Design Portfolio
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01
c o n t e n t sconstructed memory 321 3
spatial enclosures 322 5
explorations and manisfestations 322 11
ia research studio 422 15
3
constructed memory 321
fremantle prison: female division backpackers’ accomodation
Zone 2: Partial Ground floor Plan
not to scale
Fremantle prison: female division longitudinal section
not to scale
DESIGN BRIEF: the Constructed memory studio consisted the topics of
conservation, restoration, adaptive re-use and reinterpretation. a site survey and
analysis of the female division of the fremantle prison were first conducted with
investigations and photographic analysis of the condition of the building. heritage
values and policies on conservation, such as the burra charter, were examined
and applied into restoring and adapting chosen sections of the female division of
the prison into a backpackers’ accommodation. these conservation policies were
adhered to to maintain the cultural and historical significance of the structure’s
fabric, to preserve and maintain its original facades and also to restore and
reinterpret its heritage significance.
The prison represented confinement and repression, where the convicted were
forced into a life of conformity. a punishment that became a routine for the
prisoners, yet in a sense, a community was formed.
Defined as an assemblage of interacting populations or individuals occupying a given
area with no limits to scale, a community represents a group or society that
is united by locality, cultural, historical, political, religious, social, occupational,
interest and heritage.
to re-introduce and re-interpret the idea of community into the project, the idea
of individuality allowed a sense of belonging into a community, allowing it to
strive. The design of the backpackers’ accommodation conveyed the juxtaposition
of a community and the individual, encapsulating and adapting to both.
three separate spatial functions: the reception, break-out space, and
internet cafe were explored, and the break-out space was chosen to be further
developed. the communality of a break-out space required spaces of interaction and
privacy, hence the idea of centrality was used for the dining hall and kitchen was
developed. the concept of community was further developed by the light fixtures
which were adapted from the columns that remained in the space, DRAWING UPON
THE HERITAGE VALUE AND IDEA OF SYNCHRONISM OF A COMMUNITY WITHIN THE SPACE.
4
Elevation 1not to scale
section 1not to scale
perspectivechill-out area
section 2not to scale
Elevation 2not to scale
Significant Conservation Policies:
Policy 7: items identified as having exceptional significance should be retained and
conserved. they may be modified in keeping with the overall aims of the conservation
policy.
policy 28:the impact of visitors and visitor numbers should continue to be monitored
and evaluated to ensure that the impact of visitors is minimised while enabling as
many people as possible to visit the site.
policy 48: the determination of conservation options and any subsequent action
affecting a particular element of the place should be preceded by an assessment
of the levels of significance of its component parts. intrusive elements should also
be identified.
policy 61: the provision of new services should be undertaken with the minimum
interference to significant fabric and the character of significant spaces. If new
services are installed, existing spaces should be consolidated and redundant ducts
removed.
policy 71: conservation and compatible use of existing significant structures should
take precedence over new development.
policy 72: conservation of the fabric and spaces of the precinct is the primary
importance to the program of interpretation.
constructed memory 321
fremantle prison: female division backpackers’ accomodation
5
spatial enclosures 322
skinsurface + boneframe
INTRODUCTION: The exploration of spatial enclosures in consideration to the
skin and bone of a space was undertaken to develop the building identity, spatial
occupation, site suitability, alternative and/or mix-use accommodation of building
201, otherwise known as the department of built environment in curtin.
Given six past projects from previous students, the students were to choose one
and take ownership and develop the chosen project into a comprehensive building
solution.
The project chosen focused on growth: ‘A design of the physical manifestation of
growth caused by human occupation and infrastructural shifts.’
-Jack Tooley
further development of the concept started with a photographic study of building
201, a Building Identity Statement was produced: ‘The architecture building is a body
Where the central axis meet in the middle at the core of the building, that acts as
the spine of the building, the nervous system of the body...’
...Occupied by students and staffs of four different departments, it is segregated
into different parts, dislocated from one another. Hence, there needs a further
distinction with the spine of the building, where like a nervous system in the body,
allows students and staff to collaborate and connect with one another. By
creating more spinal space around the core/central axis of the building, it allows
the different faculties to “come in contact” with each other’s works, ideas and
activities.
...It “feels” its occupants as they move through the building internally and externally, “touching” and
“embracing” the building. The spine/backbone of the body protects one of the main parts of the nervous system,
the spinal cord, and in this case, its main function is to allow networking and cooperation between different
parts of the “body”. The spine, also known as the vertebral column is also the main support for the skeletal
system in the human body. The nerves in the body, winds and wraps itself around the structure of the building,
conforming to the site...
Design Explorative Exercise Images
6
skinsurface + boneframe
spatial enclosures 322
Design Brief: To allow collaboration between the different departments of
the building: Architecture, Interior Architecture, Urban Planning and Construction
Management. The spine will strive to create opportunities across the departments
to connect with each other, where this will take place around the central core
axis of the second, third and fourth floors. An exhibition space, a central common
room and private rooms would be created along this axis to accommodate this
effort for collaboration.
Instead of skin cells, an investigation of nerve cells were undertaken. From the
reading “The Eyes of the Skin” by Juhani Pallasmaa, he emphasized the importance
of the tactile sense of our human bodies and how it is now underestimated
and underused as vision has been regarded as the most noble of the five senses,
especially in this era, technological advances has allowed vision to dominate and
be strengthened with the commercial imagery of today. From the investigation of
the nervous system, the concurrence that circulation of Building 201 is indeed like
the spine of a human body, yet it is greatly underdeveloped with much segregation
between the different faculties.
Therefore, To generate and enhance collaboration across the departments of the
building, an open and functional space will be created along the central core axis
of the building similar to the function of the spine of the body, This too, allows for
better access points from the north and south entrances of the building.
Using the concept of the spinal curve being the core of the building, spaces were
arranged for different functions yet all for the objective of collaboration.
the Spatial Accommodation, Mix-use Accommodation & Site Suitability:
Distinct entrances from the north and south end of the building will be extruded
and created, and common areas will be established in between the entrances. An
open exhibition space would be at the south entrance, which is the main entrance,
to allow for students and staff to “come in contact” with the works and
aspirations of faculties other than their own. This also opens up the facade of
the building to students from the campus, allowing the building to reflect and
showcase much of what the built environment faculty is about. At the north
entrance, these would contain a central common room that allows for students
to relax, learn and collaborate in an informal atmosphere. There would also be
cell-like pods in the space, allowing for privacy and quiet for smaller groups.
Chosen areas in building 201 : Section n-s
not to scale
Chosen areas in building 201 : floor plan
not to scale
level 2
level 3
level 4
“My body is truly the navel of my world, not in the sense of
the viewing point of the central perspective, but as the very
locus of reference, memory, imagination and integration.”
“The essential mental task of architecture is accommodation
and integration.”
taken from “The Eyes of the Skin” by Juhani Pallasmaa
7
skinsurface + boneframe
spatial enclosures 322
building 201 spatial programming : floor plan
not to scale
Building 201 spatial programming: section north-south
not to scale
level 2level 1
Student lounge on level 2 exhibition space on level 3 north facade south facadeexhibition space on level 4
Process: the levels one to four were spatially developed with the intent of
maximising exhibition spaces and areas for collaboration. Public zones like a
student lounge on level two and a cafe on the fourth level were added, whilst
private study areas were added on level one.
the north and south facade of the building were extruded with glass facades to
allow more light, thus opening up the space to allow mobility and communication
between the north and south of building 201. The stairs were used as a medium to
communicate the movement through the space, and to depict the concept of the
spine being the central point of transition and support of the ‘body’.
The perspectives show how the exteriority and interiority portrays the developing
concept of the spine and how it is interacting with the exisiting space.
level 3 level 4
8
skinsurface + boneframe
spatial enclosures 322
Floor Plan: levels 1-4
not to scale
Final Design Development:
At this stage, a final complex solution has been identified and hence informs of the
inhabitation and identity of the building 201. The focus area has been redesigned with
responses to the light and spatial quality, enhancing the movement and activity
within the space.
level 2level 1 level 3 level 4
site plan: building 201
not to scale
9
skinsurface + boneframe
spatial enclosures 322
elevation: north facade
not to scale
elevation: south facade
not to scale
section: north-south
not to scale
The exterior skin of the new insertions of north and south facades consist of
louvre screens, and are made of aluminium and glass, This provides shading in
summer, while allowing for adjustments of different lighting qualities for
different spatial functions.
The section shows the movement and activity through the focus areas of levels
one through four.
10
skinsurface + boneframe
spatial enclosures 322
the perspective of the public common area depicts the occupation and highlights
the materiality of the space.
the perspective of the exhibition space illustrates the flexibility of its spatial
functions.
Interior Perspectivelounge - Common Area on level 2
Interior Perspective
exhibition space on level three]
11
skinsurface + boneframe + light
explorations and manisfestations 322
based on the previous project, a light piece was designed to encapsulate the
concept and essence of that project.
Design Generative: This design generated from the the form of a vertebral
column, based from the concept of the spine which began with exploration of the
nervous system. The spinal cord acts as one of the central nervous systems in our
body, connecting the different functions and parts of the body together.
This form allowed much exploration of light and shadow as it is an undulating and
permeable form, defining a sense of spatial enclosure. The form creates a framed
structure in the space with darkness and light, also acting as a central axis
through the space.
Process Sketch Models part 1: exploration of a spinal curve through different materials
part 2: exploration of light and shadow through form
Spatial Enclosures: floor plans | section
not to scale
12
skinsurface + boneframe + light
explorations and manisfestations 322
Plan 1:10
section1:5
perspective initial anticipated outcome
initial construction and installation details:
Fixing: the anodized aluminium strips are bonded to the frosted glass using epoxy.
Light Fixing: LED strip lighting attached to the first layer of glass.
Materiality: Aluminium (anodized), frosted glass
13
final construction and installation details
Light Fixing: LED strip lighting mounted to the second layer of glass with screws
Materiality: tyvek paper - 105 gsm & frosted glass - 3mm/1mm
Size: approx. 800mm x 300mm x 200mm each
light fixture detail 1:2
skinsurface + boneframe + light
explorations and manisfestations 322
sectional perspectivesnot to scale
14
final anticipated outcome of light piece:
THE FINISHED LIGHT PIECE COULD BE EXHIBITED HORIZONTALLY ON THE GROUND OR ATTACHED
TO THE WALL.
perspectiveprototype insitu
Final Light Piecestage illutmination
skinsurface + boneframe + light
explorations and manisfestations 322
15
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
CULTURE/ACCULTURATION
HOME/ ADAPTATION
IDENTITY/ DISPLACEMENT
ia research studio 422
It is “a space of belonging and alienation, intimacy and violence, desire and
fear, the home is invested with meanings, emotions, experiences and relationships that lie at the heart of human life.”
Identity is defined as “people’s concepts of who they are, of what sort of people they are, and how they relate to others.” It is the “relatively stable, role-specific
understandings and expectations about self.”
“One defines it as a way of life typical of a group, the second
as a system of symbols, meanings, and cognitive schemata transmitted
through symbolic codes, the third as a set of adaptive strategies for
survival related to ecology, and resources.”
figure one
Venn diagram of Culture, Identity and Home
Project description: The Karen people have undergone persecution and
involuntary displacement due to thier ethnicity by the burmese government,
with many fleeing to refugee camps on the border of burma and thailand. in
recent years, many have been relocated and resettled to third countries due
to the meagre prospect of never returning to their native country again. since
2001, new communities have been established and resettled in Australia, and
more particularly, Western Australia. In the first volume of the dissertation i
questioned how displaced communities regain their sense of belonging and adapt to
new environments and also, how the design of an internal space can affect the
nurturing of a sense of belonging in a home.
Following the first half of the dissertation undertaken in research studio 421, the
ethnographic research and theories of home, identity and cultural adaptation has
driven this design phase to be focused on exploring meaningful spatial experiences
of spaces and the home. From the ‘typical’ Australian domestic housing that was
investigated, it was found that the occupation patterns and value of importance
are different, and the original function of the rooms were found to be misused, hence
the new ‘homes’ occupied by these groups were considered inadequate, culturally
and structurally. The research findings concluded that the process of adapting
and integrating into a new environment is integral for newly-arrived refugees or
humanitarian entrants – that holding onto their original culture allows them to
maintain and preserve their sense of identity as well as cultural identity when in
a new socio-cultural and physical environment.
The design phase of this research focuses on developing an interior spatial
environment that is safe, supportive and community-orientated, allowing the
newly-arrived Karen refugees to adapt and integrate into the Australian
environment, while maintaining their cultural roots and practices. The design
proposal shall create an integrative space that allows for spaces of healing,
learning and adapting for the Karen community. This will be undertaken through
the adaptation of an existing site, where the development of the space shall
involve a considered approach and incorporation of the cultural significance of the
Karen people, and how the pragmatics and the spatial qualities of a space can form
responsive and positive experiential environments.
“Hunger pangs, the chills of winter, the fear of violence,
and the disturbance from noise are all facts of human
consciousness. It makes little sense to distinguish between
them by attributing some to the body and others to the
mind. The hunger, the chill and the fear are on equal footing
with the need for peace, privacy, space, harmony, order,
or colour. To the best of a psychologist’s knowledge, the
priorities are by no means self-evident. Dignity, a sense of
pride, congeniality, a feeling of ease – these are primary
needs, which must be seriously considered when the
welfare of human beings is under discussion.”
Rudolf Arnheim (Malnar 2004, 27)
16
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422
“The bamboo steps led up into a living room on the left, and to the right was a
bedroom. We used to sleep on rush matting laid out on the bamboo floor. To the
right of our bedroom was a spare room, with a couple of bamboo-framed beds in it,
for guests. At the back of the house was the kitchen. It had an earthen floor for
a hearth, and three stones arranged in a triangle. Firewood would be pushed into
the space between the stones, and a cooking pot balanced on top. Above the hearth
was a shelf for drying foods – chilli, vegetables, meat and mushrooms.”
(Phan and Lewis 2009, 33)
spatial analysis of the traditional vernacular Karen house was undertaken to
further establish how the spatial experience could be translated into a ‘typical’
Australian house.
Housing typologies of western australian and karen homes:
further analysis of the context and spatial qualities of the ‘typical’ WA domestic
housing for Karen refugees, emphasizing on the issue of unfeasibility of adapting
the WA house to suit the cultural needs of the Karen refugees. alternative
adaptations were investigated and analysed to meet cultural needs of a Karen
family, here are four different design responses to the ‘typical’ Australian house
that is occupied by a Karen family.
figure 2
Analysis of Karen and WA
housing
Figure 3
alternative Adaptations
of the karen household
“Due to the involuntary and traumatic nature of
their departure, most had little chance to prepare
themselves psychologically for life in the new
country. Particularly during the initial resettlement
phase, many suffered from a deep psychological
dislocation and sense of loss.” (Kim 1988, 5)
17
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422
alternative response: An initial survey of typical housing stock in Balga,
Girrawheen and Cannington was undertaken to determine the feasibility of
adapting the existing house to fully suit a Karen family’s needs. It was concluded
that through testing and re-adapting the existing model, although renovation
and adaptation is possible, it is an expensive choice and the housing environment
would still not be fully responsive, culturally and structurally, for new
Karen refugees. Other building typologies were then examined, like, the possibility
of designing new modular housing, which however, was deemed to be too complex
as It requires extensive knowledge of the BCA. Another possibility of addressing
the need of a transition space to assist newly arrived Karen refugees with the
process of integration into the Australian society arose, and was determined as
a better alternative.
To fully represent one’s cultural heritage and identity, the notion of integration,
where the synthesis of two cultures allows for cultural integrity to be
maintained, needs to be addressed and applied. Integration was found to mitigate
better social and psychological well-being, and While Australian national policies
for refugees and humanitarian entrants support of their integration into the
Australian society, the housing situation forces them to assimilate into the new
domestic structures, losing their old habits, customs and ways of life. As Buttimer
(1980, 166) puts it, an individual’s cultural and personal identity correlates with
their place-identity, and losing one’s home, whether physical or psychological, are
perceived as an impeding threat to a person’s identity. Places that allow for
rootednesss allow for positive “attachment, retention and development of self-
image”, hence concluding that physical settings play an essential part in the sense
and experience of well-being (Godkin, 1980, 83).
design response:
integration
-noun
the act of amalgamating a racial or religious group with an existing community. 1
The idea of an integration centre, an amalgamation of a halfway house and a
community centre, emerged, which therefore drove the design language for the
project.
research question:
To create an integrative community centre that provides an opportunity for Karen refugees to acclimatise and integrate
into the Australian society in a safe, supportive and community-orientated environment.
Objectives:
Identify the responsiveness or adaptability of internal spaces for Karen refugees in typical Western Australian housing
and how a sense of belonging and cultural identity can be translated and fostered in a different setting
Provide an experiential design language to allow gradual integration into the Australian society whilst allowing the
continuity of cultural domestic practices
Allow for the re-establishment of a sense of identity and belonging for Karen refugees by creating a design scheme that
provides a culturally sustainable and efficient integration centre
18
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422
theoretical precedents:
the idea of the threshold
“Thresholds are where transformations begin, where exchange between unlikely
things occur, and where identities are declared. Thresholds hold the potential
of an inclusive realm, where the introduction and maintenance of difference is
possible. Unlike an idea of inclusion as “melting pot”, where identities are blurred to
create a compromised whole, threshold as an operation entails the preservation
of differences, as well as the creation of something new from their coexistence”
(Geel 2005, 53).
Figure 4
Threshold, journey and senses
Figure 5
In-between
the experience of the home and journey
“The experience of migrants and refugees claim that ideas about staying, leaving
and journeying are integrally associated with notions of home. These ideas are in
turn linked to notions of dependency, interdependence and autonomy, continuity and
dis/location.” (Mallett 2004)
Figure 6
Journey from home
From the ethnographic approach that was employed last semester, this semester,
a phenomenological approach was used, where instead of merely producing a
specific design that incorporated only the cultural research findings; this approach
allowed me to explore and deepen my understanding of lived spaces. A study of the
meaningful spatial experiences –the idea of the threshold, the home and journey
and phenomenology – was undertaken.
Tucker (1994) described migration as a means to ensure survival, that “home-
searching is a basic trait of human nature”.
19
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422
the sensitisation of space and experience
Pallasmaa (2005, 11) states that architecture should stimulate all the senses and
thus “fuse our image of self with our experience of the world” before architecture
can become life-enhancing. He suggests that architecture strengthens a sense of
self and reality by articulating our experience of “being-in-the-world”.
Steven Holl (1996,11) states that, “phenomenology concerns the study of essences;
architecture has the potential to put essences back into existence. By weaving
form, space, and light, architecture can elevate the experience of daily life
through the various phenomena that emerge from specific sites, programs, and
architectural on another, structure, material, space, colour, light and shadow
intertwine in the fabrication of architecture.” Phenomenology addresses all the
senses and transcends experience to become an unconscious connotation, giving
depth and intensity to an experience. It is a study of experience or consciousness
through the awareness of one’s senses. It is the ‘study of phenomena’, of how we
experience things as they appear from a subjective view, and hence how we place
meaning upon things we experienced in our lives. The use of our sensorial elements
gives depth to an experience, these being sight, sound, touch, taste, smell and scale.
Our bodies, “are moving, changing, permeable and fluid… the bodies we are require
different spatial and physical conditions depending upon the task or activity at
hand, depending upon characteristics of age, gender, size and culture, and depending
upon the passage of time” (Malnar 2004, 42). These experiences are perceived by our
senses and are interpreted by our minds. Our sensory selves need to be embodied and
acknowledged in designing an environment as design results from considerations of
human qualities, introducing essential, intrinsic meanings and values to the human
experience, hence creating an intimacy between person and environment.
Jan Smut proclaimed that “the whole is more than the sum of its parts.” A sensorial
environment cannot be abstracted into individual elements, and it is vital that a
holistic view of the experience of the space is undertaken, as they all contribute
to the experience. This would derive a threshold experience of change that allows
for healing and learning, and also bringing meaning to the spaces and its occupants.
“Phenomenology proclaims that the sense should be stimulated by the design
and not just the visual stimulus like many buildings are doing today. “By
using the entire stimuli the architect is creating a journey through each
threshold This journey is a memorable one where the traveller through the
architects design could incept a positive idea.” (Dernee n.d.)
“Light’s shadow and shade, its different sources,
its opacity, transparency, and conditions of
reflection and refraction intertwine to define
or redefine space.”
(Holl 1989, 11)
“The sound measures space and makes its scale
comprehensible. We stroke the boundaries of
the space with our ears.”
(Pallasmaa 2005, 51)
s i g h t
“A particular smell makes us unknowingly
re-enter a space completely forgotten by
the retinal memory; the nostrils awaken a
forgotten image, and we are enticed to enter
a vivid daydream. The nose makes the eyes
remember.”
(Pallasmaa 2005, 54)
“The most archaic origin of architectural
space is in the cavity of the mouth.”
(Pallasmaa 2005, 59)
t a s t e
s m e l l
“Our touch senses the weight, resistance, and
gestalt of materials...”
(Pallasmaa 2009, 50).
“The experience of space is multi-sensory,
architecture strengthens our senses. Space
and scale are measured through the eye,
ear, noise, skin, tongue, skeleton and muscles.”
(Pallasmaa 2005, 28).
s c a l e
t o u c h
s o u n d
20
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422Figure 9
Existing building plan
Site selection: The site is located along Welshpool East Road, southeast of
Perth city. The first existing fabric of the building only consisted of the main hall,
which was constructed during the second World War, but was only completed
after the war due to the lack of materials. The building it has been renovated three
times during its life span, with the most recent renovation finished in the early
1980s. The church is currently not listed under the heritage council of Western
Australia, and there have been recent plans of renovations on the existing site.
This site was chosen due to the nature of the existing building and site, where the
adjacent site would allow for an extension of the existing building to fit the
design pragmatics of the integration centre. The original existing fabric from the
1940s was kept intact for the new design, where it will be used strategically as
the critical point of entry of the integration centre.
Figure 8
Site plan
Figure 7
Site map
21
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422
Design brief: To formulate a cohesive design language that provides gradual
integration into the Australian society for the Karen refugees, whilst allowing
the continuity of the cultural identity, which includes their strong community
practices and cultural housing, enhancing their integration into the new
environment. A culturally responsive space that would also provide a sense of
identity and place, providing positive spatial experiences to enable the refugees to
connect to the new environment and hence foster and nurture the well-being and
self-identity of occupants.
A few long-term strategies of integration have been identified: to support the
Karen community in Western Australia in the process of integration to achieve
their full potential; to contribute to the Western Australian society, socially,
economically and culturally; and, to encourage the Karen people to access
resources, establishing strong networks and communities.
Week 1
Introduction phase
Site tour of the integration centre Welcome briefing to integration centre, and settling into accommodation whether family or singles Introduction to integration centre staff, volunteers and other occupants Go for medical check-ups and finalise immigration and proper identification papers
Start self-sustaining activities around the centre – gardening, planting fruits/ vegetables, cooking, rearing livestock Language classes to learn basic English speaking, writing and reading Australian cultural classes Craft workshops – sewing, jewellery design classes Mechanical workshops – cars, bikes Electronics/ computer workshops
Week 2 Inductive
learning phase
Demonstration workshops on basic household services: Security, electric, water, gas, ventilation, lighting, heating/ cooling, cleaning and waste management Visit to neighbouring shopping centre
Getting acquainted with other families, host families, volunteers, staff Counselling sessions can be held if needed
Preventive education workshops on public transportation, tenancy, leases, motor vehicles and hire purchases, finance banks, taxes, jobs
Kindergarten and primary school aged children to go to nearby schools Middle school or high school aged children to go for intensive English classes, and Australian culture classes Young adults and adults to enrol into TAFE/ high schools with vocational learning classes
Week 3
Demonstration workshops on domestic household services: Kitchen, bathroom, laundry, bedroom Introduction to public transport system Perth city tour by taking public transport, to the city, banks, cultural centre
Week 4 Integrative
phase
Jobs and responsibilities for adults/ young adults to start working small jobs and tasks around the centre
Preventive education workshop on government services, social services (Centrelink, Multicultural services, Medicare, Household assistance package)
Week 5
Perth city tour to places like train station, cultural centre, state library, and government buildings
Week 6
Start to look for permanent accommodation – single male or female (shared house or host family) and family (single storey/townhouse in suitable suburb)
Preventive education workshop on law enforcement – police, healthcare, fire service, insurance
Week 7
Start application for jobs, education courses or training courses
Week 8
Week 9 Completion
phase
Preparation for move into permanent accommodation – visit to allocated suburb, public services nearby, public transport, schools
Week 10
Transfer to permanent housing
Figure 10
Occupation cycle
Design pragmatics: an occupation cycle chart was revised to depict the
integrative activities of the centre over a ten-week period. these spatial functions
were then derived to meet the cultural and pragmatic needs of the centre for
the Karen refugees. To fully realise what each space requires, the experiential and
physical qualities of the main spaces in the centre are synthesised and illustrated
There will be an estimated three or four staff members on site permanently, while the rest are part-time staff or volunteers. A host family
will be present on site to meet caretaking needs of the occupants of centre. As according to sources, there is at least one new family arriving
to Perth every month, along with approximately 3-8 single people, male or female. The occupation period of 10 weeks will allow for a turnover
of a new family every 4 weeks, which totals up to approximately 40 people after the first three months.
Figure 11
Spatial diagram
22
Design Approach: the combination of the theories of spatial experience and the
research findings from the previous semester were used to create a multi-sensory
and positive experience within the integration centre, focusing on the entry, dining,
cooking, living/communal and sleeping spaces. A Pattern Language’ by Christopher
Alexander will also be used to derive certain design approaches. The emphasis will
be held on the sensorial experiences in these chosen spaces, aiming to provide an
enriched experience that will be able to positively influence the occupants of the
space.
each of these spatial functions are defined, driven and influenced by the theoretical
precedents and the cultural needs of the Karen refugees.
Entry diningphysical requirements
Foyer; waiting area; meditation garden
“The entrance must be placed in such a way that people who approach the
building see the entrance or some hint of where the entrance is, as soon as
they see the building itself” (Alexander 1977, 541).
experiential and sensorial requirements
Different intensities of natural light; welcoming odours and sounds; familiar
textures and materiality; warmth; hospitality; fitting scale and volume
“The sequence of preparatory experiences we pass through to approach,
enter and use a building do more than affect our experience of it. They
change our inner state which can both enhance our receptiveness to health
giving qualities in our surroundings, and trigger transformative processes
in our inmost being” (Day 1990, 23).
physical requirements
Dining hall; outdoor courtyard
“A feast is of such a nature that it draws people to itself, and makes them
leave everything else in order to participate in its joys. To feast together
is to bear witness to the joy one has at being with his friends. The mere
act of eating together, quite apart from a banquet or some other festival
occasion, is by its very nature a sign of friendship and of “communion” (Merton
1956, 126).
experiential and sensorial requirements
Pools of light and darkness; familiar aromas of food and spices and sounds
of familiar language and music; familiar organic textures; warmth from the
fire; closeness to the ground
“When there is a soft light, hung low over the table, with dark walls
around so that this one point of light lights up people’s faces and is a focal
point for the whole group, then a meal can become a special thing indeed, a
bond, a communion” (Alexander 1977, 844).
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422
23
physical requirements
Kitchen; Halal kitchen; outdoor cooking area; space for demonstration workshops
experiential and sensorial requirements
Natural lighting; familiar smells of food and spices and sounds of familiar language
and cooking; familiar organic textures; warmth from the fire; social experiences
“Place the most important part of the working surface in the sunlight...” (Alexander
1977, 856).
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422
dining living/communalphysical requirements
Outdoor courtyard – “fireplace”; living area in family quarters and singles quarters;
playground; vegetable gardens; laundry
“Provide a fire, as the hub of one activity” (Alexander 1977, 447).
...the “fireplace”, the hearth of a home, as it “provides a natural focus for talk and
dreams and thought” (Alexander 1977, 842).
experiential and sensorial requirements
Natural lighting and different light intensities; welcoming smells of food and spices
and sounds of familiar language and music; familiar natural materials; warmth
from the fire; closeness to the ground and nature
“No social group - whether a family, a work group, or a school group - can survive
without constant informal contact among its members” (Alexander 1977, 618).
“We appreciate a place not just by its impact on our visual cortex but by the
way in which it sounds, it feels and smells. Some of these sensual experiences elide,
for instance our full understanding of wood is often achieved by a perception of
smell, its texture (which can be appreciated by both looking and feeling) and by the
way in which it modulates the acoustics of the space.” (Architectural Review 1991)
24
physical requirements
Sleeping quarters for the family; single males and females; host family
“In many traditional and primitive cultures, sleep is a communal activity without
the sexual overtones it has in the West today. We believe that it may be a vital
social function, which plays a role as a fundamental and as necessary to people
as communal eating” (Alexander 1977, 861).
experiential and sensorial requirements
Pools of light and darkness; familiarity of materials; closeness to the ground;
warmth and comfort; possibility of sight and sound of one another
sleeping
cultural integration: the karen refugee community of perth
ia research studio 422
design outcome: Through a series of interrogations of the spatiality and how
one might feel and experience in the space, the following design outcomes have
been derived. The focus areas include the foyer, the dining area and the outdoor
courtyard and family quarters.
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foyermeditation garden dining hall kitchen
sectional elevation: foyer, dining hall and kitchennot to scale
28
entry
foyer
reception
office
waiting area
meditation garden
floor plan: entry - foyer
not to scale
30
dining hall
main kitchen
vegetable garden
chicken coop
wok stove
prep area
cooktop
cooktop
fridge
fridge
freezer
freezer
dishwashersink
fireplace
fire pit
waste disposal
waste disposal
halal kitchen
outdoor coutyard
floor plan: dining hall, kitchen, outdoor courtyard
not to scale
32
combustion air in
chimney flue vent
exhaust air out
heat transfer system to other vents
sealed combustion chamber
reverse air circulation fan pushes air up
heated room air comes out
cool room air enters
DETAIL: FIREPLACE1:25
33
communal outdoor courtyard halal kitchenoffice
SECTIONAL ELEVATION: OUTDOOR COURTYARD
DAY AND NIGHT
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bamboo walkway
living room
kitchen
master bedroom
children bedroom
bathroom
storage
shared stairway
shared stairway
void
wc
FLOOR PLAN: SLEEPING AND LIVING - FAMILY QUARTERSNOT TO SCALE
FIRST FLOORGROUND FLOOR