Design 3 | Shin Yokoo Studio

GAPABLE THE NOTCHABLE BOUNDARY

ALVIN KWEK GUAN TING

GAPABLE (adj)

Blurring the gap between historical and commerical site by creating a gap.

Gapable: The Notchable Boundary is designed to accommodate expats who reside individually or in pairs. It is a residential building that co-exists with small commercial offices.

Upon site analysis, I found that the two sides of the site are segregated by ambiguous smells from its surroundings — the commercial office building and the historical conserved shophouses.

A gap (Macro Void) was created between the two sides of the building to blur the gap between commercial and historical surroundings with the following design features: wind circulation, two different façades and structural systems. All of which enabled a gap to be formed within the building.

Sectional Perspective

Scale 1:150

Smell

During my first site visit, I was overwhelmed by the unbearable smell of the surroundings, as — coincidentally — the trash-collecting truck stopped by the area for collection. Upon further observations, I realised that the back alley was always filled with full trash bins by nightfall, which was a contributing factor to the unpleasant smell of the site surroundings.

On my subsequent visits, I discovered more contributing factors to the unpleasant smell. It was observed that there were many smokers in the vicinity, who mainly worked nearby. Also, surrounding food-and-beverage establishments had their cooking exhausts placed at the back alley, adding to the foul smell I experienced.

Site

Plan Site Analysis

Split Rotate Reposition Addition Slice Divide Reposition Addition Slice Rotate Reposition Addition Slice Subtract Reposition Addition Split Reposition Flip Addition Multiply Mirror Subtract Slice Displace Reposition Duplicate Slice Rearrange Flip Addition Puncture Subtract Slit Slice Rotate Puncture Subtract Mirror Slit Duplicate Puncture Rotate Subtract Slit Multiply tip y ate te ate p y rror Duplicate Mirror Slice Duplicate Duplicate Mirror Flip Duplicate Multiply Mirror Duplicate Mirror Multiply Mirror Mirror Slice Duplicate Stack + Stack Duplicate Flip Multiply Slice Mirror Stack + Stack Multiply Flip Duplicate Mirror Duplicate Duplicate Mirror Slice Duplicate Duplicate Mirror Flip Duplicate Multiply Mirror Duplicate Mirror Multiply Mirror Mirror Slice Duplicate Stack + + Stack Duplicate Flip Multiply Slice Mirror Stack Stack Multiply Flip Duplicate Mirror Duplicate Duplicate Mirror Duplicate Mirror Slice Duplicate Duplicate Mirror Flip Duplicate Multiply Mirror Duplicate Mirror Multiply Mirror Mirror Slice Duplicate Stack + + Stack Duplicate Flip Multiply Slice Mirror Stack + Stack Multiply Flip Duplicate Mirror Duplicate VOLUME & AGGERGATION STUDIES DEVELOPMENT + Inital Aggregation Modified Aggregation Sliced Aggregation Scale and Stretch

and Rotate

Slice

Units are formed by Aggergation Studies.

Mini Unit is formed by the negative space of Macro Unit.

All Units are either flipped, rotated or mirrored.

Number of Units: 8

UNIT CONFIGURATION

Number of Units: 4

MACRO UNIT PLAN (COUPLE) - LEVEL 1 1FL+0000mm SCALE 1:100 X4 X3 X2 X1 Y1 Y2 Y1 Y2 MACRO UNIT PLAN (COUPLE) - LEVEL 2 2FL+3000mm A B MINI UNIT PLAN (SOHO) - 1FL+0000mm SCALE 1:100 A Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 X1 X2 X3 X4 SCALE 1:100 MICRO UNIT PLAN (SINGLE) - LEVEL 2 2FL+3000mm MICRO UNIT PLAN (SINGLE) - LEVEL 1 1FL+0000mm SCALE 1:100 B A

Level 1: 15

Level 2: 25

Total

UNIT CONFIGURATION

m2

Area: 40 m2

SCALE 1:100

MACRO UNIT PLAN (COUPLE) - LEVEL 1 1FL+0000mm SCALE 1:100 SCALE 1:100 Y2 Y1 Y2 MACRO UNIT PLAN (COUPLE) - LEVEL 2 2FL+3000mm A B MINI UNIT PLAN (SOHO) - 1FL+0000mm SCALE 1:100 A Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 Y1 SCALE 1:100 MICRO UNIT PLAN (SINGLE) - LEVEL 2 2FL+3000mm MICRO UNIT PLAN (SINGLE) - LEVEL 1 1FL+0000mm SCALE 1:100 B A Level 1: 40 m2 Level 2: 33 m2 Total Area: 73 m2

14 Total

Number of Units:

Area: 73 m2

MACRO UNIT (COUPLE) - SECTION B

(COUPLE) - SECTION B

MACRO UNIT (COUPLE) - SECTION B

SCALE 1:100

MINI UNIT (SOHO) - SECTION A

SCALE 1:100

MINI UNIT (SOHO) - SECTION A

SCALE 1:100

MICRO UNIT (SINGLE) - SECTION B

SCALE 1:100

MICRO UNIT (SINGLE) - SECTION B

SCALE 1:100

1

MICRO UNIT (SINGLE) - SECTION A

MACRO UNIT (COUPLE) - SECTION A

(COUPLE) - SECTION A

MACRO UNIT (COUPLE) - SECTION A

SCALE 1:100

SCALE 1:100

1

SECTIONS WITH TENKEI STUDIES

Physical Model - Macro Unit Physical Model - Mini Unit Adaption of Tenkei Studies 2 Adaption of Tenkei Studies 2

SECTIONS WITH TENKEI STUDIES

Physical Model - Micro Unit Tenkei Studies Tenkei Studies 2 Adaption of Tenkei Studies

FACADE DESIGN

Wind Circulation is the secondary site response design.

The ground level is a Micro Void that is elevated to allow better air flow throughout the building. Air is being channeled into the middle Macro Void to bring better air flow into every level.

This is achieved through the angled positioning of the pillars to supplement air flow from all directions.

At the same time, the positions of the pillars, together with the water feature at the ground level, provide passers-by with an upward visual to notice the spilt gap (Marco Void) within the building itself.