Personal Reflections

Main Concept/New Knowledge Learnt

I was exposed to InDesign and had learnt how to make use of different effects to make my poster more aesthetically appealing. For instance, I like how to create a faint background to add more colors my poster. Usually, I used Pages to create simple posters. After this enriching experience, I will be able to create more professional posters for other projects using InDesign.

I also got more familiar with SketchUp after this project. During Sec 1, I had only used SketchUp for modeling with lines and regular shape like squares/rectangle. While working on this project, I had opportunities to practice how to model something using arches, irregular shape. I had also utilized imported items to show how the space was used. With all these new skills, I could then model products for other projects such as I&E.

Though it wasn't my first time writing a report, I had learnt how to make use of my research to support my decisions in the projects. This will help me in the future when I had to write another report for ProjectWork.

Difficulties Encountered & How I Overcame it

The applications caused my Macbook to lagged. I wasted a lot of time waiting for the application to respond again. Some of my files were unsaved when the applications auto quit. I overcame the difficulties by making use of waiting time to sketch down some of my ideas that I need to put into my report. I also cultivated a habit to save my files constantly, even though only minor changes were made.

Another problem I found was that I did not have sufficient skills to model my product in SketchUp. I spent a lot of time figuring how to create rounded rectangle and move imported items to the desirable position. I overcame the problem by approaching my classmate for help and learnt from them how to do so.

The Natural Home

Purpose of Building

The Natural Home will be a vacation resort for all, providing relaxation for the residents in the central area of Singapore. It will cater to the lack of resorts in that district. This resort is also a place for family to bond. The residents, regardless young or old will enjoy their time in the casual atmosphere created in the resort. Different types of chalets will cater to families with different needs. The change in environment allows the people to take a break from their hectic lifestyle.

Idea behind the Design:

To create that causal and relaxing atmosphere, the design of the resort aims to bring nature closer to people. The design is inspired by the Barefooted Home Concept. The idea of being barefooted is that the people will be able to take off their shoes and see, touch, feel the nature environment. The resort is located in a park that had recently been developed. Taking advantage of the location, the residents will be able to experience the natural environment. Clear glass panels of the house will connect the people to surroundings by bringing light into the house. Dimmed yellow light lit the area in the night. The variation in natural materials such as teak and stone add to colors and textures in the chalet. The Natural Home connects people to the nature world.

Architecture Design (Light, Colour, Texture)

Unique buildings are buildings that differ from the norm and they bring out uniqueness.

Examples of these buildings are:

1) Log Cabin Built by Gangster
This building is somewhat considered unique as it looks very different compared to normal log cabins.

For the one-time gangster who built it, it is nothing less than "the eighth wonder of the world". The less charitably disposed dismiss it as a glorified barn, fire hazard and eyesore.
But on one thing everyone agrees: Nikolai Sutyagin's home is certainly different.

Dominating the skyline of Arkhangelsk, a city in Russia's far north-west, it is believed to be the world's tallest wooden house, soaring 13 floors to reach 144ft - about half the size of the tower of Big Ben

Taken from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1544827/Gangster-who-built-worlds-tallest-log-cabin.html

2) RIpley’s Earthquake Building
This building is unique as it shows us that buildings can be used to depict scenes that happened in the past and it also shows how building can be actually designed to look like it’s destroyed. As said above, this building serves to remind people of the past disaster.

In true fashion of the Ripley Legacy, it was built to reflect the odd 1812 earthquake that measured 8.0 on the ritcher scale. The building has now become one of the most photographed in the world because of it.

3) Regatta Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia
The building is used as a hotel and is called “the light house” taking the ambiance of facing the sea and takes full advantage of the building layout for lighting, the building layout is also rather unique as it takes a different approach to buildings, also, the building color and ambiance is similar to the surrounding buildings, getting a blueish and mordern feel to the entire building project.

Use of Light

The use of natural light will connect the exterior and the interior. The idea of carrying or transmitting natural light from space to space withing the home is a very useful concept in creation of inviting interiors that do not have to rely on artificial light.

BR House is a building which manipulate natural light to its advantage. The designer make use a vast window in the living room to give the building a sense of transparency. Folding latticed shutters make of a local hardwood in the bedroom create a protective skin that ofter shades and shelter from elements. When closed, the shutters will still allow a seductive duffused light to permeate the interiors.

Brookes Street House is another building which use light to bring the people closer to nature. At the central of the home, it is the garden. Lights is allowed into the central of the home, integrating outdoor space into the house.

In our opinions, the light will change the ambience of the buildings. For example, the building is brightly lit, it would be a positive ambience. On the other hand, for the building is poorly lit, the building will seems very distant.

Reference: New Natural Home by Dominic Bradbury

Use of Colours

While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, there are some color effects that have universal meaning. Colors in the red area of the color spectrum are known as warm colors and include red, orange and yellow. These warm colors evoke emotions ranging from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility.
Colors on the blue side of the spectrum are known as cool colors and include blue, purple and green. These colors are often described as calm, but can also call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference.

Taken from: http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/a/colorpsych.htm

The use of colours in the design of the buildings will create a different ambience, affecting the feel of the design. Color also is a key component o a certain theme, such as from the building, the light house is given a modern hue through the blue and white layout the woodish and brown layout gives the gangster house a snowish and outdoor feel to the building from Russia.

Use of Textures

There are two types of physical texture.
Physical Texture: physical in a sense that it's tactile (tangible) that you can feel with your hand. It is the kind of texture which you can detect with your five senses. The build up of paint, slipperiness of soft pastel, layering of collage - all the things that change the nature of the papers surface.

Visual Texture: it is the illusion of physical texture, created with the materials you use. . Paint can be manipulated to give the impression of texture, while the paper surface remains smooth and flat. For example, texture like garden sheets on a wall gives a three dimensional look to the wall.

Texture is the feeling and visual feel of the fabrics, colors, and room accessories. It's the surface quality of a shape - rough, smooth, soft hard glossy etc. Also, texture is the roughness of the surface of a material. For example, surfaces with same or similar textures like fireplace marble tiles and drywall usually look more visually appealing. The quality of finishes of surfaces in home design is important. For instance, a smooth mirror reflective finish on a marble bathroom countertop enhances its looks.

Taken from: http://design-your-own-house.com/design-elements

Like if the floor is rough, they would give the impression that the household is not comfortable as roughness does not give the idea of comfy-ness

One example is that at the Said House in Australia, the designers used stone cladding and recycled materials to bring out a sense of sculpted warmth, depth and delight to a home that is strikingly modern in form.

Will post the images later.

What makes a Good Architectural Design?

Criteria for a Good Design

• An outstanding exteriors that could be identified easily
• A stunning interiors that is also comfortable for the consumers
• Integrating the needs of the consumers, the wants of the target audience and the demands of the public
• Easy accessibility

Case Study

Source: http://www.premium-travel-tour.com/vivo-city.html

Vivocity is designed by internationally acclaimed Japanese architect Toyo Ito, know for his signature-style, which focuses on the utilisation of nature, climate and open spaces. The design for VivoCity was inspired by the harbourfront location of the development, which evokes images of waves in the sea. Each space leads intuitively into the next, creating an enjoyable shopping experience.

Comments

The exterior appearance of the buildings is outstanding, different from the normal squarish buildings. The buildings was inspired by images of waves in the sea. It integrated into the natural surrounding environment of the location. Personally, the design was refreshing, a breakthrough from other shopping malls.

The inside of the buildings, it was spacious. Consumers will feel more relaxed, compared to a shopping mall with has narrow pathways. Bright or rather refreshing colors are used too. More greenery are integrated into the design. In my personal opinion, the uniqueness of the whole buildings is that it has other recreational spaces, not limiting to cinemas, arcades. It has a rooftop water feature where families and friends could gather and enjoy their time together, taking a break from the stressful world.

Indeed, the consumers for this building, who are mostly Singaporean, enjoyed shopping. Thus, the retails in the nation's largest shopping centre would have satisfy the wants and needs of the consumers.

It allows easy accessibility, connected to the MRT line and other recreation places, like Sentosa.

What is Architectural Design?

Definitions of Architectural Design

"Concept that focuses on the components or elements of a structure or system and unifies them into a coherent and functional whole, according to a particular approach in achieving the objective(s) under the given constraints or limitations" ~ Business Dictionary.com

"An architectural designer is an architect that is primarily involved in the design of buildings or urban landscapes, as opposed to the construction documents and management required to construct it" ~ Wiley Online Library

"The art of practice of designing and constructing buildings" ~ Apple Dictionary

Sources:

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/architectural-design.html

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/architectural-design.html