This document provides information for Project 2 of the Architectural Design Studio 4 course. The project requires students to design a Nature Appreciation Center on Pulau Banding island in Perak, Malaysia. The center should incorporate environmental sustainability and provide facilities such as an exhibition space, auditorium, cafe, and children's area. Students must analyze the site context, develop conceptual designs that respond to the site's environmental qualities and user needs, and produce drawings and models to communicate their design proposals. The final submission is due in Week 14 and will be assessed based on the conceptual design, program response, consideration of the environmental and user experience, and quality of presentation materials.

1. Prepared by NHH 1 Updated 9/8/2015
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN
Centre for Modern Architecture Studies in Southeast Asia (MASSA)
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN STUDIO 4 [ARC60206][ARC 2128][ARC2126]
PROJECT 2: NATURE APPRECIATION CENTER : GATEWAY TO ROYAL BELUM
12 weeks
80 % of final mark
This project calls for a design of a simple public building with some complexity that includes the complexity of site topography
and vegetation, socio-cultural events, and variety of strategies for sustainable design.
It explores design solutions that harness environmental qualities and conditions for human and environment sustainability
through a project with a specific community of users. Students explore design solutions that reduce environmental impact
utilising clustered spatial typology and passive design approach. The design work should contribute to and merge
harmoniously with nature and the site, and provide the best of experiences for the users.
Objectives
 To develop awareness of environmental sustainability in architectural design.
 To develop the student’s ability to meet the imperative and inter-related environmental and social needs, as well as
make poetry with the buildings.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the subject, students will be able to:
1. Apply ideas of environmental sustainability in design
2. Design and create architectural spaces with consideration of environmental poetics in relation to the basic natural
context and existing built context which impact on users’ experiences
3. Combine the environmental needs, the site (site topography, history and socio-cultural events), and the users’
experiences within simple building design in the open landscape/suburban context.
4. Produce drawings (both 2D and 3D), modelling and verbal presentation to communicate and visualize architectural
design and ideas based on clustered spatial typology.
Project brief
This project requires students to propose a facility accommodating several related functions such as exhibition, learning and
recreation in a suburban context. Students are to develop their own concept for the design based on their research of the
area and environment. This working method is intended to have the student design in near full-freedom; however they will be
required to make an informed response firstly to the surrounding context. Their capacity to respond architecturally and
contextually to this task will form part of the basis upon which they will be marked.
Site Location
The site is located in Pulau Banding, Gerik, Perak. Pulau Banding is a 243-hectare man-made island located within the
majestic Temenggor Lake. The Island sits amidst the 130 million year-old Royal Belum Rainforest, known for nature based
activities such as fishing, bird watching, camping and visiting orang asli settlements.EMKAY Group, the owner and caretaker
of the Island, envisions the development of Banding Island as a vital introduction to Royal Belum State Park and aims to
position it as a premier heritage destination on the world ecotourism map. It operates the Belum Rainforest Resort that offers
opportunity to get up close and personal with the natural world.

2. Prepared by NHH 2 Updated 9/8/2015
The Project
Site : Pulau Banding, Gerik, Perak
Brief : Nature Appreciation Centre
Building Siting : Setbacks as per authority requirements (where applicable)
Building Height : 2 - 3 Storeys.
Approximate Floor Area : 800 sq m. (with the possibility to expand)
Facilities : To provide a Mixed-Use Facility to accommodate:
A. Nature Gallery
B. Video / Auditorium Space
C. Visitor / Info & Administrative Area
D. Reading & Documentation Room (Archive)
E. Observation Deck / Area
F. Café + Kitchen + Services
G. Children Explorative Area
Vehicle : Access and Parking
Occupants : Consideration for disabled (wheelchair) access
Public Access : Consideration to the Public/Private accesses and separation
Pedestrian Circulation : Consideration of the pedestrian accesses into and around the Site.
Other service facilities to be provided as per required
Tasks
Pre-Design (Design Analysis)
1. Understanding the site: A thorough site investigation and analysis is required to inform students of design decision.
2. Understanding the brief: Identify and research the user needs
3. Based on the site and user needs, brainstorm ideas for exploration of the communal space.
Schematic Design (Problem Solving)
1. Conceptual thinking
2. Develop sketch plan and section to respond to environmental and user needs
Design Development (Resolving Design)
1. Develop interior poetics (inside/outside relationship) by taking into account interaction between environment and
architectural space/form

3. Prepared by NHH 3 Updated 9/8/2015
TGC Acquired through this project
Discipline Specific Knowledge
Lifelong Learning
Thinking and Problem Solving Skills
Communication Skills
Digital Literacy
Assessment criteria
 Conceptual thinking (ability to generate ideas based on environmental poetics)
 Programmatic response (fulfilling criteria of the required programme; design respond to user needs)
 Poetic response (consideration of the qualities of the environment to inform the user experiences of the architecture)
 Contextual response (consideration of environmental and socio needs which informed architectural spaces and form)
 Level of craft and quality of model and drawings
 Verbal presentation to communicate and visualize architectural design and ideas
Final Submission requirements
Each student is to submit the following:
 Site Plan (Scale to be decided later) (To include Context)
 Plans, Sections, Elevation 1:100 (indicating strong relationship with the physical environment/site)
 Diagrams showing Site Analysis & Design Implication
 Precedent Studies Diagrams
 2 key interior & exterior perspective demonstrating poetics generated by relationship between environment and
architectural space (To demonstrate actual use of space)
 A final model (Scale to be decided later) (indicating strong relationship with the physical environment/site)
 Evidence of design process and thoughts through a series of models vignettes
Format: Final drawings presentation is to be composed on 6 A1 panels (Final Format to be decided later)
Assessment Plan
Assessment Components Type
Learning
Outcome/s
Submission Presentation
Assessment
Weightage
Project 2 : NATURE
APPRECIATION CENTRE
INTERIM
FINAL
Group &
Individual
Individual
3,4
3,4,5
Week 10
Week 14
Week 10
Week 14
30 marks
50 marks
TGC Portfolio
Individual 5 Week 16 - Pass/Fail

4. Prepared by NHH 4 Updated 9/8/2015
References:
http://www.bandingisland.com/os_banding_island.php
http://www.belumrainforestresort.com/sitemap.html
http://www.slideshare.net/flikian/final-site-analysis-presentation?next_slideshow=1
http://www.slideshare.net/djbbox94/site-analysis-belum-rainforest-resort

5. Prepared by NHH 5 Updated 9/8/2015
Week/Date Topics/Readers
Lecture Tutorial
Self-directed
Study
Hours Hours Hours
Week 3
08/09
10/09
12 – 15/09
PROJECT 2 BRIEFING
Lecture 2 : Contextual Architecture (NorHH)
Presentation : Contextual architecture (Tutorial)
Research on ROYAL BELUM Rainforest
Site Visit :
Presentation on Royal Belum Rainforest
Site Investigation
Lecture 3: Site Analysis & Diagramming (Kim)
Presentation Research
2 8 8
Week 4
15/09
17/09
Site Investigation
Site Analysis & Model making
Site Analysis Site Model
- 8 10
Week 5
22/09
24/09
Site Analysis and Design Implication
Presentation (10%)
Public Holiday
Presentation
2 8 8
Week 6
29/09
01/10
Lecture 4: Precedent Study (Shahira)
Tutorial
Proposal Presentation (5%)
Presentation
2 8 8
Week 7
06/10
08/10
Lecture 5 : Nature Inspired Architecture (Axxu)
Tutorial
Design development: plan-section integration
Presentation Research
2 8 8
Week 8
13/10
15/10
Lecture 6: Cluster Spatial typology (Alina)
Tutorial
Progress Presentation 2 :Design & Drawings 2 8 8
Week 9
20/10
22/10
Design development : Progress Check
Design development : Progress Check
Progress
Check
- 10 8
Week 10
27/10
29/10
INTERIM GROUP A (15%)
INTERIM GROUP B (15%)
Presentation
- 10 8
Week 11
03/11
05/11
Lecture 6 : ‘WOW’ Factor (Izwan & Nicholas)
Tutorial
Progress Presentation 3 : Layout
Progress
Check
2 8 8
Semester Break
9 /11 – 13 /11
Week 12
17/11
19/11
Progress Check
Final Design development Tutorial
Progress
Check
2 8 8
Week 13
24/11
26/11
Production of Final Presentation
Production of Final Presentation
- 10 8
Week 14
03/12
Submission & Final presentation (50%)
Presentation
- 18 -
Week 15
Study Week
Portfolio submission
-
- - 10