P1b: Design Strategies and Exploration
To explore brief which will inform and set the design parameters for the design, to develop a design strategy (to the level of explorative design phase) for your proposed project, and to produce a design which is well explored and optimized to an appropriate resolution.
OUTCOMES
Interim 1 Board
REFLECTION
At the beginning of this phase, I found conceptual development quite challenging, so I decided to start from the programming aspect of the project. I gradually identified performance as the main direction of my programme and connected it back to the idea of palimpsest developed in P1A.
From the previous phase, I understood the history of Sia Boey through two layers: the visible and the invisible. I translated this idea into the concept of performance, where the visible layer represents the performance happening at the frontage, while the invisible layer refers to the learning, preparation, and making processes that happen behind the scenes. Through this approach, I also identified my target users as the local community, especially people who have lived in or had past experiences with Sia Boey.
After establishing the programme and user group, I began developing the floor plans and building form based on the site analysis. I then explored the spatial arrangement in greater depth, considering how different programmes could be connected, how the building could respond to the site, and what design strategies could strengthen this relationship.
At the same time, I studied relevant precedent projects and explored how certain spatial ideas and design elements could be adapted into my own proposal. This phase helped me move from a broad programme idea towards a clearer architectural direction, while improving my understanding of how concept, programme, users, and site can work together as part of the design process.
DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE
THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING SKILL
LIFELONG LEARNING
This phase allowed me to translate conceptual ideas into architectural design decisions. Through programming, site analysis, precedent studies, and spatial planning, I learned how to apply architectural knowledge to develop the building form, programme arrangement, and relationship between the building and its context.
Through the development of my programme and design concept, I learned to think critically about how the idea of palimpsest could be translated into architectural spaces. By connecting visible and invisible layers with performance, I was able to develop a clearer design direction and respond to the site and users more effectively.
Through independent research and precedent studies, I learned to gather and evaluate relevant architectural references to support my design development. I then adapted suitable ideas from these studies into my own project, helping me develop the programme, spatial arrangement, and design strategies more effectively.