Building Construction and Materials
This module intends to inform the students on the basic building construction and materials used in the construction of small to medium scale buildings. It focuses on developing an understanding of the principle of the building elements which include the substructure and superstructure and common construction materials such as concrete, masonry, timber, metal, and glass. For each material, this module will describe the manufacturing process, properties, and typical uses of these materials in construction. Students will undergo a series of continuous assessments such as assignments, and tutorial activities to ascertain the objective and outcome of the module is achieved.
Project Showcase
Project 1
Famous Architect’s Building Materials Application: Architectural and Structural
The application of materials on buildings are varies. The choice and placement of the materials on buildings can distinguish the appearance and image of a building. This project is designed as an exposure for students on building materials that are universally used in building design.
Individually, students were to choose an architect from a given list or also an architect of their own that may not appear on the list. From the chosen architect, the student needed to identify five architectural building materials and two structural building materials based on the case study. Students were also to study on the ideas and concept behind the selection of the material and of the building. As an additional component in this project, students were to describe the installation one of the materials applied on the selected building. Building’s selection can be from any time or age.
Final Outcome PDF
Project 2
Construction Detailing of Building Elements
This assignment was designed to allow the students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding on building construction through drawings. It emphasised more on detailing on building elements. One of the aims of this assignment is to develop an awareness and understanding of the strong inter-relationship between design and technical knowledge.
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A special component of this project is that it was integrated with our Architectural Studio II project. In groups of 6, we were to select one of the architectural follies that we designed and produce a set of drawings that show our understanding of the building's conventions.
Final Outcome PDF