Synopsis: Architecture Design Studio 2

 

This unit is a continuation from Architecture Design Studio 1. Students will undertake a series studio based exercises and assignments that introduce the principles and methods of analysis, abstraction, and synthesis in design thinking that are common to many design fields, including building and architecture. The key emphasis of the studio is “User and Context”, which investigates the relationship between user and natural environment. Students will undertake a series of studio-based exercises, beginning from prototype studies to a small free standing building. The first project requires students to ‘learn from precedents’ (which relates to the History of Modern Architecture lectures) by interpretation and exploration of solids, planes, lines and frames in architectural design. Emphasis is given to the elements of architecture and architectonics that generate architectural form and space, produced by drawing and making. Subsequently, through vigorous prototyping from Project 1, students are required to design a small free standing dwelling for a particular user within unique and distinctive natural landscapes (the cliff, the beach, the lake, forest…). Emphasis is given to the interpretation and synthesis of the user, site and function in architectural design. This module is integrated with Building Construction 1, to introduce basic understanding of build ability in design.

 

Teaching Objectives

 

1. To introduce spatial architectonics in the creation of architectural space and form/ understanding of building as an assembly of parts

2. To introduce the abstraction of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional compositions of space

3. To explore design processes through different types of drawing and making methods.

4. To emphasize the importance of space planning as a response to specific function and human needs.

5. To examine the basic awareness that user’s need and simple context have on design decisions.

 

Learning Outcomes

 

1. Generate design possibilities through the use of architectonics in a simple architectural form space and function

2. Translate design ideas into habitable architectural spaces through drawing and making

3. Explore architectural design through the abstraction of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional compositions of space

4. Interpret and analyze simple site context

5. Interpret and analyze client’s character and needs in relation to the design of a small building

6. Design a simple building type that meets user requirements and respects site context that balances both internal (architectural spaces/layout/circulation) and external (aesthetics and forms) design values.

 

Project 1: Famous People, Familiar Face Diagrammatic Abstraction

 

“The design process can be thought of as a series of transformations going from uncertainty towards information. The successive stages of the process are usually registered by some kind of graphic model. In the final stage of the design process, designers use highly formalized graphic languages as a tool to register the information that would facilitate the communication process.” Juan Pablo Bonta

 

Objectives

 

To investigate and to explore how spaces are created from the making of architectural elements: architectonics.- solid, planes, lines and frames. Upon completion of the project student should be able to achieve a level of understanding on the works assigned and will be able to apply the idea and concept to their project later. The idea of using pure and diagrammatic models to express the architectural idea would also be in cooperated into this assignment.

 

Learning Outcomes

 

1. Ability to identify master architects and their works

2. Understanding basic architectural compositions of solids, planes, lines and frames.

3. Ability to ‘diagram’ and analyse architectural work of selected architect

 

Le Corbusier: Maisons Jaoul

 

In the first project of Architecture Design Studio 2 as a group, we were given a building to do research which is Maisons Jaoul of Le Corbusier. We were required to analyze the information we get from our research and summarize it into diagrams, drawings, models etc.