Taylor’sUniversity
Bachelor Of Science (Honours) in Architecture
ArchitecturalDesignII(ARC603080)
I Assignment 1 II Assignment 2
Assignment I
TheReally UsefulStaircase
REFLECTION
Duringthe"ReallyUsefulStaircase"assignment,Irealized thatourgroupfacedmanymisunderstandingswitheach other.Thetaskwastodesignastaircaseona45-degree slope,whichwasquitechallengingbecausewehadtothink carefullyaboutfunction,safety,andcreativityatthesame time.Atthesametime,Iwasdealingwithaseriouspersonal problem,whichmadeitevenharderformetostayfocused andcontributeeffectively.
Throughthisassignment,Ilearnedhowtoanalyzethesite conditionsbetterandhowtheslopeinfluencedourdesign choices.Ialsounderstoodtheimportanceofproper measurementsandplanningtomakethestaircasepractical andaccessible.Workingthroughourmisunderstandings taughtmethevalueofclearcommunication,teamwork,and howdifferentideascancometogethertocreateastronger design.
Balancingthisprojectwithmypersonalproblemhelpedme buildresilienceandimprovemytimemanagement.Overall, thisassignmentdidn’tjustteachmeaboutdesigninga staircaseonasteepslope,butalsoaboutteamwork, patience,andproblem-solvinginrealsituations.
I also learned about editing a video for this assignment. Since we had to present our staircase design clearly, I needed to create a video that explained our concept and showed the details effectively. This experience taught me new skills in video editing, such as organizing clips, adding annotations, and timing transitions to match our explanation. It was challenging at first, but it helped me communicate our ideas better and made the presentation more engaging.
AssignmentII
DiagrammingPrecedentPrinciples
REFLECTION
Through this assignment, I explored the architectural logic of the Tetrapod on Stilt Studio by breaking it down into key principles through diagramming. By studying its form, structure, circulation, and spatial relationships, I learned how to communicate ideas visually and abstractly. This process helped me understand not just what the building looks like, but why it was designed that way. Diagramming forced me to think critically and simplify complex information, which made the design clearer and easier to read. Overall, this task improved both my analytical thinking and my ability to use diagrams as a design language.
CONCEPT
CompressedGeometrics:ForcingDoubleTakesby DistortingPlatonicShapes
Theconceptofcompressedgeometricsdistorts tradionalPlatonicshapes,suchassquaresand triangles,intodynamic,angularformsBymanipulating basicgeometricshapes,thedesigncreates avisualtensionthatforcestheviewertore-examine thestructure,enticingthemtotakeasecond look.Thesharpanglesandoverlappingplanesblur theboundariesbetweensimplicityand complexity,whichsparkcuriosity.This transformationofformdefiesconvention, producingaspace thatfeelssimultaneouslystructuredanddynamic, deliveringarichvisualexperiencewhilestill stayingrootedbybasicgeometricfoundations.
AssignmentIII
BachAtTheGibbonRetreat
REFLECTION
WhileworkingontheGibbonRetreathouseproject,I focusedonmynarrativeaboutspendingtimewithmy dad.Myideawastocreateasmall,cozyhousewherewe couldenjoyquietmomentstogether.Thisprojecthelped methinkabouthowdesigncanreflectpersonal memoriesandfeelings,notjustfunction. Ilearnedhowtoshapespacesthatfeelcomfortableand welcoming,liketheopenareasforlightandthesimple layoutthatmadethehouseeasytomovearound.This experiencetaughtmethatarchitecturecanbedeeply personal,anditremindedmewhyIwantedtodesignin thefirstplacetocreatespacesthatholdmeaningand connecttorealmomentsinlife.
REFLECTION
Narrative
Home Again
This all started with a memory. I just wanted a place where I could be with my dad again just us, like before. Nothing fancy. Just time together. The house is small. It’s quiet, full of light, and feels calm. There’s a spot where we could sit, talk, or not say anything at all. Sometimes just being near someone is enough. I didn’t think about big architecture ideas or complicated shapes. I just wanted to make something that felt honest. Something that felt like him. Because if he’s there even just in memory it already feels like home.
That’s why I made it open.
From the bedroom, I can see almost the whole house. It makes everything feel connected, like I’m never too far from him. It’s the kind of space where we could laugh, rest, or just be, away from the loud, fast world outside. This place... it’s not perfect. But it’s mine. And in it, he’s still with me. That’s all I really needed.
WhatiDidn’t achievewhichi wishihad?
I feel disappointed that I didn’t reach the potential I know I have. Since I was still doing everything manually and didn’t use tools like SketchUp or Revit, the process became extremely slow and tiring. I spent so much time on drawings and models that I couldn’t fully explore all my ideas or refine my design the way I wanted to. It felt like I was always behind, and it was frustrating knowing that my concept could have been shown more clearly if I had the right skills and software. This made me feel upset because I know I could have done better, but I was limited by my own abilities. It was disheartening to see others present their work faster and in a more polished way, while I struggled to keep up. This experience made me realize how much I need to grow and how important it is to learn digital tools so I don’t feel this same frustration again.
HowIPlanTo OvercomeThatIn theNextSemester?
I hope that you will give me a chance so I can show how much I am able to improve and grow. I plan to focus on learning digital tools like SketchUp and Revit so I can work more efficiently and present my ideas in a clearer and more professional way. I know this will take time and effort, but I am ready to commit myself to practice and learn step by step.
I also want to combine these tools with my manual skills so I can create better results without feeling so limited. By doing this, I believe I will be able to save time, explore more design options, and refine my concepts to a higher standard. I am determined to overcome this setback, and I want to prove to both myself and my tutor that I am capable of improving and reaching my true potential.
ToDrIanNg
Thankyousomuchforalltheadviceand supportyou’vegivenme.Youhavereally helpedboostmyconfidenceandmademe believethatIcanimprovestepbystep.I trulyappreciatehowyouencouragedme toseethattraditionaldesigncanbe combinedwithmodernideas,andhow youremindedmethatthemost importantthingisalwaysthefunction first.
Yourguidancehasalsohelpedmeturn mybaddesignintoabetterone.By followingyouradvice,Ilearnedhowto simplifymyideas,focusonwhattruly matters,andmakemyworkmore practicalandmeaningful.Becauseof yourfeedback,Icanseehowmuchmy designhasimproved,anditmotivatesme tokeeplearningandgrowingevenmore.
OverallReflection
Thissemesterhasbeenachallengingbutmeaningful experienceforme.Fromtheearlyassignmentstothe GibbonRetreatproject,Ilearnednotonlyabout architecturebutalsoaboutmyselfasastudent. Workingondifferenttaskstaughtmehowdesignisnot justaboutappearance,butaboutfunction,purpose, andpersonalmeaning.Mynarrativeaboutmydad remindedmehowarchitecturecanholdmemoriesand emotions,whichmademyprojectsfeelmoreconnected andreal.
Ialsofacedmanystruggles,especiallywithtime managementandworkingmanuallywithoutusing digitaltools.Itwasfrustratingtoseehowthisslowed downmyprogress,andattimes,itmademefeellikeI wasn’treachingmyfullpotential.However,withthe guidanceofmytutors,especiallyDr.Ian,Ibeganto understandhowtosimplifymyideas,focusonfunction first,andeventurnbaddesignsintobetterones.His adviceaboutcombiningtraditionalandmodern elementsreallyopenedmyeyestonewpossibilities. Throughtheseexperiences,Igainedmoreconfidence andlearnedtoseeeverymistakeasasteptoward improvement.Iplantobuildonthisbylearningdigital toolsnextsemestersoIcanworkfasterandpresentmy ideasmoreclearly.Overall,thissemestertaughtme resilience,patience,andtheimportanceofguidance, andithasmotivatedmetokeepimprovingandgrowing