Team Member: Lim Huei Miin, Winter Si Ying, Choo Chee Wei, Khrystyna Pundak, Ryo
1. DESIGN
When we talk about “women spaces”, what are usually appears in our mind? A living room? A kitchen? But to empower women means we have to start to diminish this idea that tie women with only domicile identity. However, the patriarchal society that we live in today does not provide the total comfort for women to expose themselves out in the public without concern. Hence, a “third space” with a definition between public and private, between the living room and the world beyond are intended to be form here -- A space that welcome everyone – but at the same time has a sense of belonging for women, just like an extension of their own living room, as a starting point to prepare women to step into the world that supposedly to be conquer equally by them.
To achieve this, a space that has an insignificant boundary between private and public is proposed, with a courtyard space as a welcoming statement to represent the connecting point of these two contrasting spaces. The “invisible boundary” of the courtyard is also drawing a vague line for women to interact with public confidently and comfortably in this space, respecting women and understanding their struggle in stepping out of the domicile setting the society deemed.
The building is designed to provide a gentle transition of space from public to private. The first section of the building is designed to be a “foyer” for the visitors to hang out after they enter the building through the courtyard. At the same time, this space has the potential to be transform into a small business space for the local women to sell some crafts and local products.
Across the courtyard, the longer stretch of the building is intended to be semi-private space for multiple functions assist to empower women such as classrooms, workshops, exhibition, and seminar. The programs proposed for the women house are to encourage the participation of women in social, economy and political level. Hence, the women house should also include identity as an info receiving hub that enable local women to reach out or connect themselves with various information. Simple facilities such as a television to broadcast news constantly or a computer that connecting to internet could be install within the building. Besides, small library are also provided as a feature on the façade screen of the building, to encourage reading among local women. Further towards the end of the building, that is where the private spaces such as administration office and small meeting room for private discussion is located.
The building provides a flexibility to accommodate different programs and activities. An open layout with columns in between allows the space to be open up or partitioned accordingly based on the requirement of each activity. Besides, the flexibility of space enables it to be fully utilized regardless on any usual day or on a day with specific event.
To support and encourage women in their “duo role” as family caretaker and career women, the women house could support this idea by opening up the space as an employment centre for women. At the same time, this building could also be utilized as a child care facilities on usual days. Women and even men who interested to take up nanny as a job can work there to support other families on this matter.
During mass event, activities within the building has the potential to overflow through the courtyard space to the open space out of the building, expanding the boundary and connecting with the larger community.
The materiality of the building’s shell is as well reflecting the idea of the transition. The façade is not entirely solid but covered with a series of duo function timber shelf – screen to align with the idea of drawing a thin line of boundary for the space. When books or curtain is arranged along the facade, it will changes the transparency of the exterior. Last but not least, the office and small meeting room at the end of the is built with red clay as a significant difference in the privacy level provided.
2. MATERIALS
The usage of type of materials are kept to minimum to simplified the preparation process.
Among locally available materials, rosewood beams and planks are chosen as the main materials for the design due to its resistance characteristics and availability in standard size, which is suitable for the proposed modular construction to be carry out.
The sizes of the material is planned to minimize the wastage in the process of construction. Each module is 3.5m x 3.5m, and the highest point to support the roof is at the maximum length of the material, which is 4m. The leftover wastage of the trimmed materials is to be utilized for the crafting of the low stools that can be use within the building. Roof covering is proposed to be using metal corrugated sheet and it is chose due to the good weather proof ability for rain and it is longer lasting compared to straw.
3. CONSTRUCTION
Modular system is integrated for the erection of this building. The construction method for the module is really simple and “IKEA” liked to ensure anyone without trained skill can manage the assembly process well. Without complicated and heavy duty structures, the assembly of the module can even be handle by women independently.
Materials can be pre-trim to size in the timber factory before transporting to the site and the sortation of materials can be really easy to manage as one single module is only coming with minimum amount of members to assemble.
With the help of basic tools, one can easily tightens the bolts and nuts to fix the main structure frame in place.
Modules can be fix in place on the underground concrete base with steel boots and then fix one to each other by screw the mending plates on the columns of both neighbouring modules.
After completing each individual module, these modules can be fix in place with each other by screw the mending plates on the columns of both neighbouring modules.
Other additional items such as roof and façade is also come in modular typology and can be attached onto the completed module with L brackets.
The simple mechanism is easy for anyone to understand and hence it is possible to assemble and dissemble anywhere, by anyone. The modular system could also be duplicate as other building for local usage.
In addition, the “butterfly” roof of the women house allowed the rainwater to be collect through the gutter in the middle and stored in the rainwater harvesting tank located at the side of the building for daily purposes.
