coyweng :): Design Studio 3 : Genius Loci - Visitor Interpretive Center

So it has come to a point where its the final project for Semester 3 of my degree program over taylor university here... I decided to do something fun and try to start using some of the eco green elements into the design (hmm it happens to suits the site there). I guess i overdone the board in term of graphic again... but nevertheless, behold for an exaggerating design proposal yea :)

The overall idea and design brief objective is to express the genius loci of the location. while apparently the site assigned to us are Pulau Jerejak, which is a place with a few notable historical value for it being used to detain prisoner and leprosy patients. The island has been used as an defensive mechanism for the community all the time due its geographical properties, which is an island.

Island, with its definition from wiki are :
"An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water."

-Given that nature condition(advantage) of the terrain, the large waterbody are seen as an medium to quarantine and keep those people who are not socially accepted, who are found guilty or threatening to the community away from the social cycle. Thus to represent the isolation and spirits of the island, here comes "The Floating Island" design proposal.
-It just happens that the chosen site for the Visitor Interpretive Center has the least tree as seen on google satelite map on the entire island, therefore the idea of adding plantation in the building to show even the green are isolating the green within the building.

Furthermore I was hoping to do some sort of a vertical prison or a theme of "an island in an island, and island in an island in an island" kind of building, which will be further shown in the board.

Following are the final board produced for the presentation:

*The presentation requirement are 3-4 A1. (click into the image to view full resolution for the board)
Board 1:

Board 2:

Board 3:

Board 4:

The Full Board :

The other perspective images:

some of the work in progress and mid crit presentation materials :

something i would like to archive in the early stage of design

how it looks like from the external

the schematic design stage where the programme are thought of, altho the design changed later on but the program idea and spaces arrangement are still the same

Board 2 of the schematic design board

Sketches to comprehend the kind of feeling wanted to show in every exhibition spaces in the building

more sketches

This is the part where it reached almost the last 3 week of tutorial whereby a fast model has been produced to visualize the idea of an island in an island, above are site plan and the plans

the longitudinal elevation

the cross elevation

the sections

earlier on the structure are facing towards in.. which had been refined and altered outwards with an added tree structure to make the whole building seemingly looking more towards nature, perhaps matching the overall scheme more.

added a leaves skylight in the central too, to add a kind of forestry shadow the the interior and filter/slow down the rain fall in hope that the rain will fall elegantly into the rainwater collector below, providing a nice scene for the interior.

The main perspective, in the progress

visualizing the exhibition space.

one could perhaps notice that the exhibition space all around the building are maintain in a certain sloping all around and wonder why. The main idea is to retain that original gradual sloping contour on the site to create a more closer feeling of the building being lifted up from the ground. Furthermore I wanted to show that the whole experience that all the people once kept on the island are wasn't that comfortable after all and definitely not an enjoyable process. One may find his way walking hard up the sloping to view the exhibition area, one might enjoy a easier way walking down the sloping to view the exhibition area, given that it is just the same island, one may live it in a hard way while one would choose to appreciate it and enjoy the moment to the fullest given with that harsh situation of being isolated.