1. TU Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Architecture) 1 | P a g e
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN
Centre for Modern Architecture Studies in Southeast Asia (MASSA)
______________________________________________________________________________________
Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture
Module: ARCHITECTURE CULTURE & HISTORY 1 [ARC60103]
PROJECT: PRECEDENT STUDY & ANALYSIS (50%)
DUE: Online Forum Discussion Week 5 & 6 23 & 30 April 2014 (10%)
Analysis Presentation Board Week 9 28 May 2014 (20%)
3D Abstraction Model Week 12 18 June 2014 (20%)
Introduction
This project focuses on investigating historical works to enrich architectural design and ideas.
Through the study of existing buildings, students are able to communicate and expand their own
architectural vocabulary and develop design concepts. In a group of 4, students are required to
conduct precedent study analysis on specific building through drawing, model-making, on-line
forum discussion and verbal presentations. This precedent study analysis should help clarify the
research question of “why” that specific building is historically, culturally and architecturally
importance; and “how” the design concepts derived from that particular building can be developed
and expanded to be creatively and innovatively integrated into their Studio 1 design project.
Objectives
1. To introduce basic architectural theory through a consideration of intentions, concepts,
patterns, disciplines, architectural language and contextual relationships.
2. To creatively and innovatively develop and expand the design concept derived from the
precedent study analysis.
Learning outcome:
1. To produce building analysis which document intentions, concepts, patterns, disciplines,
architectural language and contextual relationships.
2. To produce graphical development, expansion and elaboration of intentions, concepts,
patterns, disciplines, architectural language and contextual relationships as integration to
design project.
Background:
A precedent study is one of an effective approach in learning architectural history as well as an
essential research stage to any architectural design project. To be a good architect it is crucial that
one thoroughly understand what came before a success architectural creation. Precedent studies
provide understanding of these contributing factors. The information learned from this process will
give architects wisdom to create architecture that is at par or even better than what have been
created before. In addition, precedent studies might also reveal reasons for a design failure and
thus gives designer the understanding so as not to repeat the same mistakes.

2. TU Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Architecture) 2 | P a g e
Assessment:
A. On-line Group Forum (10%) (Individual-80% and Group-20% Assessment)
On-line group forum is used in this exercise as an effective virtual learning discussion platform for
students to work as a team to help each other in exploring the precedent studies of a chosen
building with cultural, historical and architectural significances.
Through the active on-line discussion forum, students even outside class session will be able to
exchange views, share and debate the knowledge derived from the precedent studies to best
grasp as well as to encourage a comprehensive analysis of the underlying conceptual ideas of the
building. This on-line forum discussion will also prepare them for their verbal presentation during
Studio critic session.
The study of precedent required students to gather architectural information, so that they truly
appreciate the essence of the building; have in-depth understanding of the building systems at
work, as well as recognize the series of important elements that realize design aspects of the
building.
Students are required to answer the questions listed below for the On-line Group Forum:
Brief General/Background Questions:
1. Who is the architect or founder of the building?
2. Where and when was the building built?
3. What is the form, or shape of the building?
4. What is the function or purpose of the building?
5. What materials / methods are used for construction?
6. What makes your building historically significant / meaningful?
B. Analysis Presentation Board (20%) (Individual)
An analysis presentation board consists of illustrative and abstractive diagrams, drawings and text.
The drawings should include actual and conceptual design ideas of floor plans, building sections,
analysis diagrams and sketches expressing clarity and in-depth investigation of the precedent
studies. The drawings should be composed on one A2 board only and strictly hand-drawn and
hand-written.
You should find as much information on your assigned building as possible. Some projects have
more information available than others. Your assignment is to provide an in-depth analysis of the
building and provide thorough reflections of the questions listed in the subsequent section.
Analysis should include:
A. Answers to the Precedent Study Analysis questions below:
1. How does the building reflect the spirit of the time and place for which it was built?
2. What is the initial ideas and design concept of the building?
B. Illustration of Precedent Study Analysis in relation to the series of building conceptual elements
listed below – each student is to select and conduct analysis of one element from # 1 to 5 and
to synthesize the design concept Partí of # 6.
1. Concept and Architecture analysis (i. Architect and/or Building concepts, ii.
Architecture/Style)

3. TU Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Architecture) 3 | P a g e
2. Building massing analysis (i. Material and Structure, ii. Geometry iii. Unit to Whole)
3. Circulation Analysis (i. Circulation to Use-Space, ii. Natural ventilation)
4. Spatial Organization analysis (i. Spatial planning & Siting, ii. Building sequence and
process, iii. Public vs. private, iv. Axes, v. Symmetry & balance, vii. Repetitive to unique,
viii. Additive and subtractive, ix. Hierarchy)
5. Building plan-section/elevation analysis (i. Plan to Section or Elevation, ii. Natural light
penetration)
6. Partí - Culminates and Summarizes (i. gesture, ii. essence, iii, dominant idea, iv salient
characteristic of the building)
C. 3D Abstraction Model (20%) (Group)
3D Abstraction Model is a model expressing the details of some aspect or part of a building. Only
the most significance and relevance is extracted and simplified in order to express the important
and noteworthy design concept analysis of the building.
In this task you will create an abstraction model to communicate your precedent and conceptual
analysis. Your model should be in the form of 3D abstraction expressing the building significant
Partí of the precedent studies and conceptual analysis. Models should communicate the important
structure and components, as well as the creative and innovative ideas and concepts.
The model is 30 cm x 30 cm in dimension with 10 cm depth. Material: Balsa timber.
Review and assessment/submission dates
This project carries 50% of the total marks for the subject
Assessments Type Learning
Outcomes
Marks Presentation Submission/
Deadline
Precedent Study
& Analysis
Online Forum
Group +
Individual
1 - 4 10%
Week 5 – 23 April
Week 6 - 30 April
(10%)
Analysis
Presentation Board
Individual
1 - 4
20% Week 9- 28 May
Week 9- 28 May
(20%)
3D Abstraction
Model
Group +
Individual
3 & 4 20%
Week 12 - 18 June
(20%)
References – please refer to the full references in module outlines
Main References:
1. Fletcher, Sir Banister and Winsgrove, J. (Ed). 1987 (19th Ed). Sir Banister Fletcher’s a History of
Architecture. London: Butterworth (720.9 KOS)
2. Clark, R. H., Pause, M. 1996. Precedents in Architecture (2nd edition). New York: Van Nostrand
Reinhold (729.CLA)
3. Unwin, S. Analysing Architecture. 2002. Glasgow: Bell and Bain Ltd. (720.1 UNW)

4. Architecture Culture & History 1 (ARC 1313): March 2014 4 | P a g e
School of Architecture, Building and Design
ARCHITECTURE CULTURE AND HISTORY 1 [ARC60103]
Grade Evaluation Sheet
Project: PRECEDENT STUDY & ANALYSIS (50%)
Lecturer: ________________________________
Name: _______________________________________ Student’s ID: ______________
Group: ____________ Architecture: _______________________ Building: ____________________________________
Criteria and
Assessable
Element(s)
Excellent
A
100% – 80%
Very Good
A-
79% – 75%
Good
B
74% – 60%
Acceptable/Pass
C
59% – 50%
Marginal Failed
D
49% – 40%
Fail
F
39% – 0
A. On-line Forum (10%)
Thorough research
study, the depth and the
effectiveness of on-line
discussion forum entries
to communicate
information that is
relevant to the precedent
study.
Evidence of
extensive
research and
study translated
into on-line
discussion forum
entries.
(Answers all 6
questions with
comprehensive
evidences)
Evidence of
very good
research and
study
translated into
on-line
discussion
forum entries.
(Answers all 6
questions with
ample
evidences)
Evidence of
good research
and study
translated into
on-line
discussion
forum entries.
(Answers 5
questions with
enough
evidences)
Evidence of
minimal but
sufficient research
and study
translated into on-
line discussion
forum entries.
(Answers 4 - 5
questions with
acceptable
evidences)
Evidence of very
minimal research
and study
translated into
on-line
discussion forum
entries.
(Answers 4 - 5
questions with
inadequate
evidences)
Evidence of
lack of research
and study
translated into
on-line
discussion
forum entries.
(Answers less
than 4
questions with
insufficient
evidences)
Evaluation
B. Analysis (20%)
The analysis board
should be self-
explanatory, clearly and
precisely illustrated and
convey thorough analysis
documentation. The
drawings should
communicate: i. In-depth
of building precedent
analysis, ii. Clarity of
information and iii.
Identification of key
information.
Evidence of
extensive
precedent
studies analysis:
(Demonstrated
outstanding,
elicits
presentation,
critical and
analytical skills
of at least 5 in-
depth illustrative
analysis
diagrams)
Evidence of
good
precedent
studies
analysis:
(Demonstrated
well-
presented,
critical and in-
depth
analytical skills
of at least 5
analysis
diagrams).
Evidence of
understanding
of
precedent
studies
analysis;
(Demonstrated
sufficiently well-
presented
critical and
analytical skills
of at least 5 in-
depth analysis
diagrams.)
Evidence of
minimal but
sufficient
familiarity with
precedent studies
analysis;
(Demonstrated
reasonably well-
presented,
minimal critical
and analytical
skills with at least
4 analysis
diagrams.)
Evidence of
minimally
acceptable
familiarity with
precedent
studies analysis
(Demonstrated
inadequate
presentation,
lack critical and
analytical skills
using less than 4
minimal analysis
diagrams).
Insufficient
evidence of
understanding
of precedent
studies analysis
(Poorly
presented,
demonstrated
weakness in
critical and
analytical skills;
limited or
irrelevant use
of less than 3
analysis
diagrams)..
Evaluation
C. Model (20%)
Models should
communicate the
important structure,
components, plus the
creative and innovative
concepts ideas of your
precedent study
Model
demonstrated
and exhibited
high degree of
details of the
important
structure and
components,
plus the creative
and innovative
concepts ideas.
Model is well
presented and
exhibits good
degree of
details of the
important
structure and
components
plus the
creative and
innovative
concepts
ideas
Model is
sufficiently well
presented and
exhibited
acceptable
structure and
components
details of
concepts ideas.
Model is basic and
exhibited minimal
degree of
structure and
components
details of concepts
ideas
Model is crude
and exhibited
poor degree of
structure and
components
details of
concepts ideas
Model is poorly
presented and
exhibited poor
structure and
components
details and/or
incomplete.
Evaluation
Overall Evaluation