BATH HOUSE: Learning Lessons

Remember the point of any crit or review is the teaching and learning.
The following notes summarise the lessons "learnt" during Tuesday's interim crit.

Ideas
In no. 4 in the book: 101 things I learnt in Architecture School the author states Architecture begins with an idea. A central idea will go a far way in directing and guiding the design process. It is the mental structure through which you will organize, and give meaning to the experience and information about it. A number of schemes seen on Tuesday had vague or no ideas. Try to focus on a singular idea that captures what the building will be about. The idea must be a part of you and not "manufactured". For instance, I think Bathing should be private. In my design, I would try to find ways of making the act "feel" private in a public structure. My decisions would be influenced by this idea. A few strategies could be the following:
Urban vs. Rural
Remember that the urban site requires public pedestrian thoroughfare from street to street. The following shows just three ways (of many) that this can be manifested.

While the urban site is predisposed to a plan design approach, the rural site in contrast requires a sectional approach to the design problem. The following shows 2 ways in which the section can be manifested.

In his book 101 things I learnt in Architecture School, Matthew Fredrick states in no. 7 that suburban buildings are freestanding objects in space and urban buildings are often shapers of space.

Section
Always remember that we have to step up from the ground plane when we enter buildings (and sometimes before) therefore we MUST show a difference between the floor of the building and the ground outside. The following sections illustrate this:

Site and Context
There should be serious consideration (or the appearance of serious consideration) in how you building relates to the site. It should not be designed in isolation and then given a "best fit" treatment when placing on the site. All space on the site must be considered and not be "leftover". This is especially true on the urban site.
How do you move from the car to the building? How does the building meet the landscape?
Of importance also is the representation on the floor plan of the immediate context so that onlookers can be informed of these issues. See below.
Communication
Be aware at all times that the purpose of you pinning up your work is to COMMUNICATE to others your thoughts and intentions. If the information is not in the drawings then it is perfectly reasonable for onlookers to assume that you did not think of it or even understand the issues. If the representation of your ideas is ambiguous then it is perfectly reasonable for onlookers to misinterpret your ideas.
Take a critical look at the information you have to present and if it is not communicating what you want to say, take steps to bring it in line.
All drawings are interdependent. They add a little bit of the story to make the complete picture. Do not underestimate this relationship.


If there are any other lessons that you think I missed, please do not hesitate to add it to the comments section.