Lai Mun's
Portfolio
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN STUDIO 4 (ARC60206)
Project 1 : Nature Appreciation Center : Gateway to Royal Belum
Introduction
This project calls for a design of a simple public building with some complexity that includes the complexity of site topography and vegetation, socio-cultural events, and variety of strategies for sustainable design.
It explores design solutions that harness environmental qualities and conditions for human and environment sustainability through a project with a specific community of users. Students explore design solutions that reduce environmental impact utilising clustered spatial typology and passive design approach. The design work should contribute to and merge harmoniously with nature and the site, and provide the best of experiences for the users.
Tasks
This project requires students to propose a facility accommodating several related functions such as exhibition, learning and recreation in a suburban context. Students are to develop their own concept for the design based on their research of the area and environment. This working method is intended to have the student design in near full-freedom; however they will be required to make an informed response firstly to the surrounding context. Their capacity to respond architecturally and contextually to this task will form part of the basis upon which they will be marked.
The site is located in Pulau Banding, Gerik, Perak. Pulau Banding is a 243-hectare man-made island located within the majestic Temenggor Lake. The Island sits amidst the 130 million year-old Royal Belum Rainforest, known for nature based activities such as fishing, bird watching, camping and visiting orang asli settlements.EMKAY Group, the owner and caretaker of the Island, envisions the development of Banding Island as a vital introduction to Royal Belum State Park and aims to position it as a premier heritage destination on the world ecotourism map. It operates the Belum Rainforest Resort that offers opportunity to get up close and personal with the natural world.
This project will be mainly divided into 2 parts :
i) Site Analysis (Group Project)
ii) Nature Appreciation Center design (Individual Project)
Products
Site Analysis
Site Analysis
Final Design Presentation Board
Final Physical Model
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Conclusion
Through this project, I am able to learn many techniques in order to improve myself for the next semester. I am now able to apply design of environmental sustainability to design and create architectural spaces with consideration of environmental poetics in relation to the basic natural context and existing built context that impact on users’ experiences. Other than that, from the findings in the site analysis such as site topography, history and socio-cultural events, I am able to combine these environmental needs with eh users’ experience within simple building design in the open landscape. Moreover, by producing drawings for both 2d and 3d, I have improved my digital software skills such as AutoCad, Rhinoceros and Photoshop. I have also gained a new software skills which is Lumion 4.0 which helps me in rendering the 3d model. Not to forget, I have also improved my presentation skill to communicate and visualize architectural design and ideas based on clustered spatial typology.