Ecology - Site C -

Design Statement: Reem Mahmoud Farghali |1411846| Section 4

An invitation to rediscover the treasures of the past AAR 3201, semester 2 2016/2017
Client: MARDI
According to (MARDI), national strategies and action plans are now taken for the Agricultural Biodiversity,
conservation, and sustainable utilization. These strategies aim to identify, conserve, and optimize the use of the
Agricultural Biodiversity in Malaysia. Theyre also meant to enhance productivity, improving human and
environmental safety, and optimizing the quality of life.

Brief: To reconnect with our surrounding nature, Get in touch with our roots. Nowadays, rapid urbanization
and development deprive the people from getting in touch with the beauty of their surroundings. The increased
dependence on new technologies created aloofness and disconnection with nature and increased environmental
issues. The key is tackle these issues through a reconciliation with nature. Sustainable development, including the
New Urbanism movement, aims to promote an environmentally conscious approach towards construction and
development.

Approach:

The approach is to integrate the proposed building with the social fabric through creating a productive landscape and green infrastructure. The
purpose is to engage the visitors with a discovery of urban farming which has been overlooked in the recent years. The aim is to revive the
practice of urban farming and facilitate the process of home gardening to encourage the community to interact with their natural surroundings
and increase their productivity, as well as, increase the quality of life.

Concept: RHIZOME
A continuously growing horizontal underground stem that puts out lateral shoots and adventitious like the history and timeline of Johor, which is
filled with victories and continuous development, the cultural essence and heritage are still preserved in the city. Therefore a strong element the
stem signifies Johors permanent and steady growth. The growth of Johor is headed towards the the future city that will introduce efficient
living styles and eco-friendly environment, which will give the people a continuous connection with Malaysias strongest advantage Nature.
The building will aim to make the people get in touch with their surroundings while offering them innovative and easy farming methods and
solutions which they can apply by themselves at their homes and backyards.

Project goals:
To build a productive community and amplify the ecological services delivered by the area. Moreover, the project aims to bring together the
community along with farming production and recreational activities areas, as well as combining the natural landscape with the activities
offered.

Objectives:
The discovery center should become a place to conduct research on new hydroponic methods of farming that
can aid the citizens in adopting easy, simple ways to apply these methods at home, and encourage the
organic, sustainable way of living.
The center aims to let the people enjoy the outdoor landscape as much as possible by integrating the indoor
and outdoor spaces, using a sky bridge, and an integrated ramp leading the people into the building from the
roof garden.
Islamic Perspective:
From an Islamic point of view, the approach to this project is aimed to revive the sustainable way of living and help
the community appreciate Gods natural resources as well as teach them to use these resources wisely. Long
before the urbanization movement and the industrial era, the local community was fully dependent on organic
sustainable farming. They appreciated their resources and didnt abuse them or diverge away from them.
From the Quranic verses Allah teaches us that:
He furnished the earth with mountains, rivers, water, plants, and animals resulting in a comprehensive ecosystem.
He also provided the requisite elements, such as oxygen and nitrogen to make it self-supporting.
Provisions on Earth to Support Life:
Allah (swt) furnished the earth to support life, as He describes: Allah has made the earth for you as a wide expanse
so that you may walk in its spacious paths. [Surah Nuh: 19-20] In Surah Luqman:10 the description continues: He
created the heavens without visible pillars: He set mountains on the earth lest it should shake with you: and
scattered through it all kinds of animals. We send down rain from the sky with which we grow every type of noble
species in pairs.
The description continues further: He is the One Who has made the earth a cradle for you, traced the roads on it
for you to walk on: and sends down from the sky with which we produce pairs of various kinds of vegetation.
[Surah Ta-Ha: 53]
Role of Plants for Sustaining Life on Earth
Allah created diverse types of plants all around the earth to help us manufacture their food (starch) in their
leaves; theyre a source of nutrition for other creatures. Therefore, it is a shame that in the modern world
processed foods and large companies dominate our way of life. They made us forget our main goal on earth as
Khalifas who should manage and sustain Allahs resources as these resources are Amanah and should be well
preserved and looked after. Through this project, the main aim is to help reconnect the people with this main goal
on earth, to be thankful for gods gifts, and to facilitate the way in which they can start managing theses resources
easily in their homes.

Accessibility
The inclusion of ramps throughout the building help facilitate the access of the disabled people into the building.
The building is fairly low rise except for the administration and Educational zones building, to connect the visitors
with the open fields and ginger farms on land. The ramps make the journey throughout the site easy, enjoyable,
and exciting as each ramp takes the visitors to new area. The sky bridge is in the form of a ramp with a deck in the
middle that acts as a viewing deck overlooking the farms and the ecology park. The ramp then continues up to a
roof garden that contains an integrated seating area and climbing creepers, overlooking the conservatory on the
west and the ginger farms on the east. The roof garden contains another ramp that takes the visitors down to the
herbs market, souvenir shop, tea & coffee deck from which they can finally reach the entry/exit door of the
building.

S.O.A. (m)
Lobby = 270
Public Toilets = 25 (4)
Indoor Cafe = 200
Outdoor Cafe deck = 60
Public Mousalla = 64 (2)
Conservatory = 805 | mezzanine showroom= 172.5 | Nursery= 72
Packaging = 100
Semi outdoor Herbs Market =32
Souvenir shop = 64
Administrative zone = 200
Educational zone:
Library=150| Laboratory = 120| Horticulturist = 48| Technician = 48| Services = 192
Total floor area = 3200 m
 CASE & PRECEDENT STUDIES:

Domein Oogenlust / architecten | en | en

Architects: architecten | en | en
Location: Hees 4, 5521 NV Eersel, the Netherlands
The strength of Oogenlust is the ensemble, in which a large program is completely harmonized with nature. Here nature takes over the role of
technology, for instance through solving sun shading by means of wisteria hanging over the facades or the breathing and moisture-regulating
clay walls.
Plan study: angles

The plan layout and change of angles is inspired by this plan layout, as well as the linear form of the
elevations
Los Angeles
Museum of the
Holocaust /
Belzberg Architects

Architects: Belzberg Architects

Location: 100 the Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036, United States
Architect in Charge: Hagy Belzberg
Area: 27000.0 m2
 The museum is submerged into the ground allowing the parks
landscape to continue over the roof of the structure. Existing
park pathways are used as connective elements to integrate the
pedestrian flow of the park with the new circulation for
museum visitors. The pathways are morphed onto the building
and appropriated as surface patterning

The semi outdoor ramp design in the plaza is inspired by this ramp design

Naples Botanical Garden Visitor Center / Lake|Flato Architects

Architects: Lake|Flato Architects
Location: 4820 Bayshore Dr, Naples, FL 34112, USA
Area: 14000.0 ft2
The vision for the gardens sought to preserve 160-acres of natural resources from conversion to urban development space. The visitor center
continues a legacy of preservation by partnering with local ecosystem in an environmentally responsible way. Wooden pavilions crafted from
 local and durable sinker cypress entwine throughout lush gardens and plant collections to create an
immersive and engaging experience for visitors and researchers as well as an enticing venue for events.

The louvers are inspired by the use of the louvers here in the semi outdoor spaces
 Wasit Natural Reserve Visitor Centre / X Architects
Location: Sharjah - United Arab Emirates - Sharjah - United Arab Emirates
Client: EPAA, Environmental and Protected Area Authority
Area: 2534.0 sqm
A wetland visitor center is established on site to continue protecting the natural environment,
educate people on the richness of the wetland ecosystem and provides information about the
birds that frequent the area and other wetlands areas of the emirate. The facility became
heaven for bird watchers and researchers.
The architecture of the center blends with its surroundings and uses the existing topography to
minimize the visual impact on the natural scene. When visitors arrive, a pathway leads them
underground into a linear Gallery. A fully transparent wall allows the visitors to experience the birds
natural environment and become part of it.
The sky bridge is inspired by the caf
form at the end of the long gallery

Tartu Nature House / KARISMA Architects

 Architects: KARISMA Architects
Location: Tartu, Estonia

The Tartu Nature House is a symbiosis between a zoo, botanical garden and school inspired by tree stump.
the house is structured into different functional zones. The study wings with workshops, classrooms, laboratories, kitchen and a library are
directed to west and north. The south- oriented two- story high greenhouse wing with a rising floor accommodates birds, animals and
proliferating flora and is related to the outdoor activities and courtyard areas.
The Y- shape building is combined by simple cube- like forms, archetypical steep gable roofs and a dense row of
upright windows. Finishing materials are natural in tone and nature. Various treatments and surfaces of wood is
used on the facades continuing inside on walls, floors, furniture and detailing. The seamed metal gable roof is
typical to the historical Karlova district.

The Mezzanine floor inside the conservatory

is inspired by this greenhouse design
 Grace Farms / SANAA
Architects: SANAA
Location: 365 Lukes Wood Rd, New Canaan, CT 06840,
United States
Area: 83000.0 ft2

Creation of a multipurpose building and landscape

design for Grace Farms, an 80-acre natural environment
in New Canaan, Connecticut that the non-profit Grace
Farms Foundation is preserving as a gift of open space
for people to experience nature, encounter the arts,
pursue justice, foster community and explore faith.

In its architectural brief, the Foundation asked for a venue of cultural interest and curiosity via open space, architecture, art and design in order

to provide people with an opportunity to:

1. Experience Nature: to draw people into this beautiful landscape, to enhance ones experience of nature through all five

senses, and to allow nature itself to inspire in us an experience of awe.

 2. Foster Community: to provide a warm, welcoming environment that fosters personal relationships through passive and

active, social and artistic activities.

3. Pursue Justice: offers resources and feature opportunities to improve lives by helping others, showing mercy and

advancing justice together.

4. Explore Faith: to create an environment for reflection, study,building
The linear discussion
formand worship.
and low rise design is inspired by this linear layout
As well as the use of steel I-beam and the underground M&E room placement.