PHOTOGRAPHY
MUHAMMAD SHAIF
PORTFOLIO
PROJECT ONE - ECO HOUSE
ONENESS WITH NATURE
The house is designed for the Amir family. The Amir family consists of Mr Amir, a flamboyant banker, Mrs Amir, a homemaker and their two-year-old daughter. They have strong Muslim faith and are passionate about nature.
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View of site
View of park from site
SITE
The site is located opposite Pasir Ris Park and it has a beautiful view of the large trees and the beach in the distance.
Adjacent to the site are two houses and a kindergarten
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CONCEPT
The design aims to bring the clients closer to nature as they believe that by being close to nature, they are close to God's creation and therefore close to Islam. Therefore, the visual connection to nature is emphasised in the house.
Site Plan
DESIGN PROCESS
I began with a single rectangle aligned towards the Qiblah direction. The longer side faced the park, allowing the good views and also prevailing winds to enter the house, while the shorter facade faced the east and west, reducing the heat gained.
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Then the rectangle was split into two zones, the public, closer to the road, and the private, further into the site. Between the two zones, a semi private zone was also added to accommodate the dining and kitchen.
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The zones were staggered as well to allow better ventilation of the spaces. After which the zones were enlarged to accommodate the spatial requirements.
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The zones were staggered in height as well as it helped to ventilate the spaces.
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Massing Model
Lines and Planes Model
Final Model
MODELS
The massing model explored the staggering of spaces and the proportion of the spaces. The lines and planes model explored the C and L shape language and openings. It also explored the overlapping of the roof planes to allow shading.
FLOOR PLAN
The house is designed in layers such that the deeper the clients go into the house, the more private the area becomes. The living room and foyer are large open areas open to the courtyard and to the view outside with large openable windows.
Climbing up a few steps the clients would enter the dining and kitchen which are slightly separated from the main living area as I wish to provide Mrs Amir and her friends privacy from Mr Amir and his male friends. The laundry and service yard can also be accessed from the back of the kitchen hidden from sight.
Climbing down a few steps the clients would enter the prayer room which has perforated screens for walls, keeping the area well ventilated and also well lit. The prayer hall can also be accessed through the gallery. The praying area has rows which step down to provide a hierarchy when praying. There is also a small discussion area with a pantry for Mr Amir to discuss religious matters with his friends.
The private areas which are the bedrooms and bathrooms can be accessed by climbing up the steps from the dining area. The master bedroom has sliding glass windows to open the bedroom the double volume dining and kitchen, providing a visual connection between Mr Amir and his wife and child while they are preparing food. The daughter bedroom also has a balcony to enjoy the view outside.
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PRESENTATION BOARDS
