ARCHITECTURE DESIGN PROJECT (PRJ60408)

The Architectural Design Project has been one of the most challenging yet meaningful stages of my architectural education. Throughout this module, I learned that architectural design is not simply about creating a visually interesting building, but about developing a meaningful response through research, conceptual thinking, spatial exploration and technical resolution. The project challenged me to move from understanding People, Place and Project towards a resolved architectural proposal while continuously questioning and refining my design decisions.

​

The project began with the investigation of George Town and its changing relationship between local communities and tourism. Through my research, I became interested in the contrast between the declining local population and increasing tourism. This led me to ask: “Leave or Live?” I began to question whether George Town was becoming a place that people increasingly visit rather than a place where people continue to live and participate in everyday life. This became the starting point of my architectural position and encouraged me to look beyond physical heritage towards the living culture and everyday activities of Penang. The module's emphasis on understanding the tangible and intangible qualities of people, place and time helped shape this approach.

​

From this idea, I developed the concept of creating a “small past Penang city” by reinterpreting the traditional shophouse lifestyle, building typology and living heritage. This was my first time developing a concept that focused strongly on reinterpretation rather than simply responding to a site through conventional architectural forms. I wanted to reinterpret not only the physical characteristics of the shophouse, but also the way people lived, worked, interacted and moved within it. The concept eventually developed into 衣、食、住、行, representing different aspects of everyday Penang life.

One of my biggest challenges was translating this concept into a suitable programme and activities. I initially struggled to decide what should actually happen inside the building. Some of my early programme ideas were selected because they fitted the categories of 衣、食、住、行, but they did not always create sufficiently interesting or meaningful spatial experiences. This made me realise that a strong concept does not automatically create a strong programme. The activities need to come from a deeper understanding of people's behaviour and the relationships between spaces. I gradually learned that reinterpretation should not simply copy traditional elements, but should translate the relationships, behaviours and experiences behind them into a new architectural language.

​

A major development in my project was the trishaw ramp. I initially saw it as a representation of Penang's movement culture, but it gradually became the main connector between the different programme clusters. I wanted the trishaw to travel up and down through the building, allowing circulation itself to become part of a lively exhibition. Instead of visitors simply looking at heritage, they could move, stop, observe and participate in different aspects of Penang life. The ramp therefore became both a circulation system and an architectural experience.

​

However, making this idea work became one of my biggest technical challenges. I needed to calculate the slope, length, vertical rise, turning points and connections between levels so that the trishaw could realistically move through the entire building. The complexity of the ramp required a significant amount of time and repeated adjustments. Although it became one of the strongest ideas in my project, it also became too dominant in my design process.

​

Because so much time was spent resolving the ramp, I had less opportunity to develop other architectural elements that I felt could have strengthened the identity of the building. In particular, I believe the five-foot walkway and arch wall had much more potential. The five-foot walkway is an important characteristic of the traditional shophouse, and I originally imagined the arch wall as a stronger architectural reinterpretation of this element. However, I did not have enough time to explore its form, materiality and spatial experience as deeply as I would have liked. Looking back, this taught me the importance of balancing a major conceptual element with the development of smaller architectural identities.

​

Tutor feedback and model-making also played an important role in my development. At certain stages, my massing and circulation became too complicated, requiring me to simplify and reconsider the relationship between the ramp and the programme clusters. These experiences taught me not to become too attached to an idea simply because I had already invested time in it. I learned that failure, adjustment and redesign are necessary parts of architectural development.

​

As the project moved towards the final stage, I also became more aware of the importance of integrating technical considerations with conceptual intentions, including structure, materiality, environmental strategies, fire safety, detailing and buildability. The ramp particularly showed me that a strong conceptual idea must also be supported by realistic architectural calculations and technical decisions.

​

Overall, this project changed my understanding of living heritage. I no longer see heritage simply as historical buildings or façades, but also as movement, food, social interaction, everyday activities and patterns of living. The idea of the “small past Penang city” allowed me to explore how these elements could be brought together into a contemporary architectural experience.

​

Although there are aspects of my project that I would continue to develop, particularly the programme and the five-foot walkway and arch wall, the process taught me the importance of balancing concept, programme, technical feasibility and time. Most importantly, I learned that architecture should not only represent a concept, but should allow people to experience it through space, movement and interaction. This is an approach that I hope to carry into my future architectural projects.