thatHasan

Ground Floor Restaurant

Fifth Floor Seating Area with planters

final design

FLOOR PLANS

Sectional Perspective

BLOWUPS

DETAILS

VIEWS

Final Model

the model is missing most of its walls and many of the floors as well. ut it helps visualize what the building would look like up close

It's pretty straightforward. First, many informed assumptions were made about values that will help us subsidize the rent of the moving population.

a typical OPEX would be 10%. but due to the nature (pun intended) of my building, I raised the OPEX to 20%, as the plants and water feature would probably require extra maintenance.

And the same goes for the CAPEX (hard cost per sqft). A typical building would cost around MVR1400 per sqft, but due to the extra heights and double level floors, mine i sraised to 1800.

Cost of the Building Was Calculated based on the assumptions assumed before

Unit Types

Subsidy Info

Revenue from Commercial units

OPEX

Subsidy Summary

So I made them straight. And made a preliminary section of the building Ground Floor Plan

Typical Residential Floors Plans

the apartment plans were not a big deal this time...

Section

This is the preliminary section i made for the building. As you can see in the plans and section, The building is supported by very thick columns around the atrium acting as a core structure where the rest of the floors will be cantilevered... except it's not cantilevered because that's too much distance. So the floors are also supported on the opposite ends by smaller columns, like an exoskeleton. This reduces the cantilever power required by the core columns. The beam depths would be very huge due to the spans, but that is accommodated by the increase in floor heights to 4 and 5 metres. BUT

This won't work. It's too unrealistic and the spans are way too big. My innovation of a triple hybrid core-skeletal-exoskeleton system won't work. So I must go for a typical RC skeletal system.

And the foundation of the building is missing... do I even know what a foundation is? yes obviously I know what a foundation is and how it works and what it does. I just did not have the time to model it in the 3D section I made for the tutorial.

With only 5 days left for the final submission, I am forced to change my structure, which would affect my floor plans and change the entire 3D of the building... quitting has never seemed easier and asphalt to me has never looked so soft..

I revised my floor plans. To integrate the concept into my apartments on a plan level, I went back to the bubble diagram. One thing I wanted to use was the organic language of Henveiru. and take it one step further.

I started arranging the spaces using organic shapes. The idea was to create moments of tightness and tension at entrances and transition spaces. and a release right after, so that the significance is felt. And I made the plans... Typical Floor Plans

Apartment Floor Plans

Type A - 3 Room

Type B - 4 Room

Type C - 2 room (permanent) and Type D - 2 room (temporary)

Type E - Dhanaal Type (3 units) with shared liv/kit/din

Type F - Studio (2 units) and Type G - One Room

FEEDBACK

i was advised that these layouts will cause major inconveniences in everyday life, with the tight spaces, awkward corners and random spaces.

And that the design of these are arbitrary and it must be based on something. As in, these organic-ness of forms and lines must be informed by something from the site.

I was also informed that this looks unresolved. And that it must follow some kind of design principle.

and straight lines are preferred in design. show the concept in 3D, rather than doing something this extreme in plan

(i agree) sigh... time to change it again. all that effort...- only a week until Final Submission... can I do it?

I made a development model for this. The scale of the floor heights was a bit off due to a mistake I made that I realized later.

Development Feedback

The model made me realize that the building was bulkier than ideal. And light may not penetrate the building the way I wanted. I was also informed that, due to the typical floor plans i used, the concept of romance does not show up very strongly within the apartments. That it should be more integrated.

Narrative

Malé feels heavy. It is congested, overbuilt and overwhelmingly utilitarian: everything works, but nothing feels alive. The city moves too fast, purely function-driven. Buildings press close, light and air struggle to get in, and life takes on a depressing route.

Our site feels different. Beside the mosque and the open waterfront the pace loosens. Light becomes softer, breezes move through the lanes, and the city seems to breathe. There is a quiet, poetic quality here; carefree and calm. It is an appreciation for the ordinary: the sound of waves, the sun reflecting on water, the slow choreography of light and shadow.

That is the feeling I want to keep. The building holds that romance and make it sharable. Light filtered through woven screens, rain should gather gently in shallow pools, trees should grow between rooms and terraces, and shadows should stretch and fade through the day. Small moments should be designed so people notice them again.

In a city that has become all function, this building would remind people what it feels like to simply be to live with quiet affection for the world around them.

The building is finished with a bare concrete stone finish. the exterior covered in vines.

Sectional Perspective

since the planter is such a significant element in my design, i detailed a planter

Subsidizing strategies include: - smaller, more compact apartments for the moving population - variety of different apartment types - rental spaces - commercial spaces

Apartment Types Floor Plans

Moving Population

(this is two units that fit together like puzzle pieces. they would also have a mezzanine deck level with a bed, studio and a balcony. On the right is a model for this apartment made to show how the second level would work)

Studio apartment is made for people who come to Malé for employment. It has two beds, a kitchen/dining, a working studio and one bathroom. The unit is compact, so that the rent value is affordable, but not too tight in terms of space, thanks to the second level.

(these are four units with one shared kitchen/laundry/dining/studio. This would also have double level, where there will be two more beds in each room, and dining and studio in the upper level in the shared space)

Student Apartments, as the name suggests are for students who come and stay in Malé only for studies. With shared eVerything… it allows the rent to be reduced significantly, which would make it affordable for students, who would probably not be earning any money. It also gives the students a shared working space where they can collaborate, discuss and perform group studies.

(this is one unit, but with a second level in each room with a studio on top. and another shared studio will be on top of the living area.)

2 room studio apartments are meant to be for those who wants to share apartments but not rooms, and can afford moderately higher prices. This unit type offers a private working area in each room and a collaborative working area above the living room and private bathrooms for each room.

Permanent Population

(single level apartment, which can be given to either moving population of permanent.)

Two room regular apartments are high end for the temporary population and low end for the permanent population. It’s for the moving population that can afford reasonably higher prices for a larger space. And for the permanent population whose plots were the smallest from what we removed, they will be getting a comfortable living space, with nearby amenities and open areas.

(single level 3 room apartment for the permanent population) This is a single family apartment of up to 6 people. This one is also possible to rent for the moving population with a large family, although that is not the main intention.

single level 4 room apartment for the permanent population. (compensation for the larger plots)

Intended for a large family for everyone to live long term together.

Floor Plans

The apartments are colour coded.

More refinement of the form was done. Though all of them are not mentioned in the sketches, the previous considerations were also considered here as well

And another model was made

floors are removable so the inside can be seen

There is supposed to be one huge tree on this model standing straight on that structure, but as you can see it is fallen in these photos. Anyway, the fifth floor has the water feature now. The bottom of this feature will be made of glass so that light can go to the lower floors as well. And there will be plants planted on top of the building and around inside the atrium, which will filter sunlight coming through the gap. In this one, another exploratory feature was tested, where the top of the cut is covered by one floor, to reduce direct sunlight, however this makes the inside too dark and does not achieve the desired outcome. And obviously the giant tree on top of the building is not possible, so that must be changed. And another iteration was done. Instead of trees covering the atrium, how about vines?

A mesh-like structure is built over the atrium void and vines grown over it to get the same effect as light filtering through trees. And the top of the sun path cut is no longer covered

i sketched and tried alternative forms

this time taking into account more of the site context. such as the masterplan pathways, and connections to other buildings, views, sun path and the very organic urban fabric of Henveiru.

And I made a programming / spatial relationship model for the residential floors. I made 5 apartment types detailed with interior walls and furniture and entrances and windows.

Sketches of apartments floor plan. (clear detail plan will be in the design development post)

I proceeded to print these apartment floor plans to 1:500 scale but only the entrances and window sides marked. Then they were cut to scale in length, width and height as well, colour coded and I used them to arrange the apartments in a model, to create basic floor plans for the building.

and a second form model was made

The floors are removable so you can see how it is designed inside. I added outer pathways with facade "detailing" which I sketched out

...

This too must be further refined

...

Concept Design stage ended with a heavy hit. The experience I was trying to create was not clearly defined. It was coming from all over the place. From the present condition of the site, from a past feature of our site, from religious buildings and from other buildings. welp... I ought to narrow it down somehow. and I was advised by our instructor to focus on the specific aspect coming from our present site, and not mixing it up with the past. And to take the building studies as precedents rather than taking the feelings from them directly.

So i narrowed it down. Playfulness thrown out the window. it's time for

Romance.

So I focused on our site. As you move through the congestion of Male' and reach the edge, what about the edge makes the place feels romantic? I listed them down

Openness

Non-linearity

Interplay of nature, light and water

Sensory features (textures)

So my concept was narrowed down to this. Recreating the phenomenal feeling that occurs at the site. And these would be the main guiding characteristics of my design.

I started sketching

The first model focused on permeability, non-linearity and openness

But this had its problems...

Narrative Male' is known for being congested, unsafe and difficult to live in. The cause of this is the overly utilitarian nature of the city. Places are not designed for experience. They are designed purely for function. This makes Male' boring, monotonous and depressing.

In the past, Male' had Skippy Carnival, which in a way alleviated some of those symptoms, with its fun and playful element.

The area where Skippy used to be, now tells a different story. The large open area, the beautiful waterfront edge and King Salman Mosque standing there alone as a monumental structure, makes the place feel elevated, poetic, cinematic, or as I would say Romantic.

When Uthuru Fehi masterplan gets built here, my design aims to retain this romantic feeling and bring back the playfulness of Skippy, integrated into the building, spaces and everyday life.

Site Context

Form Derivation

the staggering of the building as it goes up is important. because this is a building near the edge, it's crucial that wind is not completely blocked by the building, for the rest of the city. Hence the built area becomes lesser on the higher floors to allow this.

taking advice from the book Soft City: Building Density for Everyday Life by David Sim, public floors are made as porous, accessible and walk-though-able

and the cuts through the building along the sun path are very important. this is because this will be the main way direct sunlight will be entering into the atrium in the filtered light effect creating the ethereal quality of romance.

Final Form

The building creates an enclosure, which was one of the main points emphasized in the book Soft City.

Sense of Space

view into atrium water feature at bottom of atrium

And this enclosure along with the water feature at the bottom of the atriium and the vegetation surrounding it, creates a microclimate within the block. This is another another main important feature mentioned by David Sim in his book Soft City.

transitional spaces with interior space with filtered colourful light and arches sunlight (louvers) (stained glass)

Materiality of the place would be textured wood, stone finish, moss, and stained glass. all of them due to their subtle yet strong sensory texture and feel

Final Form Model

Floor Plans example

and schematic floor plans were made for all floors. With 2 set points for lifts, and stairs going around the atrium through the common spaces. The apartments are made to correct scale and area with set entrance and ventilation sides, but details such as interior walls and furniture are missing.

The block I chose to design was this block in the middle of the redevelopment area. The reasons for this are because 1. It is the center of the area, and has most connections to other blocks, so it will have the maximal impact 2. It already has an element of playfulness and fun in it (the Carnival) at the ground floor. so this could be incorporated into the building differently.

Requirements

The building should be mix use residential, with commercial and public spaces. 30% of the area must be open space. It must have at least 100 residential units where half of them would be for the temporary population moving through Male' and the other half would be for the permanent population that will reside there for the lifespan of the building.

Programming

I made a list of unique programs that would go with my concept that I can put into my building to bring out the experience I intend to create. -They are - Children's Playgrounds - Adult Playgrounds - Gardens - Sensory courtyards - Stargazing rooftops - Sunset terrace - Art studios - Water Zones - Cat cafes - Atrium And I made different apartment types for different people that would reside in the place, following the brief requirements. And calculated how much area it would take and how much people it can accommodate.

This sheet I made allows me to allocate a certain percentage of area for open areas, and circulation. And by inserting the amount, types and areas of apartments, it allows me to find out how much of each type of people are accommodated, how much area they take, how many total units there are and how much space is left for the other programs on residential floors. Taking inspiration from literature review, I decided to include many different types of apartments for increasing diversity within the building. So that various kinds of people are welcome here, which leads to a healthier, more functional society. (Soft City by David Sims)

Form Derivation

At this point I sketched out how the massing of the building would look like. Building would have a central organization, with a focus towards the center. It should have vertical emphasis in space or form. And it must have a sequential shift. so I made a spatial relationships diagram on how the programs will be arranged and how they will replate to each other in the building.

GROUND AND FIRST FLOORS

RESIDENTIAL FLOORS

I printed out the apartments to squares of accurate area at 1:500 scale. and cut some semi circles of around a similar size for the common spaces. And made a spatial arrangement model

Common Spaces going around the central a central space (atrium) in a rhythmic procession

And the apartments arranged around the common spaces

I made a touchstone model to showcase the unique feeling of the site.

The strong contrast between the geometric, dull and dark forms surrounding the lightweight, organic and vibrant shapes in the middle represent how the site feels in relation to the rest of Male'. It frees you from the impending sense of dread and misery. An ethereal quality that almost feels magical.

I continued to analyze the unique dynamic between Romance and Playfulness. And made a conceptual model.

Even though in essence, Play and Romance are the same thing, they are experienced and outwardly expressed in a very contrasting manner.

In essence, they're both a deep appreciation of an experience. but

Romance is slow and intimate. It relates more to the subtle sensory aspects of the experience. It brings you to the present moment and lasts. This is represented by the swooping wave like form in red, white and black that goes and loops around.

Playfulness is fast and fun. It relates to the action and the enjoyment it brings. It's ephemeral and fleeting. Represented by the straight colourful shape that goes up and ends at a sudden stop.

Translating

To translate these feelings into the design of a building, I studied other places that give such feelings.

For romance, that would be places such as castles, mosques, churches and temples. Places that are designed to give the sense of significance, and appreciation. and the characteristics of such places include - Vertical Emphasis - Procession and Sequence in form - Layered Lighting (coloured and filtered) - Rhythmic Repetition - Water features - Central organization - Integration of Nature - Acoustics (echoes and faint sounds) - Ornamentation

And for playfulness, I researched on places that were intended to be fun and playful such as children playgrounds, Lego House in Billund, Fuji Kindergarten in Tokyo and the Superkilen in Copenhagen. and the characteristics of such places include - Colourfulness - Flexibility - Choices - Kinetic elements - Interactive elements - Scale shifts - Movements other than walking (run, skip, climb, skate, etc.)

Next step would be to take these characteristics and turn them into a building form

The feelings from our site was to be turned into an artwork, that would later be translated into the building as an experience or a feeling, to guide the design of the spaces. However, as the feelings I conveyed in my collage were too many and too broad, I had to narrow it down to a main feeling, problem, or an overarching theme.

So I studied what I had. I looked into the site, and into other sources on similar experiences. And what I came to the realization that I was referring to the feeling of Romance. Not in the typically used meaning of love and kisses romance. But rather the feeling of remoteness from the daily life of Male'. The strong contrast of the overly utilitarian nature of Male' and the underutilized, and carefree feel at the edge of our site. The place is not functionally fully milked to its extent for monetary benefits. It's loose and free and let go. It feels cinematic. Or as I would put it: Romantic. And looking into the past of our site, the Carnival used to be something people attend to escape the utilitarian feel of Male'. A playful escape that is currently something Male' city is in dire need of.

That's when i realized. the word Romance encompasses this feeling. It's a strong and deep appreciation of something. More commonly used for this meaning as the word romanticizing. And feelings such as Love, Playfulness, Nostalgia, Idealization are all types of romance.

So I decided, these are the two feelings I am going to retain and recreate in my design: Play and Romance. So I turned it into an artwork to abstractly convey the feel.

Using vibrant colours and oil pastels to represent playfulness. I drew a hand, often romanticized, with strong lighting and shadows, representing romance.

And I looked into art. As it is one form of pure romance. And one famous painting well known for romanticizing an experience is the popular Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. And since it is a very similar feeling that I too want to convey, I made a second artwork inspired by it. Just to get a better understanding of what I'm trying to do.

For the individual design project, we were to choose a block from our masterplan occupying an area of 2000-2500 square metres, and accommodate 100 residential units worth of people, where half of them would be the permanent population relocated from the removed plots in the masterplan revitalization. And the remaining half of the residents would be the moving population that constantly cycles through Male'.

For the design of the building, a characteristic from the site must be used to guide the feel and experience of the spaces within the building. I began by walking through our site, and getting a feel of what the site has to offer. As I walked through the old neighborhood, I could sense the tightness of the roads. The walls caving in on me. Vehicles parked to an unwalkable amount. Claustrophobic, dystopian and utilitarian, with a hint of Maldivian tradition. However, as I reached near the edge, the congestion relieved. Standing next to King Salman Mosque, below an open sky, felt different. I felt small, yet significant. It felt remote and cinematic. The waterfront view and the openness the place had to offer felt monumental. I took photos and combined them into a collage to convey all of these feelings.