Brief intro to project

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Fall 2013 Hassina Nafa ARCH 361-ARC 301

Transcript of Brief intro to project

Fall 2013

Hassina Nafa

ARCH 361-ARC 301

Course Outline The aim of this course is based on an Urban contextual

design that will introduce students to better understanding

of urban issues. This studio represents the most extended

and developed exercises in macro planning issues. Priority

is given to the urgent needs of our environment in terms of

regeneration project such as housing, schools, or

community buildings for urban centers.

Projects will reinforce the entire curriculum, emphasizing

on the complex relationships of buildings in an urban

context taking all factors into consideration by way of

interrelated aspects of an existing urban fabric.

Learning Objectives To understand multi-dimensional problems of the urban situation and

respond to natural and built site characteristics in the development of a program and the design of a specific project.

Prepare a comprehensive Program for an architectural project, including assessment of user needs, an inventory of space requirements, an analysis of site conditions, a review of the relevant urban laws and standards and assessment of their implication for the project.

Demonstrate process, developmental and presentation skills using a variety of media, including drawing and digital media and model making.

Utilise graphic and model making skills to explore, develop, define and communicate.

Recognize the various criteria of urban sustainability, and integrate them strategically in the design approaches.

Attain an understanding of the requirements for designing both site and building to accommodate individuals with varying physical abilities.

Topic:

Since cities are dynamic bodies, urban and

architectural spaces might symbolize different

functions and meanings according to socio-

cultural, economic and technological

transformations in history.

In other words, the physical characteristics of

urban and architectural spaces might be more

persistent than their functions.

In order to upgrade the quality of life in a city, it is

necessary to realize that a city is a living

organism, and that the formation of qualified

environments requires an evaluation of socio-

cultural as well as physical qualities.

Students will be involved with real urban problems

Therefore

motivate students by emphasizing the fact that their designs will play a catalyzing role in finding

solutions for these problems.

Site selection:

Kyrenia is chosen as the town where these aims

could be realized because it is a town which had

numerous potentials and threats, and also the

municipality will be enthousiastic to be involved

in the studio process.

Requirements:

Give a very short history of the town by defining:

1. Potentials

2. Threats

Examples: geographical

location, coastline, protected

areas, monuments, population, vehicular traffic

and many more..........

Some questions :

How do people live in towns?

Are they aware of the opportunities present in the

town?

Can public spaces become a means of creating

urban identity?

To what extent architecture might intervene with the

everyday life?

What is the social role of an architect?

Might environmental sustainability be a reference for

the development of urban life?

Reflections:

After the ‘Annan plan’:

Population increased???

New developments

(housing, hotels, universities.....)

New infrastructures

Attraction of more tourists, students and

migrants from various parts

AnalysisHowever, public spaces and residential areas in the

town, in general, are not adequate in terms of

quality and quantity.

A- Analyse:

The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the town

Creating a SWOT analysis

B- Find out:

The social and physical needs of the town

Create personas

What are some of the important elements to a

personas?

Personas are more then just demographic

information, a persona needs to capture

behaviour, belief and philosophy of a person.

More importantly their motivation or intentions of

how to use public spaces.

Storyboard:

explaining a simple interaction

‘I almost always begin design by talking with users.

Initially, my goal is simply to collect people’s

stories. I believe that the stories people tell about

what they do and how they do it contain information

vital to designing good interfaces. Stories reveal

what people like about their work, what they hate

about it, what works well, what sorts of things are

real problems’.

Design as Storytelling; Thomas Erickson; Apple

Computer, Inc.

Your tasks:

The main topic of the 3rd year architectural studio

is:

To create a cultural center which will add to the

revitalization of the area both physically and

socially, and the development of closed and open

public spaces; comprising various functions, such

as wedding hall, library, media center, education

spaces, restaurants and cafes……. including the

existing potentialities of the town.

Site Selection

Students will choose a site for their project within

an area that has rich characteristics taking into

consideration the historical importance of the

town, and the role that every potential landmark

plays in giving identity to your new neighborhood.

Their will be 3 alternatives sites for selection after

the 1st site visit.

Students will debate and decide for the most

appropriate alternative site for their project.

Your project will be a new gathering

point in the city, providing the setting for

community and informal meetings.

The main functions in the cultural center

program as well as outdoor activities will

be defined in a detailled program by

each student.

You need to start with:

Environmental Analysis (Physical Environment Data):

Determination of topography, wind, sun, climate; Character

/ Identity.

Environmental perception analysis, readability in the

area, detailed analysis of the character of streets, squares

etc., based on the teachings of Lynch; Environmental

Quality…..

Determination of the location and type of positive

qualities (such as historical buildings, panorama

points, buildings which are good examples of their

period, green areas, monumental trees) or negative

qualities (unkempt buildings, buildings which are

unqualified or unsuitable for their environment, visual grime

due to excessive number of signboards, garbage

Continued......

Historical Analysis: The research and comparative

analysis of the information related with the historical

development and transformation of urban space, its

social and economic structure.

Social Analysis: Determining the social

characteristics (state of education, labor force

distribution, age groups, etc.) of people living in the

project site district.

Economic Analysis: Determination of the role and

influence of the project site in urban and regional

scales.

Continued...... – Analysis of Building Heights: Making

generalizations by classifying buildings according to the number of floors (1 storey, 2 storey, 3 storey, 4 storey, 5 storey and above)

– Analysis of Structural System: Classifying the buildings in the area according to their structural systems (reinforced concrete, massive, wooden, steel, unplanned, etc.)

– Analysis of Physical Structure: Generalizing and grouping the buildings in the area as ‘good’, ‘moderate’, ‘bad’, ‘ dilapidated’ and ‘under construction’, according to their structural systems and materials.

Project development:

Students should establish:

Image and Conceptual approach

Zoning and master plan

Conceptual development sketching

Function and purpose of design

Generation of ideas for spatial organization and the

selection and use of main buildings

Linking of functional spaces in diagrammatic form

(indoors / outdoors)

Form and Style of design

The studio is based on a process learning method. To

succeed, the architectural student needs to be self-

starting and self-motivated, able to research

constantly and seek out the necessary feedback

when needed.

There is a balance between the benefits of feedback

and being self-critical to independently develop good

work.

The final projects submitted at the end of the

semester will demonstrate that the students were

generally successful in analyzing the characteristics

of the project area, and in understanding the

information they gathered in this process.