ENVIRONMENT DESIGN

Environment design

NYEW YONG YAN_0382122_BACHELOR OF INTERACTIVE SPATIAL DESIGN (HONOURS)

TAYLORS UNIVERSITY

Module: GCD64204 / Environment Design

Lecturer: Mr Kannan Vijayan

Week 1: April 24, 2026 (Friday)

1. Brief Overview

This course focuses on the transformation from conceptual sketches to 3D space. The core objective is to cultivate the ability to capture the spatial logic of real-world objects through hand-drawing exercises, and ultimately use Blender technology for digital reconstruction.

2. Essential Toolkit

Sketchbook & Ball Pen，Blender and Adobe.

3. Today's Task

Objective: To establish a multi-dimensional sense of space through the deconstruction of everyday objects.

Subject: Select 3 objects.

Method: Practice sketching each object from 5 angles.

The object I drew:

Clip

Key

Hari Dryer

Week 2: April 30, 2026 (Friday) (Public Holidays)

1. Project 1

My Moodboard

The lecturer let us to choose a landscape and then create a building on it. I chose snow-capped mountains and jungles as the background and built a traditional Chinese medicine shop in a tree.

Week 3: May 8, 2026 (Friday)

The colouring exercise done in class

1. Learned today

The professor taught us how to use simple geometric shapes for coloring. For example, how to add shadows, highlights, and details to make objects look more three-dimensional. Then today, the professor also gave some feedback on what we drew last week.

2. Project 1

This is the second version I revised based on the lecturer's suggestions.

This is my main building, a Chinese medicine shop

Week 4: May 15, 2026 (Friday)

1. Lecturer's feedback on my project last week:

1. Replacing the Tree with a Giant Ginger:

The lecturer gave me a suggestion,  I could replace the ordinary tree with ginger. The entire building structure would be built around this giant ginger root, even penetrated by it, allowing the building to integrate with the organic medicinal herb's root.

2. Infusing Traditional Chinese Elements:

The Roof: Adapting a traditional Chinese curved roof with elegant sweeping eaves.

The Pillars: Replacing the rough, squared timbers with classic Chinese Round Pillars to support the open structure.

The Circular Window: Adding a beautiful Circular Window on the back wall, which is a staple of traditional Chinese gardens, allowing the snowy forest view to frame perfectly like a painting.

Exhaust Pipes: Integrating stylized clay or metal pipes coming out from the roof to vent the steam and smoke from the herbal decoction pots inside.

3. Culture & Interior Functions:

The Herbal Plants: I will add vertical gardens and hanging pots around the deck. The herbalist will be cultivating cold-resistant Chinese herbs like snow lotus or ginseng directly on the building platforms.

The Zen Space (Meditation): I am designing a designated seating area on the deck for customers. It’s not for modern western yoga, but for traditional Zen Meditation and breathing exercises. Patients can sit cross-legged, drinking hot tea while inhaling the therapeutic herbal steam to warm up their inner energy.

2. The story of my project:

Deep in the snowy forest, a colossal, magical Ginger Root grows out of the ice. A Chinese herbalist built his apothecary directly onto this giant ginger, letting the roots pierce through the building. The structure features traditional Chinese round pillars, a sweeping curved roof, and a beautiful circular moon window. On the deck, patients sit cross-legged for Zen meditation, sipping hot tea and inhaling the warm herbal steam from the clay chimneys to restore their energy. It is a warm, mystical sanctuary in the freezing cold.

This is the improved drawing and I've also added some background

These are the basic shapes I created using Blender, which helps me observe shadows and apply color

This is the image I've added details and colours to

Week 5: May 22, 2026 (Friday)

1. Lecturer Feedback

In Week 4, the instructor raised critical points regarding the structural logic and accessibility:

Scale: The ginger root needs to be much larger to realistically support the building's weight.

Accessibility: The shop feels suspended; I need to add clear ways (stairs/bridges) for people to enter.

Platform: The square floor is too rigid. It should be an organic, irregular wooden deck to fit the environment.

2. This week's tasks

Improving my drawing, making the final drawing, requires different perspectives.

Improved version