Sunday, November 6, 2011

F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Circulation Diagram

F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Program Diagram


F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Natural Light & Ventilation Diagram

F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Structure Diagram

F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Exploded Diagram


F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Zoning Diagram


This diagram illustrates different zones in the building

Who can access to the public zone:
  • Public (visitors, tourist, general public)
  • Staff ( office staff, technical staff, security)
  • Parliament Committee Members
 Who can access to the semi-private zone:
  • Public (who has been invited to attend the conference)
  • Staff ( office staff, technical staff, security)
  • Parliament Committee Members
Who can access to the private zone:
  • Staff ( office staff, technical staff, security)
  • Parliament Committee Members

F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Floor Plan & Section

Floor Plan & Section

F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Flexibility of the Conference Rooms

The conference rooms are designed flexibly to be able to expand and contract. The wall in between the two rooms is installed on  adaptable wheels that can slides to either side of the wall if its needed. During the main time, this wall will sit in the middle of the two meeting rooms and divided the two rooms which cater total number of 30 people and 25 people. The size of the rooms and the amount of furniture and equipments are determined by the demand of the issues and the amount of public. 


  • During the main time, the two conference rooms cater total number of 30 people and 25 people 


  • When there are high and low demand topics happening at the same time, the right adjustment is needed to make. One room cater total number of 42 people and the other one cater total number of 8 people

  • When there is only one high demand topic, the wall can slides to one side in order to increase the capacity of the room to cope with the high demand of public. This room can cater total number of 60 people at a time.
  •  The rooms can be flexibly on function. They can become large open spaces for exhibition or other purposes, by storing the furniture and equipments into the storage spaces.

    F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Interior Space



    Saturday, November 5, 2011

    F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ Brief

    The Capital Hill Centre is provided to improve the public interaction with the parliamentary which the existing system is lack of. The proposed centre offers spaces and opportunities for the public to involve and interact with the existing committee rooms and member during their meeting session. It is to improve the connection between the government with the public who would feel they are not separated from their government.

    A new system is also proposed for deciding issues that need to be discussed in the committee meetings. It is to provided an online forum for the general public to submit their interests or issues visually online where as the current system is that hand written submission are made to the committee clerk by interest group on committee hearings that have been predetermined. These submission will then be prioritized by the staff members who will coordinate what issues required a hearing based on the public interest. An email will be sent to those who have submitted their interest on the forum regarding to present on the day of the committee meeting. Further email will be sent to those who have responded to the email, to notify them whether they have been successful selected or no. In deep information regarding the meeting topic, place and time will also send to those who have been successfully selected to present on the day of the committee meeting. The staffs will then arrange the right size of the conference room and the amount of furniture and equipments based on the issues and the demand of public.

    As to accommodate the increased demand of the public access to the parliament house, a new bus transport system is also included in the proposal. The main route of the new transport system will be surrounding the three main places, the Canberra Airport, the City and the Parliament house. The expansion of the existing underground car-park is also considered to cope with the increased private vehicles access.

    Programs in the Capital Hill Centre:
    • PUBLIC ZONE
      • Parliamentary Gallery
      • Entertaining Space / Screening Space
      • Cafe / Restaurant
      • Toilet Facilities
      • Outdoor Gathering Space
    •  SEMI - PRIVATE ZONE
      • Toilet Facilities
      • Computer Space
      • Two Conference Rooms (H.O.R)
      • Two Conference Rooms (Senate)
      • Outdoor Gathering Space
    • PRIVATE ZONE
      • Staff Office 
      • Staff Back Office
      • Storage Spaces (Conference Room)
      • Technical Rooms
      • Toilet Facilities
      • Plant Room
      • Outdoor Relaxing Space
    _________________________________________________________________________________
     Journey:
    The public arrive from the Parliament Drive (drop of area or the bus station in front of the Parliament house), then they walk down the grass hill or the wooden stair case to proceed to the Capital Hill Centre. The first space they see is the gallery space right in the middle, the entertaining space is allocated on the right hand side of the gallery space and the cafe on the left. These spaces is designed to be open plan to allows a high degree of flexibility in terms of accommodating a wide range of public events now and in the future. There is also a green garden space next to the gallery combined with an open roof to enhance the green and natural atmosphere. The open roof is designed to give a sense of inside-outside space. The toilet facilities are allocated on the end of the two side. All these spaces are accessible as it is in the public zone.

    Beyond the public zone, people would need to check in with in the security check point, before they enter into the semi - private zone. It is only accessible for staffs or the public who have been invited to the interaction meetings. There are also toilet facilities provided in the semi - private zone. It is for the security purpose to have toilet facilities in different zones. The public will then  distributed to their specific conference meeting rooms (H.O.R on the left, Senate on the right) . There is a computer area provided outside the meeting rooms  which acts as a waiting area, for the public to do research or other things before or after their meetings. Outdoor gathering space is also provided for people who likes to enjoy the natural side of Canberra.

    The conference rooms are designed flexibly to be able to expand and contract. The size of the rooms and the amount of furniture and equipments are determined by the demand of the issues and the amount of public. The wall in between the two conference rooms is design to be slid -able. It is stalled on  adaptable wheels so it can be slide to either side of the wall when its needed. During the main time, this wall will remain in the middle of the two conference meeting rooms which can cater total number of 30 people and 25 people. Each of the four conference meeting rooms is provided with a projector and a projector screen for the live stream purposes. The committee meetings in the new parliament house will be live stream to each of the conference rooms, and the public are gets to ask questions at the end the session to allow for public interaction.
    _________________________________________________________________________________



    F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ CRA Clarification

    Infrastructure 
    • Strategy (12.5%): Has the infrastructural strategy been developed and communicated well in the blog and final presentation/submission?  
      • Transport System - It is to accommodate the increased demand of the public access to the parliament house. It helps to improve the connection between people and government by providing easier and better access.   
      • Capital Hill Centre - It is to improve the public involvement and interaction with the  parliamentary which the public feel separated from their government. it is to provide the spaces and opportunities for the public to involve and interact with the existing committee rooms and member during their meeting session in order to raise their voice and their opinions.
    • Logistics (12.5%): Has the logistics been considered and well incorporated in the design? Has the development been well documented and communicated well in the blog and final presentation / submission?  
      • The Capital Hill is designed to respond to changing needs. The area of the cafe, gallery and the exhibition space are designed to be open plan in order to allow a high degree of flexibility in terms of a wide range of public events. The conference rooms are also designed flexibly to be able to expand or contract. The size of the rooms and the amount of furniture and equipments are determined by the demand of the issues and the amount of public. 
    Tectonic Resolution
    • Purpose and Function (12.5%): Has the purpose and function of the architectural entity be chosen in response to (latent) needs? Is the design response appropriate? Has the development been well documented and communicated well in the blog and final presentation / submission?  
      • The conference rooms are to provide a platform for the public to raise their voice and opinion to the government. It is provided for the public to involve and interact with the existing committee meeting rooms and the members during the meeting. The public are provided the opportunities to ask questions at the end of session. It is to closer the distance between the people and the government so the public will not feel they are separated from their government.
    • Circulation and Access (12.5%): Has the use of architectural entity been studied and the circulation within and/or access to it been studied? Is it evident in the design? Has the development been well documented and communicated well in the blog and final presentation / submission?  
      • The Capital Hill Centre is easily accessible. The public arrive from the Parliament Drive (from of the parliament). They walk towards the old parliament house until they will reach to an open grass area. Then they can use the wooden stair case or the grass hill to proceed to the Capital Hill Centre. The layout of the inside is designed to be simple and the programs are on the same floor, which benefit the public for way finding. There are lifts and stair case provided to access to the car park below.
    • Structural and/or Operational Integrity (12.5%): Has the structural and/or operational integrity been studied and made evident in design? Has the development been well documented and communicated well in the blog and final presentation / submission?
      • The roofing of the Capital Hill Centre is made by light weight steel structure. 
    Poetic Resolution 
    • Presence and Identity (12.5%): Has the impact of the proposed entity's presence been considered and its identity been chosen with strong understanding of what it needs to represent and signify?
      • The building form and the internal layout of Capital Hill Centre is designed symmetrically to match with the old and new parliament house, so the three building look as a whole. 
      • The idea of the wavy roofs come from the decision making process for any issues or problems. The aim of the design is to symbolize "Leading to Final Resolution" of the decision making which needs to be discussed. The design of the roof is constructed by the shape of wave patterns, where smaller waves is formed and slowly rising to bigger and wider waves similar to the formation of waves seen on beaches.

        During decision making process for issues or problems to be addressed each section of the roofs represents a vote from each group of the community to aim for a desired resolution. As the more preferred resolution is raised during each decision making process, the more votes it will get from the community, therefore, the stronger the outcome will be, as a result it will "Lead to Final Resolution" which the community will strongly support as a team.
      •  As the Capital Hill Centre is provided for the public community to interact with the existing parliament committee rooms and members in order to solve any problem or issues that are rising in the community. In order to have the public not to feel they are separated from their government, all decision makings have to be fair, equitable and open. These three points have also considered into the design of the Capital Hill Centre. It has been designed symmetrically with the form and the internal layout to symbolize "Fairness and Equitable". It is also provided lots of openings on the roof  and glass walls and windows to represent "Openness". These openings are provided for people to see the activities happening inside the building, just like the public can see the meanings and purposes behind each of the government actions.
    • User Experience (12.5%): Has the experience of users been considered and effectively presented from the perspectives of users?   
      • The Capital Hill Centre is designed based on the public needs. The programs of the centre are suitable for any users as there are cafe, gallery and entertaining space  provided in the public zone area. People can also enjoy the view of the grand parliament house while they are in the public zone area. The conference rooms are also provided for the public to use, but they are only accessible for those who have an invitation, which can be apply online.  
    • Aesthetic Rigor (12.5%): Has the effort been made to pay attention to detail in your communication?  
      • Description: This criterion is to reward your attitude towards preparing successful architectural communication. As architects, you will spend majority of time communicating ideas to your peers, bosses, clients, engineers, contractors and/or other stakeholders. What and how you prepare and present directly influence how others evaluate the credibility of your claim. Your commitment towards visual communication during development stages (through blog entries), final presentation and in your final submission is to be assessed.

    F-I-N-A-L__D-E-S-I-G-N ~ User Experiences