Architecture Portfolio 2020

CHOO QING YUAN ar c hit e ct u r e p o r t f oli o

n at i on a l university of singapore

Content

Projects 3 + 2 = 1 Year 4 Semester 2 The Parasol Year 3 Semester 2

Juxtaposition Year 2 Semester 1 Container

Year 2 Semester 2 Accommodation for the Urban Nomads Year 3 Semester 1 Laneway Lights

Year 2 Semester 2 A Tropical Roof

Year 2 Semester 1

3+2=1 AY 2019/20 Semester 1 AR5802 Design 8

3+2=1

by Choo Qing Yuan The premise of this project focuses on the in depth research of Mies van der Rohe’s architecture, particularly the New National Gallery in Berlin (NNG). As an extension to the existing NNG, the task was to create an annex museum directly across it on an empty site.

Prior to the start of the actual design, tenkei workshops were conducted as spatial studies, particularly on concepts such as ‘public and semi-public spaces’, ‘box in a box (space within a space)’, and ‘space one can go, space one cannot go’.

The main concept of the project deals with the idea of overlapping spaces. The museum consists of 3 volumes, where the main gallery (universal space) is intersected with 2 other volumes, a sunken pavilion and an enclosed elevated platform. These intersected volumes then create new transitional spaces. The Annex museum is placed diagonally on site to provide vantage points towards important landmarks on its facades. Its diagonal grid is also an extension of the original NNG grid.

The spaces that one cannot go are defined as the management spaces that are inaccessible to visitors. The idea is also displayed through the vertical relationship of the museum levels: Ground Level as gallery space (space one can go), and second storey as storage and management spaces (space one cannot go).

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Ground Level

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TenkeiTENKEI Workshop 2: Box2: in within a space) WORKSHOP Boxainbox a box(Space (Space within a space)

Tenkei Workshop 3: Space one can go, space one cannot go

The Parasol AY 2018/19 Semester 2 AR3102 Design 6

SERVED & SERVANT SPACES

The Parasol

by Choo Qing Yuan My project aims to re-explore the concept and the atmosphere of a secondhand market in its own primitive form - flea markets that originate along road sides. In Singapore, the most prominent flea market is likely the Sungei Road thieves market, and its main distinctive and attractive part of the market is that vendors are able to colonise the road and set up their own stalls. The format of the stall is simple: A parasol, and a mat on the ground to display their secondhand goods.

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My project seeks to explore how to recreate the atmosphere of open-air flea market in the setting of a building compound, such that the experience of the outdoor and community spirit is not lost but enhanced, and at the same time provide a space for the community to come together for some exchange of secondhand goods.

In my scheme, I have adapted the idea of a individual stall from the flea market, which comes from the simple idea of setting up a parasol to indicate their presence.

The main structure consists of a canvas canopy that is retractable for different environmental or atmospheric conditions. In the day, the canvas can be partially extended to provide some shading and at the same time allow the plants within the building to absorb enough sunlight. Whereas at night, the canvas can then be fully retracted to reveal the night sky, such that users are able to stargaze and enjoy the atmosphere of an open night market.

The building also caters to users that come at different times of the day. In the daytime, the reuse furniture showroom will be open to the public for showcase.

The showroom, much like the other parts of the building, is kept open and porous.

Back-of-house spaces are congregated on one side of the building to minimise the disruption of the human circulation among the spaces.

SERVED SERVANT

PROGRAM MASSING

In the evening, the space will then transform into a festive night market to cater to people returning from work, and that is also when the indoor furniture can be restocked and rearranged for next day’s business.

Spatially, the furniture are categorised based on their sizes and the nature of each item, as well as the way the goods are exchanged or sold.The central foyer is sunken marketplace where vendors can set up their individual stalls. Kiosk shelves are also available for the exchange of secondhand items. Large furniture are displayed in the showroom in 2nd storey. The rooftop garden is a space where not only allows users to rest, but also showcases reuse outdoor furniture. To acknowledge the road that the main entrance faces, there are two projected volumes for display of key furniture, which can be interpreted like treehouses as a nod to the dense greenery at the surrounding.

3RD STOREY OUTDOOR FURNITURE SHOWCASE

2ND STOREY REUSE FURNITURE SHOWROOM FOOD MARKET TALK/DEMO

1ST STOREY OPEN MARKETPLACE SECONDHAND GOODS KIOSK BUYING & PACKING ADMINISTRATION TOILET WORKSHOP

As for materials and building system, the building is constructed with a column and slab system, where a secondary material, canvas, will be the element which allows for disassembly and prefabrication. Each piece of canvas are produced of standard dimensions. Canvas is also used for building envelope, for both shelter and facade.

The facade, in coherence with overall design language, operates like an accordion, which opens up the space much like how the canopy retracts to provide an open-air atmosphere to the space. The flexibility of the envelope system therefore blurs the boundary of indoor vs outdoor, as well as private and public space.

BASEMENT FURNITURE SHOWROOM 1 FURNITURE SHOWROOM 2 BUYING & PACKING

SECTION B-B

Studio CLR

Section A-A

Studio CLR

FURNITURE DISPLAY PROJECTION 1

FURNITURE DISPLAY PROJECTION 1

DETAIL OF FOLDING LOUVER TRACK TOP PIVOT SOCKET TOP PIVOT HINGE

CANVAS SHELTER

WIRE MESH RAILING

RAILING

TIMBER DECK

TIMBER BEAM STEEL SUPPORT BRACKET

BOTTOM PIVOT TIMBER BEAM TIMBER DECK STEEL SUPPORT BRACKET

CANVAS ACCORDION LOUVERS

SECTION OF BASEMENT PLANTING

RETRACTABLE CANVAS CANOPY

DETAIL OF CONNECTING JOINTS OF SUPPORTING COLUMNS

FULLY COVERED CANOPY

FULLY RETRACTED CANOPY

CUSTOM (PARTIALLY RETRACTED CANVAS)

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1ST STOREY LEGEND 1. OPEN MARKETPLACE 2. BUYING AND TEMPORARY STORAGE AREA 3. ADMINISTRATION OFFICE 4. WORKSHOP 5. SECONDHAND GOODS KIOSK 6. TOILET

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FURNITURE SHOWROOM FOOD MARKET TALK/DEMO FURNITURE DISPLAY PROJECTION 1 FURNITURE DISPLAY PROJECTION 2

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Juxtaposition AY 2017/18 Semester 1 AR2101 Design 3

Juxtaposition Year 2 Semester 1

My visit to the Dairy Farm Quarry was a journey of arduous trekking in and out of the forest, up and down the muddy mountain biking trail.Yet, I was intrigued by the constant interchange between entering and exiting an enclosed forest path from the open field, and vice versa. This fascinating juxtaposition of the enclosed and the vast then became the main driving force behind my project.

Leaving any contextual knowledge of the site behind, the project started off with the exploration of modular aggregations using just two materials - greyboard and wax.

To maximise the permutations of tessellation, each module comprised a L-shaped wax component, where they were then aggregated through interfacing the wax surfaces in different orientations. Architecturally, the material properties of the wax and greyboard were then translated into concrete and cross-laminated timber (CLT) respectively. The cast-in-situ concrete acts as a interconnected structural support system, which would then facilitate the construction of the CLT panels to accommodate for sleeping, cleaning and communal spaces.

Interestingly, the challenge of dealing with the contrasting materialities of wax and greyboard has provided an unexpected relationship between the model, eventually the architecture, and the site. Wax and concrete, as volumetric materials, can be carved to create spaces and openings, much like the act of quarry excavation. On the other hand, the planar properties of greyboard and CLT allow for the creation of enclosed spaces through joining the edges of planes, resembling the natural formation of enclosed paths within the site’s forest.

Located at the southwest region of the quarry, the eco-lodge overlooks the vast open field and enjoys optimum climate conditions, but it does not simply exclude itself from the surrounding environment. The erection of this man-made structure onto an empty field inevitably forces a newfound disparity between the “natural� and the artificial, reminiscing the existing form of the site as a result of human intervention. Its proximity to the west entrance also indicates an obvious invitation to the lodge.

In relation to site contexts and activities, my probe into the juxtaposition of the open and the enclosed was achieved through three levels of formal porosity. On an environmental scale, the two separate units of lodge forms a negative space of a snake-patterned trail, which encourages the integration of mountain biking into the program of the lodge. Pockets of open spaces were also introduced to accommodate outdoor communal activities. On the architectural scale, stack and cross ventilation is optimised through the carving of the concrete structure to create air gaps and openings. On a human scale, the open concept of each building unit allows increased accessibility across the entire site through entering and exiting the units, thereby allowing users to experience the transition between the indoor and the outdoor space.

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LEGEND: CLT: CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER 1. CAST-ON-SITU CONCRETE 2. PRIMARY CLT ROOF 3. SECONDARY CLT ROOF (REPLACABLE) 4. TIMBER RAFTERS 5. CLT LOAD-BEARING WALLS 6. CONCRETE DRAINAGE SYSTEM 7. WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE 8. CLT MEZZANINE PLATFORM 9. GRAVEL 10. EARTH

Container AY 2017/18 Semester 2 AR2102 Design 4

Container

Year 2 Semester 2 A thorough site visit and around the neighbourhoods along the Kallang River brought about my attention to the need to take action for a neglected environmental concern, recycling, which severely lacks in community involvement. The existing recycling programme within the HDBs, which consists only of one commingled recycling bin per block has led to gradual ignorance among the residents. Given such convenient dumping grounds, most residents are in fact unaware of the exact recyclable materials. Instead, little items in the recycling bins ended up being recycled.

Hence, rather than relying on the government and industries to take over their responsibilities, individuals and the community ought to step in and play a greater role in the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and understand the consequences and severity of their actions to the environment. Besides the 3Rs, the concept of upcycling should also be promoted in order to work towards a minimal-waste lifestyle.

The proposed C4, a centre for recycling and upcycling, will include two community-managed sorting facilities, where materials from the neighbourhood recycling bins will be transported to and sorted by the residents themselves, and visitors will also get to learn more about the process of recycling. To provide a creative perspective on upcycling, an artist studio will be introduced where interested artists are free to participate in creating recycled art and installation around the site. The artists will also be given the opportunity to collaborate with skilled senior citizens to conduct upcycling workshops as a program for the visitors. To promote community interaction, a flea market will be set up such that nearby residents can trade in their used household items for secondhand goods which are of greater use to them.

In line with the centre’s program, recycled shipping containers have been chosen as the main material for the building to minimise the building carbon footprint.

Each shipping container (40ft High Cube Container) serves as a module, where they would be aggregated and stacked to create overhang walkways, corridors and roof decks. To increase the porosity across the structure, parts of the containers’ corrugated steel walls will be cut out to create double volume and ventilation spaces. These excess materials are then re-utilised for additional structural support on other parts of the architecture to reduce the amount of waste generated.

To optimise shade and ventilation, the structure is carefully composed and oriented within the site, which is framed by robust trees with large canopies. On the building scale, north-south facing façades are designed as large openings to allow natural ventilation through the north-south prevailing winds. Within the building, additional stack ventilation can be achieved through the use of double volume spaces that facilitates the cooling of the indoor environment.

On the envelope scale, excess cut-outs of the containers are reutilised to create brise soleil and shelters for open spaces. At the entrance, the corrugated structure at the reception area is replaced with glass façades, therefore excessive solar exposure is mitigated by the use of double volume louvre structure that reduces heat gain and also allow light to penetrate. The windows facing the east-west orientation are treated with long and narrow openings, creating rhythmic shadow patterns consistent with the language of the louvres.

40 FT HIGH CUBE CONTAINER

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TYPES OF SPACES COMMUNITY WORKSHOP SORTING FACILITY ARTIST STUDIO ART GALLERY CAFE FLEA MARKET

FINAL BUILDING FORM

PAPER/ CARDBOARD

PLASTICS

WOOD SCRAPS

GLASS BOTTLES

METAL/ E-WASTE

SORTING FACILITY RECEPTION

SORTING FACILITY (BULKY ITEMS)

USED FABRICS

METAL CANS REPAIR CENTRE

FLEA MARKET

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INFORMATION CENTRE & EXHIBITION

TOOLS WORKSHOP

CAFE

OUTDOOR CAFE SPACE

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OUTDOOR UPCYCLING WORKSHOP SPACE

ARTIST STUDIO/ UPCYCLING WORKSHOP

OUTDOOR ART STUDIO SPACE

ART GALLERY

OUTDOOR ART GALLERY

LEVEL 3

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Accommodation for the Urban Nomads AY 2018/19 Semester 1 AR3101 Design 5

SHOPHOUSE

BUILT TYPOLOGIES

TELECOM SHOP

HARDWARE SHOP

SHOPHOUSE VOID

NEW ESTABLISHMENTS

INDIAN HERITAGE CENTRE

HOTEL 81

ALL INDIA SUPERMART

UNBUILT TYPOLOGIES

COW PARK

ELEPHANT PARK

Site Analysis

CORNER SHOPHOUSE

GROCERY STORE

BACKPACKERS’ INN

COFFEE SHOP

CO-SHARING WORKHOUSE

CORNER VOID

TRIANGULAR VOID

VOID WITH BACK ALLEY

Accommodation for the Urban Nomads

by Choo Qing Yuan

The project aims to explore on the concept of rest in an urban setting. As a form of temporary accommodation, the architecture will serve as a rest stop for different groups of urban nomads in the city. Whether it is individualist backpackers, users in need of working space, or even migrant workers, the urban intervention aim to provide quality rest space and accommodate different rhythms of human activities without exclusions.

Situated at what used to be an underused carpark along Dickson Road, the urban project is surrounded by the most bustling streets of Little India. Across the site, there is a park with cow installations that transforms into a gathering venue for the migrant workers on the weekends. However, as with the existing urban landscape of little india, the project aims to provide quality resting space rather than take away the scarce remaining open green spaces among the densely built shophouses.

By inserting the intervention across the cow park, it will also create an unique relationship between the spaces and reactivate the park in the weekdays. As a continuation of the physical landscape, the architectural form follows the grid and arrangement of the surrounding shophouses. The result hence generated a series of blocks separated by quality alley spaces that also help link up the main road with the back alleys, increasing human circulation and activities across the site.

c o nc ep t di agr a m SHOPHOUSE grid rhythm

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shifting of grids to create green pockets within alleys

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recessing of blocks to create ‘5 ft ways’

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varying roof forms to mimic rhythm of physical landscape

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alley spaces within architecture

us e o f spac e

massing

rest: capsule hotel

work: co-working space

rest: sharehouse hostel

recreate: f & b

alleys

paved pedestrian path

greenery

bicycle lane

urban furniture

semi-outdoor rest space

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REST: COMMUNITY - SHAREHOUSE ACCOMMODATION RECREATE & WORK - F&B AND CO-WORK SPACE REST: INDIVIDUALIST - CAPSULE HOTEL WORK - CO-WORK SPACE AND OFFICES

1. SHAREHOUSE RECEPTION AREA 2. COMMON KITCHEN AND GYM 3. HOSTEL ROOMS 4. CO-SHARING WORKSPACE 5. F & B 6. TOILET 7. CAPSULE HOTEL RECEPTION 8. COMMON KITCHEN & DINING AREA 9. COMMON LOUNGE 10. CAPSULE HOTEL LOCKER AREA 11. ROOM WITH CAPSULE BEDS 12. SEMI-PRIVATE OUTDOOR RESTING AREA 13. HOTEL SERVICE AREA 14. INTERNET CAFE ( WITH PRINTING SERVICES)

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1. S H A R E H O U S E R E C R E A TI ON A R E A 2 . H O S T E L R OOMS 3. TOILET 4 . O U T D O O R R OOF TOP D E C K 5 . R O O FT O P B A R 6 . R E S T I N G L OF T F OR C O-W OR K I N G S PA C E 7 . D O U BL E VOLU ME C OR R I D OR 8. C A P S U L E H OTE L LOC K E R A R E A 9 . R O O M W I T H C A PS U LE B E D S 10 . H O T E L S E RV I C E A R E A 11. O U T D O O R V E R A N DA H 12 . E L E VA T E D N E T A R E A 13 . O FFI C E S

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L EGEN D 1 . c o n c r e t e f l at r o o f 2 . m e ta l p i t c h e d r o o f 3 . g l a s s s h e lt e r 4 . l o u v e r e d pav i l i o n s h e lt e r 5 . m e ta l s h e lt e r

Laneway Lights AY 2018/19 Semester 1 AR3223 Introduction to Urbanism

Laneway Lights Year 3 Semester 1

The prototype project unearths the potential of lighting in an urban environment in influencing human movement and behaviour. Rather than designing urban lighting from purely a pragmatic point of view, this project suggests using festive and decorative designs to liven and reinvent urban spaces, replacing the generic street lamps.

By inserting the idea of festive lights into alleyways, these underutilized public spaces are rejuvenated. The previous dim and bleak atmosphere of alleys have transformed into a welcoming one, inviting locals and tourists alike to explore and utilize these spaces. A sense of safety and ownership is also fostered.

The prototypes are designed to upcycle light bulbs and LED strips from festival periods, into new laneway lights. Solar Energy is harnessed from solar panels, installed atop the shelters of the new public benches, which will then be used to supply power to the alley lights. Three versions of prototypes were conceived with considerations that they could possibly be applied to different back alleys of Little India. Together, the colorfully lit alleyways create a whole new circulation network, previously obscured and hidden. The lit alleys can aid in wayfinding and navigation, especially for tourists. Each design focuses on adding quality lighting to a different street component of the alley, namely the walls of the shophouses, the possibility of an pavilion structure for the overhanging of lights, and the alley pavement.

Prototype 1 (Pavement Lights) is a carefully designed set of lights that reuses festival LED strip lights that lights up in two different ways, one design specially for nights of festivities and another linear design for regular nights. The lights are powered sustainably by solar panels on the roof of sheltered public benches that will be installed alongside of them. This lighting system uses mostly ambient lighting and colorful lights to create an inviting and lively atmosphere within alleys.

The prototype involves the use of a lighting system arranged in a flexible hexagonal grid that light up in various different configurations, and another series of linear lighting system that highlights the linearity of alleyways. The flexible hexagonal grid allows for various intricate lighting patterns, inspired by Indian Traditional Kolam, to be created. During festivities, the aforementioned lighting patterns will light up, allowing alleys to be part of the celebrations. On regular nights, the hexagonal grid acts as a ‘slow lane’ by creating a series of meandering lighting pattern, accentuating the characteristics of the alley and also highlighting the presence of the newly installed public furniture.

Prototype 2 (Wall Lights) is a series of mounted wall light fixtures that reuses festival LED bulbs. Similarly, it is powered by solar energy, where solar panels are also afixed upon the top of public furniture. The lighting design is based on the dimensions of the human gait which is about 600mm. At every 20 lighting intervals (which would approximate to be 20 steps), there is a sheltered bench installed. This prototype makes use of the “walls” of alleyways, to mount the lighting system, and draws attention to the characteristics and proportions of the space, by bringing one’s eyes up and down along the wall.

Prototype 3 (Pavilion Lights) aims to revitalise the back alleys by introducing colours and patterns that transform between the day and the night. To incorporate the idea of using overhead multi-coloured lights to decorate the streets, an extended pavilion structure is constructed to facilitate the hanging of disused light bulbs. The pavilion is designed with a simple grid system with truss structures placed at equal intervals along the alley. Within the individual grids of the pavilion shelter, three types of panels can be installed depending on their functions and overall spatial quality of the alley. The solid panel serves as a surface for the installation of solar panels, whereas the louvered panel functions both as a sun-shade and structure to hang the upcycled LED light bulbs. The coloured tinted glass panels, on the other hand, brings the festive atmosphere into the back alley as they cast vibrant shadows onto the dull pavements in the day.

To conclude, the prototypes are an attempt to relook at the role of light in an urban environment, revitalize the cityscape through minimal intervention, in a sustainable manner. As Jane Jacobs puts it, “Streets and their sidewalks - the main public places of a city - are its most vital organs”. The prototypes aim to improve the flow and public participation of the city, by targeting the alleys, to make Little India a more liveable environment.

Past design iterations

Regular Night Design: 1:100

Festive Design: 1:100

Interchangeable designs that switch between the 2 during festivities and normal night

L A N E WAY L I G H T S : F l o o r P l a n s

Regular Night Design: 1:300

Festive Design: 1:300

H e x a go n a l F u r n i t u re

MOISTURE GAP

CABLE NETWORK

Permutations of Kolam Motif designs along the alley

Section Detail

PAVEMENT

LED LIGHT STRIP

LIGHT CASING

Hexagonal Grid For Festive Designs inspired by Indian Kolam Motifs

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Dimensions of LED light Strips

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Hexagon Grid formed

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Pavilion Lights in the day

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A Tropical Roof AY 2017/18 Semester 1 AR2101 Design 3

A Tropical Roof Year 2 Semester 1

The design of the tropical roof followed a methodology in which the structural limits of the greyboard material were challenged.

Through a series of probes, we were made aware of the structural properties and limitations of the material. Initial probes generated a variety of 300x300x300 volumes, and eventually a 600x600 x300 model, which prioritised on the importance of preventing flexing on every surface of the greyboard volume under a series of stress tests.

Upon ensuring the inherent structural stability of our models, the notion of a roof was introduced into the design. Roof planes were to be pitched at a minimum of 45 degrees, so as to adequately respond to the tropical climate conditions. The flooring of our pavilions were also raised off the ground to mitigate against any flash flooding brought about by thunderstorms.

In addition to the formal transformations of the roof, we were also challenged to construct a roof using the truss system. The planar properties of the greyboard had to be abandoned as the dimensions of the material were to be restricted to adhere to actual sizes of timber columns and beams. Thatch was then attached onto the roof structure to provide shelter.

We opted for a more peculiar roof form in our final design; with each of the 4 pitches facing a different orientation, together with a secondary roof system. We had sought to tackle the environmental elements, including driving rain from the various sides and at the same time facilitate ventilation across the roof.