Project 1: Preliminary Studies
The Preliminary Studies is a preparatory assignment that focuses on investigating basic notions of the city, and learning from examples of Art Centre around the world. This assignment aims to firstly introduce students to the basics in urban design and its relation to architecture, and secondly, studying and determining the programmatic function, societal role and spatial layout of an Art Centre and architectural responses for urban blocks.
The Preliminary Studies comprises of three components: Site Documentation, Site Analysis, and Precedent Studies of Urban Blocks and Art Centre. The Site Documentation and Site Analysis will equip students with a firm understanding of the site they will be working with this semester, while the Precedent Studies will provide an insight into architectural responses for designing an urban block Art Centre. The outcome of the Preliminary Studies will include the production of site documentation materials (drawings and models in both digital and physical copy for further use), a comprehensive analysis of the site, and a detailed case study of a relevant urban block and Art Centre.
A Broken Narrative
Many cities have their own identity and story, even for Kajang has its own distinctiveness. Kajang started out as a tin mining and has been evolved through many sets of the timeline. With the first Kajang settlements built along Sungai Chua and Jalan Mendaling and continue to diversify towards Jalan Tukang, Jalan Besar and Jalan Reko. Some of the streets in Kajang has portrayed a lifetime of cultural and heritage identity which has made this town what it is today.
However, this was short-lived when Kajang undergoes major modernisation, locals tend to move out leaving shophouses to be bare and some may remain running but not for long. As a result, many parts of Kajang has now been displaced by modern development, street as public space has been displaced by vehicles and routes leading to old shophouses, were fragmented by new buildings. Many new developments are setting a new face for Kajang, overshadowing the old parts of Kajang leaving them being neglected. As for that the streets of Kajang can no longer be the intertwine with one another. There’s an absence of connectivity drawing in the old and the new of Kajang.
Although the town seems scattered throughout, it is still a diverse town, locals and many visitors would visit its uniqueness and there’s still have much interesting passage of events happening in this town. The vibrancy of activities can be seen sparse around the town. Kajang’s current situation can be described as a broken narrative.
Contrasting Functions
Contrasting function studies the understanding of each functional groups and how it can be juxtaposed with one another. By comparing the functions of different zonings of the city like the newer part and the older part of the city to tell their correlation. The different types of functional building especially older buildings. Contrasting temporal analysis based on different user groups approaching the site and morphology studies for both sites.
Vibrance of Connectivity
Vibrance of connectivity activity is the analysis of the liveliness of human activities in the area that able to link into the identity of the city. Congestion of the area can depend on the vibrancy of the activities and during a certain event. The character of the space which can affect on the users mobilizing in the space.
Rhythm & Contrast
The rhythm and contrast is the study of the pattern of the street elements and how do they complement one another. Studying on the urban wall pattern that was built on a fragmented approach that can give a distinct contrast. In relation to users experience, the fragmented and rhythmic urban wall that gives them a sense of experience when walking through the street.
Revealing the Visible & Hidden
The indication of the elements of the formal and informal street pattern that can change the presence of the city. Looking onto the streetscape to identify spaces such as the temporary and the permanent located around the city, those neglected spaces like hidden space and those abandoned space which are hardly able to find, whereas some maybe spotted near buildings.
Activities of Comfort
Activities of comfort is a type of factor that can affect the users in approaching to the space. The relationship on the quality of the path provides a sense of enclosure for the user. Passage of events can affect human activities by bringing people all walks of life into the site. By having urban resilience such as shading, green space can help with the activity of comfort by having users spending longer periods of time in the area. Some shophouses can take advantage of ground-level engagement by drawing pedestrian and vehicular to engage around.
S.W.O.T
Boards Layout
