infinity space

Choosing “Interior Lighting Fixtures”

2009-01-20T18:09:00.000-08:00

Lighting plays an important role in the design of a visual environment, for both interior and exterior space. Lightings can be used to defining spaces, forms, and movements, and give a spirit for its environment.

When a lighting designer arrange a lighting design concepts for an interior space, there are many things that should be consider such as character of that interior space, function of room, visual comfort, etc. Lighting designer consider not only a functional but also an aesthetic factors in harmony with interior design.

After design concept phase, lighting designer should determine some lighting design approach to execute his/her concept through light sources and interior lighting fixtures. The appropriate light sources and interior lighting fixtures will produce a visual condition that supporting interior design. Choosing light sources will determines light color, light intensity, efficiency (lumen per wattage), and functional life. Every light sources produces different light color rendering and have different efficiency. HID (high intensity discharge) lamps have good color rendering and moderate efficiency, on the other hand, HPS (high pressure sodium) lamps have worse color rendering but great efficiency.

Interior lighting fixtures are available in a wide variety of types, each intended to fulfil different lighting requirements and depends on interior design concept that designed by interior designer. The same light distributions can be achieved with different lighting fixtures.

Choosing interior lighting fixtures will determines some factors like:

1. light distribution
(direct light, indirect light, semi direct light, semi indirect light, and diffuse)
2. light pattern (according to its angle)
3. luminaire performance (according to fixtures design)
4. installation process and lighting maintenance

The choice depends on whether the fixtures are to be a design feature in their own right, or whether an integrative design approach is being followed. Compared to fixtures that are permanently mounted (particularly for recessed lamps) track-mounted fixtures offer a higher degree of flexibility and indeed moveable. When we choose ceilling recessed downlight or pendant downlight for an interior space, that will give some influences for the space. Ceilling recessed downlight create more spacious space and clean ceilling than pendant downlight, but no flexibility for its arrangement. In the other hand, pendant downlight make a space more tight and crowded. (infinity space)

netherlands architecture institute

2009-01-11T15:54:00.000-08:00

Netherlands Architecture Institute have three main function as library, archieve, and gallery/auditorium. As a library, NAI collect some architecture books from around of the word with multimedia facilities to serve visitor. Whereas, as an archieve building, NAI play an important role to collect some architectural project documents. In this room, we can find some architectural drawings and concept that designed by some architects from Netherlands or other country. And, as a gallery and audirorium, NAI has function to accomodate some architecture event like architectural expo, disscussion, or competition.

Netherlands Architecture Institute was designed by Jo Coenen who won the architecture competition for that project. Located in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAI) forms a strong access with Museumpark in the middle and Kunsthal (designed by Rem Koolhaas) in south. Netherland

In urban design context, NAI have different approach to build a communication with its surrounding that dominate by some old buildings. NAI show its contradictive style, as a light and transparent building with some dominant lines. To make a strong visual impression, Coenen designed a big reflection pool that reflects all of building elements on the water surface. Main street and the building connected by a bridge to bring visitor to different ‘world’. (the infinity)

a settlement on the river surface

2009-01-09T17:48:00.001-08:00

.
Kahayan River is one of biggest river in Borneo Island that has location in province of Central Borneo,

Indonesia

. Kahayan riverbank district was developed as a settlement district with its high density. Housing in Kahayan riverbank have built with wood material, also its pedestrian and motorcycle path. Every house is connected to the Kahayan River by pedestrian path that called ‘titian’. With height until 3 meters from ground level, titian also has some function as a district linkage in the district. Kahayan riverbank district was built with grid pattern that connected by titian that have width no longer than 2 meters.

Settlement of Kahayan Riverbank district has location in centre of Palangkaraya city. The district has shape of grid pattern, and formed by stilt housings that located about 3 meters from the ground. Every house connected to the Kahayan River by pedestrian path that called ‘titian’. Titian also has some function as a district linkage. Houses in Kahayan Riverbank are stilt houses, some houses built over surface of Kahayan River.

Kahayan Riverbank district is susceptible to some disasters like flood and conflagration. In the rains session, water level in Kahayan riverbank will increase up to 3 meters and enter the house. While, conflagration disaster is often occur to the settlement because it made by wood material and high density of the houses. Nevertheless, this condition was not influenced people of the settlement to move to another place that more safely. Local government often offers people of settlement some places to use as a new settlement.

There are many boats for rent that you can use to trace Kahayan River, enjoying its beautiful sight, floating settlement, rain forest and also its harbor. With only $3 you can use the boat for about half hour. (the infinity)

travel: places for Christmas and New Year

2008-12-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

Where will you celebrate your holiday for Christmas and New Year 2009? There are many beautiful places and cities to celebrate your holiday. In Asia, there were some cities that become targeting for tourism. Three of them that I have visited are Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bali.

Hong Kong is a metropolitan city with many high-rise building that cover the island. You can find some highest building of the world in this city. Some buildings designed by famous architect or architecture firm. Here, you can enjoy your holiday with many facilities that offered for you, hotel, restaurant, shopping centre, etc. You also visit some interesting places like Central, The Peak, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Victoria Harbor, or just looking for souvenirs in Ladies Market and taking your children to Disneyland.

Similar to Hong Kong, Singapore offer you many modern facilities that supported and enjoying your holiday. Some luxury hotels and restaurants are available in lion city. You can also celebrate your Christmas and New Year at the Orchard Road and Marina Bay. Some shopping center offer to you, like Suntec City Mall, Marina Sqyare, The Centerpoint, The Heeren Shops or Vivo City. Or, you need to find cheaper souvenirs; you can find it at Chinatown and Bugis.

B a l i has a different character with Hong Kong and Singapore. Bali offers you a beautiful nature and culture. Beautiful nature is shown by some beaches, like Kuta, Sanur, etc, Nusa Dua, Bedugul, Seminyak, Kintamani (a beautiful mountain and lake) or find some handicrafts (like, wood carving, batik, or jewelry). (the infinity)

space for children: children safety and security

2008-12-17T01:44:00.001-08:00

“...The needs of children and youth, particularly with regards to their living environment, have to be taken fully into account. Special attention needs to be paid to the participatory processes dealing with the shaping of cities, towns and neighbourhoods; this is in order to secure the living conditions of children and youth and to make use of their insight, creativity and thoughts on the environment...’. (Paragraph 13, Preamble to the Habitat of the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, 1996).

Many public spaces or public facilities were designed to accommodate our need, but, often they were design without consideration to children need. Children have different need, it is meaning not only for their ability, activities, but also for their accessibility.

Safety and security are primary considerations for children activities in a public space. A public space must have an ability to protect them when are using public space, like car accident, tripped in the stair, lose in a swimming pool, and even from a abduction.

Although they have children insurance (accident insurance), an architect or urban designer has ability to guarantee their safety and security through design. Design approaches must consider children need as proportion, scale, dimension (bench, table, room, etc.), accessibility (stair, ramp, door, etc.). Thorough those consideration, children have ability to use public space and do their activities.

Except those design consideration, material selection is also influencing children safety. Some material contains chemical element that effected cancer. Without holistic consideration for public spaces design, there is no guarantee for children and also our safety and security. We can do our activities in public space optimally. (the infinity space)

t o r a j a : a beautiful ancient traditional architecture

2008-12-07T19:18:00.000-08:00

T o r a j a are one of ethnic group in province of South S u l a w e s i, I n d o n e s i a, who lived in highland areas with its mountain range surrounding. As one of regency in province in South S u l a w e s i, Tana T o r a j a (T o r a j a land) is very different with other regency, especially its culture and traditional architecture. The village of T o r a j a commonly is extended of one family.

The village formed by linear pattern, and each of house be faced with one granary and separated by a linear circulation space. The circulation space has a function as a public space and connectting every house in the village, and also have function as ritual space.

Traditional house of T o r a j a known as “Tongkonan”, that stands high on wooden piles. Its roof shape looks like a ship and build by bamboo material. The roof extended for the front of house similar to cantilever moment supported by a wooden column. Its supported column commonly used to couch some buffalo head after the death ritual.

The funeral ritual is most important event for people of T o r a j a. In Tana T o r a j a, funeral have some location, in the cave, in a carved stone grave, and hung on a cliff. For richer family, sometimes they build a permanent grave that similar to their traditional house. (the infinity space)

measuring lighting quality with visual perception

2008-12-06T04:31:00.000-08:00

Lighting is a most important factor in architectural design. People have no ability to see architectural product or defining form and space without light. Lighting has ability to influence visual condition, with lighting intensity, lighting color, and light pattern in architecture, interior, or exterior.

In daytime, sunlight play important role to make a visual condition and give visual information about our surrounding. At night, artificial lighting have important role to make a good visual condition with light quality and quantity. To accomplishing lighting quantity, we need to know about lighting intensity standard for each room. Lumen method is one of part method that can use to calculate lighting quantity.

Whereas, lighting quality is one condition that lighting to be able to accomplishing human need. To make good visual condition, some approach is needed, like lighting design factors (intensity, color and pattern) and human visual perception. Perceptions of lighted settings are the result of the brain’s interpretation of physiological reactions to those lighted settings.

Visual perception can be used as a methodology to found some influences factor in architectural lighting design. To measure human perception for lighting quality, we can use semantic differential method, with some adjectives and its antonym (e.g. bright – dark, cheerful – dull, beautiful – ugly). (the infinity space)

silodam: a floating apartment

2008-12-05T00:04:00.000-08:00

Silodam is an apartment that located on the Ij River surface. This apartment was designed by MVRDV architect, with ten floors and 157 apartment units. Each floor has different visual condition that shown by its façade, different color and size for openings was used to shown an interesting facades.

Structurally, Silodam used conventional structural system, rigid frame, with eight parallel columns for its side. The apartment separated in four sections to anticipated lateral moments with dilatation structure. Some columns in the middle of the apartment had sheaf by diagonal column to make the structure system stronger.

There are two ways to achieved the apartment, from main street and river. When visitor or occupants came from the river, there are a place to parking the boat in the bottom of apartment. Generally, Silodam is an apartment that have ability to solved some problems, (site, function, and even structure) through its design.(the infinity space)

old town of Semarang: a beautiful Dutch’s architecture in Indonesia

2008-11-29T20:56:00.000-08:00

Old town or “K o t a L am a S e m a r a n g”, a Dutch colonial heritage in Central Java, I n d o n e s i a, is rich historical heritages including some ancient buildings with ancient-colonially architecture design that are really interisting. Suprapto street area as the downtown as well as the main structure of K o t a L a m a has a lot of ancient buildings with interisting structures and facades that create a specifically historic character and a serial vision of the area.

The Dutch architectural has been a landmark for S e m a r a n g City and even for province scope, Central Java. The most interesting building in this area is Gereja Blenduk (blenduk mean is “dome” like shown by its roof) or Church of Blenduk.

Architecturally, Church of Blenduk is very different with some local churches in

Indonesia

, especially for its roof, tower and four big scale columns in terrace. In the Dutch colonial age, Church of Blenduk has an important role as a center district and public spaces with an open space beside. (the infinity space)

filling space with spaces

2008-11-27T22:36:00.000-08:00

when people come to public spaces, like mall, plaza, etc. they look like filling that spaces, but actually they formed some spaces.(the infinity space)

the peak: show you hong kong

2008-11-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

Hong Kong, one of most beautiful city in the world, with some highrise building that cover some commercial functions. The uniquely about Hong Kong is a dialogue between natural environment and built environment. And that communication is shown in the peak.

The is a building that located in top mountain and shaped as a curve building with metal material cover its surfaces. From top of The Peak, we can access visually to all of Hong Kong area, Central, Victoria Harbor, and even to New Territories. Some famous building like, Bank of China that was designed by famous architect I.M.Pei, HSBC Bank, etc.(the infinity space)