Interior Design
School of Design
Singapore
Beryl Sim Yi Jing (She/Her)
Home / Re-configuring
By looking and speculating the possible configurations of a family home, this project looks into finding different perspectives and thought-process in our day to day life, based on the notion of sharing between family members. A client is then introduced to help visualize the space and its layout. With the new-found ideas, it would also help re-configure a much more improved and efficient space for the client.
The Heart of the House
Like how a fireplace is seemingly the “heart” of spaces in the European architecture, the dining space may be the the “heart” for Asian architecture.
Since early years, dining has always been an important aspect of the asian culture. Whether is it a huge gathering event (like the Lunar New Year) or a mundane daily activity between families, the dining space proves to be an important space in bringing people together.
This key spaces that showcases a high level of sharing due to them being unpersonalized but rather a collective aesthetics that is inputted by everyone.
The notion of sharing is minimized to simple and communal activities such as dining and occassional gatherings.
Comfort Space
Over the years, the bedroom has become much more than its original purpose. Other than it being an space of rest, it has also become a space of work and of intimate entertainment.
This encourages family members to spend most of their days in their own bedroom, even more as now Covid-19 have promoted the whole notion of working from home.
The bedroom becomes a individualized comfort zone that is not often disrupted by other members of the family, the closing of door for example gives a gesture of “Do Not Disturb”
Client & Original Floorplan
The client is of a low-income big family, 2 parents and 6 kids.
Due to their circumstances, they are required to share a 2-room flat. Like the floorplan at the bottom, their boundaries of comfort space are compelled to be mingled in an big open area. The space constraint does not allow for personal comfort spaces for each and every member of the family.
This family is specifically chosen to explore how sharing within a family, taken to its extreme, can be configurated and played, challenging the mundane typology that we see in our everyday homes.
PLAY WORK SLEEP
The concept will be focusing on the kids, due to the huge amount. Based on the main activities that they need - Activity (Play / Work) and Sleep.
By using modules that is stackable and easy to mainpulate, the possiblity of configurations and functions are endless. With a width and height of 350mm, the modules can be shaped to be steps, tables, chairs and many more.
Modules
Due to the small amount of space given, the modules play an important role in providing pockets of personal space. The modules have only 2 sides covered - for the purpose of ambigious surfaces and attachment.
Ambigious surfaces refer to surfaces that purpose are determined by the users, it does not have a set function and is ready to adapt to all kind of activities that the user might have.
This results in a semi-open concept that does not disrupt the open space, making it seem smaller than it is, yet gives off a semi-enclosure that sleeping space requires
Reflection
This project gave me an opportunity to test out using modular forms to create spaces for a large group of family. By discovering and understanding what the idea of sharing in a family, what we really require in a personal space, helps me configure a almost parasite-like structure that can help accommodate and heighten the client’s home.
Through the project, I tried to create not just a space for each and every members, but also a space that truly benefits them for their comfort and needs.
Studio / Re-examining
This project re-examining a space that is familiar to me, the studio space that I have worked in the past 2 years. Through this project, we will question whether the current layout of the studio is the best environment we can provide for the students.
Existing Layout
The studio design is a great example of how people share a space.
The open concept of a studio helps breaks down personal barrier, encouraging discussion and interaction, motivating the students to have a huge creative pool where they can freely share ideas and influence creativity.
With the furniture mainly tables and chairs, this also encourages students to re-arrange and use these spaces to their own purposes, e.g. 2 tables form a temporary table tennis court.
And the layouts can differ to accommodate different groups of people for various purposes.
Sound Pollution?
However, with the studio original design being very open, there is a compromise of sound pollution and possible distraction. Students have different types of activites that reuire different layers of privacy such as eassy writing. Thus, questioning whether the open-ness helps provide the best environment for the students?
Drapes
Draping fabric with acoustic qualities can help soften sounds and form a semi-private space for people who requires personal space. As the fabric are translucent and hung from the ceiling, this leads to no disruption on the floor and the whole visual of the studio will not be affected.
Levels Of Privacy
The organic curve of a circle is seen as a shape of gathering, thus the radiating form of this design stimulates student to come together and study on this structure.
Tiered layers are implemented to provide semi-privacy and people who wishes to have more privacy can be seated on levels much higher.
Tessellating the circles, a more privated-solo pod is created. In each pod, the placement of the table and seats are in a manner that everyone will have a brief moment of personal space as there is no distraction visually. As the table is shiftable, students can adopt any kind of seating habits in a comfortable way.
Upon standing up, students can easily connect back to the studio space as the pod is not fully enclosed.
Reflection
Through this project, I tried to question the idea of privacy in a supposingly open space, whether do we need to be open in order to interact in the best way.
By using a site that is relevant to me, the experiences and encounters I had helped shape my thinking and concept towards this space. Rather than having an outcome, I have placed in ideations that I believe would help make the space better.
Supermarket / Re-defining
This project will overlook and study the different types of supermarket, analyzing the act of sharing between customers-customers, customers-vendors etc. The purpose is to re-define the concept of current supermarket through the notion of existing interactions and encounters.
Fresh Goods Area
The fresh goods area is the most crowded and vibrant space. It is placed at the entrance due to the many colors that the fruits and vegetables holds. This entices the customers first hand and most of them stay in this space the most.
The shelving are at a lower height as it is easier for customers to view the goods, the void above then becomes spaces for the supermarket to hang decorations for any on-going events. This allows the supermarket to always be in touch with any possible events, staying relevant to the customers.
Non-perishable Food Area
The shelvings used here are much higher as they are used to display products that are mass-produced. The placement of the goods are usually by revenue and popularity.
The most top of the shelves are usually used to advertise certain brands and are often eye-catching.
Existing Floorplan
The current shelving are linear and equally spaced out to maximize the functionable usage of a supermarket, this encourages customers to browse through the place in a quick and efficient way. Thus, because of the current layout, customers tend to touch-and-go at this place.
This brings the question: whether supermarket can just only be a mere functionable space?
Curved Paths
Curved shelving were introduced to soften the path and slow any incoming customers down, a form that tries to challenge the fast and functionable concept of a supermarket.
The shelving also engulf the customers in a way where they have a “safe and comfort” space to shop, making the experience less stressful and fast-paced.
Radiating Concept
Following the concept of curved shelving, a much more radiated layout is adopted for the outcome. The zoning corresponds the Item Chart, and radiates from a solo standing space, a enlarged circle booth. This layout highlights the importance of this booth, as the booth forms a starting point.
Fresh Food Zone
In the fresh food zone, the shelves are kept at a low height, for customers to feel comfortable while selecting their vegetables and being able to visually take in every fresh goodness.
The low height also allows customers to visually spot the cooking studio at any position.
Non-Perishable Food Zone
The curves play a part in slowing the journey of the customers. The shopping experience becomes like a labrinyth where openings are only found at certain spaces.
The slight curvature gives a illusion of walking in the small space again and again in a circle.
Circle Booth (Cooking Studio)
The cooking studio is the key space of the supermarket. With all the shelving curving from this studio, it highlights the space.
As it is the first space seen from the entrance, it encourages customers to interact with the space.
With the base being circular, it allows everyone to gather around it in a comfortable way.
The absence of middle barrier gives the vendor a chance to interact with the customers.
The cooking studio is just one of the many ways the supermarket can use this space.
It can also possibly be adopted as a display stand that encourages the neighborhood to coordinate and sell their home-grown vegetables, to even being a bar table for students to use.
Reflection
This project helped me question a space beyond its initial function and through that, to develop a new perspective and concept that helps elevate the space even more.
Supermarkets can be much more than just a functionable space for people to pass through. It is a space that a community often visit, thus it should be able to forge a new experience that can encourage better interactions within the community and much more.
With this project, I tried to push my boundaries and speculate a space that might not even be practical, but rather to focus on the experience I wish for the customers to have.