Reflection for ADMT semester 2 project

I learned a lot from this experience. I learnt how to design something unique by changing certain features of a building such as the lighting and colour. To make a building unique, the building must first have a theme or a concept which it uses to differentiate itself from other buildings and to have a certain type of "atmosphere" to it so that people can instantly recognize or identify it when they see or here about it.

I also learnt how to record my thoughts, research and work onto a journal in an organized and logical way. Pictures are an important part of the journal as they show what the person is thinking and allows the reader to visualize certain concepts that the writer wanted to bring across.

I have learnt a whole lot on Google Sketchup through this project. I looked at many tutorials on youtube and learnt the various tricks of the trade and features that were not very obvious but very helpful and productive indeed. This enabled me to be much faster in making the model as well as be more accurate in my measurements. I was able to do some "cool" stuff after watching those tutorials such as using section planes to cut into the building. This function could be used to show the interior, or used together with other functions such as the "scene" function to animate the building.

For the poster, nothing much was taught about how to make the poster attractive and catchy, but at the same time, informative. However, I did discover certain ways that I could make the poster look better such as by inserting large pictures with low opacity as backgrounds which I found was quite effective.

Rivervale mall extension project

The building is an extension of a mall. Currently, the original mall has an old design and it has received criticism that the design and colour scheme is dull. The older generation would be more okay with this but the target audience includes the younger generation too and they generally prefer a more moden and vibrant place to shop. Hence, the extension will be designed to cater to the younger generation. It will be have a vibrant and modern atmosphere and look, having more glass in the design too as in today's modern architectural trends, glass is used often. It will have a library, an arcade, a pond and an open rooftop with plants, sculptures and a wooden pavilion which can cater more to a younger audience. In addition, the mall will have certain features to educate the younger people about the history of Sengkang. In the past, Sengkang was a fishing village and many of the buildings look like the ones below. The extension has pillars at the base of it which are reminiscent of the stilts the houses in the past were built on.

References
Oskoboiny, G. (n.d.). Fishing village. Retrieved from http://impressive.net/people/gerald/2007/02/12/17-32-21-sm.html

What makes a building unique?

Lighting, texture and colours of a building affect what people think about it and the atmosphere the building creates. Below are examples of buildings with different lightings, textures and colours.

What is Architectural Design?

Definitions of architectural design:

1) The art and science of designing and erecting buildings and other physical structures. (from wikipedia)

2) Architectural design refers to the actual design and layout of spaces. (from wisegeek)

3) It is a 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 objectives under the given constraints or limitations. (from BusinessDictionary.com)

References

Architecture. (2001). Wikipedia. Retrieved July 9, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Architecture&dir=prev&action=history

What is architecture design?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-architecture-design.htm

Architectural design. Businessdictionary.com. Retrieved July 9, 2011, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/architectural-design.html

What is good Architectural Design?

Criteria for great architectural design:

-Organic design

Nature can provide inspiration, functional clues and aesthetic forms that architects and industrial designers should use as a basis for designs.

-Simplicity

Simple forms i.e. aesthetics without considerable ornaments, simple geometry, smooth surfaces etc., represents forms which are both truer to “real” art and represents “folk” wisdom.

-Green design

A sustainable and environmentally friendly building approach is beneficial to users, society and future generations.

The 30 St Mary Axe building

It is has a simple and organic design as you can see from this picture. It is also a very sustainable building. The building uses energy-saving methods which allow it to use half the power a similar tower would typically consume.

Gaps in each floor create six shafts that serve as a natural ventilation system for the entire building even though required firebreaks on every sixth floor interrupt the "chimney." The shafts create a giant double glazing effect; air is sandwiched between two layers of glazing and insulates the office space inside.

Architects limit double glazing in residential houses to avoid the inefficient convection of heat, but the tower exploits this effect. The shafts pull warm air out of the building during the summer and warm the building in the winter using passive solar heating. The shafts also allow sunlight to pass through the building, making the work environment more pleasing, and keeping the lighting costs down.