Based on your current design project on which you are working on. Discuss the characteristics of the project in regards of it having a “phenomenology of place”. How does your work illustrate a sense of being “place-based” or does it focus on “placelessness”.
ARTICLE READING
LECTURE 13
Human lives were built with every daily life, our everyday life-world consists of concrete “phenomena.” It consists of people, of animals, of flowers, trees and forests, of stone,
earth, wood and water, of towns, streets and houses, doors, windows and furniture. And it consists of sun, moon
and stars, of drifting clouds, of night and day and changing seasons. But it also comprises more intangible
phenomena such as feelings. We all born in different places and different races, we grow up in different culture
and environment, we all been through different stories, thus we have our very own different characteristics and
that’s what made us special. Architecture are the same thing. The purpose of architecture “is to help man dwell,”
that “man dwells when he is able to concretize the world in buildings and things.” Therefore architecture were
“born” in different places, and “grow” with different environment and culture too. Different “character” of places affect human perceptions, experiences, and emotions. Every architecture should be able to tell stories about their own background and their surrounding as well.
The interaction with the community is also important to the artists, so the setbacks of the right were designed into a outdoor garden landscape providing a friendly and harmony gathering public space. The whole design concept was surrounding with one thinking : creating a place-based space that combine and balance the relationship of
natural and constructed environments and improve the quality of people’s relationships with a place. Christian
Norburg-Shulz once said, “We only recognize the fact that man is an integral part of the environment, and that it
can only lead to human alienation and environmental disruption if he forgets that. To belong to a place means to have an existential foothold, in a concrete everyday sense.” I always believe there is difference in environmental
attitudes between those who feel an attachment to a particular place and those who do not. Sense of place is anemotional relationship between people and places, they play a positive role in human lives and also in their
care of the place.
In this sem, we are given the chance to explore the adaptive reuse concept, breathing a new life into an old
building by adding in new functions and programs, at the same time conserving resources and the historic value
of the old. My group had been given Audi Guest House as our project site which located in Balik Pulau, the other
side of Penang. The task given is to transform the guest house by apply adaptive reuse concept, into an artist
village, a space for artist to find inspiration and create with their artwork. Audi Guest House is a homestay and they also provide bicycles for visitors to tour around. Timber construction is the main element of the Audi homestay, as
timber materials have the touch of “kampung” feeling, and they fit very well with the rural area and natural
surroundings.
Artist’s space is the main concern and the whole atmosphere is important as artists are very sensitive with their working surrounding. The main artist is an batik artist that finds inspiration quite often on flora. Bringing in several things
from site surrounding such as organization, spatial geometry, proximity, rhythm, boundaries, materials and
construction, and variation, then coming out with a concept and design following the big picture is the first step.
The guest house basically covered with vegetation on the left and residential on the right, therefore, public and
private spaces are separate according to the strong axis : private spaces are locate near vegetations, and public spaces are close to residential to create more interaction with the community.
The original site sits perfectly in a natural location and is perfect for artist from cities to come here and get some air, relax, gathering inspiration for their work. So, I think that a concept that can blend into the natural surrounding is
important. With the tall hill in front and the paddy field wide behind, I came out with an idea of creating a
mountain-like concept connecting the height of the hill to the low wide paddy field. With the trees on the left
(elevation), the mountain-like concept has a strong link to the place.
The pathway inside flow like a cave circulation inside the mountain. Every pathway was designed with different
width, and a lot of turning angles, so the inside will be an adventurous journey full of uncertainty behind every
change of turn. To connect the art of batik with the flora, a garden was design inside the building. The garden also served as exhibition gallery, so experience of appreciating art can be enhanced and relate closely with the
nature. The roofs were designed with mountain-like form, with different heights of openings, they also allow more
natural light penetrate into the building interior, providing a brighter space and more positive atmosphere to the
artists.
AUDI GUEST HOUSE
