DESIGN BRIEF, DESIGN PROGRAM AND CONCEPT STUDY FOR AN APARTMENT COMPLEX DESIGN AT CHENNAI

1. CONCEPT STUDY
APARTMENT DESIGN
SHARON SHERANI DANIEL
B.ARCH III YR V SEM
FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE
DR. MGR EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

2. DESIGN BRIEF
ORIENTATION OF BUILDINGS TO AVOID HEAT
GAIN, ENHANCE VENTILATION AND AIR
MOVEMENT.
MASSING AND FORM OF BUILDINGS.
LANDSCAPING AND COMMUNITY GATHERING
SPACES.
CIRCULATION OF OWNERS/ VISITORS/ OWNER’S
VEHICLES/ VISITOR VEHICLES/ SERVICE
VEHICLES/KIDS/ ELDERS/ DIFFERENTLY ABLED.
EACH BLOCK SHOULD HAVE AN ENTRANCE
LOBBY OF A PROPORTIONAL SIZE. IT IS NOT
ADVISABLE TO
ACCESS THE LIFTS AND STAIRS DIRECTLY FROM
THE STILT PARKING FOR SECURITY AND SAFETY
REASONS.

3. ISSUES FACED
LIGHTS FROM VEHICLES AT
NIGHT
NOSIE FROM TRAFFIC
POLLUTION FROM VEHICLES
HEAT GAIN DURING HIGH
TEMPERATURE
FROM SITE ANALYSIS
INFERENCE OBTAINED
DUE TO THE BUSY HIGH WAY AND INSTITUTINAL SPACES AROUND THE
SITE, THE AREA IS DENSELY POLLUTED BY NOISE AND DUST. IN ORDER TO
REDUCE THIS, LOT OF TREES HAVE TO BE PLANTED IN THE BUFFER ZONE
WHICH SERVES TO SEPARATE THE SPACES. VEGETATIVE BUFFER ZONES
PROVIDE A VARIETY OF LANDSCAPES AND ADDS AESTHETIC VALUE.
OPEN PARKING AND GUEST PARKING SPACE CAN BE PROVIDED ALONG
THE SITE SET BACK.
10% OF THE SITE AREA IN THE NORTH EAST CORNER OF THE SITE IS
ALLOCATED FOR OSR.
BOTH THE LANDSCAPE ZONES HAVE GOOD EXPOSURE TO BREEZE. THE
KIDS PLAY AREA IS TO BE PRESENT IN THE FRONT AND WALKING TRACKS
WITH WATER FOUNTAIN ARE TO BE PROVIDED BEHIND THE RESIDENTIAL
BLOCK.
GIVING U SHAPED ORIENTATION OF RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS AIDS IN
INTERNAL CROSS VENTILATION AND THE CLUB HOUSE IS TO BE ALLIGNED
PARALLEL TO THE ROAD WHICH ADDS PRIVACY TO COMMUNITY SPACE.
FROM SITE ANALYSIS

4. PROVIDE ACCESS TO LIGHT, AIR AND OUTLOOK FOR NEIGHBOURING
PROPERTIES AND FUTURE BUILDINGS - PROVISION OF BALCONIES
PROVIDE FOR ADEQUATE PRIVACY BETWEEN NEIGHBOURING
APARTMENTS - FORM AND BUFFER ZONES
PROVIDE SPACE WITH VARYING DEGREE OF PRIVACY - PRIVATE + SEMI
PRIVATE ZONES + PUBLIC ZONES
RETAIN OR CREATE A RHYTHM OR PATTERN OF SPACES BETWEEN
BUILDINGS THAT DEFINE AND ADD CHARACTER - FORM
MANAGE A TRANSITION BETWEEN SITES OR AREAS WITH DIFFERENT
DEVELOPMENT - PROVISION OF DIFFERENT GATHERING ZONES
AIM

5. SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITY
SOLAR GAIN
THERMAL COMFORT
SAFETY
PRIVACY
LIFESTYLE
MAIN IDEAS

6. LEVELS IN GATHERING SPACES
LEVELS OF GREEN SPACE
BUILDING ORIENTATION WITH
RESPECT TO SUN PATH
ACCESSIBILITY

7. BUILDING TYPOLOGY - U SHAPED
BLOCK WITH OFF CENTERED COURTYARD
COURTYARD APARTMENTS
ADDITIONALLY, THE WALL THAT FACES DUE SOUTH RECEIVES THE HIGHEST INTENSITY OF SOLAR
RADIATION, HOWEVER, THE EAST AND WEST WALLS ARE PARTIALLY SHADED BY THEMSELVES OVER THE
COURSE OF THE DAY. SINCE SEVERAL OF THE WALLS WILL CAST SHADOW INTO THE SPACE, THIS TOO HAS
AN EFFECT ON THERMAL COMFORT.
FORM AND VOLUME
THE COURTYARD FORM CAN BE ORIENTED TO ENSURE GOOD SUN AND LIGHT ACCESS, AND IS WIDE
ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN A GOOD STANDARD OF PRIVACY

8. THE COURTYARD ATRIUM IS SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES,
WHICH IS USEFUL ON LARGE BUILDING FLOOR PLATES BY
BRINGING LIGHT DEEP INTO THE FLOOR. THE SENSE OF
CONNECTION TO THE OUTDOORS OR VISIBILITY OF THIS SPACE
AS AN ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE OF THE BUILDING IS NOT
LIMITED.
A COURTYARD APARTMENT BUILDING PROVIDES THE ‘SIDES’
THAT ENCLOSE ONE OR MORE OPEN SPACES (COURTYARDS)
ON THE SITE. THE OPEN SPACES ARE GENERALLY COMMUNAL
AND SHOULD PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY LANDSCAPED
ENVIRONMENT AND OUTLOOK.

9. ORIENTATION - IN ACCORDANCE TO THE SUN PATH
AND WIND DIRECTION, ORIENTING THE BUILDING
FACING NORTH IS IDEAL. CHOOSING U SHAPED BLOCK,
ADDS ADVANTAGE OF CONTINOUS WIND FLOW AND
FORMS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE IN THE
CENTRE.
PARKING - CARS DON’T GO INSIDE THE RESIDENTIAL
AREA, THERE ARE ONLY PEDESTRIAN PATHS THAT CAN
BE USED BY SERVICE VEHICLES WHEN NECESSARY.
UNDERGROUNDN PARKING ENTRANCES TO
BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE PLAN. IT IS STRUCTURED
PARKING BUILT BELOW GROUND LEVEL, EITHER AS A
BASEMENT TO A BUILDING OR COVERED WITH
STRUCTURE ABOVE.
GREEN SPACE - THE BUILDINGS DO NOT EXCEED 11
FLOORS IN HEIGHT MAKING THE COURTYARDS FEEL
CHAMBERED, COZY. THE TERRITORY CONTAINS
PRIVATE GARDENS AND COMMON AREAS, GARDENS
AND LAWNS. PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE IN THIS
SPACE.

10. ACCORDING TO THE STUDY ON
THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS,
AND THE PROBLEMS FACED
GENERALLY IN HOUSING, DESIGN
SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN EVOLVED
BASED ON AGE GROUPS AND
CATEGORIES

11. ZONING - BUBBLE DIAGRAM
KIDS ZONE
ADMIN ZONE
RECREATIONAL
ZONE
RESIDENTIAL
ZONE
YOUTH
ZONE
PLAY
ZONE
ELDERS
ZONE

12. 2
3
4
6
7
8
9
1
12
10
13
14
5 15
16
1 - ENTRY TO THE SITE
2 - ADMIN OFFICE
3 - CLUB HOUSE
4 - SWIMMING POOL
5 - BUFFER AROUND THE POOL
6 - KIDS PLAY_ SAND BOX (STEP DOWN)
7 - KIDS PLAY_ GARDEN + SEATING (STEP UP)
8 - BUFFER AROUND KIDS ZONE
9 - VEHICULAR CIRCULATION
10 - COMMUNITY SQUARE
11 - VIEW FROM BALCONY FROM EACH UNIT
12 - RESIDENTIAL AREA
13 - ELDERS GATHERING AREA _ WALKING PATH +
AMPHITHEATER (STEP UP) + REFLEXOLOGY PATH
14 - YOUTH ZONE - SEATING + PLAY COURTS (STEP
DOWN)
15 - GUEST PARKING
16 - ENTRY TO BASEMENT PARKING
11
SITE ZONING
LEGEND

13. AMPHITHEATER IN SW END GRASS MOUNTS IN KIDS PLAY PLAY COURTS IN SE END
GATHERING SPACE CLUB HOUSE & SWIMMING POOL YOUTH ZONE

14. OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL RECREATION AND
ACTIVITIES
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION
OPPORTUNITIES TO MODIFY MICROCLIMATE
PUBLIC DOMAIN INTERFACE
BUFFER ZONE - GARDENS WITH A VARIETY OF PLANTINGS INCLUDING
TREES AND SHRUBS CAN ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THE PUBLIC
DOMAIN, WHILE PROVIDING PRIVACY AND AMENITY BENEFITS TO
APARTMENT RESIDENTS
COMMUNAL AND PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND VALUABLE
‘BREATHING SPACE’ BETWEEN APARTMENT BUILDINGS. IT ALSO
CONTRIBUTES TO THE APPEAL OF A DEVELOPMENT AND THE WELLBEING
OF RESIDENTS.
ADVANTAGES
COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE

15. ROOF TOP
GARDEN
GARDEN SPACES
IN-BETWEEN
FLOORS
STACKING OF FLOORS
FLOOR 1 & 2 FLOOR 3 & 4 FLOOR 5 & 6
SIMILARLY THE FLOORS ARE GOING TO BE STACKED IN U & L SHAPE ALTERNATIVELY FORMING SMALL
COMMUNITY SPACES BETWEEN THE LEVELS
SPACES - PUBLIC ACCESS SPACES - PRIVATE ACCESS
COMMUNITY SQUARE
IN FRONT - COURTYARD
BALCONY IN
EVERY UNIT
- CORE

16. COURTYARD SPACE GROUND FLOOR LAYOUT
STACKING - FLOOR
LAYOUT
FLOOR 1 FLOOR 2

17. - GREEN SPACE IS SEMI PRIVATE GARDEN SPACE OBTAINED FROM THE VOIDS OF
ALTERNATIVE STACKING
- CORRIDOR PATH (BETTER SURVEILLANCE)
FROM THE CORRIDOR, THE COURTYARD CAN BE OVERLOOKED FROM ANY FLOOR.
THIS OPEN CORRIDOR IS A SEMI PRIVATE SPACE OF GATHERING AND A VISUAL
ELEMENT
- LIFT CORE THROUGH AND THROUGH ALL 10 FLOORS
- STAIRCASE
THE FLOORS ARE GOING TO HAVE TWO CENTRAL CORES THROUGH AND THROUGH IN THE CENTER
CONNECTING OTHER TWO WINGS.
THE FLOORS WILL BE STACKED IN L SHAPE ALTERNATIVELY FORMING A SEMI OPEN GATHERING
GREEN SPACE IN ALTERNATIVE FLOORS.
DEPENDING UPON THE REQUIRED UNITS, THE GATHERING SPACE MAYBE OF SINGLE FLOOR OR
DOUBLE HEIGHTED.
-GREEN SPACE
- CORRIDOR PATH
- LIFT CORE THROUGH AND THROUGH

18. FORM ELEVATION - SEMI PRIVATE GARDEN SPACE
IN ALTERNATE FLOORS
IN CASE OF DOUBLE
HEIGHT PRIVATE GARDENS
IN CASE OF FLOOR HEIGHT
PRIVATE GARDENS
FOR EXAMPLE, ALTERNATIVE FLOORS 2,4,6,8 IN WING 1 WILL HAVE VOIDS WHICH WILL BE A
GATHERING SPACE
SIMILARLY, IN WING 2 FLOORS 3,5,7,9 WILL HAVE VOIDS.

19. STUDIO LAYOUT
MIN 35 M.SQ
1BHK LAYOUT
3 BHK LAYOUT 2 BHK LAYOUT
RR
B
LR
K
B
B K
RR RR
RR
RR
RR RR
LR LR K
K
LR
B B
IT IS MADE SURE THAT EVERY UNIT GETS PRIVATE
BALCONY ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF
BEDROOMS INCLUDING THE STUDIO.
ACCORDING TO VASTU, THE BEDROOMS NOT
PROVIDED IN THE NORTH
IN 2BHK AND 3BHK UNITS,
DINNING SPACES ARE
PROVIDED.
EVERY BEDROOM HAS
ATTACHED BATHROOM

20. - Jhank you