ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN PROJECT
PRJ60408
PROJECT 1B
PROJECT 1B
Design Strategies and Exploration
(20% INDIVIDUAL)
PROJECT BRIEF
INTRODUCTION
With a clear understanding of People, Place, and Project (3Ps), students individually develop the group proposal from Project 1a under tutor guidance.
The design process focuses on exploring, testing, and refining ideas through multiple schemes, considering functionality, spatial quality, effectiveness, and form.
Students are expected to develop their designs through:
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Sketches and diagrams
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Study models
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2D drawings — plans, sections, elevations
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3D studies — axonometric views, perspectives, and models
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Relevant precedents and case studies
The phase concludes with a pin-up presentation showcasing the design development process and a refined final scheme, demonstrating critical thinking, iteration, and design resolution.
TASKS
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Design Concept & Strategy: Develop the individual architectural position, intent, and concept based on Project 1a.
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Site & Spatial Planning: Explore efficient programming, circulation, spatial quality, and user experience within 1,800–2,000 m².
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Form & Massing: Test building forms, scale, massing, circulation, and relationship to the site.
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Material & Structure: Explore suitable materials, structural systems, and construction approaches that support the design concept.
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Design Development: Iteratively refine ideas while considering site conditions, user needs, building regulations, sustainability, and buildability.
Deliverables
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200–300 word concept narrative
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Design strategy and analytical diagrams
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Precedent studies
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Spatial programming and area calculations
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Site plan and floor plans
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Form and massing studies
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Sketches and study models (1:400)
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Plans, sections, elevations (1:300/1:400)
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3D perspectives and axonometric drawings
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Material and structural studies
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Final coordinated presentation of design development
OUTCOME
(BOARD & MODELS)
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Develop architectural responses and design strategies that reinforce the proposed architectural position and programme through analytical diagrams and study models.
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Produce a well-resolved design demonstrating an understanding of design regulations, environmental and technological strategies, tectonics, and architectural poetics, with emphasis on functionality, sustainability, buildability, and efficiency.
7.0 Citizenship And Global Perspective
4.0 Communication Skills
Through the form exploration and mock-up model process, I improved my ability to communicate design ideas visually and physically. Presenting and discussing my models also helped me explain my design intentions more clearly and respond to feedback.
Project 1B encouraged me to consider architecture beyond its physical form by thinking about how design can respond to people, context, and the surrounding environment. Working collaboratively also taught me to value different perspectives and understand how collective ideas can contribute to a more thoughtful design outcome.
REFLECTION
Project 1B was an opportunity for me to move from site understanding into form exploration and architectural expression. Through sketches, physical mock-ups, and model-making, I explored different forms, proportions, compositions, and spatial relationships to understand how an initial idea could develop into a more meaningful architectural language.
The process taught me that design is not always a linear process. Some explorations did not work as expected, but they helped me identify weaknesses and discover new possibilities. Working with physical models allowed me to see, test, adjust, and compare ideas more effectively, while also improving my understanding of scale, massing, and materiality.
Overall, Project 1B strengthened my confidence in learning through experimentation and continuously refining my design through making.