ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT
This sections tackles on improving the some of the spaces in the building. Since there are no major changes to the overall programme, a third spatial explanation is not needed for this development, as this sections covers most of it.
ADDING MORE ACCESS
Previous design
Improved design
The yellow areas represent the vertical circulation which are the stairs and lifts to the underground space. In this previous design, we can see that the back part of the site does not have access to the basement. This can be quiet dangerous during fire and more stairs should be places behind.
Additional access are placed at the back of the site. One is located at the art and pottery area and the other one is located at the garden and cooking area. This allows people from these areas to get directly down to the restaurant. This also helps give greater access during fire evacuation.
THE GARDEN WORKSHOP
Previous design
Improved design
Although the overall arrangement have gotten more organized. I still feel that all the workshop spaces should be placed together so that people can get the whole food process experience in one area. For this previous design, the garden workshop spaces are placed quite far away from the rest of the workshop and I feel that it would be better to place it together with the rest.
Now, the vegetable stall, which used to be in the middle is move to the back and the garden workshop space is placed much closer to the others. This means both shops are behind, and all the workshops are in the middle. However, one thing I had to consider was that I had to maintain the existing courtyard space. This is to ensure more light could still enter the underground.
Finding the best possible shape
INITIALLY..
The space was used as vegetable shop. Therefore, placing the courtyard in the middle was ideal for the vegetable stall since there is not much space needed to buy and sell food. Additionally, I wanted a four sides shop so that people can get their food at all sides of the space. Since the space is going to turn into a garden workshop, a few changes are needed to make the space more suitable for a proper workshop.
DEVELOPMENT - ISSUE WITH SHAPE
If this shape were to be maintained for the garden workshop, the circulation of the space will not be efficient. Also, as started above, a stair is also needed in this space to allow more access to the underground and if the stairs are located in the middle, it would block some light into the basement. Also, this give direct access from the restaurant to the workshop which would interfere the people while working. Therefore, a better design is needed in order to include all three spaces efficiently.
NEW DEVELOPMENT - REVISED SHAPE
After some thought, I feel that in order to make it more efficient, the space is organized into 3 sections. First of all, this is to ensure there is a single wide space for the garden workshop. Besides that, the shape of the stairs is a single strip and it is placed at the side as a way to prevent it from blocking the circulation. As a result of the change, the courtyard space has gotten much longer and larger than before which would allow more light into the basement.
LIGHTING ANALYSIS
Ground floor
Previous condition
Improved condition
This previous design has a few areas that are not well-lit. The red areas are the locations that I would want to brighten up and the the blue areas are acceptable to be dark due to the function of the space.
The area highlighted in red are more exposed to light due to adding more openings to those areas. Now, there are more areas exposed to the natural making the environment more well-lit.
Basement
Previous condition
Improved condition
I decided to make the blue areas not lighted up by the natural lighting as these spaces are used for toilets and services. The spaces that I hope to create more natural lighting are the dining areas. However, more areas should be exposed to natural light into the space.
Now, the middle part of the space are more exposed to light due to better lighting strategies considered into the space. Also, more light are coming into the kitchen stalls and other dining areas too. The back part of the space are private dining areas, so lighting can be avoided in the area.
New lighting strategies for restaurant
Tables with trees
Instead of having tiny courtyards at this area. I wanted to make the trees placed on the table so that people can be much closer to the nature. Plants grown on the table could be edible as well. Overall, the purpose of having openings at this area is allow people to look down into the restaurant, a constant relationship that I want to repeat around the building.
Larger courtyards
The courtyards for the previous design does have a bigger size than this one. Also each courtyard have stairs to bring people up and down the building. These bigger space would also bring more light into the building and also allow for more plantations in the areas.
Tiny roof lights
The tiny roof light allow more natural light to enter the basements. These will have seating areas around it to allow people to relax while looking down to the restaurant. They do not function as courtyard but just additional openings to allow more light to enter the space that are dark. Plants can be planted under it as well.
Sefaira analysis
Previous condition
Improved condition
Overall, the energy use of the building is quite near to the 2030 challenge. Besides that, the building uses a low amount of energy to heat and cool the building. However, a lot energy is used to light the building as well as the equipment used in the building since it is a restaurant. Finally, over 46 percent of the space is over-lit, 20 percent well-lit and 33 percent under-lit. There is a need to reduce the under-lit areas.
For now, the energy use have reduced by two kWh/m2/yr. This might due to more exposed to natural lighting and less energy is needed to light the building up. The energy segment also show that the building is more insulated. this may due to more walls at certain areas. Lastly, the lighting condition have improved quite a lot as well, only 24 percent of the area is under-lit and these areas are the services which are not a big issue to the users.
PRIVATE DINING AREAS
Previous design
Improved design
In the previous design, the back part of the dining is just a storage space. I didn't know what to make the space into therefore most of it is not used. However, I realize this space would be used for private dining areas since most of the are is quite public. This could satisfy some of the users who prefer dining in private.
For this current design, the back part of the space is used for private dining. Besides that, this area is flexible in terms of the size of the space. The wall in between could be opened to create a bigger private dining area. This would be very suitable for holding private events without interfering the other spaces.
UNIFYING THE FORM
THE INDIVIDUAL
Up until now, I didn't quite like how random the way my roof was formed. In terms of elevation view and perspective, the randomness of the roof slope created a very unorganized view of the building. Therefore, I decided to unify the roof form by having the openings in the middle instead of the corner. The opening are not exactly at the middle but still positioned based on the organization of the spaces below. Overall, this fits the roof landscape of the public hall as well.
Previous design
Improved design
THE OVERALL
Besides that, I unify the space by lengthening the roof of the buildings at places where the walkways are. This creates a new form of connection to the overall building. This concept is deeply inspired by the traditional Chinese courtyard houses which I want to bring it into this building. Besides that, outdoor spaces now have flat roof frames to create more shelter and connection to the scattered spaces. The overall whole could be seen more clearly in roof plan.
Previous design
Improved design
