SPACE OF INDETERMINACY
Neighbourhood Center
“Mobility and disorientation increase social interaction exponentially.
Heterogeneous desires collide and generate new spaces.”Constant 1964
Architectural Design Thesis 1 (THS70108)
Thesis Supervisor: Mr.Nazmi Anuar
Thesis Cluster: Background, Frame, Platform
Site: Bandar Baru Sentul, Kuala Lumpur
“How architecture can offer a spatial platform able to accommodate the continual change and evolution of social action for public housing community?”
This design thesis aims to explore the future role of community facilities by questioning the limit of the precise meaning. As the current typology of community facilities fail to meet the needs of people aspiration due to enclosed and defined typology that did not appear to attract the community’s intention and even for their uses. With a diversified community, the current provision of facilities is not sufficient to entertain the entire neighbourhood as the population profile is constantly changing over time. Thus, how architecture can offer a spatial platform able to accommodate the continual change and evolution of social action for the public housing community? It focuses on adaptability where people can ‘play’ up space whenever they desire in the form of neighbourhood center. Architecture seems to serve as a background, frame, and platform for the social engagement of the public housing community in urban districts. This thesis seeks to reconstruct a social oasis within public housing area by exploring Cedric Price’s theories of space of indeterminacy. To design and explore an architectural typology that is highly adaptable to the shifting needs and social condition of its time and place. An impetus to gradually mend the social issues of public housing community by replacing the existing community hall with a neighbourhood center with recreational and educational as nature of the module.
Indeterminate Use
Blurring the boundaries break down the barrier of time and allow flow of space giving flexibility to its user. Spaces within frames that are open to user interpretation and can become anything. Giving a modular furniture, the community is encouraged to assemble and utilize the modular furniture according to their needs, such as seating, playground, bookshelves, stage, or planters within flexibile platform.This intervention creates architecture where users will be the ones to provide the final structure.
Indeterminate Level
It is not intended to fulfill a certain programed activity but should allow each individual to behave according to their own beliefs and intentions. It is a place where movement and access are open providing the conditions where one can seek their own space relative to others and adapt it social context. Flexibility, on the other hand, is linked to more short term changes and linked to spatial quality of the center. An open framework/platform come with different degree of indeterminacy and developed to allow for expansion and contraction at any point in the future. Structure and spatially open for flexible use to accommodate various type of program, a spaces that allow for all day use.
