Ali Nasyr

A quick visualization of the building was made to see how it look after i played around with the massing.

- apartments nos per floor was reduced to achieve the desired massing and create generous communal spaces for the residents. The total communal area compared to gfa in this building is between 15-20%.

Its apparent that the vertical columns take focus over the massing in this isometric top. The effect is more visible due to the contrasting color of the column, which was not a decision made but rather left without any material assigned in the render engine (D5).

To subtle down the columns and express the massing, i decided to play around the columns.

Seems 2 columns can be combined and made into a Y as this is a steel structure. This change allowed to combine 2 Y columns creating a more unique structure which complements the design.

How structure changed when columns combined at ground level and upper levels

Communal spaces more spacious without the initial grid of columns.

Final Program and Residential Unit Details for each floor

Residential Unit Layouts

Subsidization Strategy

Its estimated that using the commercial spaces revenue a 25% subsidy can be achieved.

PERSPECTIVE SECTION

Sustainable Solutions

- staked massing allows for better passive ventilation.

- solar array on roof (144 panels) generating an estimated 500+ kWh daily.

- water storage tanks (368cbm total) will be used for irrigation and building services. Significant amount saved annually.

MASTERPLAN VIEW OF BUILDING

APPROACH TO BUILDING

ENTRANCE

Touchstone - Tensegrity

The touchstone represents Malé City as a system held in delicate tension. Solid, staggered blocks symbolize the city's dense and rigid built fabric, while springs of varying compression express the hidden pressures that hold everything together. Their uneven tension shows how each part of the city carries a different load, yet all remain interdependent, if one spring fails or a block shifts, the entire structure destabilizes.

PREDEDENT STUDIES

can this metaphor of tension/ release dictate the programs and spaces? or anchor the design responses? surely the city needs moments of openness and relief

Does Spring Spaces = Charging the body ? or is it Block Spaces?

its a bit of mix of both. 2 spaces are joined by an overlapping program which holds the 2 together. if it moves the main programs tangent to it gets affected...

Tension & Release in Form?... Facade?... Windows?...Roof?.. c:

Program - Wellness and Health

what is wellness architecture & how does it blends into a building?

Program Sizing and Schematic development

Program sizing was done in CAD using allocated areas referenced from metric standards like Neufert and the Metric Data Handbook. These area blocks were then arranged to test fit and begin shaping a schematic floor plan. similar floor areas with different dimensions were used to customize the fit while arranging the spaces.

figured through the process that its better to use blocks with furnitures and other key reference blocks to scale. 2-3 different size bedrooms can help develop better instead of an empty shape.

First Schematic Plans

not all but some of it....

ground floor -- an promenade extension into the building

1st floor - wellness and communal programs

5th floor - a void floor for communal spaces

a typical residential floor - mix unit types

Building form

form looks too bulky and plans are too rigid without any transition spaces in between different spaces. exposed to lobby from all units. could they be branched off from the core for more privacy... yh

Dominated by cargo operations and industrial sprawl, the T-Jetty area has long been cut off from the city’s public life. Our masterplan aims to change that. By introducing a new marina and transforming the waterfront, we’re reimagining this area as an inclusive, connected destination. Guided by the principles of Play, Pause, Connect, Prosper, and Restore, our vision shifts the focus from industry to people by creating space for community, wellness, and balanced urban growth.

CONCEPT

Marina as the key response element from site

25m x 25m blocks are arranged in relation to the marina, with shifts introduced to enhance natural light and ventilation.

Blocks are combined and subtracted to form dynamic compositions, creating multiple views and spatial experiences.

Blocks are broken apart to form multiple view corridors, allowing visual connections from the rear buildings to the marina.

Blocks are curved to soften the building edges, creating a smoother and more organic form. PROGRAM ALLOCATION

This table outlines the program allocation for the masterplan, categorizing spaces into institutional and commercial zones.

Table below presents the spatial distribution and capacity analysis of the masterplan, detailing the area allocation for residential and non-residential zones. It also outlines the number of apartments within each block and the estimated population capacity

MASTERPLAN

Our masterplan proposal along with the interventions in the urban dense area to reduce congestion and make Male' City more livable. We introduced green spaces, markets communal spaces etc to the claimed plots. The population number from these claimed plots will be relocated to the proposed masterplan area.

Jogging and bicycle paths are planned along the marina, connecting to the existing tracks at Rasfannu Beach. The marina will serve the residents of Male' with a green waterfront escape from the dense urban area.

Regenerative Interventions

K - Alirasgefaanu Ziyaarai (Memorial Park)

Q - Bioswale Park

S - Multi-Purpose Community Pavilion

N - Cafeteria

Masterplan Visualizations

Kids Play Area - Center Node

Art Installation & Exhibition Space

Elevated Pathways

MASTERPLAN SECTIONS

PROPOSED NEW ROAD NETWORKS

These road networks align with the broader master plan, which proposes a metro line, tram line, and reduced vehicle usage. As a result, internal roads will serve light traffic, supported by alternatives like battery cycles. Primary roads will accommodate goods transportation, public transit, and other public vehicles.

Existing & Proposed Road Section of Light Traffic Road

Proposed

Existing

The proposed road section will feature wider sidewalks and primarily accommodate light vehicular traffic. However, it will also be designed to allow occasional access for garbage collection trucks and emergency vehicles such as fire trucks when required.

As part of our site analysis, we explored the broader context of Malé City, working together as a group to understand its unique urban landscape. My focus was on the city’s demography looking into household sizes, population trends, and gender-based patterns.

Broader Context

As the nation’s primary urban hub, the Greater Male’ Region (GMR) concentrates 41.1% of the Republic’s total population, underscoring its outsized demographic significance.

Within the Greater Male Region, Male City alone accounts for 64.76% of residents, yet 2022 census reveal a nuanced shift: between 2014 and 2022, the Maldivian population in Male City declined by 0.65% while the foreign resident population surged by 81.9%.

If this trend continues, Male’ City might one day find itself with a foreign majority — not as a sudden event, but as a quiet transformation. The question is, at what cost?

Average Household size in Maldives Compared with Male' City

The graph shows a clear, steady decline in average household size for both Maldives and Male’ City. Over time the gap narrows, and by the year 2022 census data Male’ City is slightly below the national average.

These changes in Malé City are largely due to the development of Hulhumalé Phase 1 and Phase 2, as many people have relocated there.

Population Growth in Male' Region By Gender

The graph shows strong population growth for both men and women in the Male’ Region, with men rising faster than women over time. Male population roughly quadruples from the mid‑1990s to 2022, while the female population grows a bit more than threefold.

It’s interesting how this changing demographics reflect the stories of people, first moving for work, then building lives and families showing how migration shapes not just numbers, but the rhythm of a whole community.

Population Compared to No. of Households in Greater Male' Region

Household counts rise especially fast in the later years, signaling more, smaller households if we compare the census data from the average household sizes during the same time period.

Even with all the new apartments in Hulhumale Phases I & II, the calm we hoped for never came but new movement is pulled toward Male's orbit than ever before.

Number of Households in Male' City by Type of Living Quarters

Two-bedroom units now make up 42% of housing in the Malé Area, driven mainly by the 7,000 Hiyaa flats in Hulhumalé Phase II.

The current mix suits near-term demand but may warrant a modest increase in 3–4 BDR supply to retain growing families and manage the household size numbers from spiking up.

Overall, diving into the demographic data of Malé City has given us an idea of how its people shape the city’s character. These findings will not only deepen our understanding of Male's unique social fabric but also highlight the importance of thoughtful urban planning for its future.

Exploring “A Pattern Language” – Buildings & Construction.... I dove into A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, focusing on the Buildings and Construction section. What stood out most is how the book breaks down architecture into timeless, human-centered patterns , a language that connects structure, space, and life. Each pattern isn’t just about how we build, but why we build the way we do.

While reading, I noted several patterns that could be used to improve public spaces and buildings. Below, each main pattern is listed along with related patterns that can be used to further develop and strengthen the main idea. Pattern 95 - BUILDING COMPLEX

" The degree of which a building is broken into visible parts does affect the human relations within the building…"

Long Thin House - 109 Building fronts - 122 Circulation Realms - 98

Pattern 97 - SHIELDED PARKING

" In covered parking areas use huge shaft of daylight as a natural direction which shows where to leave the parking…"

Tapestry of Light & Dark - 135 Gallery Surround - 166 Canvas Roofs - 244 Open Stairs - 158

Pattern 98 - CIRCULATION REALMS

" Intermediate goals along the path makes an environment easy to understand…"

Main gateways - 53 Hierarchy of Open Space - 144 Paths & Goals - 120 Building Thoroughfare - 101

Pattern 99 - MAIN BUILDING

" A complex of building without a center is like a man without a head…"

Common Areas at the Heart - 129 Cascade of Roofs - 166 Structure Follows Social Spaces - 205

Pattern 101 - BUILDING THOROUGHFARE

" When a public building complex cannot be completely served by outdoor pedestrian streets, a new form of indoor street - Different from the conventional corridor is needed…"

" As far as possible the indoor street should be a continuation of the circulation outside the building …"

Pedestrian Streets - 100 Family of Entrances - 102 Activity Pockets - 124 Reception Welcomes You - 149 Pedestrian Density - 123

Pattern 112 - ENTRANCE TRANSITION

"Create graceful transitions between streets and inside..." "Use combination of the above elements for the transitions..."

Garden Walk - 173 Trellised Walk - 174

Pattern 114 - HEIRARCHY OF OPEN SPACE

"Every outdoor space will have a natural back.." "At large scales, public squares and greens can be open up to vistas from one end..."

Small Public Square - 61 Common Land - 67

Pattern 124- ACTIVITY POCKETS

" Life of a public square forms naturally around its edges…"

Seat Spots - 241 Sitting Wall - 243 Place to Wait - 150

Pattern 129 - COMMON AREAS AT THE HEART

"Locate common areas at the center of gravity of all spaces in such a way that the paths that goes in/out lies tangent to it..."

Short Passages - 132 The Flow Through Room - 131

Pattern 159 - LIGHT ON TWO SIDES OF EVERY ROOM

" Don't let the pattern go wild on plans, its possible to keep the essence of it with windows on one side…"

Deep Reveals - 223 Filtered Light - 238

Pattern 160 - BUILDING EDGE

" Buildings are often thought as something which turns inwards..it must be also oriented outwards..."

Gallery Surround - 166 Outdoor Room - 163 Seat Spots - 241 Arcades - 119

Pattern 205 - STRUCTURE FOLLOWS SOCIAL SPACES

" On no account allow the engineering to dictate the building form…"

Efficient Structure - 206 Columns at the Corners - 212

Pattern 233 - FLOOR SURFACE

" Floor should be inviting, and warm to touch…"

Soft Tiles & Bricks - 248 Ornaments - 249

Through this review, I understood that A Pattern Language isn’t just a guide for design, it’s a philosophy of living. It taught me that architecture should evolve from human needs and natural rhythms, not just from form or style. This perspective will definitely influence how I approach my own design process moving forward.