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 ??
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…
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.
by teddy bear | 5:41 PM in | comments (0)
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.
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.
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
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.
