Step 3: Revised Design Proposal

Revised Design Proposal

Floating Ground as Climate Social Infrastructure

The revised proposal keeps the original identity of Floating Ground, where the ARCA Student Clubhouse is expressed as a suspended architectural volume above an open campus ground. The revision does not replace the original concept. Instead, it strengthens it through clearer structure, stronger tropical climate response, improved façade performance, and a more active student plaza. AI exploration helped test atmosphere, light, material, and spatial experience, while final design decisions remained guided by architectural judgement.

Design Proposal

1. Revised Site Strategy

The site strategy is improved by turning the ground level into the main arrival and social zone. The drop-off, pedestrian movement, parking, shaded walkway, and outdoor spill-out areas are reorganized to create a clearer campus connection. Rain gardens and landscape buffers are added around the plaza to improve drainage, soften the site edge, and create a cooler microclimate. The revised site plan makes the clubhouse more connected, accessible, and responsive to the Kajang campus context.

2. Improved Space Planning

The revised space planning organizes the ground floor into clearer zones. The public zone includes the lobby, reading area, dining area, and arrival space. The social and flexible zone supports outdoor workshop activities, informal discussion, and student gathering. Service spaces such as kitchen, storage, MDF, MSB, and W.C. are grouped for better efficiency. Landscape pockets and courtyard spaces improve comfort and create a softer relationship between indoor and outdoor learning areas.

3. Environmental Improvements

The environmental strategy is strengthened by treating the building as a passive climate device. The perforated screen filters harsh tropical sunlight before it reaches the inner glazing. Deep roof overhangs and the cantilevered hall create shaded areas below. The open ground level allows cross ventilation, while upper voids support stack effect by allowing hot air to rise. Rain gardens, soft landscape edges, and sheltered outdoor spaces improve comfort during hot weather and tropical rain.

4. Façade Improvement & Structural Improvement

The façade is revised from a mainly visual envelope into a climate-responsive double-skin system. The outer perforated metal screen reduces glare, filters sunlight, and creates patterned shadows. The ventilated cavity allows hot air to escape, while the inner glazed layer maintains daylight and visual connection. This layered façade makes the cantilevered hall appear lighter and more dematerialized, supporting the floating concept while improving environmental performance.

The structural strategy is clarified to make the floating effect more believable. The revised proposal emphasizes the primary support line, inward-shifted columns, cantilevered floor plates, and load transfer direction. Instead of appearing as an unsupported visual effect, the floating hall is shown as a dramatic but structurally logical volume. Loads are transferred back to the main frame and down to the foundations, allowing the building to express both lightness and stability.

6. Design Evolution

The design evolution shows how the project changed from a strong formal concept into a more complete architectural proposal. The original design had a powerful cantilevered identity, but the revised version improves the undercroft, façade, environmental performance, structural clarity, and student experience. The floating hall is now lighter, the plaza is more active, and the building responds more clearly to tropical climate and campus life.

Key Design Improvements

Lighter perforated floating volume
Active shaded student plaza
Stronger tropical climate response
Façade acts as a climate filter
Clearer structural logic and load transfer
Landscape becomes social ground
Improved relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces
More comfortable student experience at ground level

Final Revised Proposal Statement

The revised Floating Ground proposal transforms the ARCA Student Clubhouse from a visually strong cantilevered form into a more complete climate-responsive student social infrastructure. The project keeps its original architectural identity, but improves its environmental performance, spatial organization, façade strategy, structural clarity, and user experience. The building is no longer only a floating object; it becomes a shaded, active, and comfortable campus ground for learning, gathering, and community life.

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