BDES1020 Soon, Kay Xiuyi The chashitsu (japanese tea house) refers to a structure designed for holding tea ceremonies. This architectural space was created for aesthetic fulfilment and is a place of momentary serenity from the hectic pace of tokyo life. It is surrounded by a roji (courtyard garden) that prepares the guests for the ceremony and gives the teahosue a certain degree of privacy. Doors and windows are traditional shoji, made out of delicate strips of balsa and translucent paper which allows light to pass into the room, illuminating and visually expanding the spaces. In accordance with ancient japanese architecture, tearooms are generally small and covered in tatami mats with standard dimensions. The nature concept for the windows and steel faceted roof design stems from the intricate pattern of tealeaf veins sprinkled with crystal water droplets that sparkle under sunlight. Each side of the building reveals a different facade to a viewer.

BDES1020

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

BDES1020 Zonaga, Adrian Kyuusei is Japanís response to the one of the most unique threats to the Japanese way of life, Godzilla. Commissioned by the Japanese Government, Kyuusei is to be the first of many Godzilla Emergency Response Facilities to be manned twenty four hours a day, indefinitely by a private paramilitary organisation and is to be built in the Asakusa area of Tokyo. The building is designed to rapidly deploy armed soldiers in light vehicles, tanks and a handful of apache helicopters with the intent of not defeating, but distracting or redirecting Godzilla or other Godzilla-like monsters in order to minimise damage to the city of Tokyo. The careful control and redirection of Godzilla could significantly reduce the economic impact of a Godzilla attack. The building itself is to be constructed from cheap materials, as previous encounters have shown that Godzilla is intelligent enough to attack and destroy military structures that it identifies as a threat. The buildingís design is a response to this and the building can be cheaply and rapidly reconstructed and repaired if damaged. The use of advertising billboards and panels will help to fund the project and conceal the facility among the other buildings in the Asakusa area. Kyuusei may also have access to experimental technology such as a large radial force-field to protect itself and nearby buildings as well as a prototype battle robot housed beneath the bridge adjacent the facility but the Japanese Government is yet to agree to the use of these technologies.

BDES1020

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

BDES1020 Yuen, Alexander Tunis, the capital of Tunisia is a primary port for trade and tourism. Its economy is widely based on markets and trade. The reason that I chose to design a fish shop stemmed primarily from its location at the water side as well as the suitability of pet fish in Tunis. the residents of Tunis live in very confined and cramped conditions which disable the ability of most people to own domestic pets such as dogs and cats which not only take a lot of effort to maintain but also take space. Therefore, it seems ideal for residents to own pet fish, with small maintenance cost and use of space. Additionally, the large 5 story fish tank which runs through the centre of the building provides a tourist attraction to the city. The tank, which spans approximately 8 metres in diameter, contains a large number of fish with different light sensitivities ñ the higher areas of the fish tank get more sunlight due to increasing amount of windows on upper levels. The entrance curves inwards, allowing people to become attracted into the shop through glimpsing the large fish tank.The blue cladding symbolises the waves as well as complements the surrounding buildings.