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This podcast session concentrates on the design thesis studio learning experience, the importance of the design studio philosophy and the studio masters team. Theory and Practice goes hand in hand. And the learning experience for the student of architecture should reflect theory and practice that blend together.  We need to focus on the design process and how it is important for the architecture student in the final year via the design thesis to go through all the process right until the detail design stage.  (See artwork diagram)
Why do we do the context specificities / site-context issues driven approach?

-        Limited time to learn for a year

-        Testimony of competence

-        Theory applied through practice

-        Confidence to start as a graduate architect (with a strong approach)

-        Able to get to detail design stage early even at week 3; average week 5 and latest week 7 (mid sem) of Semester 2. 

-        Design problems focused on the site issues, less hypothetical

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Art work in podcast is the diagram by Naziaty Mohd Yaacob called the design process diagram for all architecture design studios at UM School of Architecture
Diagram  © Copyright: Universiti Malaya, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob 

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Further to the previous podcast discussion on site, type and issues, three main factors for design thesis projects, I deliberated in this podcast, on the "site-context issues driven design thesis project" ( context specificities ) which is based on two batch of students, 2018-19 and 2019-20, based on the area of Kampung Kerinchi and Petaling Jaya Old Town, respectively. This descriptive analysis illustrated the third way of design thesis process where you start with the site first, and the project titles will reveal from the site analysis to the students. The best way to do this approach is to work in a group rather than on your own. Since becoming a design thesis program studio masters since 2008, I came to realized that this approach is the most satisfactory design process to build confidence (for the student) for a year long design thesis program for the final year (Master of Architecture) in our school of architecture, but this approach has it's detractors. However, let us learn from this experience and much of this content will be discussed on a Clubhouse app event on "Theory in the design studio work" on Sunday, 20 June 2021, at 8:30 pm (MYT). For example, why it built their confidence and what were the important building blocks.

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo (artwork) of Unit 2 (Muse) cover photo for the exhibition at https://www.umarchitecture.net/muse-studio

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Gearing up to this Sunday, 8:30 pm date 20 June 2021, on Clubhouse app, where I will be hosting a session on further explanation of "theory in the design studio work", this podcast, I gave a brief explanation of what is a design thesis? Namely touching on: site, type and issue, which is more important in a design thesis? Which one should we start with first? Find a site first and study it or find a building type first and site later or find an issue and relate to a type or site? It will always be about these three things and why, not understanding the design thesis and the complexities each one of these present, will make the design problem half-bake and the design thesis concept weak. This will be further explained in the clubhouse event and another podcast soon.

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo of screenshot after wrap up session for UM Unit 2 design thesis batch 2020-21 on 16 June 2021 (courtesy of Ar Sarly Adre Sarkum, studio master)

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I prepared a script and discussed further on the topic of the Application of Theory in Design Studio Work - Part 2. In this session, I further explained the questions made earlier and defined what is concept and theory and the point about the importance of the narrative to explain the concept and that is the closest to having theory being applied in the studio project. Obviously there is a difference in terms of maturity and guidance needed if a full time tutor (coach) need to deal with a design thesis student compared to a second year student, and at any level the student can deal with theory. More guidance is needed at the first year level obviously. There are topics in this podcast explained which can be unpacked further in future podcasts and clubhouse events. 

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo (art work) of Eva Liew's poster (design thesis batch 2018-19)

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I'm discussing “The application of theory in the studio design work (60 min)” on  Sunday, 13 Jun at 8:30 PM MYT on the clubhouse app.  However, on 12 June 2021, I had the great opportunity to meet many people in an Ar. Lok Wooi moderated clubhouse event on "Theory of Architecture in Malaysia", and I took notes and address some points in this podcast, in particular the question raised by Ar Wan Sofie Ishak on the application of theory in the studio design work. In this podcast I discussed about how we coach the students on theory and the importance of the narrative. Hope there will be more points to discuss at the clubhouse event, where I will relate what I learned and am applying now after collaborating in the design thesis studios and second year studios since 2008, with others, especially Kevin Mark Low. 

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo (art work) of screenshot of the students' online crit session

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Our 2nd year students are doing an 'empowerment centre with educational facilities' (with community engagement) at Chow Kit, for homeless, stateless and street children, and in a couple weeks is their finals. I am in the last week of getting them to sort out their narratives and detail design. As a recap and to make them focus on their work, today, I went through their powerpoint to help edit their work and explained what is an architecture concept. As this is a feedback session online, the recording is based on my interaction with my students ( 8 of them) and although they don't say anything in the recording (their individual crit comes later), still the podcast has quite a number of pauses and seems a bit disjointed. But I thought it would be a good idea to share this input that I did with the listeners. 
© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo (art work) of the whiteboard note on this input today.

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Fresh from a Clubhouse event entitled "Malaysian Architecture: The Lack of Theory and Philosophy?", this episode expanded further on two points. (1) Architecture Education curriculum that currently envisions "sameness" of the architecture graduates, lacking in guidance to strengthen the different strengths and identity that the students can develop, while studying architecture and; (2) A reflection on a previous podcast that we started which dealt with an Asian architect inspired from his own architecture tradition, Kisho Kurokawa's Rikyu Grey period (after Michael Gibert's PhD thesis) called "Learning from Kisho Kurokawa: Asian public space is the street!" (Jan 9 2021, Season 4 Episode 2) and why we can look to our archetypes for inspiration to develop our theory and philosophy.

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo (art work) of Wong Chiang Her's Botanic Gardens design thesis

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Detail design can assist with the beginning stages of a design process. At the very beginning, sometimes you find something very compelling that is an insight which could assist with the the design concept. Detail design is used in conjunction with design development that can come later, towards the end of the design process, while studying certain concepts learned elsewhere that would help you to go in depth and working out the design better. However, detail design could happen at the beginning stages at conceptualizing and visualizing stage.

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo (art work) of "the design process diagram for all architecture design studios at Universiti of Malaya"  by Naziaty Mohd Yaacob

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Another episode to forge from the previous ones on Building the Design Manifesto, by reflecting on the Louis Sullivan axiom of "Form Follow Function" on the premise of how we currently think about theory affecting practice or vice versa. Some arguments explored to support Sullivan's proposition, especially in this day and age where due to the increase in the aging population, there are current concerns on designing for all users. Looking at building types and what we need to do in our design approaches, at all stages of design. When does that happen (designing in the function comes) in the design process stages of an office design project to be built? When do we look into the function, when we usually design the form first? Just some ideas for us to think about in this series of discussions.

The reference of the Guggenheim museum in New York designed by Frank Lloyd Wright ( who worked with Sullivan) is here: https://www.guggenheim.org/teaching-materials/the-architecture-of-the-solomon-r-guggenheim-museum/form-follows-function

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo taken in 2015, at FAUP (Faculty of Architecture of the University of Porto), at the end of the year review session in the second year studio.

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The second episode continues with 'Design with Empathy for the Aging Population', by reflecting on issues that we are facing, referring to Sustainable Development Goals, and zooming on higher education, is where it's at, when student as early as the 1st year will want to learn about universal design principles, independent living concept, disability concept and why it is important to get the basics right at an early stage, being a good designer and learner. This discussion will continue further for those who are interested in architecture education and practice, building up the design manifesto in the future.

Keywords: design, independent living, designers, people, build manifesto, person, barriers, disabled, architecture, living, disability, talk, architect, physical barriers, disabling

© 2021 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd Yaacob
Photo taken at the end of year show for 'Paradox' design thesis year students  at Universiti Malaya in 2019.

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Do subscribe for premium content and special features which will help to support and sustain Talk Architecture podcast on a more in-depth explanation on design thesis and processes. These special commentaries and ‘how to’ explanations are valuable insights and knowledge not found elsewhere!