Space | Place (Reclaimed space)
Phenomenology is the interpretive study of human experience. The aim is to examine and to clarify human situations, events, meanings, and experiences as they are known in everyday life but typically unnoticed beneath the level of conscious awareness. One of phenomenology’s great strengths is seeking out what is obvious but unquestioned and thereby questioning it. To uncover the obvious, we must step back from any taken-for-granted attitudes and assumptions, whether in the realm of everyday experience or in the realm of conceptual perspectives and explanations, including the scientific.
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For current semester design assignment , the brief was to design an artist village based on the THEME – ADAPTIVE REUSE ,elements where we obtained from the site in Changkat, Kuala Lumpur and the site of Balik Pulau area. So, I will start the my brief from the site Changkat, where to show the reclaimed space as an element. For me, to adapt, it is something adapt to it, to suit themselves to the environment behaviour.
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This conceptual model were made of two same modular structure to showcase how both of them adapt to each other wisely. The acrylic material was to imitate the tree, while the solid balsa wood to imitate the existing structure, can be building ,etc.
Tree growing along the road side.
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Tree growing inside-out.
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Tree growing on top of the building.
Trees, where they located may seem norm to ordinary people, but little do they knowing that, the trees are actually playing the roles as a transition space / boundary between walk way for people and car road, the space where the trees occupied is reclaimed. The ways of how the trees they grow at Changkat, eventually changed the ways the occupants adapt to it. For example, there is a tree growing in front of the shop, in order to have the shelter for the owner to adapt it, the occupant have to cut a hole for the roof just to let the tree continue to grow instead of chopping it down. The shadow, where the tree casting during the day, you may noticed that, there – the ‘shadow reclaimed space’ , it is the place where people staying there and rest for the next journey, because that ‘place’ is shaded and comfort for them. Here, without the boundary, people know that this place is reclaimed.
Heidgger says :“ A boundary is not that at which something stops but , as the Greeks recognised, the boundary is that, from which something begins its presencing.”
Side elevation of the proposed house.
Come to the real site, Balik Pulau here. In order to transform the house into an artist resident which is private enough just for them to living for few months and comfort enough to get their inspirations, I proposed a mezzanine floors on top, the façade of the house were changed to the vent block to capture the wind path, so as nature day light. Meanwhile , the boundary between inside and outside is blur , privacy yet remained. The space roof between two roofs were hacked into a centre courtyard for the activities dining or gathering. At first, it was just a small centre courtyard for green purpose, but eventually it became a green area as the size area of the courtyard is expanded and link to the site. As you can see, the space between the courtyard can be closed and opened. For example, if the artists prefers to their own private place, when the folding door is shut, the courtyard formed into an enclosure private courtyard for the artist himself or herself. If all the doors were opened, it became a green area and split the house into two part which look like an alley.
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On top, the reason why the metal railing was chosen was to function as ‘shadow reclaimed-space’. Let me explain how it happened, as if people walking on top, the shadow of he/she is casting down on the courtyard. People from far can notice that , “Oh, there’re people doing their works at the studio.” It is a statement that, using shadow to reclaim or letting others know the activities happened around the place. As the exterior wall on top, they are shift just to create the shadow, so as to reclaimed the space. Where light and shadow happened at the same area, but activities can be carry out differently. Needless to explain, the qualities of the space is different.