Saturday, November 9, 2013

PROJECT 5:

SENSE OF PLACE: NEIGHBOURHOOD & COMMUNITY



INTRODUCTION

All man-made structures must be designed to suit the people, climate and site where it is located. A house for instance, should be designed not only with its occupants’ needs in mind, but must also consider its surrounding environment and the larger community. This is because several houses that are collectively located in one vicinity  will indirectly form a neighbourhood area, where each individual unit is ‘linked’ with each other and in turn, affects the local population. In the modern era, where the population is denser and the demand for quality living is higher, a well-planned neighbourhood area like a housing scheme is a more appropriate type of settlement to suit those situations. However, to create a sustainable and liveable neighbourhood area, every single element of neighbourhood planning like effective movement networks, appropriate size and locations of public spaces, facilities, amenities, services and the whole layout plan should be planned and designed holistically, because the real value of the neighbourhood lies in its people, and a good neighbourhood fosters a sense of belonging and safety. Neighbourhood design and street layout are also important to consider. The relationships between buildings, streets and open spaces form the urban fabric help give a neighbourhood its physical identity. So, observing and assessing the current conditions of these elements in the existing neighbourhood areas is indeed very important, not only for us to learn about our good practices and initiatives so far in planning and designing our neighbourhoods, but more importantly for us to plan for future neighbourhoods.

OBJECTIVES

§  To enhance students’ understanding of basic elements and components of neighbourhood planning through their observation of the existing neighbourhood area.
§  To enhance students’ understanding of the main physical and non-physical factors that should be considered in planning and designing a layout plan for neighbourhood area.
§  To expose the students with basic planning technical knowledge.
§  To enhance students’ ability in critically analysing the common issues of neighbourhood or residential area development, especially in terms of site context, human and community needs and the possible effect of the development to its surroundings.
§  To expose students to the task of gathering information from local authorities and incorporating relevant information in their planning-related studio projects.
§  To improve students’ skills in analytical thinking, observing, sketching, rendering, colouring, writing description and composing graphical images.


TASKS & REQUIREMENTS

For both Project 5a & 5b, each student need to choose one of these 6 neighbourhood areas from the list below:

1)       Bayan Residences, Relau, Penang
2)       Sunway Mutiara, Batu Maung, Penang
3)       Sunway Bukit Gambier, Penang
4)       Siara 81, Sg. Ara, Penang
5)       Sunway Merica, Sg. Ara, Penang
6)       Setia Greens, Sg. Ara, Penang

Students need to make a self-visit (in group) to the chosen area to observe and gather relevant information about the components or elements of the neighbourhood area. The results from the observation and the collected information then will be analyzed and presented graphically in Project 5a and 5b.

Project 5a: Neighbourhood Elements: Existing Condition

§  On A2-size presentation board, students should draw the Key Plan (NTS – Not To Scale), the Location Plan (NTS) and the Layout Plan of the chosen neighbourhood area in scale (1:500, 1:750 or any appropriate scale).
§  For the layout plan, students should indicate the exact name and dimension (size) of all neighbourhood element observed in the chosen area as follows:
i)                     Movement Network
-          Vehicular Circulation: Type of street (street hierarchy) with its dimensions (size)
-          Pathways for Pedestrian, Cyclist and Disabled
ii)                   Lot Layout
-          Name or type of building (bungalow, semi-d, terrace etc.), lot size and setback, plot ratio, access and road reserve
iii)                  Public Open Space
iv)                  Public Facilties and Amenities
-          Lot size and setback of each community facilities e.g. surau, multipurpose hall, kindergarten or nursery, food court, etc
v)                    Landscape and Street Furniture.

§  Using arrow leaders and annotated sketches or photos, students should explain in further detail the existing condition of the neighbourhood elements observed.
§  Students should use the appropriate planning colour for each neighbourhood element on the layout plan.
§  On the same layout plan, students should also show the basic physical and environmental aspects of the site (neighbourhood area) chosen like sun path, prevailing wind direction, vistas and vegetation.
§  The title of the project should be written in the bottom of the board, as well as student’s particulars (name, group number, major, name of studiomaster etc.).

Project 5b: Neighbourhood Elements: Proposed Improvement

§  Based on the self-visit to the chosen neighbourhood area (where its current condition is presented in Project 5a), students should propose some suggestions to improve the physical and non-physical conditions of the neighbourhood area by presenting it graphically in the Project 5b.
§  By using annotated sketches and some descriptions (hand-written), students should make some suggestions for the improvement of:
i)                     Movement Network (vehicular circulation, pathways for pedestrian, cyclist and disabled etc.)
ii)                   Lot Layout
iii)                  Public Open Space
iv)                  Public Facilities and Amenities
v)                   Landscape and Street Furniture.
§  Proposals and suggestions for area improvement can be made in terms of location, size, accessibility, vistas, comfort and user friendliness, safety and security, aestheticsl factor, privacy; strengthening cultural and local identity; improving social, economic and environmental sustainability, or any aspect deemed necessary for the betterment of the neighbourhood area.
§  Students may suggest some additional simple structures, landscape or street furniture to be provided in strategic locations in the neighbourhood area to make it more liveable and interesting place to live in.
§  All of the sketches (monochrome or coloured) and descriptions should be composed in one A2 size board. Photos are not allowed for this Project 5b.

§  The title of the project should be written in the bottom of the board, as well as student’s particulars (name, group number, major, name of studiomaster etc.).



oh my GOD this project put me in a real shock I don't understand and I have absolutely zero background about it.
first I went with my friend to the site to do some analysis and write notes. I chose Sunway Merica as my site.  and then I had to start gathering information, ask the seniors, read and learn about the requirement it was really difficult because by the time I understand this project there was no time to finish it and I put 100 % effort on this project and I still can't believe that I could manage to finish it. I cried a lot when I was doing this project because accidentally some red water colour splashed on the paper and it was really hard trying to fix it I finished it only 5 minutes before the class
this is the final result of my project





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