ARCHITECTURE CULTURE AND HISTORY
BASILICA OF SAN LORENZO
PRECEDENT STUDY & ANALYSIS
This project focuses on investigating historical works to not just enrich student proficiency in architectural language, design and ideas but most importantly able to develop and hone students’ historical and architectural criticism skills. Through the study of existing buildings, students are able to communicate and expand their own architectural vocabulary and develop design concepts. In a group of 5, students are required to conduct precedent study analysis on specific building through on-line forum discussion, sketch analysis journal, verbal and board presentations. The precedent study analysis project should help clarify questions of “why” the case study is historically, culturally and architecturally importance; and “how” the design concepts derived from the case study can be developed and expanded to be creatively and innovatively integrated into prospect design project.
PROJECT A // WIKI TImes On-line Discussion Forum
On-line group forum is used in this exercise as an effective virtual learning discussion platform for students to work as a team to help each other in exploring the precedent studies of a chosen building with cultural, historical and architectural significances.
The study of precedent required students to gather architectural information, so that we will truly appreciate the essence of the building.
My group was tasked to do The Basilica of San Lorenzo (Renaissance) and I was the student who needed to do the question 4 (. i. What is the function or purpose of the building? ii. How the function or purpose of the building makes the building historically significant and meaningful? ).
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |
The Precedent Study and Comparative Analyses sketches and Comparative Analysis Report of 500 words form the Precedent Study & Comparative Analysis Journal. This journal consists of illustrative and abstractive diagrams, and annotations, which includes clarity drawings of actual and conceptual design ideas of floor plans, building sections, analyses diagrams and sketches expressing and in-depth comparative investigation of a selected case study
Sketches should be (but not limited to) hand-drawn and hand-written as exploration of creative mixed media presentation is also highly recommended.
1. Related illustrative Architectural Historical Timeline in chronology order that highlights and explains the standing of the case study in Architecture History.
2. With reference to the timeline generates comparative analyses of the case study with the before and after architectural style.
3. With reference to the timeline explain the technology development and advancement related to the case study.
PROJECT B // Precedent Study & Analysis Sketch Journal
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
PROJECT C // Analysis Presentation Board
The A2 presentation board consists of illustrative and abstractive diagrams, drawings and annotations of the precedent study and comparative analysis of the selected case study. The drawings should include actual and conceptual design ideas of floor plans, building sections, analysis diagrams and sketches expressing clarity and in-depth investigation of the precedent studies. Precedent study and the analysis presentation board should be on an A2 board only and strictly hand-drawn and handwritten.
Analyses should include:
A. Answers to the Precedent Study Analysis questions below:
1. How does the building reflect the spirit of the time and place for which it was built?
2. What are the initial ideas and the design concept?
3. How the initial ideas and the design concept affecting the architecture?
B. Illustration of Precedent Study Analysis in relation to the series of building conceptual elements listed below – each student is to select and conduct analysis of one element from # 1 to 5 and to synthesize the design concept Partí of # 6.
5. Building plan-section/elevation analysis (i. Plan to Section or Elevation, ii. Natural light penetration, iii. Significant architectural element) (The question which i chose to do)
6. Partí - Culminates and Summarizes (i. gesture, ii. essence, iii, dominant idea, iv salient characteristic of the building)
REFLECTION
It is quite good to me although i am not interested in history, but it helped me to understand the history of architecture, the style of building and let me know how the ancient built the building without any modern technology. Besides, it also helped me to communicate with my teammates and tutor.
