Year 2 Semester 1 Architecture Portfolio

Choo Qing Yuan AY 2017/18 Semester 1 AR2101 Design 3

Choo Qing Yuan AY 2017/18 Semester 1 AR2101 Design 3

Content

Projects A Tropical Roof

by Choo Qing Yuan, Lim Zhi Xuan & Vivienne Kang Min

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Juxtaposition

by Choo Qing Yuan

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Acknowledgements

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A Tropical Roof

by Choo Qing Yuan, with Lim Zhi Xuan & Vivienne Kang Min 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.

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A Tropical Roof

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.

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Juxtaposition

by Choo Qing Yuan

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.

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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

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Acknowledgements Erik L’Heureux Design Tutor, Associate Professor Lim Zhi Xuan & Vivienne Kang Min A Tropical Roof Groupmates ELH Studiomates Fun and Support

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Acknowledgements

AR2101 Design 3, AY 17/18 Sem 1 Department of Architecture School of Design and Environment