AR1101

Architectural Design 1
AY 2022/2023 Department of Architecture
School of Design and Environment, NUS

Design 1: Seeing, Thinking, Making
Design representation can be said to be a three-fold process. First, it is important to situate
the nature of the content that is to be represented and its context. Going beyond looking –
that is, merely the casting of one’s eye – , seeing is an exercise in observation, deciphering
and assessing information. To see is really to contextualise comprehensively and critically,
what it is one is looking at within an intellectual framework and in so doing, establish a value
within its physical, cultural and social ambit.

Second, strategising and formulating a conceptual representation that conveys one’s original
reading so that it can be articulated to others, is a rigorous design thinking process. As no
two persons see in the exact same manner, every individual owns their observations and it is
in the clarity of thinking, consolidation and prioritization of salient points that innovative
ways of thinking around a subject/object crystallize.

Lastly, making is the ability to formalise the former intangible cognitive processes of seeing
and thinking, into a tangible mode of communication to others. Finding the most succinct,
effective way of conveying one’s thoughts into form, allows for the invitation of critique,
feedback and ultimately, for others to start the process of seeing, thinking, making again
because what is made, is no longer what was seen.

The best outcomes are those that result from an incisive seeing and thinking of resource
materials, and making of an original architectural representation that contributes to new
dialogues. This iterative process of perception and representation comes full circle,
producing new interpretations and inviting us to see and think in new ways.

Specific Learning Objectives

1. In Year 1 Semester 1, architectural means of representations will be studied within

the context of key design principles. Students will learn to read and understand that
architecture representations, beyond visual assessment, embody different
ideologies by virtue of the way they are thought of, constructed and articulated.
AR1101 is not a History, Theory or drawing class so the key is in the imparting of
method and process.

2. Students will invited to investigate and test for themselves, through doing, ways to
think about, feel and read architecture through hand drafted drawing, different
model making techniques, exploring materiality, site visits and pin ups, in a studio
environment that always encourage reflection and discourse as a way of learning.

3. We will explore both analog and digital means of seeing, thinking and making
drawings and models with different materials because every process is precious and
generative in their own right. AR1101 is not a software program class although
various design software will be introduced. The key objective of this is to understand
perception through different interfaces and what each method affords.

4. Design 1 is about imparting ways of seeing, thinking and making to students through
graphical and formal methods, and to introduce a variety of approaches on design,
expression and representation.

Written by Adj. Assistant Prof. Yen Yen Wu (Genome Architects) 1


AR1101 Architectural Design 1
AY 2022/2023 Department of Architecture
School of Design and Environment, NUS


Evaluation Criteria

Students shall be assessed according to:
• Ability to absorb lessons and demonstrate basic technical skills of drawing
• Demonstrate rigour and diligence, experimentation and expending effort on
improving drawing standards
• Demonstrate critical thinking in approaching, understanding, seeing and thinking
about subject topics
• Sensitivity to aesthetics and visual delight
• Ability to think creatively, building upon lessons, to innovate.
• Effective communication of ideas
• Ability to reflect about learning and lessons, and be cognizant of one’s work,
through text and graphical means


Grading Weightage
Exercises 1 to 5: 15% each
Final Review: 25%
Process sketches, diagrams and reflections will be taken into consideration as they are
presented to the tutor throughout the semester.


Online Resource Platform

Year wide resource sharing on MIRO online sharing whiteboard, which will be set up and
updated weekly by Studio Leaders and Teaching Assistants within each studio, as well as to
for student pin ups to facilitate studio wide sharing and grading.



Studio Report:
A studio compilation of individual designs in an A4 bound-report with the following content:
• Studio preamble introduction by Studio Leader
• Process photos of drawings and models
• Individual works with 200-words description of design ideas
• Scanned drawings

Written by Adj. Assistant Prof. Yen Yen Wu (Genome Architects) 2


AR1101 Architectural Design 1
AY 2022/2023 Department of Architecture
School of Design and Environment, NUS

Studio Leaders
Unit 1
Ar. Yen Yen Wu (Year Leader, Unit 1 Leader)
Adjunct Assistant Professor, M.Arch (Columbia GSAPP), BA.Arch Studies (NUS),
Green Mark AP, MSIA, Registered Architect Singapore
Mr. Albert Liang
M.Arch, BA.Architecture (NUS)
Ms. Lipeng Law
M.Arch, BA.Arch Studies (NUS)

- Unit Teaching Assistant (TA) Year 3 Bob Shi Yu

Unit 2
Ar. Yong Sy Lyng (Unit 2 Leader)
B.Arch (Cooper Union), BA.Arch (NUS), Registered Architect Singapore
Ar. Lee May Anne
B.Arch (Hons), BA.Arch Studies (NUS), M'SIA, Registered Architect Singapore
Mr. Liang Lit How
B.Arch, BA.Arch Studies (NUS)

- Unit Teaching Assistant (TA) Year 4 Tang Wei

Unit 3
Ar. Ng San Son (Unit 3 Leader)
M.Arch, BA.Arch Studies (NUS), MSIA, Registered Architect Singapore
Ar. Ng William
M.Arch, BA.Arch Studies (NUS,) MSIA, Registered Architect Singapore
Ar. Fiona Tan
M.Arch (UCL), BA.Architecture (NUS),
Green Mark AP, MSIA, Registered Architect Singapore

- Unit Teaching Assistant (TA) Year 5 Aloysius Ng


Teacher Trainee
Sophia Tan M.Arch, BA.Architecture (NUS)



Studio Venue and Time
SDE4 Level 6
Mondays, 2.00pm – 6.00pm and Thursdays, 2.00pm – 6.00pm
All year briefings and lectures will be done through Zoom but students will be asked to
attend these, usually before studio, at studio with their laptops.

Written by Adj. Assistant Prof. Yen Yen Wu (Genome Architects) 3


AR1101 Architectural Design 1
AY 2022/2023 Department of Architecture
School of Design and Environment, NUS

Studio Schedule

Date Time Activity Remarks

Week 0 2.00 - 3.00 pm Welcome and introduction of Tutors and

4 Aug (Thurs) Studio, Unit and Studio Leaders, students and
Teaching Trainee, Teaching tutors will Zoom
Assistants and syllabus by Year in studios with
Leader. their laptops.

3.00 – 6.00 pm Individual studio session in Studio Exercise 1

Week 1 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 1

8 Aug (Mon)

Week 1 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 1

11 Aug (Thurs)

Week 2 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 1

15 Aug (Mon)

Week 2 2.00 - 5.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 1

18 Aug (Thurs) 5.00 – 6.00 pm Studio Wide Pin-up

Week 3 2.00 - 3.00pm Lecture by Ar. Lee May Anne Exercise 2

22 Aug (Mon) 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session

Week 3 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 2

25 Aug (Thurs)

Week 4 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 2

29 Aug (Mon)

Week 4 2.00 - 5.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 2

1 Sept (Thurs) 5.00 – 6.00 pm Studio Wide Pin-up

Week 5 2.00 - 6.00 pm Lecture by Ar. Ng San Son Exercise 3

5 Sept (Mon) Site Visit
Individual studio session

Week 5 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 3

8 Sept (Thurs)

Week 6 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 3

12 Sept (Mon)

Week 6 2.00 - 6.00 pm Intra-Unit Interim Review 1 for Exercise 3

15 Sept Exercises 1, 2 and 3
(Thurs)

Written by Adj. Assistant Prof. Yen Yen Wu (Genome Architects) 4


AR1101 Architectural Design 1
AY 2022/2023 Department of Architecture
School of Design and Environment, NUS

17 - 25 Sept Recess Week: Self-learning Rhino with assistance of TAs

Week 7 2.00 – 3.00 pm Introduction to Exercise 4 by Year Exercise 4

26 Sept (Mon) Leader
3.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session

Week 7 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 4

29 Sept
(Thurs)

Week 8 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 4

3 Oct (Mon)

Week 8 2.00 – 5.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 4

6 Oct (Thurs) 5.00 – 6.00 pm Studio Wide Pin-up

Week 9 2.00 – 3.00 pm Talk by Ar. Yong Sy Lyng Exercise 4

10 Oct (Mon) 3.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session

Week 9 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 4

13 Oct (Thurs)

Week 10 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 5

17 Oct (Mon)

Week 10 2.00 – 3.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 5

20 Oct (Thurs) 5.00 – 6.00 pm Studio Wide Pin-up

Week 11 2.00 – 6.00 pm Public Holiday Deepavali Exercise 5

24 Oct (Mon) Individual studio session
* Tutor to re-schedule with studio
for makeup session within the week

Week 11 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 5

27 Oct (Thurs)

Week 12 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 5

31 Oct (Mon)

Week 12 2.00 - 6.00 pm Individual studio session Exercise 5

3 Nov (Thurs)

Week 13 5.00 pm Online submission deadline

7 Nov (Mon)

Week 13 9.00 - 1.00 pm Final Review

8 Nov (Tues)

Written by Adj. Assistant Prof. Yen Yen Wu (Genome Architects) 5