METHODS OF DOCUMENTATION AND MEASURED DRAWINGS [ARC 1215] [ARC60305] 

 

 

This project will be carried out throughout the semester where we will be assigned to measure and document a historical / heritage building and translate all the data into a set of drawings and a model. Each group will have to only measure one particular building assigned by the lecturer. Apart from doing the measuring exercise on site, we will also need to do additional research in order to piece together all the important data about the building. 
 

We are assigned to document a building in Klang, located along Jalan Dato Hamzah, a previous building for Pejabat Agama Islam. This building was previously a old palace for Selangor fifth sultan. After a thorough documentation about this old bungalow, we had known found out the story behind the building which not only act as a old palace. This building had adopted to various function due to different ownership and was once occupied by Japanese as their headquarter for training army. Walking through the history of this building, built up respect among us towards the old architecture practised by the ancestors. 

 

We are required to produce a set of measured drawings(floor plans, elevations, sections, and detailed drawings) , a scaled model, and a documentation of the building on report based. Besides, we are required to produce 10 pages sketches about the building. We had given 5 days to carry out this documentation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This project is an on-site exercise where students have to sketch and documents the physical and intangible qualities of the buildings as well as the immediate context of the site. It can be from an element as broad as the urban planning itself down to the smallest detail of the ornaments used in the building.

 

Some of the physical aspects may include building or structure such as a bridge; architectural elements such as windows, doors, five-foot ways; architectural features such as ornaments, keystone, arches over windows, carvings, tiles layout; construction details such as staircase, roof structure; the physical context – overall urban layout, street furniture; traditional transportation such the trishaw.

 

The intangible aspects that can be captured are people of the place doing their daily activities; cultural elements such as clothes, furniture, glass and china, food; traditional trade – incense shop, street side cobbler, other family businesses; urban qualities such as the rhythm created by the repetition of roof volumes, the serial visions and vistas, the circulation nodes.

 

As a start, it is COMPULSARY for all students to sketch the plans, sections and elevations of the building that the group has measured, as an expression of the students’ understanding of the building.

The sketches are to comprise at least 2 each of these categories:

• The Genius Loci

• Poetic Quality

• Cultural Attributes

• Technical /Construction details 
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drawing really require observation as every drawings need to be defined. The emptiness in the building had caused lots of trouble about what to draw in the 10 sketches. However, through the days we spent in the building , we had found out something interesting about the building. The emptiness had led us to pay attention to every small details in the building and finally complete the drawings as required. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The report is a document that accompanies the set of drawings for the building that is measured during the semester. Basically, the report will elaborate on the significance of the building being measured from various aspects such as architectural, historical and cultural. In this report, students are required to relate the architecture of the building to its significance, highlighting how the two support the inhabitation of the building. A video documenting the building is required to provide 3D experience of the building. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had done the report based on the history and architecture approach. The building had gone through various rennovation and different ownership. Therefore, a lot of amendments were made. The function of the spaces had been verified after an interview with the current Pejabat Agama Islam Officers. 

 

The report took us a lot of effort to find relevant information, through interview with the locals, and through observation and comparison with the building nearby. This had enhanced our analysis ability and a sensitive observation. Some columns are plastered to be thicker, as to support the old house from collapsing. This had been resulted in the uneven thickness of the wall throughout the buidling. Further analysis had been taken part such as the year of additional architecture elements into the building such as the staircase. These analysis had been stated in the report after verified by the officers and tutor. 

 

Everything built for a reason. The construction of some part of building were to make the building a better place to stay. However, part of the building had lost its originality due to various renovation such as the porch in the front. The porch had no longer be the porch as it was covered for office use. Beside, many openings were covered due to the use of air-conditioning. The high ceiling was covered with lower ceiling as to enhance the efficiency of air-conditioning. 

 

Furthermore, it is also a good experience in doing researching. Some infomation may not be original fact. Information need to be filteredand analysised before it was stated in the report. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Key plan

• Location plan

• Site plan incorporating the roof plan

• Floor plans

• Elevations

• Sections

• Site sections

• Exploded isometric / axonometric

• A physical model to show the construction / structure of the buildings using ONLY balsa wood OR

  white model boards as either one section OR an open-able full model

• Details – construction, architectural, decorative elements / ornaments (minimum one each)