DIVING INTO PROGRAMS LIKE THE WALDORF SYSTEM, REGGIO EMILIO APPROACH, GREEN SCHOOL, FOREST SCHOOLS & ETC, WE WILL REALIZE THE NEED FOR SUITABLE ENVIRONMENT IN EDUCATING CHILDREN IS IMMENSELY DIFFERENT FROM THE MAIN STREAM SCHOOLS. THE TYPE OF SPACES REQUIRED, SIZES, SPATIAL EXPERIENCE, PLANNING APPROACH, AND ALL OTHER DESIGN CONSIDERATION BECOME KEY IN DIFFERENTIATION OF THE SCHOOLS. THE SITE IS LOCATED AT MINDEN HEIGHT, PULAU PENANG, A SUBURBAN COMMUNITY. ITS PROXIMITY TO THE NATURAL SURROUNDINGS PROVIDES ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM (AEP), THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. OUR SITE IS A BEAUTIFUL VERDANT HABITAT RICH IN COLOUR, TEXTURE AND BIODIVERSITY.
WE APPROACHED THE PROJECT IN A DIFFERENT TONE AND DECIDED THAT WE WANT TO CREATE A PRESENTATION BOARD THAT IS UNCOMMON TO THE CONVENTIONAL ARCHITECTURAL BOARDS. WE HAD A LOT FUN CREATING IT. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. ARI FOR REMINDING US ON THE IDEA OF TREATING YOUR WORK LIKE A HOBBY, SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY. THE OUTCOME WAS BEYOND SATISFACTORY IN MY OPINION.
THIS PHASE OF THE PROJECT ENCOMPASSES THE STUDY OF THE SITE WHICH WILL BE CARRIED FORWARDS TO PROJECT 2B. A COMPREHENSIVE AND GRAPHICALLY INFORMATIVE SITE ANALYSIS WAS REQUIRED. SPLIT IN GROUPS OF 12, THE WHOLE CLASS HAD AGREED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT SUCCESSFUL WITH THE HELP OF A JOINT EFFORT AS IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT IN DATA COLLECTION. THE GROUP LEADERS HAD A MEETING AND WE AGREED TO DELEGATE THE TASKS ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION NEEDED FOR OUR SITE ANALYSIS. THE DATA REQUIRED ARE BASED OFF THE ELEMENTS STATED IN BOOKS BY KEVIN LYNCH, EDWARD WHITE, JAMES A. LAGRO AND MANY MORE. THE DELEGATION WAS CONDUCTED BY DIVIDING THE GROUP MEMBERS OF EACH TUTORIAL GROUP INTO A NEW GROUP THAT FOCUSES ON COLLECTING DATA BASED ON THE OBJECTIVE APPOINTED FOR THE PARTICULAR GROUP.
*KINDLY CLICK TO VIEW OUR FINAL SITE ANALYSIS PRESENTATION BOARD.
*KINDLY CLICK THE TITLE 'PROJECT 2A - SITE ANALYSIS ON MINDEN HEIGHTS, PENANG' FOR PROJECT 2'S BRIEF
STUDIO4
THE RISE OF ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS (AEP) IN THE COUNTRY HAS ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF MANY PARENTS AS THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS OFFERS VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES IN DEVELOPING A CHILD’S UNIQUE STRENGTHS. ANCHORED BY THE THOUGHT OF UNDERSTANDING FURTHER THE RELATIONSHIP OF CHILDREN TO THE ENVIRONMENT WHILE NURTURING THE YOUNGER GENERATION, THIS INTRODUCTORY EXERCISE GIVES US (A GROUP OF 3) THE OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN AN OUTDOOR PERSONAL SPACE THAT IS FLEXIBLE, LIGHTWEIGHT AS WELL AS SAFE WITH ALL MECHANISMS BEING SIMPLE AND EASY TO OPERATE. MATERIALS FOR ITS CONSTRUCTION ARE FROM SUSTAINABLE SOURCES AND WEATHER PROOF. IT IS OF MULTIPURPOSE; MUST BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE/SUPPORT A USER’S ACTIVITIES WHICH INCLUDE TIES BACK TO ONE OR MORE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS (AEP) IN GENERAL BASED ON THEIR RESEARCH, OBSERVATION AND INTERVIEW.
WE BEGAN TO BREAK DOWN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WHAT MAKES HIM AKHSHAY WHILE BRIDGING THE ELEMENTS OF HOW THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAM (AEP) IS ABLE TO BRING THE BEST OUT OF A YOUNG INDIVIDUAL. BRAIN STORMING BEGAN AND WE DECIDED TO PIN ON HIS TRAIT OF CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, HIS HANDS-ON ATTITUDE, HIS INTEREST IN SPACE AND ASTRONOMY WHILE KEEPING GROUNDS TO HIS SLIGHT INTROVERSION RESULTING IN A SPECIFIC USER-CENTRIC EXPERIENCE.
*KINDLY CLICK THE TITLE 'PROJECT 1 - A PERSONAL SPACE)' FOR PROJECT 1'S BRIEF
WE VISITED THE WINDMILL CARE CENTRE, (LOCATED AT LOT 3570, JLN KG. JAWA BT 3, KG TK MENEGON, 41000 KLANG, 41000 KLANG, SELANGOR) TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IDEAS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM IN A REAL WORLD PERSPECTIVE. THIS VISIT HAS GIVEN ALL OF US A WIDER PERSPECTIVE ON THE IDEA OF 'INFORMAL EDUCATION' AND HOW ITS BENEFITS SUPERSEDES THE CURRENT CONVENTIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM.
AKHSHAY WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP US OUT WITH OUR INTERVIEW. WE FOUND OUT A LOT OF INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT HIM. HE LOVES TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS EVIDENT IN HIS ACTIVITIES HE GETS HIMSELF INVOLVED IN DURING HIS LEISURE. HE LOVES TO CODE DURING HIS FREE TIME. HIS STRONG SENSE OF CURIOSITY HAS LED HIM THROUGH A VERY INTERESTING JOURNEY. HE SAYS THAT TECHNOLOGY SPEAKS TO HIM IN A WAY HE CAN'T EXPLAIN. HE FEEL THAT FOR NOW, KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY KEEPS HIM CURIOUS AND INTERESTED. HE IS SLOWLY MOVING FROM C++ TO JAVA SCRIPT. I PERSONALLY FIND THAT VERY IMPRESSIVE. HAVING SOME TRAITS OF AN INTROVERT, HE OFTEN DOESN'T MAKE THE FIRST MOVE IN SPARKING UP A CONVERSION. BUT HE IS QUITE THE TALKER ONCE HE IS COMFORTABLE WITH YOU. HE IS A REALLY SMART BOY WHO ASPIRES TO BE AN ASTRONAUT IN THE FUTURE.
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AKHSHAY THE ASPIRING ASTRONAUT
 BLURRING THE BOUNDARIES WITH NATURE |  AMPHITHEATER |  ORIENTATION DAY, 14TH JULY 201 |
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 DANCE STUDIO |  PARENT TEACHERS DAY 2017 |  OUTDOOR CLASSES IN SESSION |
PROJECT 2B REQUIRES US TO EXECUTE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DATA COLLECTION AND ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION INTO A 2-3 STOREY PRIMARY SCHOOL THAT CATERS TO A MAXIMUM OF A 100 STUDENTS. THE CRITERIA INCLUDES ALL MEANS TO ACCOMMODATE THE PEDAGOGY OF ALTERNATIVE LEARNING.
*KINDLY CLICK THE TITLE 'PROJECT 2B - PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION' FOR PROJECT 2'S BRIEF
WHILE KEEPING A FIRM GROUND ON MY OPINION OF LEAVING THE SITE AS UNALTERED AS POSSIBLE, I HAVE UTILIZED THE OBSTRUCTIONS (THE TREES) TO MY ADVANTAGE. I TOOK INSPIRATION FROM THE CLEARINGS THE CANOPY OF THE TREES FORM. THIS CREATES A NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE SPACE. THE CIRCULATION WILL FLOW THROUGH THE NEGATIVE SPACE, IN BETWEEN THE TREES. I AM ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NATURAL SHADE WHILE THE BUILDINGS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NATURAL SUNLIGHT IN THE POSITIVE SPACE IN BETWEEN THE CLEARINGS AS THEY ARE COMPLETELY EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT.
POSITIVE (YELLOW) AND NEGATIVE (BLACK) CREATED BY THE CLEARINGS
THE TREE BARKS ARE USED AS VECTOR POINTS THAT FORM BOUNDARIES FOR SPACES
TREES WILL ACT AS A SOUND BUFFER.
THE VERDANT ENCLAVE
THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH IS AN INNOVATIVE AND INSPIRING APPROACH TO CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WHICH VALUES THE CHILD AS STRONG, CAPABLE AND RESILIENT; RICH WITH WONDER AND KNOWLEDGE. EVERY CHILD BRINGS WITH THEM DEEP CURIOSITY AND POTENTIAL AND THIS INNATE CURIOSITY DRIVES THEIR INTEREST TO UNDERSTAND THEIR WORLD AND THEIR PLACE WITHIN IT.
REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH
BY PINNING ON REGGIO EMILIA'S '100 LANGUAGES ', I HAVE CATEGORIZED THE POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES AND SPACES INTO 3 CATEGORIES; COGNITIVE (RIGHT BRAIN), CREATIVE (LEFT BRAIN) & LOCOMOTIVE (PHYSICAL MOVEMENT)
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT & APPROACH
EAST (TOP) AND NORTH (BOTTOM) ELEVATIONS
SECTION A
SECTION B
LOWER GROUND PLAN
UPPER GROUND PLAN
PLATFORM LEVEL PLAN
WHILE KEEPING A FIRM GROUND ON MY OPINION OF LEAVING THE SITE AS UNALTERED AS POSSIBLE, I HAVE UTILIZED THE OBSTRUCTIONS (THE TREES) TO MY ADVANTAGE. I TOOK INSPIRATION FROM THE CLEARINGS THE CANOPY OF THE TREES FORM. THIS CREATES A NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE SPACE. THE CIRCULATION WILL FLOW THROUGH THE NEGATIVE SPACE, IN BETWEEN THE TREES. I AM ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NATURAL SHADE WHILE THE BUILDINGS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NATURAL SUNLIGHT IN THE POSITIVE SPACE IN BETWEEN THE CLEARINGS AS THEY ARE COMPLETELY EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT. I HOUSED THE SCHOOL IN BETWEEN THE SLOPE, AS I FELT THAT ITS WAS THE MOST PROMINENT ELEMENT OF THE SITE.
VERDANT ENCLAVE LEARNING CENTRE BY REGGIO EMILIA'S A PURPOSE BUILT CHILD CARE CENTRE, ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED AND EQUIPPED WITH STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES AND RESOURCES. THE CENTRE USES LOTS OF NATURAL LIGHT TO CREATE BRIGHT AND INVITING SPACES. THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ARE CAREFULLY DEVELOPED AND CONSTRUCTED TO CAPTURE CHILDREN'S INTERESTS AND ENGAGE THEM IN OPPORTUNITIES TO GAIN SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF DEVELOPMENTAL AREAS. OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT ENABLES EVERY CHILD TO REACH THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL IN LIFE AND TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF PARENTING IN OUR MODERN SOCIETY.
MUSIC ROOM
DANCE STUDIO
CLASSROOMS
SCIENCE LAB
AMPHITHEATER
MAINTAINING PUBLIC ACCESS
CORE PROGRAMME SPACES HAVE BEEN NARROWED INTO FURTHER DETAIL TO BRING OUT AN EXPERIENTIAL AND INDIRECTLY POSITIVE FEEDBACK TO THE USERS OF THE SPACES. THE PLAY OF LEVELS HAVE BEEN UTILIZED AS CAN BE SEEN FROM MY ELEVATIONS AND SECTIONS. ITS WAS ALSO IMPORTANT TO ME TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING PROGRAMME OF THE SITE WHEN INTRODUCING SOMETHING FOREIGN, IN THIS CASE A SCHOOL TO THE SITE. THE RESIDENTS OF MINDEN HEIGHTS USE THE SITE AS A BRIDGE AS THEY COMMUTE BY FEET OR VIA MOTORCYCLE THROUGH THE SITE BACK AND FORTH. IT IS ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE BUNGALOWS PLANT THEIR VEGETATION BY THE EDGES OF THE SITE FACING THEIR HOUSES RESPECTIVELY. IT IS SPECULATED TO BE A MEANS OF TERRITORIAL ANNEX FOR THEM. ALL THESE DETAIL HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS I FEEL THE RESPONSE FROM THE SITE IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAT MERELY FOLLOWING THE PROJECT BRIEF AND ERECTING A SCHOOL.