Introduction

What is community center?

Community centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialized group within the greater community What is Recreational? Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun" Target User The target user is international student studying in UTM. Since most of them are mature student undertaking Masters and PHD, some of them also bring their family along. This building has to tackle the needs of the international student and their family.

Issue and Problem

User One of the most visible issues of the project is that the building is to be built for international student. We know that international student come from various background and culture. It is hard to build something that that will cater the need of many different nationalities.

NATIONALITY
INDONESIAN SAUDI BANGLADESH SYRIAN INDIAN BRITAIN US PAKISTANIAN LIBYA NIGERIAN MALAYSIA JORDANIAN YEMEN IRANIAN 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

NATIONALITY

Although they come from various nationalities, most of the countries are from the same region which is Middle East. One conclusion I can make is that they might share almost identical culture and lifestyle and despite various nationality they still share the common religion which is Islam.

RELIGION
2% 3%

ISLAM BUDDHA HINDU CHRISTIAN NONE 95%

From the research made on the user I also found out that they are in need of a suitable gathering space since they are international student that come to the foreign country leaving their family behind. They need a place to get together between them so that they can bond stronger since they share the same situation. Site Condition

Panoramic view of the site

Intensity The proposed building is located near Kolej Perdana UTM with two existing building already serve its purpose as part of the community center with facility such as convenient shop, community hall, office, and food stall but the issue is that the intensity of people at the site is very low. The site is almost empty throughout the day. It is uninteresting and almost dead although the site has all of those facilities. It is a low intensity area because people movements are low and there is very little activities happening around the site unless there is any special occasion happening at Dewan Sri Perdana.

Both of the picture shows that the Iranian restaurant is almost empty although it was taken at different time. It might be because there is no variety of food to encourage people to come here.

Parking lot is almost empty throughout the day. The number of parking lots available is exceeding the need of the users.

Location The site is in the strategic location. It is located on a hilly site opposing the main nodes that lead to UTM new main gate but it is hidden from view because of the trees and vegetation that covers the whole site. People hardly notice that there are something happening up there.

Existing building The site already have two existing building that have serve its purpose as a part of community center. So the issue is how the additional building can blend in with the existing building so that all of the building can serve its function as a community center as a whole.

Site Topography It is a challenge to build a building on a hilly site. I need to have a detailed understanding on the topography and condition of the site and also knowledge in constructing a building on a hilly site.

Understanding the Issue

In order to understand the issues of the users I have to do a study to know more about the social, cultural, and physical need of the users. The study was conducted by distributing questionnaire at Kolej Perdana U8 which is the main international student living area in UTM. According to the survey, Ive ask about what are their concern in the community, most of them said that there is a lacking in activities for children and adults although the data collected in the survey state that the largest member in the community adults and children so there should me more activities provided. Their secondary concern is about not having opportunity for the community to get together and it might be because there is no proper venue. The next question is about their preferable activities, and most of them state that they want an open area for gathering. MAIN SUBJECT THAT CONCERN RESPONDENT MOST ABOUT COMMUNITY SURROUNDING THE SITE

19% 34% 10% NOT ENOUGH OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GET TOGETHER LACK OF ACCESS FOR FITNESS ACTIVITIES 25% 12% NOT ENOUGH OPPORTUNITIES TO DO TRAINING AND DEVELOP SKILLS NOT ENOUGH ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN AND PEOPLE LACK OF ACTIVITIES FOR OLDER PEOPLE

PREFERRABLE ACTIVITY WITH FAMILY/ COMMUNITY MEMBERS DURING FREE TIME

10% 22% READING 25% PICNIC EXERCISE/FITNESS SHOPPING 22% CULTURAL GATHERING

21%

PREFERRABLE FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY

4% 13% 15%

MULTIMEDIA ROOM MULTIPURPOSE ROOM 5% MINI CAF PLAYGROUND

22%

15%

READING CORNER OPEN AREA FOR GATHERING

12%

14%

MINI GYM MEDITATION AREA

From my observation, I can see clearly that the site is empty. The reason that the site is empty is because it is lacking in activities and function. There are no reasons why people have to go to the site except for visiting the shop and restaurant. The hall is only used occasionally for wedding. In addition, the living area is located higher above the site and the only way the site and the living area are connected is by a giant staircase so it is quite troublesome for pedestrian to access the site.

The only staircase connecting the site and living area.

Case Study and Background Research

Straits View Residence Clubhouse Site Planning For my chosen precedent study which is Straits View Residence Clubhouse, the site is located in the center with the community surrounding it. It acts as the core of the residence main recreational gathering space. The tress is planted around it as natural boundary. As a result, the residence can easily access the clubhouse as there is no rigid boundary. This clubhouse shows how to connect the building with the surrounding.

Space Planning Spaces in this clubhouse are divided into two which is shaded open space and enclose space house in white cube. It creates obvious separation of indoor and open space according to its function. Half of the building is open just for gathering spaces where people sit and relax and another half of the building is enclose for the facility that need mechanical ventilation for example gym, office and etc. All of the outdoor facility such ad pool, pavilion and parks is located at the end of the clubhouse providing privacy.

Form and Climatic Response. The form of Straits view residence clubhouse is inspired from the traditional Malay shade design. In traditional countryside of paddy field, hut is lifted off the ground which gives farmer relief from hot sun responding to the tropical Malaysian climate. So at the end, the roof is spliced, lifted up and overlapped to create stacked effect so that the clubhouse is cool and comfortable all year round. Since Malaysia received large amount of rain, they have to overlap the roof to avoid rain from splattering into the building. The openness of the clubhouse also allow crosses ventilation to take place.

Straits View Residence Clubhouse diagram

University of Arizona Student Recreational Center Connecting existing building to the new one

The building is an expansion of the university current recreational center. It has a centralized arrangement where the courtyard leads user to all of the other spaces. The courtyard is made up of two intersecting roof which produce provide passive shading. The new center is connected at the end of long corridor of existing building. Central bathroom wing are used as sculptured element which act as space divider and provide seating for viewing outdoor activities.

The Deck House Topography The Deck House is a 2-1/2 storey house located in the lush greenery of the Janda Baik forest, at the foothill of Genting Highlands. The site terrain gentle slopes down from the adjacent public road from the higher ground. The profile and section of this house hugs the terrain with minimum interference of the existing slope. Despite its steel and glass construction, the house functions like a traditional tropical house with tall ceiling heights well lit interior spaces, and sufficient ventilation with windows on most walls and aluminum louvers at the highest part of building for the hot air to escape.

Most of the building is designed with steel and glass to evoke lightness. The foundation and the stump of building are made of conventional reinforced concrete. The extensive use of glass as the surrounding skin enables the occupants to enjoy the surrounding forest view.

Design Process
Site planning

The new building will act as a core that connects both of the existing building while. It is positioned as a third building with covered walkway connecting all the three building where people moving from Arked Perdana to Dewan Perdana or vice versa have to go through the new building. The medium of connection is by having a covered walkway so those users are protected from the rain and sun while moving between the buildings. Im planning a park in between those covered walkway as outdoor recreational area so that journey between buildings will become lively.

Space planning

My task is to design a recreational community center where my precedent study inspires me to divide the space into indoor and open space. So the concept is that the building is basically an open deck for the community to gather with several additional facilities. Half of my building is just an open deck for free recreational activities and gathering space, where people can do a BBQ, open exhibition and also random socializing. Another part of my building is an enclose space which is classroom, playroom and library where each of the space have their own open deck for outdoor activities. The first floor is located next to the ground floor at a different level with folding door to create flexibility of space instead of overlapping it to improve interaction inside the building. Unlike my precedent study, the enclose space is completely close and the activities inside it is not visible to the open space. Space development

The first part of the building is expended toward existing building to create connection between the new building and the existing.

The plan is then spread out again to the right side to create more face toward the existing building with the same intention which is to create interaction toward the existing building.

The plan is spread again to the outer part of the site fronting the main road to catch the attention of the passerby from the main nodes toward UTM new gate since in the current condition; the site is barely visible from the nodes.

First floor is attached next to ground floor instead of overlapping it. It is to create social interaction between the spaces and the users because the main function of this building is for international student community to gather and get to know each other.

The second part is shifted inward following the shape of the gathering space so that the distance between spaces remain close. Deck attached to every room act as transition space with various functions.

Constrains
Nodes The site sits on the opposite of the most important nodes. I am trying to make the new building visible from the main nodes so that people realize the existence of the new building and attracted toward it. The first proposal is to angle my building toward the main nodes. All of the spaces are angle that way instead of creating rectangular spaces my building is made up of a rhombus shape spaces. It is also to enhance the view of the building if being seen from the node.

Full view of the recreational center from the main nodes.

Unfortunately after several crit, the idea cannot be continue because I have to think about the user that will occupy the space. How they feel using a space with a rhombus shape and it is not a good experience because at the edge of a rhombus there a certain degree that is not a right angle. So the positioning of furniture will also be a problem and the usage of the space cannot be optimized. People will not be comfortable using the space. The design is then changed. All of the spaces are change to rectangular so that the user can optimize the space better. And the gathering space is spread out more to the outer part of the site opposing the main road so that passerby can see the building clearly.

The main gathering space is expended toward the main road. Topography I was given a choice to build the building anywhere at the site as long as it does not exceed the site boundary. My initial idea is to put half of the building on the flat land another half on a slope so that I can explore the construction technique of building on slope. The floor is arrange so that I goes down following the site topography but it is on stilt to reduce the interference on existing slope. I think the site topography give the maximum impact on how my building finally turns out. It also gives me a chance to create interesting space arrangement by trying to follow the site contour.

User Needs The main purpose of the new International Student Recreational Center is to create a place for the international student to get together and socializing. It is decided based on the research made on the targeted user and most of them agree that they are in need of communal space to get together. The building is design to improve the rate of interaction between the international students so that they can get to know each other better since living in the foreign country can be tough without friend and family. So Im trying to create the best space so that they can socialize better. How they can interact more with each other to bond. Because that is their concern, they want to know other international people to create their own community. They can have BBQ, ceremony and even festive celebration here.

Leveling Leveling is the key to stimulate interaction as people on the ground floor can see the activities happening on the second floor and vice versa. This will speed up the process of interaction so that the user can get to know each other faster achieving the goal of socializing. Furthermore it will also make the space interesting and keep the user active while moving around the building since it is a recreational center.

Permeability between indoor space and outdoor space. To have the permeability of space and people, each of the indoor space is attached to outdoor deck. Th edeck act as transition space between the first floor and ground floor.

Simple revolving doors to create permeability. People can move from outdoor space to indoor space without realizing it. It provides easy accessibility and flexibility of space. Building without walls The primary space of my design is an open deck without walls. The roof is supported by steel column and is made up of polycarbonate translucent panel roof. The users feel the lightness of the building and they can see shadows of trees cast on the roof. It gives the feelings of being under the shade of trees because based on the research, some of them would like to have outdoor picnic.

The picture shows an example of how opaque white polycarbonate shows off shadows cast by the planting

Railings Since there is no wall, the building is wrap around by railings. The railing is designed so that it is attached to permanent benches supported by timber diagonal bracing, providing more place for the user to sit in gathering ceremony since the amount of furniture provided in the building will be limited as it is only a small recreational center.

Environmental constrain The first floor is place on stilt to allow building to pass through it to allow cross ventilation throughout the building since the wind blows from south west to north east. That is why the first floor is positioned on stilt.

At the indoor space, there is no floor to ceiling wall for cross ventilation with the combination of glass and louvered window because wind is moving from the indoor space toward the outdoor space.

Using polycarbonate translucent panel as a roof might cause the space to be a little hot. So some part of the roof is attached with louvered panel so that the panel cast shadow during the day and it is fixed with light fixture for night time.

Final Design
Site planning

Final site planning is that I cut the parking lot into half since the parking lot are barely use. Half of the building sit on the flat parking area and another half are extended toward the slope.