause unwanted fumes – in the case, toxic ones – to spread to adjacent houses with covered porch areas.
Below are some policies that could mitigate these types of violations:
·Change terrace housing layout to cluster type housing to avoid back alleys. If back alleys are unavoidable, then fenestration (the design and placement of windows in a building) must be such that there is no visual intrusion but lighting remains adequate.
·Chimney stacks should be incorporated into ceiling designs to draw off smoke from cooking and ritual burning of incense or joss sticks.
·Proper places for the Chinese Qing Ming (All Souls Day) ritual must be designed in strategic locations according to their beliefs.
·For flats and high rises, the use of cluster apartments over a stair core should be replaced with an external corridor with access directly from the stair core. No occupant should be made to pass by another apartment in order to get to his or her own.
Designing 1Malaysia
Building racial harmony and encouraging community interaction through planning and design is important for any country but particularly so in this multi-racial, multi-religious one. By encouraging community interaction, mutual understanding and tolerance of rituals and belief systems will materialise.
The problem with Malaysian housing is that, firstly, there is limited outside spaces to linger and sit, and, secondly, community buildings are not designed to be public- and people-oriented.
In most housing estates, it is obvious that no plans were made at the design stage for public furniture like benches on which children could wait for school buses, no park furniture, pavilions, or wakaf (small huts) and shady trees to encourage people to leave their houses and come out into the open. Usually, there is hardly a side walk and very few if any places to stop and snack or rest.
Community buildings, such as the mosque and Dewan Serbaguna (Multipurpose Hall) are usually fenced up in an unfriendly manner. There are hardly any other community related facilities.
The obvious policy requirements would be as follows:
·Ensure there is enough public seating for 10% of the neighbourhood’s on side walks and in parks, playgrounds, and open air cafes.
Provide safe vehicular free environment for walking, jogging and aerobic dancing.
·Encourage the setting up of kiosks or other forms of mini architecture around which people could congregate.
·Provide various community buildings like temples, churches, and mosques, and design these buildings so that people of any faith would be encouraged to access them not put off by unfriendly facades and fenced off approaches.
·Design community halls, branch libraries, and market places in an open and friendly manner while encouraging other facilities to be set up, like club houses, Rukun Tetangga (neighbourhood watch) offices, family restaurants, etc.
·Plan houses in U-shaped configurations with no more than 30 units per cluster.
·Create terrace clusters of Muslim and non-Muslim entities in blocks of 10 units in order to avoid privacy violations and encourage interaction with common rituals and values.
·Create public spaces in shopping malls for people to linger and sit in without having to spend money. Set 20% gross area of every mall as public space.
·Schools must have proper waiting spaces where parents can wait and interact as well as a smooth system of dropping off and picking up children.
Allow for expansion
Family growth is a normal part of nurturing a community. In traditional times, the architecture of houses catered to this growth by allowing expansions and enlargements. This ensured a more stable community, as several generations of a family could live under one roof.
However, the houses in modern housing estates are designed as “finished” products – growth is never considered. The capitalistic idea is that if your family outgrows the house, you would have to vacate the premises and buy a bigger house. Although this generates income for developers, it spells disaster for creating any sort of long-lasting community. Instead, we have isolated families living in estates that are devoid of the spirit of the kampung.
State policy on housing should encourage the idea of living in a particular community for a long period of time. To do this, States should institute the following policies:
·Allow designs that can accommodate a 100% expansion (without incurring a high cost). That means if the current house is 500 sq m, then it should be allowed to :mature”, in time, into a 1,000 sq m.
·The developer should take into account that there will eventually be taller and “fatter” houses than the ones he is looking to exhibit.
·Support column calculations should include a second floor expansion.
·The roof should be designed to accommodate changes in the height of the building.
In closing, I would like to inform readers that I have experimented with most of these ideas in my university’s studio, and students have reengineered existing housing designs to obtain the desired effects. We have proved that it is possible to produce the density of housing required to make money for the developers but designed in such a was as to also engender a more harmonious connection among our races.
There are, of course, more policies that I can write about. If architects and planners put human culture first instead of turning to the quick fix typological method, however, there would be no need for these policies at all.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia lecturer Prof Dr Mohamad Tajuddin passionately believes that architectural design that respects cultural values, religious sensitivities and the ideals of democracy is vital to nation-building and harmony.

Discussion on Proportion in Architecture

2009-08-19T18:14:00.001+08:00

http://www.archnet.org/search/results.jsp?search_id=1172393&scope=system&module_title=Discussion+Forum

http://www.archnet.org/forum/view.jsp?message_id=94675

Da Vinci Exhibition Part 3

2009-08-18T13:05:00.000+08:00

Parametric Design Method worth share

2009-08-16T03:53:00.000+08:00

For those who are inspired by parametric design and seek for parametric as solution, lets explore.

1. Download Rhino from rhino website (there is open-source for student I think)
http://rhino3d.com

2. We need a plug-in as a parameter and generative tools call Grasshopper,
download plug-in from grasshopper website
http://www.grasshopper3d.com

Some guides from people's blog
http://woojsung.com

Urban simulation done by researcher to be shared

2009-08-16T00:55:00.000+08:00

Uban Model Making Process

2009-08-14T18:13:00.000+08:00

Timeline of History of Architecture

2009-08-14T15:28:00.000+08:00

The Arts and Crafts Movement, which evolved between 1860 and 1910, was a big rebellion against much of the mass-produced, symmetrical architecture and décor. The movement brought about one of the key design and property styles of the mid to late 1800s to the early 1900s.Arts and Crafts architecture sought a spiritual connection with the surrounding environment, both natural and manmade.

It focused on high quality, hand-crafted items, textures, designs and structures, as opposed to anything machine-made and mediocre. There was much decoration and ornamentation on arts and crafts designs, and although it was meant for the masses, due to the extreme handmade nature of the goods and materials, it was often expensive for many. The Arts and Crafts approach, on the whole, was often asymmetric, sometimes with medieval influences, but its style had many similarities with Art Nouveau.

When came to 1900 to 1945,the architecture was gradually developed with the help of science and technology.Modernist movement was lead in architecture which was an attempt to create a nonhistorical architecture of Functionalism in which a new sense of space would be created with the help of modern materials.It is an adoption of the machine aesthetic whereas a rejection of ornament which means a simplification of form and elimination of "unnecessary detail". Thus,about 1920, some architects developed in simple cubical forms.Eg of architects: Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright

After World War II, modernism was moved to postmodernism. But it's not clear exactly when postmodernism begins. In fact, modernism is viewed as excessively minimalist, anonymous, monotonous, and boring. Whereas postmodernism has a sense of humor. It is combining new ideas with traditional forms, postmodernist buildings may startle, surprise, and even amuse.Some features of postmodern houses:
- Sense of "anything goes": Forms filled with humor, irony, ambiguity, contradiction
- Juxtaposition of styles: Blend of traditional, contemporary, and newly-invented forms
- Exaggerated or abstract traditional detailing
- Materials or decorations drawn from far away sources

Following is deconstructivism in architecture, also called deconstruction,which is development of postmodern architecture that began in the late 1980s. It is characterized by ideas of fragmentation, an interest in manipulating ideas of a structure's surface or skin,non-rectilinear shapes which serve to distort and dislocate some of the elements of architecture, such as structure and envelope.

Well, how about in future?..yes..here we go..parametric..Parametricism is the great new style after modernism. Postmodernism and deconstructivism have been transitional episodes that ushered in this new, long wave of research and innovation. Modernism was founded on the concept of space. Otherwise, parametricism differentiates fields. Fields are full, as if filled with a fluid medium. Swarms have also served as paradigmatic analogues for the field concept. Late modernist architects are using parametric tools to maintain a modernist aesthetic. At Zaha Hadid Architects, our parametricist sensibility pushes in the opposite direction and aims for a maximal emphasis on conspicuous differentiation.

Discussed by cheejye, chinhsien, yinying

Le Corbusier----Architecture 5 points

2009-08-14T05:27:00.000+08:00

1.Pilotis

2.Free Plan

3.Free Facade

4.Horizontal Window

5.Roof Garden

1. The supports. To solve a problem scientifically means in the first place to distinguish between its elements. Hence in the case of a building a distinction can immediately be made between the supporting and the non- supporting elements. The earlier foundations, on which the building rested without a mathematical check, are replaced by individual foundations and the walls by individual supports. Both supports and support foundations are precisely calculated according to the burdens they are called upon to carry. These supports are spaced out at specific, equal intervals, with no thought for the interior arrangement of the building. They rise directly from the floor to 3, 4, 6, etc. metres and elevate the ground floor. The rooms are thereby removed from the dampness of the soil; they have light and air; the building plot is left to the garden, which consequently passes under the house. The same area is also gained on the flat roof.

2. The free designing of the ground- plan. The support system carries the intermediate ceilings and rises up to the roof. The interior walls may be placed wherever required, each floor being entirely independent of the rest. There are no longer any supporting walls but only membranes of any thickness required. The result of this is absolute freedom in designing the ground- plan; that is to say, free utilization of the available means, which makes it easy to offset the rather high cost of reinforced concrete construction.

3. Free design of the facade. By projecting the floor beyond the supporting pillars, like a balcony all round the building, the whole facade is extended beyond the supporting construction. It thereby loses its supportive quality and the windows may be extended to any length at will, without any direct relationship to the interior division. A window may just as well be 10 metres long for a dwelling house as 200 metres for a palatial building (our design for the League of Nations building in Geneva). The facade may thus be designed freely.

4. The horizontal window. Together with the intermediate ceilings the supports form rectangular openings in the facade through which light and air enter copiously. The window extends from support to support and thus becomes a horizontal window. Stilted vertical windows consequently disappear, as do unpleasant mullions. In this way, rooms are equably lit from wall to wall. Experiments have shown that a room thus lit has an eight times stronger illumination than the same room lit by vertical windows with the same window area.

5. The roof gardens. The flat roof demands in the first place systematic utilization for domestic purposes: roof terrace, roof garden. On the other hand, the reinforced concrete demands protection against changing temperatures. Overactivity on the part of the reinforced concrete is prevented by the maintenance of a constant humidity on the roof concrete. The roof terrace satisfies both demands (a rain- dampened layer of sand covered with concrete slabs with lawns in the interstices; the earth of the flowerbeds in direct contact with the layer of sand). In this way the rain water will flow off extremely slowly. Waste pipes in the interior of the building. Thus a latent humidity will remain continually on the roof skin. The roof gardens will display highly luxuriant vegetation. Shrubs and even small trees up to 3 or 4 metres tall can be planted.In this way the roof garden will become the most favoured place in the building. In general, roof gardens mean to a city the recovery of all the built- up area.

These points were illustrated best in Le Corbusier's domestic architecture. Le Corbusier's first attempt to deal with the problem of mass housing was Maisons Citrohan, designed in 1920-1922. All parts of the house are united by a spatial continuum, while the open space created by the pilotis and the flat roof increase the otherwise small available area.Citrohan introduced ideas of Le Corbusier's '5 Points of New Architecture': the building raised off the ground on pilotis, which 'free' the ground for vehicular circulation and for services. The roof-garden or terrace, which is clearly established in the Citrohan projects as a component of private, domestic space. The prototype of a single-family unit, which was later modified to a module within a collective building, for example the basic units of the Immeuble-villa.

Maisons Citrohan

Immeuble-villa

Density Rose

2009-08-13T19:35:00.000+08:00

What is DENSITY ROSE?

A density rose is a graphic tool to give a succinct view of how traffic flow( refer to number of people or vehicles) of an area of o location are typically distributed in a particular time.
It can be used to shows the activeness of a city graphically. By refer to the density rose, designers or town planners can analysis it to help their design to be more practical and functional and yet to improve the condition of that particular city.

How to USE?

Density rose presented in a circular format, where shows the traffic flow of a location in 24 hours. The length of each "spoke" around the circle is related to the number of people or vehicle flow per unit area. Each concentric circle represents a different number, emanating from zero at the center to increasing numbers at the outer circles. A density rose plot may contain additional information, in that each spoke is broken down into color-coded bands that show the comfort condition of people who be in the flow. The red zone will be labeled as the "ALERT!!" zone where the number of people in the traffic flow is too crowded.

Another kind of density rose is the transformation of line graph. This kind of density rose is highly recommended to compare the activeness between two or more different locations.

How to create a density rose?

1. Collect a data by counting the number of people then tabulate the data.

2. Produce a circle and divide it into 24 sectors
3. Mark the length of each sector.

word & graph: yinying
discuss: yinying, cheejye, huangwei, chin hsien

Urban Modeling in progress

2009-08-13T06:19:00.000+08:00

Idea worth spread

2009-08-13T06:07:00.000+08:00

James H Kunstler dissects suburbia

Jaime Lerner sings of the city

Thom Mayne on architecture as connection

Da Vinci : The Genius (Part 1)

2009-08-10T01:28:00.000+08:00

Recommended by Ar. Hong Lim Foo to give it the Da Vinci The Genius exhibition a visit (S$ 15/= Ouch...), Julie and Wei Yin decided to give it a try on August 2nd, 2009. We went from 3pm till 6pm and it still isn't enough time to digest it all! Truly an exhibition for the inquisitive mind.

Julie (a little shy, hoho) with the bare Vitruvian man at the entrance to the exhibit.
That seems to be the only place where we could take a photo!

A trip to the Da Vinci exhibition was really an eye opener. It was really interesting to observe not just the exhibition but the people around us as well. We would have taken lots of photos to share but alas, cameras are forbidden.

Anyway, upon entering the gallery, we were greeted with a wall full of words on a brief description of Da Vinci's early days. Feeling intimidated by the wallpaper of words, one would usually just give it a pass but NO, the visitor literally just stopped and stood, reading every word of it. The reading culture of Singaporeans are an eye opener itself.

"There are three classes of people: those who see, those who see when they are shown, those who do not see. "

- Leonardo da Vinci

Da Vinci's timeline was mapped on the wall for all to read with little reproductions of his works littered around the exhibition space. (He was actually an illegitimate son hence no one taught him how to write the right way 0_o) We learn that nature is his biggest inspiration and most of his works are done simply by studying nature itself and that includes plants, animals and even human.

"Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous. "

- Leonardo da Vinci

Personally, I felt most intrigued by the mysteries that shrouds Mona Lisa. Why was it one of Da Vinci's most famous works? Apparently, it's not complete in the eyes of Da Vinci. The Mona Lisa we see today is not in it's original colour and by using today's technology, we see a more vividly coloured painting. More information can be found here.

"Art is never finished, only abandoned."

- Leonardo da Vinci

Da Vinci was brilliant! He was an Italian polymath, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer. He wasn't alone though, he had Michelangelo as a rival!

Battle of the Geniuses

More to come in the next post! In the mean time, why not read up about Da Vinci from Wikipedia by clicking here!

History of Jalan Wong Ah Fook

2009-07-28T01:35:00.000+08:00

by Muhammad Syukri

Johor Bahru was founded in 1850 by Wong Ah Fook himself together with Temenggong Daing. It was a fisher village known as Tanjong Puteri before being renamed Johor Bahru by the Sultan. Constantly growing, the village turned to a traders hub and Sungai Seget became an important feature of Johor Bahru. Jalan Trus was the main road before shifting to Jalan Wong Ah fook after the causeway was built.
After independence, Singapore departed and the Custom Complex was built. Growing to become a financial and commercial area, Johor Bahru is recognized as a city in 1994. In 1996, most of Johor Bahru main feature such as the Central Market and Bus Terminal was moved to Larkin to make way of new development and ease traffic. In 2008, the new CIQ Complex was opened to public.
Johor Bahru development is shifting from west to east. Some of future feature is transportation hub at JB Sentral by 2012, LRT System by 2015 and recognition as a Economy City by 2020.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

2009-07-27T02:27:00.000+08:00

"Architecture is the will of an epoch translated into space."

- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Walking in the building we design?

2009-07-26T21:10:00.000+08:00

This is an article titled,
"How does the Navy Design the Nuclear Supercarrier of the future?"
by Cliff Kuang

This article is about Navy design technology.

" Things work a little differently in 2009. Now, engineers and foreman can wander around a mockup of the ship without wearing helmets or boots. All they have to do is slip on a chunky black glasses, stare at a screen and step inside the ship's CAD plan"

This makes me wonder, "What about architect? Can we walk inside the building we designed?"

Its all about the matter of time. The approach of walking in a building definitely will be very interesting when the client can see the building that they are going to get.

For further reading on this article, please click here.

^^

Star Wars-Fantastic Architecture.

2009-07-26T17:52:00.000+08:00

From an article,
The Best Architecture in the 'Star Wars' Galaxy" by Cliff Kuang

The Architect's Journal had gathered top ten best architecture in Star Wars movie.

The list goes like this.
1. The Second Death Star

2. Jabba the Hutt's Palace,Tatooine
3. Jedi temple, Coruscant
4. Coruscant,the whole thing.
5. Artisanal dwellings, Tatooine
6. Echo Base, Hoth
7. Bright Tree Village, Endor
8. Sandcrawler, Tatooine
9. Senate Building, Coruscant
10. Cloud City, Bespin.

These movie really does impact the architecture worlds where some of these building really exist in the earth.

Spot the similarities...^^

RAK Convention and Exhibition Center.

Death Star Lunar Hotel in Baku Azerbaijan

Mayan Temples.

Jean Nouvel's Louvre Abu Dhabi

Rem Koolhaas’ Casa de Musica in Porto

John Lautner's Chemosphere House

And the list goes on...

For further resding, please click here.

Enjoy reading...^^

The battle of future transport

2009-07-26T17:12:00.000+08:00

Prediction from The Extinction time line by Richard Watson, the petrol engined vehicle will extinct by 2036.

Thus, comes the idea of future car. What is future car and how will it looks like?

There are this 2 articles about the future car in the making which brings the interest of people from all around the world.

First of all is,
"BYD's F3DM electric Sedan Will Go on Sale in China, but the West Will Have to wait" by Clay Dillow

BYD Co, a company from China says that they will sell their very first electric sedan by December of the Year.

BYD is the largest rechargeable battery maker which wasn't into any car business. However, this company decided to take the challenge of "Green Vehicle Industry" and going to release their first ever electric sedan soon. BYD also made an agreement with Volkswagen to jointly develop electric car.

For further reading on this article, Please click here.

Meanwhile, on another article,
"Riversimple:The Open-Source Hydrogen Car" by Ariel Schwartz

brings in the British designed future car.
The Hyrban Project's Riversimple Urban Car has been unvieled in London.

The first fleet of the car will be released in 2011. However, stated the fuel consumption of this car will be up to $330 per month which is quite cosy.

This is how the car looks like.
For further reading of the article, please click here.

Happy reading...^^

Obama Climate Change Report.

2009-07-26T16:41:00.000+08:00

An article titled,

"Obama Climate Change Report: The outlook Is Dire, the Time to Innovate Now" by Ariel Schwartz

Previously, we have The Inconvenient Truth by President Al Gore.

Now, President Obama come out with a report,

"Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States."

He stated the problems such as floods due to the rise of sea level and the deterioration of the economy due to the drop of agriculture productivity.

This report is more detailed and focused on US economy.
Besides, stated that, we need to come out with out-of-the-box solutions.

For the complete article, please click here.

Are we designer?

2009-07-26T10:22:00.000+08:00

Design or die! by Craig Pelkey-Landes

This is a very interesting articles that make us wonders about , "Are we designer?"

According to the article,
"Anyone that tries to improve a situation is a designer."

There are also interesting statements like,
"Design is not necessary about the look of a thing" of which I couldn't agree more.

For example, the Gustav Stickley's rocker given by Stickley during the writer's wedding day which has gave consciousness about the
"RAW POWER OF DESIGN".

I have found the picture of the rocker from another link so that we can figure out the "looks is not so important statement"

Following is the link to the article which might improve our way of thinking towards the concept of design.

Click here for the link.

and here is another link of the more complete copy of the article.

Happy reading...^^

Vertical X studio

feng shui

DESIGN

what i learnt from model making

Modern Architecture - Water Drop Resort

SENSE OF PLACE

Principles of urban design guide

Parametric Form Finding in Contemporary Architecture

ArchiFest2009

landmark ??

the surveillance system 3

the surveillance system 2

The Concept of 1Malaysia

555 KUBIK

Neo City

Preview of Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010

New Design Tool.Rhonda

architectural identity

A Big Source of Inspiration

revivalism

The Rhythm of Architecture

Peter Eisenman

The Leisure Farm Trip

National Library in Astana, Kazakhstan / BIG

Gestalt Theory for "Space Making" - volumetric space

Living, Growing Architecture

Horizon Hill

Significance of Sungai Segget

Heritage Transformed with Thom Mayne

Rotating Tower, Dubai

Opportunity

Activity Tablet

Short Walk Trip (Part 1)

Way To Estimate The Number Of Customers

Building Simulation Plug-In Available for Google SketchUp

Positive policies

Taken from The Star featuring our very own Prof Taj...

Sunday August 16, 2009

Positive policies

ARCHITECTURE INSIDE OUTBy MOHAMAD TAJUDDIN MOHAMAD RASDI

Discussion on Proportion in Architecture

Da Vinci Exhibition Part 3

Parametric Design Method worth share

Urban simulation done by researcher to be shared

Uban Model Making Process

Timeline of History of Architecture

Le Corbusier----Architecture 5 points

Density Rose

Urban Modeling in progress

Idea worth spread

Da Vinci : The Genius (Part 1)

History of Jalan Wong Ah Fook

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Walking in the building we design?

Star Wars-Fantastic Architecture.

The battle of future transport

Obama Climate Change Report.

Are we designer?

ARCHITECTURE INSIDE OUT
By MOHAMAD TAJUDDIN MOHAMAD RASDI