LECTURER 04

CEDRIC PRICE

Non-Plan & Activity and Change

Cedric Price suggest total dissolution of the planning system. The idea non-plan is highly controversial, but it has a continuing influence. Non-Plan infuriated many architects and planners because not only was it extremely provocative and contentious but it also went against the established order and controlled uniformity of the built environment. Non-plan is intended to destroy a system of value. I disagree with this point. Although good planning will give us more clearly directions and preparation to face the out-coming problems, non-plan also will bring us to an unexpected outcome and the result might be more stunning and unprecedented that we cannot imagine how the outcome will be. The reason is non-plan encourage unevenness of development and reducing the permanence by avoiding the very reinforcement. Thus, you might exploit peculiarity and even more discoveries through the non-planning process. However, for our pasar design now, due to the restriction of timing, we still need a good planning of time while doing the design. Although non-plan sometimes will give us an unexpected splendid result because of the unbounded restriction, but we still need some plan or else it might exceed the requirements and time given to finish the works for my final design now.

Non-plan: City Movement

I support Cedric Price's concept of "anticipatory architect" in which the general public could determine, control and shape their own surrounding freely. All buildings should allow for obsolescence and complete changes of use. It might establish a new order of priorities of land, sea and air that related more directly to social and economic life-span of use. Non-plan explored ways of involving people in the design of their environments. I agree with the statement that people's own choices should be respected. It is good that we ask everyone ideas and preferences before designing a space because we also do not want to force the people to fit in a place that dislike to stay or join. Architecture bring life to humans thus we should let people shape the environment they want to live and work in so architecture will bring people together in the end. This is the reason why we should do the survey of people in pasar and ask the things that they prefer or hope to improve the environment or space. I hope to design the pasar that will associate with social life of kajang community and we should consider the economic life-span of pasar use in the future. Hence, pasar should allow to change and establish some new input to enliven the pasar for the coming years.

Cedric Prices Fun Palace sketches architectural details

Cedric Price favours non-architectural solution to the accommodation of human activities and denigrate the limitations of permanent and monumental buildings. It is easier to allow for individual flexibility than organisational changes. For example, the expandable house, the multi-use of fixed volumes and the transportable controlled environment. It is useful to applied in our final project now that we can design modular stall that is expandable and multi-functional for sitting and display items purpose. It is allowing for change and flexibility. It is essential that the variation provided does not imposed a discipline that everything is permanent and load-bearing. We should open-minded that design is flexibility and allow for change if it is not suitable to apply. When designing pasar we can plan for activities that allow for change not only in content but in means of operation. For instance, we can have two planning in pasar, which are day market and night market that the operation time are different but with movable stalls of different arrangement that can be different in activities and operations but at the same place.

Peter Andrew : Non-plan city movement

In a nutshell, non-plan enables uneven development, the particularization of occupation, habitat and appetite to occur in place and at times best suited to it. Through its permissive attitude to change, it increases the validity of continuous redevelopment resulting in activities and forms as yet unrealized. Although the result might be unexpected, we still need to accept along the time. For pasar design, we can apply some non-plan ideas above that make the design more lively and interesting because sometimes you will unrealize to obtain the outstanding result when go through the process. Therefore design process and development are vital. However, we still need to emphasize the planning of time. Remember design is allow to change and flexible. Don't bash one's head against a brick wall. We should think out of the box sometimes but do not forget the practicability and functionality.


Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071

LECTURER 07

TOM SCHUMACHER

" Contextualism: Urban Ideals and Deformations "

Tom Schumacher presents two concepts that make up the twentieth century town which are the traditional city and the city-in-the-park. The traditional city is primarily an experience of space defined by continuous walls of building, essentially a subtractive form of space making for public urban space. It emphasizes the spaces by figuring void and de-emphasizes the building volumes. The concept is humanistic approach by following the human scale and usage like create pedestrian and hybrid urban experience. I think our pasar design need humanistic approach for better user experiences by using the void in solid procedure to make public space as gathering place with anthropometry consideration. It is vital that designing a common space for human interaction and socialization. Due to historical approach of development, the city planning is more density and complex. For instance, the city of Rome had scattered irregular block to fit into the site, blur division of land use and no zoning. The irregular and blurring zoning planning reflect the street market(pasar malam) in Malaysia now with all the mix stall together and make the users difficult to find the directions sometimes.

Emphasize space by figure voids(circulation)

City of Rome: narrow street with pedestrian experience

The city-in-the-park concept is consist of collections of isolated buildings set in a landscape.It is modernist approach of city planning that emphasize functionalistic, efficiency and convenience. I think it is more towards my pasar design intention now. Owing to the typology in the current economic condition, we need to find the solution for pasar to thrive in 20 years time against supermarket and mini market. Therefore, I plan to use modernism design and more diverse or high efficiency technology to attract the youngster have curiosity and visit the pasar. For example the pasar had drive through options to buy things like MCDonald's. 

Moreover, it emphasizes building volume by figuring solids and not the spaces which the buildings define. It is arranged orderly and uniformly by using grid method regardless of site. It is standardize and form a machine-like city. However, the consequence is the mismatch between the building and human scale. Thus, I found that it is important of site context and human scale that we need to consider when we planning design so will produce better urban configuration and have linkage between context and building. For instance, our pasar site is almost surrounded by residential housing, therefore we can make a hierarchy and attraction in pasar to engage the kajang community come to the pasar.

Emphasize building volumes by figuring solids

gird uniform layout

Contextualism is the urban ideals as the middle ground that reconciles these two contrasting concepts. Schumacher found out the ideological and social differences among the two plans making us think about how land values and economic necessities of grouping people in high concentrations have greatly limited the flexibility of the capitalist city. Economic pressures and design preferences have led to the typification of housing as packages assembled repetitiously and based on profit rather than need. Hence, when we designing pasar, I think we should consider the human needs and site respond rather than put all the typical repetition blocks with no reasons because of the economic pressure that the buyers intend cheap and simple design without appreciate the limited land use.

Tom Schumacher: Contextualism

Schumacher by de-emphasizing the “form follows function” assertion, was willing to consider those spatial and planning pressure and try to find a solution. Public spaces should respect a hierarchy together with the buildings within the urban factory, consequently the rest takes shape. I think it is a good point that spatial planning and functionality is important when we doing pasar design and public space should be hierarchy to make a grand feel and attraction spot to the visitors. The rest of the plan could just takes shape like the Le Corbusier bubble analogy, the exterior and interior can be using the same language and characteristic.

Collage

Deformation

Densely packed in Mei Foo Sun Cheun VS
Deform in relate to social meaning arrangement

There are two techniques to achieve contextualism which are collage and deformation. Collage is the fragmentation of basic part and reorganisation base principle. It respond to the constricted environment by unified whole. Deformation is the basic part which the adjustment made to fit in the existing context that respond to constricted environment. For pasar design, we can extract the good elements from the ideal housing forms and reformulate the arrangement of buildings in the site based on the need of human beings. In short, pasar is a vital community engagement place. Following Schumacher theory, I think city-in-the-park ideas and contextualism are more towards my design intention now and i would applied in my design. Besides. I think we should maintain the pasar culture but we can input some new attraction in pasar like foods paradise with nice photo session and become a popular spot so it still thrive even in the future.



Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071

Non-Plan & Activity and Change

Cedric Price

Architectural plan design is invariably obey the principles of form and space design, constant the relationship between building and environment. However, non-plan design concept has unlocked the door of freedom, trying to turn into impermanence space organization. It has provide a platform for the people to decide the shaping of an environmental design and circumventing planning bureaucracy. In short, people could stay in their dreamful space to live or to work. For me, I am not sure about the application, but as a thesis it has last and well-known currently. A proposition was succeed if it has been ubiquitous no matter how it works as every people have their own perspective, nil people will be the same.

Function should follow fiction as building design should base on culture rather than nature. As a designer, we have to consider the characteristics and habits of client. For wet market design, it is possible to apply cross-program in the design consideration. Visitors are allow to have different kind of activities on site. After operation hours, market is not merely a market anymore. It has play the role as another space function to serve the client’s requirement.

Site Environment of Pasar Sungai Chua, Kajang

In Fun Palace, project accomplish by Cedric Price, express the great influences of contemporary architecture to the society. It has some new technology ideas into the building so that visitors may have fun and examine their intelligence at the same time. Besides, it was special for the flexible structural framework, permits the possibility of changes. In my opinion, a building should not be constant at one form as time fades and alter could turn the fates of that specific building. Fun Palace has serve the public and expand human freedom, restricting the impact of any architectural style. Thus, it creates infinity opportunity in the future.

Fun Palace by Cedric Price

Human activities will change directly proportional to the time. For all assets and non- assets, it will depreciate gradually with time. So does the building elements, it will not be judged by its value separately, but the whole building condition. Time change, things change. As such, architecture is the medicine of building, design with a most long-lasting and useful space for human activities. The flexibility of design in wet market by making the plan expandable has persuaded the client to satisfy with the overall design.

To wrap up my view, non-plan directs freedom of architectural design.

Written by Wong Rong Song, 1001746688

EXCERPTS FROM THE RADIANT CITY BY LE CORBUSIER

Figure 1: The conceptual city by Le Corbusier

The Radiant City which Le Corbusier's ideal city was inspired by the functions and arrangement of the human body. Each organ has to work together to make the body perfect the same as the city. In the ideal city of Le Corbusier, the strategy was to create enough space between vertical and horizontal areas. The vertical space provides people to use and enjoy then the horizontal used as corridors which the public landscapes with greenery. Therefore, vehicles and pedestrians also have their own areas to move. All spaces in the city were symmetrical and in modern style. The city has underground transit that links between the residential zones and commercial zone which convenient for people to move easily from one place to another place. This underground transit is same as the LRT or MRT at Kuala Lumpur.

Figure 2: The sky garden and pedestrian walkway on top of the road

The Radiant City had been designed in a symmetrical plan that each street has the same amount of buildings. The business area at the center and the residential at the side which surrounding the commercial area that convenience for the residents to buy things by walking or using the underground transit. The residents stay at the apartment or residential area will keep away from the industrial zone. From our sites, the residents of Kajang mostly work in the industrial area so they have to take the bus from their residential area to the working place.

From Radiant City, I learn that the design solutions in Radiant City are quite the same as Malaysia's city plan which the industrial will located far from the residential areas and the commercial area.

The Radiant City

Le Corbusier

Quotidian, people were burdened with hardships due to the unknown in future. People will set several targets and strive to achieve them, repeatedly. However, we may forgot or neglected one truth: Human is unsatisfied! To make life more powerful, advanced technology development has boosted human to reach a higher quality lifestyle level. As time faded, people hope to gain more and more, this is one of the human origin personality, the feeling of eagerness invariably occupied per person’s mind, try to attain the pinnacle of life with all kinds of methods.

In contrast, Suburban city is placed in a sustainable environment. Those who have experienced this scenery have enveloped by harmony and peaceful as people could throw away all the massive burdens behind at that moment. During weekends, ubiquitous people will pick themselves to the public places, a step closer to the nature, attempting to improve relationship between cronies, family members or spouse. It is like an Arcadia, people can never feel in the hustle and bustle of city lifestyle. Nowadays, people adapt in the busy of life, promote ‘Fast and Furious’ rush for every moment, doesn’t have extra time to halt and appreciate the beauty of this world.

Urban versus Suburban

For wet market design, it is excellent to insert the urban design planning into this project consideration as society should be united with the modern development progress. Public building design have to centralize the main necessity of the user by integrated it with the surrounding elements.Besides, pedestrian pathway should place in one of the consideration point while designing the building form of market. In radiant city, it has shorten the time for the visitors to pass across. Pedestrian walkway can be created to arrive any part of the market, provide direct convenience for the visitors.

Written by Wong Rong Song, 1001746688

REYNAR BANHAM: ORNAMENT AND CRIME

   Ornament in architecture is any element that is added to an otherwise merely structural form, usually for the purpose of decoration added to something to make it more attractive. Ornament is a language through which architecture communicates with a broader public, for a layman’s appreciation. Ornament itself is a decorative feature by application onto any part of a building. Despite ornamentation primarily is for aesthetic and decoration purpose, it could also serve as a functional element when it is integrated as part of a building structure itself. Ornament was regarded as crime because as time goes Adolf Loos believes that ornamentation will eventually becomes unfashionable. Therefore its a waste of effort to add ornamentation onto the building. 

   Ornamentation increases budget significantly and it is also time consuming during construction work. Ornamentation that was created then, do not have meaning or relationship to us now, or perhaps even in the future. We should emphasize on the good workmanship and suitable material used, as well as making good quality works, instead of adding the ornaments without purposes. In this modern era, ornamentation has become unprogressive and uncreative. Ornament was once synonymous, but now it is inferior. 

CHUA CHYI SHYAN 1001542549

LECTURE 05

REYNER BANHAM, "ORNAMENT AND CRIME"

The Decisive Contribution of Adolf Loos

The theory of Adolf Loos is about architecture was the rejection of ornament and the adaption of contemporary style. He believed that the using of ornament was a banality and overly “sentimental.” He also greatly believed in restraining the passions and emotions in architecture by the expression of forms. I agree with that he felt architecture and space should be clear and rational, in order for a human to be able to think and meditate. However, I a bit disagree with the ornament that not only destroying the aesthetic development but also it is a crime against the national economy, labor, material and time.

Cathedral Nice Italian Baroque

I think ornaments still showing the aesthetic development like Italian Baroque. He was surrounded in France and Austria at the time by the height of the Art Nouveau movement, which was very flowery, heavily ornamented and expressive. As the visitors, we still feel stunning about how magnificent of these ornaments now in that century. Thus, it is not wasting the labour, material and time. It is too exaggerate to talk about damaging the national economy because it attracts the tourists to visit the place and experience the ornaments of how they decorate in such way. These already promote the economic and tourism development of the country. In the contrary, I agree that these depends on the behavior and attitude of consumers. Due to they require more money, ornaments normally belong to richer people and aristocrat. Hence, we should spend accordingly with our economic capability and do not be extravagant.

Reyner Banham offers a comparison between the structuring of his written argument and a "cafe" sensibility. In a way, it may imply a specific flow and atmosphere of collaborative mayhem. It is not a reasoned argument but a succession of fast-spieling double-takes and non-sequiturs holding together a precarious rally of clouds of witness – café-Freudianism, café-anthropology, café-criminology. Loos stated that clean cut modern architecture was the only way to go for him. However, it is interesting that he did not entirely practice what he preached because it becomes apparent that he enjoyed using many textures in his work.

Marble Cladding in the interiors of Adolf Loos

Is ornament a crime for me? I think if the ornament appeals to the eye, it is not a crime. However, if you do ornament and if it does not have any meaning or it does not change anything, it is unnecessary and it should be removed. Besides, it depends on how you look at it by using different textures, materials, shapes, forms or arranging elements properly also can be an ornament. For instance, Adolf Loos use the marble cladding in the interior space can function as easy to clean and aesthetic purpose. Another example is the metal louver exterior cladding act as ornaments of the building can play the roles as filtering the dust, aesthetic purpose and shade the building from harsh sun.

To conclude, I don’t think that ornamentation should be totally omitted from architecture. As our society evolves and gains knowledge, the use of different forms of ornamentation should be explored. Nowadays, with the introduction of technology and nature into buildings, we have to reconsider the concept and functionality of ornaments in our daily architecture. The notion of ornamentation can be altered to fit all the evolution of society. For example we use the fake grass and climbing plants as the ornament for the building nowadays. Ornamentation has definitely been evolving with human culture and society.


Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071

LECTURER 03

LE CORBUSIER

"The Plan of the Modern House"

The "paralyzed plan" of the masonry house includes the five points of architecture such as free plan, free facade, horizontal windows, pilotis and roof gardens. Le corbusier using these points as the structural basis for most of the architecture until 1950's. In my opinion these five points of architecture are important and useful in design until now we still utilize them. There are a lot of advantages such as open space, flexible in design, offer views surrounding and natural lighting. The five points have contributed to the development of modern architecture greatly even to this day. Due to the five points allowed a wide variety of ideas and possibilities within designing architecture, these characteristic also popular for the housing and commercial building design now. Moreover, how to take the advantages of these new freedoms? I think in terms of efficiency, simple, functionalities and beauty have increased. We could even take the advantages of these new freedoms and gradually developed into more advanced technology like multi-functional and artificial intelligence(AI) in the future.

Five Points of Architecture

The architectural revolution implies different acts such as to classify, to dimension, to circulate, to compose and to proportion. These acts are vital to demonstrate in architecture. For instance, one must classify them accordingly to type and determine the function of each components. In current practice, abundant inventions have produced innumerable new objects and no thought has been given to the subject. This is true that we should find a reason and consider the function of why the object should be placed here, not only with the aesthetic purpose but they should be combined. Besides, I agree with the statement that circulation is everything because architecture is experienced as one roams about in it and walk through it. Good circulation make us have a splendid spatial experience in a space. We could also find the pleasure when living in such house by creating the circulation that re-orient the visitors and enable them to enjoy different experiences about the house.

Chapel of Notre Dame Du Haut: play with different sizes of openings with lighting 

Architect compose the building elements absolutely in architecture. For example, lighting is a good tool to compose it and penetrate in a space by playing with the shadow, shape and different direction. I think composing played a role as how we imagine and put them appropriate in the suitable place then produce a good result and effect. Furthermore, I agree to the theory and idea of Le Corbusier that architecture should work in proportion and organization. When considering proportion, Le Corbusier, he thinks that “proportion provokes sensation” meaning that depending on the use of the space it requires a specific proportion. For example, we have a different experience in a single volume room as compared to the massiveness of a double volume room. The condition of architecture today also quite similar to the ideas from Le Corbusier. The organization architecture today is not only focus to the functioning of the building but also think about the sense and feeling of human from a building.

Unité d'Habitation de Marseille: good proportion and organisation of building

A well-organized house correspond well in space quality also. A well-organized dwelling ensures that all components and the spaces of a function cohesively achieve its goals by having their own purpose and no spaces wasted. When designing today, we can say that proportion and organisation should be considered in order to have control on how the space is design. Without organisation, the whole designing process would be chaotic and the connection between spaces would not be coherent thus not allowing the user to fully experience the building. Thus, both are very important details in order to have a function human habitat as well as a strategy when considering the emotional and experiencing factor of the building. 

In a nutshell, the five methods of classification, of dimensioning, of circulation, of composition and of proportioning have made us have different interpretation in architecture and express different characteristics in each designing plan. I am pretty sure that by combing these five methods when planning design will make the architecture have a good user and visual experience.


Written by Chiew Jing Yi, 1001644071

Ornament and Crime

The Decisive Contribution of Adolf Loos

This notable article drags people to rethink whether the present of an ornament is fundamental as it has proven that ornament represent a cultural decline, is a sense of waste. Well, ornament is an embellishment of the physical appearance of an art, but this does not mean it must be applied to all the architectural workpieces. Without ornament, a building still able to perform its architectural style and function relevant to the client, it depends on how the designer convey.

Ornament is a crime, just kind of procrastinate as it was belonged to the past, modern architecture was no longer in ornament due to people does not want to spend extra expenditure to unnecessary structure. Ornament could not aid for supporting loads or structure. Without ornament, a building still work. Ornament producers require a long period to accomplish work because it takes time to design and mould such detail artwork. Moreover, it needs great man power and material to assign a task. To absolute a project in time, more workers have to join so that the progress could be speed up. However, ornament making process is actually risky, may injured or harmful to the health indirectly.

Adolf Loos has evinced his perspective by his work. Among them was Steiner House in simple style with Modern garden façade. Adolf Loos has designed it in pure form by maximizing the space at his disposal without violating the building regulations. The whole building structure is in austere and futuristic look as there was an arched tin roof on the two additional floors. Symmetry, the lack of ornamentation has defined the building. Adolf Loos has opinioned that an architecture should base on the economy and the rigour of the function. ‘Raumplan’ was the central design principle, emphasizing the consideration and size of interior spaces based on function.

Steiner House by Adolf Loos

Nonetheless, mimetic ornament is acceptable in this era. It is an imitation of nature, decorative motifs derived from precedent structural and symbolic forms. People are more acceptable with those sustainable elements as it grows out from a universal human reaction to the technological change.

Papyrus column from a temple at Karnak, Egypt

The present of ornament, is still a disputable topic for people to further explore. A building form should be totally well-design with structural components or ardorn with ornaments, engineer and labours have been managed to stand by Adolf Loos’s side. And, Adolf Loos has verified the possibilities through his writings and building design.

Written by Wong Rong Song, 1001746688

ORNAMENT AND CRIME BY ADOLF LOOS

Figure 1 Book written by Adolf  Loos about ornament

Adolf Loos discovered that only the removal of ornament of the past to let the cultural evolution succeed. But the new source is given by Adolf Loos which he thought to be helpful to the world was not accepted by the people. The ornament existed for a long time. The world needs to have some changes to improve the country's development.

Adolf Loos think that decoration is bondage to humanity. So he gave the new source which will free the human from the decoration. But people do not want to be free from the bondage. The state moved backward when the state subsidized for the decoration which Adolf Loos disagreed with it. 

He said that the rhythm of cultural progress has been blocked because of the stragglers. When you live in 1908 but you or your friends still live in 1880. It will waste time for the country to develop.

The two types of people in which the twentieth and nineteenth-century will have the same needs, the same income but in different cultural. From the economics part, the people in the twentieth century more richer than the people in the nineteenth-century as they just need simple things. The twentieth-century people can pay for his needs with much less capital and can save because of the simple and lesser things. But the other man doesn't. He wants complex things which will cause a lot of money and time.

Therefore, more the damage ornament inflicts on the workers. As ornament needs to hire the labour to make it. Besides, the labours need to bear the heavy workload but just get little salary. Ornament is wasted labour and hence wasted health. Then, it is also waste material, and waste capital.

Last but not least, it's true that the ornament brings crime but it's still indispensable elements that contribute to the architecture.

Ornament and Crime: The Decisive Contribution of Adolf Loos "Reyner Banham" REALLY?

In a programmed and somewhat insane world, many of us find a way to be more grounded and try to make sense of the world around us. Humans are like packed animal we want to find our own people, those to share or approximate similar taste or ideology to give us a tiny sense of existence. Ornamentation is a decorative non structural elements, that sometimes brings out the personality of a building.

As artists and designers, we would love to communicate or express ourselves through something that makes sense to you, to test bad found out if others speaks to you in the same languages. One day to leave our mark, our footprint for others to discover or for others to be in awe with. As we know, Mimetic Ornaments have meaning, has a story to tell through nature's values. But to a certain point we have to know does the ornament justify itself as appropriate, from it’s style and cultural or development reference. If considered too much for it’s time can people still accept it? Such subjectivity can be overpowering thus limiting an expression from a person.

But as Banham stated, Loos view on ornamentation is not unpopular, as he 'single handedly ' beaten it, but wasn't praise or thanked by many. Has make ornamentation a victim make it's place in society stronger? Even his own works has elements and style of Ornamentation, which contradicts he's point of view of the poor.

Diagram 1: On left, Masonry facade of the historical Sultan Abdul Samad BuildingOn Right, Sino-Portuguese Shop Houses

To place ornaments similar to tattoos is such a fascination to me, as i never thought of it as a crime or taboo to others. It has always caught my eye when I see local ornamentation on buildings, as it give a personality of the times the building lived through, and it is a very permanent art to be proud of as a Malaysian how detailed buildings can be. I do hope to one day find and show my side of how ornamentation should be or can be. 

To conclude my thoughts, expression is an expression, it is not to be held back by economic or financial factors, but the limitations of freedom! Gwendolyn Chan Mei Yee 1001749034