Phenomenology - Chin Yi Hong 1001542729

  Phenomenology  

" Everyday experience moreover tells us that different actions need different environments to take place in a satisfactory way , " by Christian Norburg-Shulz .  

Phenomenology  of place is about experience , awareness and sensibility of human . A place will be given a soul to satisfy the needs of the specific area . Only the person who has been in there can feel the phenomenology . It depends on human lifestyle with every possible elements within the area . It includes the natural and man-made environment such as trees or buildings , and also the nature phenomenon such as day and night . It also involves the light , the sound , the wind , the human activities or any other elements related to human sensibility . For examples , how the wind flow or shading device will bring comfort , how the texture of materials been used will bring aesthetic effect etc . 

  Space & Place  

Derived from phenomenology , there is the terms 'space' and 'place' . They are interrelated but yet differed from each other .

Space  is more into three-dimensional , mathematical and abstracted . As Christian Norburg-Shulz said , " space as three-dimensional geometry, and space as perceptual field  " , space is amorphous and intangible . 

There is an element within the space , it makes sense to specify the use of the space . It is common in architecture and the most important element to be concerned . We call it —— A Person . A person is the one who experiences and senses the occurrence within a space and derives it into a 'place' . 

Place  is about sensibility and memory of human . It is substantive and closely connected to human daily activities and emotions . When a space has a specific element , it will become a place . 

  Genius Loci  

The spirit of place , which is also the specific element of the place . It literally means genius of place . It is used to describe places that are deeply memorable for their architectural and experiential qualities (phenomenology) . With the concern of this , it specifies the characteristic of the place , making it become different from the others . In general , it is the soul of the place like the soul in human too which making us unique and irreplaceable . 


  Design Project  

In this project , we are going to adaptive reuse a 1956's building beside the Jalan Loke Yew by reinstalling a new program to create insightful and innovative designs to preserve the building into a public building with co-working space , commercial spaces and residential-studio that engage with the existing and future communities .
It is interrelated to the phenomenology , especially the phenomenology of place . 

Key Map

Separated by the junction in between which are Jalan Loke Yew and Jalan Sungai Besi , there are 4 parcels for us to analysis . We have figured out the issues within the parcels in groups . Thus , instead of focusing on adaptive reuse , we have to solve the issues at first . 
In conclusion ,  the issues between 4 parcels are :

• lack of connection between parcels 
• lack of natural elements

By considering these issues , I would like to make the building become more commercial and natural . In addition , to make it become an attractive spot to gather people from 4 parcels . Hence , my program is Bonsai Art Station .

First of all , I would like to briefly talk about Bonsai Art . 

Nature and Art

Bonsai Art is kind of gardening combined with artistic elements . It derives from Chinese culture which is also related to the site as Chinese is the main population at there . 

The reason I choose Bonsai Art gardening as my program is to minimize the issues within the area and develop a further usage for the building .

With its double functions , Bonsai Art can be :

• a gardening program to insert the natural elements 
• an art to be commercial by attracting people to gather around .  

Front facade

Interior facade

Courtyard

Courtyard

Ground Floor Plan

 Lim Chong Construction 

As a 1956's building , it has a lot of memorable elements within itself . Thus , I decide to remain the 3 facades , courtyard and also the spiral staircases within the courtyard . These are the memories of last generation that cannot be erased although it has been adaptive reused in future . That is what a 'place' concerns about —— memory and sensibility . 

First of all , I come out my form which related to my project 2 proposal by considering the space planning .

Project 2 —— Modular system 

Concept : Jenga 

Form

I form my building by using the concept of Jenga . I create voids beside the facades to make a "space within space" feeling . I remain the 3 facades but change the function of them as the ventilation blocks to allow wind flowing and light penetrating and yet I decide to create a double facade within the building to enhance the visual effect of urban front yard . 

Facade remained for ventilation and light penetration .
Columns and beams remained to be pergola allowing the climbing plants to climb on it . 

Double facades refer to D6 sentul which giving aesthetic effect and allowing wind to penetrate . 

Space planning 

Ground Floor planning

Ground Floor 

I decide to put the main attraction which is the cafe on the ground floor to be a spot for young generation . Courtyard is the main natural environment which reacted to the concept of phenomenology . 

First Floor planning

First Floor

I would like to say that first floor is my 'Genius Loci' which specifies my design with phenomenological elements . It is all open spaces which are interrelated to each other . On the first floor of courtyard , I provide a bridge connecting the spaces . It is the soul of the building which is provided for experience , awareness and sensibility . 

For inner courtyard facades , I decide to play with the texture of wood materials to provide a natural environment . Thus , in courtyard , there is water feature on ground floor  , wooden texture which represents the trees and skylight coming on above . People are able to walk on the bridge to feel the natural environment created within this space . 

Museum of Wood

The idea refers to Museum of Wood —— Tadao Ando , which focuses on creating natural environment . 

Second Floor planning

Second Floor

Second floor is created for semi-private purpose which is the residential-studio (private) and roof garden (semi-private) . Since doing the program of Bonsai Art gardening , the designer needs a space to do the experiments or works .Thus , the roof garden is created for not only the aesthetic effect , it is also for the designers to work on their experiments on doing the Bonsai Art .

Overall , in my initial concept , I have been thinking of creating a nature within the building . Therefore , there is green elements in every floors . I decide to use raw materials such as timber and brick which brings aesthetic effect and touchable . 

What I remain :

• Facades —— ventilation , light penetration
• Courtyard —— relaxing zone 
• Columns and beams —— pergola 
• Spiral staircases —— for private (residential-studio) and semi-private (roof garden)

Towards sensibility :

• See —— Bonsai Art 
• Smell —— plants , cafe
• Touch —— materials
• Hear —— peaceful , nature
• Feel —— nature

  Place-based  &  Placelessness  

Since I list out the issues of the site , I have been trying to specify my design which adopts and adapts the previous function of the building . Instead of demolishing the facades , I choose to remain it and give it a new function . Keep to the point of adaptive reuse , instead of changing the form , I combine my modular concept with the initial form of the building . For place-based design concept , I decide to choose raw materials which related to the 1956's building and reacted to the local identity . 




In a nutshell , "to be human is to live in a world that is filled with significant places: to be human is to have and to know your place ," by E.Relph . No matter it is adaptive reuse or renovation , instead of hesitating on the form of the building , we should first understand the issues and the impacts on the site by doing site analysis and researching . My design project is still ongoing . By understanding the phenomenology , I will consider those purposes to further enhance my design . Our building is located in a place , for how it  reacts to the phenomenology , it depends on how we create the spaces within the place by considering the spatial relationship , human sensibility and emotion . 




References:

• https://www.google.com/search?q=d6+sentul&newwindow=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwilzMusnNXWAhWINI8KHRgNBUIQ_AUICygC&biw=1396&bih=690
• https://www.inexhibit.com/mymuseum/the-museum-of-wood-culture-japan-tadao-ando/
• https://www.zhihu.com/question/22012558
• http://lunwen.nangxue.com/zhexue/zhongguozhexue/201303/1362544319.html
• Christian Norburg-Shulz, Excerpts From Genius Loci: Towards A Phenomenology Of Architecture, First Published in 1979.
• E.Relph, Excerpts From Place And Placelessness, Frist Published in 1976.
• Kathryn Moore, Genius Loci: Hidden Truth Or Hidden Agenda, First Published in 2003