Building Materials

Subject Learning Outcome

Building Materials was a subject which taught me many things that I was not familiar with in the architectural world. For example, I now know a variety of materials and their properties, I am also able to describe the general application of these materials in building construction. Building materials have a large influence on building design and structural qualities as I realize that not all materials are suitable when constructing different kinds of buildings. These knowledge I learned were applied into many of my projects that involved designing and visualizing.

Project 1a: My Home My Space

This project gave me a good opportunity to look around my home and identify various types of building materials used. This was my first time creating a building material catalog, and I was introduced to several common building materials by researching about their texture, properties and application. I managed to identify, extract, modify and utilize these information to have a better understanding about my own home. I've also learned how to compose a presentation board using Photoshop to communicate the information.

Project 1b: Materiality of Space: An Experiential Exploration

This group project required us to research and produce a documentation regarding the physical and chemical properties of materials found in a residential or commercial building. The building we chose was Levain Bakery, and we visited the site in order to acquire the information we sought. I have understood the effects building materials cast on aesthetics and structural qualities of a building. Materials also affects the mood of the surrounding, therefore, we observed and noted down how the theme and climate of the location controlled the type of materials used. We also studied about the application of these materials be it structural or finishes of the building.

Site-visiting

Group Presentation Board

Introduction and facade

Interior and exterior

Mood board

Individual Presentation Board

My study on the facade of Levain Bakery

Project 2: Integration

The final project is an integration with Design Studio 1 final project. In Design Studio 1 final project, I designed a hideout space which is to be fitted into the city in the movie Tron Legacy. I got to learn more about various materials, common and uncommon. I've also experimented with different types of material to see which of them fit to my expectations in terms of structural quality, aesthetics, functionality as well as environment. I've learned how to create spatial quality by varying the building materials. This project also enabled me to reflect on my previous learning and apply them effectively.

Presentation Boards