Friday, 9 June 2017

COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVE (CSI)

E-journal

Week 1

The project brief was introduced in the first week of the semester and we've been told that we have few choices of projects for us to complete. After some discussions among our team, we've decided approach the Environment Enhancing , E2 Project (E2). The project is collaborative community service project run by JCI and OCBC bank. This collaboration intends to materialize students’ proposal that will benefit the local community. Students are to propose any architectural related proposal at the area proposed by OCBC Bank.

The site we've been given is Tentatively Metro Prima, Kepong.

We start to research for the best location in our site to build a structure that needed and beneficial for the community. The work tasks ware well distributed among our group members to make sure our progress is well and smooth.







Week 2

In the second of week of the project, our group has found 2 potential sites for this project and we’ve made a visit to the site to have better understanding on the potential site. I was tasks to carried out site measurement and took some photos and some of the members did site analysis by looking at the site condition and SWOT analysis.

We also interviewed some of the people in our site including the residences and the visitors to have better understanding on what they are lacking and their needs. We’ve found that there are lacking of seating area and resting area at Jalan Prima 2, causing the people have no place to sit and rest especially where is a night market and also teacher bringing their students to the field for activities. People playing in the football field doesn’t have a place to put their stuff, they always put their stuff on the ground and no proper seating area for the viewer.


After all the information has collected, we’ve decided to choose Jalan Prima 2 as our proposed site to build a structure for them to sit, rest, play and put their belongings.





Week 3

Right after a week we came back from the site visit, we were so motivated to help the community and we had a discussion. We started a brainstorming session and keep throwing ideas. We have compiled our data and presented during our discussion so we could provide a better idea on our structure.
We looked at the climatic analysis, site issues and SWOT analysis indicating site strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats which may influence our design. Some case studies were also carried out to look at other projects which may improve our idea.

We’ve then came into a conclusion of this discussion with an initial design. We’ve came out with an idea of doing a simple resting area with multiple purposes. The large steps served as a seating area and people can also rest on it. There is also extended spaces for the people to eat after buying their food in the night market. This structure can be also encouraging people to gathering around it and improve their social interactivity.





Week 4

During week 4, we’ve to submit an initial proposal in Powerpoint Presentation format. We confidently presented in our design with several ideas from different case studies and we believe it could be beneficial to the community. We aim to encourage more activities in that area, more interaction among the community and provide brighter walkway to improve safety of the street.


Wooden pallets are the proposed material. We plan to stacked them together and forms the seating area. Inside the wooden pallets, we are putting light bulbs to light up at night. People can have a clearer view on the street and to live up the area. 












Week 5

After receiving feedback from our tutor regarding to our initial proposal, we’ve discovered more issues on our site. There is no proper shading on our site and the practicality of using light bulbs inside the wooden pallets.

On the same week after meeting our tutor, we discussed with all these issues and start to change our mind by changing our site inside the football field which is not far from our initial proposed site. The demand of the site is more or less the same compare to the initial site but this site is well shaded with trees and it provide better view to the field. There is also barrier built around the field to provide more privacy.

Hence, we paid for another visit to the site and found out the people in the site has higher demand on the resting area and also seating area. The site is having a higher engagement and connection with community residing in the condominium beside it. Thus, we believed that the current chosen site is the right choice and we could carried our idea on the current site as the site issues is the same as previous site.




Week 6

After conducting the secondary site analysis, we modified our design with more precise and make sure it suits the community. We’ve design the structure with more variety of function to improve the social activity of the community. We’re ease to boost the social interaction of the area and provide a more functional structure to make sure the community will use it in daily basis.

The design features a random stacking of wooden pallets and the idea is from the podium of the football match. We’re so pleased to help the community and we design to make sure every corner is the need for the community. Every stack has its own purpose for example seating, resting, eating and storing. People can enjoy the football match and the residences can relax and hangout at the pallets. We’re to make sure the community will feel comfortable by using our structure.






Week 7

We have to submit an e-poster in the 7th week of this project, we were given different task to complete the poster. I was tasked to make a 3D model of the structure. All the findings, data and ideas were all summarised on the poster along with some connection detail to show its buildability.



Week 8

We revisited the site to conduct survey on our design and see the responses and opinion of the people. Most of the residences were pleased with our design but there are some people who have some problem with the proposal. We collected their opinion and have a deeper conversation with the people to have more understanding regarding to the issues arise by them.

We also take some clips for our upcoming video submission. We stayed at the site for the whole day just to captured the activities of the people and also some moments in the site.

After obtaining the feedback, we did some slight amendments on the design. The design is more accessible from the entrances of the park and we divide tour structure into 2 separated pieces so it has a wider span, making the installment more accessible than before. We believed such a slight improvement could provide a better functionality of the structure.

We also putting variation colour to the pallets, creating a more contrasting effect rather than a mundane style. We also start making budget calculation to make sure the structure is functional yet not too costly. Some of the cost were put into considerations. We did some research on the paint with their specific coding and the wooden pallets to get the pricing as accurate as possible. We’re to make sure the total cost will not exceed the given budget which is RM5000. After all the calculations, our total cost of this structure will be RM4362, well within the provided budget.




Week 9

In week 9, we gathered together to refine our A0 size presentation board. Some discussion was carried out to make sure we did not miss out any information in the board and also our design. Not many changes were done but we change the renderings and the architectural drawings due to the slight changes of our design. We also improve the overall layout and design of the boards.



Week 10

In our final week of our project, we start planning with our video, we started off with creating a story board by showing the sequence of the video just to make sure it could cover everything into the video. We thinking of a proper way present our information and design in the video so it is clear and understandable.


Later on, I’ve assigned to edit the video.




Reflection

After a total of 10 weeks doing this project, I have make myself a more responsible person. I’m start looking things in other people perspective rather thinking for my own self. I’ve enjoyed myself doing this project and I really hope I could help and bring a big impact to the community in Metro Prima, Kepong. The design process also inspired me by thinking the design not only for aesthetic proposes but it also must be pleased to the community. Sympathy is the key in the project, we must understand the community rather than just design based on my own assumptions. I’m so glad to get involved in this project not merely I can help the community but also getting with my course mates together to complete such a meaningful project and we get to share the happiness together. I appreciate every man power given by each of my member throughout the project.





No comments:

Post a Comment