Magicplan is an app where it is possible to take an estimated to an accurate measurement. A sketchy floor plan is not supposed to be accurate but simply drawn. I wanted my work to be more professional this time so I used an app to help me achieve this. It honestly took me lesser time to do it this way rather than drawing it out.

I did not include the interior walls because I wanted to repurpose and redesign the whole area. There are some flaws in the design of the house which I am unable to tolerate. It is completely safe for for interior walls to be taken out as I have consulted my father who is an architect and also the person who built the house. The house is well structured with steel as the bones of the house, bricks as the flesh and concrete as the skin that protects the structure from being damaged.

The site has an estimate total area of 320.57 m2. I have included windows and doors from eye measurements of the whole house. The house has plenty of glass around it as Malaysia is a very hot and humid country. There is blazing hot sun for half the year while the other half is rainy. The windows and glass doors are also used for ventilation. The windows and doors are able to be opened and closed so that fresh air can get in. Not to mention, it is also used for quick drying. The heat will make water evaporate when mopping or when the rooms are too cold from the air conditioning.

This is only the inside of the house. The land in which the house is located in is bigger than the actual house however, I will not be focusing on the outside as my main focus is the interior of the women’s club therefore the measurements shall not be taken.

These are concept ideas for what I wanted to do with the women’s club. I’ve thought of the pros and cons and what the club could offer with the concepts I’ve given. I wrote them side to side to make a comparison between the two and see which I should choose and what I should work on. With this done, I will make a mood board to inspire me with the final outcome and also help me with experimentation.

With much thought and contemplation. I will incorporate both of them. Obviously I want it to be about empowering women but I also want it to calm them when they enter the club and not stress them out. Instead, using art to inspire but also make them feel comfortable. The Japanese use nature as a means for inspiration in designing the concept of it. So, with that, I want to make sure to incorporate some natural materials as said with the Japanese Zen Vibes yet make it lively as well. It will be a challenge but a challenge I am willing to take and accept wholeheartedly.

Because I am home, it is really difficult for me to get up and do work. When I am home, I am way too comfortable to do anything. I have been very unproductive for 3 weeks in this house, doing quite literally nothing. I have big aspirations but no will to do it. I say what I want to do but do nothing about it. At this stage, I realise it is important for me to start taking things seriously as there will be no time extensions and at the end of the day, I still have to think about my future which is getting into Glasgow School of Art. It would be a waste of my talents and effort to come all this way to do nothing and not get in.

I have no excuses for being lazy and procrastinating however, I can learn from this and start taking things seriously. This is my Final Major Project. Therefore, I have made a personal to do list, stuck onto the sliding doors of my closet with magnets which I will try to be completing everyday so that I can keep up with what I want and must do. By my calculations, with tutorials in check, I would have enough time to develop and design the outcome with enough time, starting now. The previous project was an outline of what I could do and how much I could push myself. I feel like with me getting a grip and being more aware of what I have to do, I am more prepared this time around now that I have started being productive again.

I am now productive because of the precautions I have taken. I am working in my room which is quite dangerous as my bed is right in front of me but I have faced myself away from my bed so that I don’t get tempted to sleep. To do work, I have to feel uncomfortable in terms of clothing so, I have to dress like I’m going outside so that my room doesn’t feel like my room but more like an office workspace.

The time lost doing nothing has been quite valuable, therefore, I have to stay up a couple of extra nights to complete what my timetable has planned for me. I will also be updating the timetable so that it is more accurate to what I’m doing. Previously, I felt like I took my own sweet time with my research which is good but to an extent. It took a lot of my time away for development. I had less than 2 weeks to develop and design the final outcome which was very hectic and stressful. I am where I need to be right now, with the right headspace and experience from the previous project which has now given a new found confidence and excitement. I feel as if I have finally learnt to manage my time properly and not just procrastinating. I am heading towards the direction I need to be and I’m very happy with that.

Having known what I wanted to build, I need the perfect location to do it. I could not go anywhere I wanted to go with the lockdown implemented in Malaysia therefore, I have decided to use my own house as the location.

There is a reason as to why I chose this and it was a very practical decision. Based on my previous project, I kept visiting the sites to see if it was a good place to put my restaurant-cafe there. With me living in my house, I can tell where what needs to be and oversee what needs to be done in the spaces. Whenever I am unsure, I can just look at the space and picture what the design could be. Moreover, I have lived in this house for over 15 years so I know what is nearby. The biggest concern is safety for women which is perfect because this community is protected and gated. Most houses in Malaysia are gated. There are guards stationed at the front of the dead end so no one ever enters. Hourly check ups are also done to prevent a higher risk of people breaking in. It is vital for women to feel safe and trust the space so that they will lower their guards down and allow them to be themselves.

This location is ideal because it is near the main roads and highways. The location has access to main roads which leads to all kinds of different directions which is possible for women to get to places quicker. There is a wet market nearby where they can shop. Many restaurants are cafes are open nearby if they want to visit with their friends. Shopping can also be done as the nearest shopping mall is a 7 minute drive. Another shopping mall which is very famous in Malaysia is also near to the location with it being a 15 minute drive. Most Malaysians drive to places so there really isn’t a need for public transportation or walking. However, if needed, there is a overground train station which leads to the popular shopping mall as well. Next to the train station, there is a stadium and a park where people can exercise or take a stroll if they wish to in nature. There is also spa nearby which people can go and relax of they wish to.

With an extensive knowledge about this area, it was only appropriate that I chose this location. The interior of this house will be changed and I cannot wait to redesign this space. I’ve always wanted to design the house but I never got the opportunity as my father is an architect so, he wanted to design something that reflected him. I have nothing against it but I want to see what I could do and play with.

I went into this research thinking that no one would have designed an all women’s club however, I was proved wrong as I saw various spaces for Women. I was in complete awe for all of the clubs that I saw and couldn’t wait to start with my development.

There are only a handful of women’s clubs that have been built and designed for. The spaces that I researched was mostly based in the US. In the land of the free, women are taking a stand for themselves and not backing down for any man. These places are empowering places for them to be unapologetically themselves without being too nice until people take advantage of them. This gives me hope for the future in Malaysia because there are barely any clubs designed for women and just thinking about the project makes me excited with what I’m going to do in the future.

Out of all the places, I picked The Assembly and and The Wing because I thought both of them were quite contrasting from each other. There was a variety of elements and a considerable amount of thought went into the process of designing the space which I then appreciated.

The Assembly was very much a wellbeing club where women could relax and exercise without caring about the outside world. In this club, they focus on being non-judgemental and being completely open. They could talk about their problems and free themselves from their cages. The Assembly is a club where it takes care of the people who are signed up here. In this space, they would care for their members through food, exercise and overall just having a good time. I want that for my club as well where there will be a space where no judgement is formed while the environment is calming and relaxing using neutral colours.

The Wing is very much a space that focuses on community as well however, they have this thought of the club being more on professionalism, productivity and creativity. They want this space to be a space for learning and working taking their imagination further than what they could think of when a man is around. Women are accommodating towards men, taking into consideration their feelings and thoughts. Here, they don’t have to do that at all. I read a statistical book called Invisible Women saying that this world was built a man’s world. With more men in power, they do not consider the situation women are in which makes it harder for a woman compared to a man. An example would be that there are more women than men who go into the toilets. Men have more urinals and cubicles for them whereas women only get cubicles which would then take women longer than men to get out of the toilet. Not to mention, the genitals are different too, giving them an advantage. The Wing focuses on environment and ambience. So, art was really important to be featured there as it helps with inspiration. With productivity, a perfect ambience and environment is needed to work. The Wing is like a workspace. Many work in coffee shops as it has caffeine and also, it is a quite space to work in. Therefore, The Wing has taken themselves up to set up a cafe in there.

Overall, I have gain an insight to what I needed to think of when I designed my club. It gave me the advice I never knew I needed. A new found confidence has blossomed in me because my idea of what I wanted with this place fit exactly into what both of these clubs want their members to feel: a sense of belonging and safety. I have received the confidence I needed to start designing.

Various thoughts have been running through my head while trying to think of what to design. At first, I thought of building a proper sanctuary, almost like an orphanage but for women however, the project has taken a turn with the virus hitting so things have to be adjusted.

At first, I had the intent of helping women un the UK as there are many refugees that come in to live better lives. Some run away from their abusing husbands, some escaping their arranged marriages, and etc. However, I am working from Malaysia now so I have to change that perception and adapt to my surroundings. Refugees do not come to Malaysia seeking for change because the progression to help women in Malaysia is quite slow. Therefore, I had to shift my focus. I was racking my brain as to what I should design. Then it struck me. There are men’s only clubs whereas there wasn’t anything of the sort back then. I thought of the how women have overcome so may obstacles to be where they are now. With society looking more positive, I thought women should be given more opportunities to expand themselves while still being safe.

Being safe is top priority. The place still holds the title sanctuary as I want this to be a safe place for women who have been harassed or anything equivalent to that. This sanctuary will be designed specifically for bringing women together while giving them the space to figure themselves out and do what they can’t do in the outside world. With an environment where no men are existent, women can focus on being themselves and discovering what needs to be discovered. This space would also give them the chance to make connections with other people, providing for more opportunities in the future for them. There are not enough female bosses in Malaysia as women are considered to be thought of lesser than men. Girls are being married off at when they are still children because men are powerful. Girls and women are losing in court battles for dressing provocatively when it is a man’s duty to keep their hands to themselves. These reasons are only a portion of why the spaces I’m going to build are important. I want the focus to be empowering women and make them think that they are something more and give them a sense of belonging.

My worry for this project was that if it was fair to men if there were women’s only clubs. I was reassured by a poll that was taken and found the results to be positive. If it gives men the space to think and have fun without women, women can do the same.

The space I want to design will be something of a communal area where women can be together. I wanted to make a communal area because the purpose of coming to a club is to make strong connections are form a bond. This is what I want to achieve with this. Therefore, I have limited only 4 rooms in the house. The rooms would be a living room, a dining area, a library and a restroom. Most of these rooms have a purpose of seeming like a house. Not to mention the fact that these rooms help women bond and be productive. The survey said that majority rather be productive and be with friends and people they trust. With the Women’s Club being a safe place, women can trust each other instead of bringing each other down.

With my presentation as the foundation for my topic, Gender Inequality. It was important to research all aspects of the unfair advantage men have compared to women.

Starting with my presentation, I felt like the slides were very precise and straight to the point. I decided to focus on a sector of Gender Inequality rather than the whole thing as it would consume too much of my time and energy which I do not have much. Time and energy invested in this project should be spent wisely and efficiently. With a decision to pick social problems (sexual harassment, unequal pay, no reproductive rights for women and etc.) an elaboration was necessary to further understand the aspects of discrimination against women. I wanted to pick social issues because I personally know too many women who have affected by this. It was also important and necessary for me to pick this issue because I have also been a victim towards this. I have been impacted by this and I don’t want other women to feel a certain type of way because it is not fun for women. From a personal experience, it was mentally scarring. A baffling number of women too have experienced what is considered normal according to the statistics when it shouldn’t be at all.

After that, I progressed to research areas that needed work in our society. I focused the research in Malaysia because of the fact that I am going to base the location in Malaysia. Therefore, I found articles where they showed of the statistics to prove a point in my research making it backed up with evidence. I focused on issues like abortion, unequal pay and sexual harassment because these are the main concerns about women. In a world where humans rule, women are still getting the shorter end of the stick, but being understood why feminists are standing up for themselves.

Going into this research, I was concerned that I would stray too far from equality and focus my entirety on the idea of feminists. I then questioned myself it it was okay to think from a feminist standpoint but after the research, I understood that there are different types of feminists; majority of which are behind the idea of feminism to gain equality. I understood this from researching women’s organisations which helped me understand a lot. I’ve learnt a lot on what they do and had positive reactions to these organisations that are out there helping women gain a higher ground by speaking out and helping them. I researched organisations that focused on different subjects as I wanted explore a variety to tackle the issues. These organisations gave me an insight to women’s empowerment and that I shouldn’t be conscious about what men think and focus of helping women.

Overall, I had some doubts and I was really afraid I wasn’t going to be focused on equality without being too much of a feminist however, I realised that this research was needed for me to grow and learn that being a feminist is to focus on gaining equal grounds like men. In 2020, we must move forward with the time. For me to engage myself fully into this project, I needed to be a feminist which is what I am now. It is a controversial topic which made me scared to speak however, coming out of this, I know that it is nothing to be ashamed of as women only want to be treated as a man’s equal and to be thought strong instead of weak. It was a necessary obstacle for me to overcome.

The Assembly is essentially a club that cares for your wellbeing, offering women workouts, wellness and having deep meaningful connections. It is built by and and for women who enjoy working hard, working out, relaxing and being in the outdoors while still being able to do it with close friends (like a sisterhood). With a membership at The Assembly, you are guaranteed an inclusive environment as they harbour an inclusiveness culture. It is a no judgement zone where you can just be yourself.

This sanctuary is at the heart of the city where there are lots of people. In a crowded place, women can get away fro dangerous people who want to harm them. The building always had a good energy about it with it focusing more on community no matter what the belief was. The space was very harmonious in a sense where natural materials (such as wood, linen, wool, marble, and leather) seemed to work very well together. With the history of the building, it was only right Sara and Rich Combs (the interior designers) honoured the San Francisco art and design community. In the end, they wanted the story of it being a communal place to remain as it is as they flipped the next chapter of the book. With the new chapter, they could welcome it’s new purpose which was filled with warmth.

The only downside to the design was that it was too dark. It wasn’t bright enough to fill in the future of this space so they decided to paint a bright colour on it while enforcing new lights. The bones of the building hold character so they didn’t have to change it so much since they were sticking to the natural side to compliment the building. The overall feel for this space was for it to be cosy, reflecting the feeling of a house, a home. Often, we are the most comfortable with ourselves is when we are at home, not caring about anything in the world.