SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENTS

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY [PSY 30203]

ASSIGNMENT 3: GROUP PRESENTATION

LECTURER: MS. NORUL HIDAYAH

SUBMISSION DATE: 30TH JANUARY 2015

WORD COUNT: 795

Group Members:

Pang Khai Shuen 0318423

Canisius Bong Wei Pheng 0318914

Philia Chua Yi Sian 0318936

Ong Seng Peng 0319016

Yap Jia En 0319550

Our main theme for this building is 'Sustainability'. In our selection of materials, we try

our best to choose materials that are recyclable and reusable, and does not produce

harmful wastes that can pollute the environment.

We designed a cafeteria on a cliff facing a lake. However, this is not a usual cafeteria. In

striving to make this place the perfect spot for everyone, we incorporated the various

levels of interpersonal relationships and made optimizations to different areas of our cafe.

All the elements designed are well suited for people of different relationships, may it be

friend, couples, or families.

The name of this place is 'Unplugged', and we hope that people can have a place to spend

their holidays, to ‘unplug’ the hustle and bustle of everyday life and improve their

relationship with their loved ones. In order to achieve this, we decided to not provide any

plug sockets to charge electronic devices. There will be two levels and 5 different regions

in the building.

The landscaping of the cafe is an C-shaped garden that is suitable for families. There will

be water features and greenery as well as places for parents to look after their children

while they play. Also, we provide outdoor playgrounds for kids to play at. This section is

made outdoors so children can have more space to explore and to reduce the noise level

as it is an open space.

Upon entering the cafe, visitors will be greeted by a cafe selling healthy and delicious

food. On the ground floor, there are spaces for families and friends. The first section is for

families. The lighting here is medium bright and there are round tables that can fit 4 to 5

people at once. It is a standard dining area for families. This section is situated on the

ground floor to provide easy access to the elderly. When you go around, you will see a

different section - an area for friends. Here, we arranged lower tables that are about

sitting height and also brighter lighting compared to the previous section. This gives a

more relaxed environment and it is less organised compared to the family area. There are

also private rooms that can be booked if visitor seek for privacy or if a discussion is being

held. A set of stairs made of timbre leads to the next floor. For this area we applied a

brighter colour scheme to brighten the mood.

Going up to the first floor, a bar that sells anything from fruit juices to cocktails is

available. This is the area for married couples and romantic spouses. The first area is

arranged with two-seated tables, with pendant lights above each table. The lighting here

will be relatively lower to create a romantic surrounding. An elevated stage is fitted at the

first corner to cater for live performances. The second section is a sound-proof room for

couples and spouses that seek for silence and privacy. There will also be a balcony facing

the lake and will be the perfect spot to enjoy the romantic scenery of the lake.

In the middle of the building, there will be an air well separated by glass doors and tinted

window panes. Trees will be planted to further enhance the theme. Glass doors will be

fitted there to let visitors have some fresh air. Also, there are wooden balconies facing the

lake for both floors. This provides an amazing view especially during sunset. The roof of

the building will be glass layered with wood, which is perfect for star-gazing but also not

too warm during the afternoon.

For the flooring, we used cork as the main material as it is renewable, recyclable, and

biodegradable. It also contains suberin, a natural substance that resists mould, mildew and

bacteria, making it a good choice for allergy sufferers. We will also be using timbre for

the walls. Besides being renewable and recyclable, it retains carbon dioxide from the

atmosphere. It is also economical and fast to build. Lastly, glass will be used to direct

natural light into the building, thus decreasing energy consumption.

Another element to support our theme of sustainability is the use of renewable sources.

Aside from installing solar panels that can be used to heat up water, we will be using

hydroelectric energy as we are beside a lake. Also, we will benefit from wind energy as

the breeze above the cliff is relatively bigger.

All in all, we certainly hope this location can help connect people of different

interpersonal relationships. Living in this modern world today is hard, but sometimes, we

just need a place to fall back to, a place to reconnect our souls, heal our wounds, and

‘unplug’ from the rest of the world.