Context X Building

. . . . . . . . . C o n t e x t  &  B u i l d i n g . . . . . . . . . .

    The role of context in architecture today is a direct influence factor to the architecture building design. Context is a aspect that designer need to considerate and reapect because its have its own original value like historical, natural or economical and social. Of course, context is external elements that influence an object. These elements are physical and non-physical. Roads, buildings, and land contour are examples for physical elements while non-physical elements are weather condition, local culture, as well as political and economic constraints.



1)Economical and Political context

-Economical

Related to the condition or situation of a country’s economy. Through out these years, recession has given a big impact to slow down the buildings construction and development. It has also given the psychological impact to all practitioners in construction industry.

Economic consideration were always important in modern architecture, but aside from a few, exceptional clients, the trend today is not only toward cost-effective buildings, but also toward structures which are not aesthetically challenging.

Every country in the world does not have the same economic viability. This difference makes the practice of contemporary architecture is different from place to place. Therefore, this context makes the architecture style is geared towards the simple and clean facade elements.

-Political 

It influence affects the character of a building as well. For example in Malaysia, the government has made a policy that all government buildings must use the methods of industrialized building system to reduce the dependency on foreign workers. Recently, the concept of sustainability was introduced to reduce the amount of electricity and water bills in government buildings.

2)Climate Context

As a main important role in architecture, designers need to design buildings that meet the criteria of local climate such as building orientation, types of material used, and also type and sizes of openings. For example, a house with large window openings in low latitude climate will use electrical energy for air-conditioning to cool down the building. The other problem will arise such as over use of electrical power that consumes more maintenance usage and it cause high budget.

The understanding to the local’s climatic context is the most important strategy in contemporary architecture otherwise the building would be less comfort for the users.

3)Cultural and Current Context

Culture is a way of life of a place. It is the best way to accept the constraints of a place and is followed from generation to generation. Sometimes it becomes a symbol and identity of a place. Adaptation into the architecture is the most popular way to show the identity of a place.

  . .  . . . . . . . . . . C a s e   s t u d y . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Putrajaya

Putrajaya planned as a garden city and intelligent city, 38% of the area is reserved for green spaces in which the natural landscape is enhanced. The plan incorporated a network of open spaces and wide boulevards. Construction began in August 1995; it was Malaysia's biggest project and one of Southeast Asia's largest, with an estimated final cost of US$8.1 billion. The entire project was designed and constructed by Malaysian companies with only 10% of the materials imported. Putrajaya boulevard is located across precint 1 until 5 in Putrajaya.

The main functions of Town Planning are to provide good physical environment, for the promotion of a healthy and quality urban life. As such, in the urban planning of Putrajaya the following were the prime considerations:-

-Efficient Accessibility to facilities, services and place of work
-Integrated Neighbourhood and community atmosphere
-Close to nature and Urban ecology
-Ample Amenities for recreation
-Dynamic, lively and economic vitality
-A city with identity and character
-Conducive Urban Environment for quality & healthy Life-style
-Creating the City Image & Character 

Perdana Putra

Its function is same with White House in America, which houses the office complex of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Located on the main hill in Putrajaya, it has become synonymous with the executive branch of the Malaysian federal government.

Palace Of Justice

Due to the need for a proper office of the head of the Judicial system in Malaysia, a location within the Precinct 3 of Putrajaya was identified for this purpose. It has 2 Appeal Courts and 6 Federal courts which has intricate network of passages segregating the Judges, witnesses, public, and the accused leading to the courts right from the car park or area of arrival. This is for the safety and security of everyone involved in order to achieve the desired courts functions and ambiance. The Palace of Justice's design incorporates influences of Classical Islamic culture like Taj Mahal in India, Moorish culture, like the Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur and Western Classical influence, like Palladian. The classical design gives depths to the building skin and creates interesting articulated facade.The complex comprises a five-storey building for the judiciary and a two-storey building to house the courts and offices.

Ministry of Finance

A building complex housing the Malaysian Ministry of Finance. It is located opposite the Boulevard and Dataran Wawasan in Precinct 2 (north of the Core island) of Putrajaya.The Ministry of Finance (MoF) comprises the Royal Customs and Excise Department, Department of Valuation and Property Services, Department of the National Accountant of Malaysia, Inland Revenue Board, Securities Commission, and National Bank of Malaysia.

Putrajaya International Convention Center (PICC)

located in the end of the boulevard which is precint 5. The main convention centre in Putrajaya, Malaysia. This building is located on the top of Taman Puncak Selatan in Precinct 5.PICC receives a yearly average of more than 230,000 delegates and 15,000 visitors around the world since 2006. The design of the building is based on the shape of the eye of 'pending perak' (a silver Malay royal belt buckle). However, the structure of the roof was designed similar to a folded origami to alleviate the plain roundness of the structure.

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From this center open boulevard, we can clearly see that how the arrangement of the building typology is organize well, most of the administration governmental building is located in the center of the Putrajaya. And for others type of building, like residential, institutional or commercial, they are located surround the center region.

The urban design or Putrajaya is also very precise, for example, the designer differentiate every precinct (region) by using different type design of lamp post, so when we walk or drive in putrajaya, we can knew that we are entering to another precinct by identifying the lamp post design. Roads, bridges, public transport, bicycle lane, pedestrian walkway, all are designed and planned well.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . c o n c l u s i o n . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

'It is precisely the ways in ways idealized forms can be adjusted to a context or used as "collage" that contextualism seeks to explain, and it is the systems of geometric organization which can be abstracted from any given context that contextualism seeks to divine as a design tools.'  -Tom Shumacher  

The context is a must nowadays architecture, must not be neglected or to abandon, cause somehow it is a guidance toward idealistic architecture, such as human are connect to each other, building were somehow speaks about the site and so on. Lastly, I emphasize again context in architecture were no right or wrong, but depends on the architect how he/she manipulated it.

http://eprints.utm.my/6622/1/HoChinSiong2006_Putrajaya-AdministrativeCentreOfMalaysia.pdf
https://books.google.com.my/books?id=yeg8AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA58&lpg=PA58&dq=putrajaya+boulevard+planning&source=bl&ots=57iRKfzU5m&sig=ub3b5FCjsExQgOz5_rNgvddvb_E&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=putrajaya%20boulevard%20planning&f=false