Designing the misfit through re-ordering of fragmented materials

Nugraha, Mochammad Suva

ARSNET
Vol. 6, No. 2

This study explores how architectural order can be shaped by misfit, focusing on the reuse of building-material fragments as a means of exploration. Existing discourse of architectural order aims to eliminate misfit to achieve the condition of fit. In architecture, misfits such as cracks, breaks, and irregularities are commonly treated as flaws requiring correction. Nevertheless, certain construction practices may enable transformation of these misfits into design opportunities. This study qualitatively examines the use of broken floor tiles at Wisma Kuwera, Semarang, Central Java, to investigate how material misfit can be designed into architectural order. Data were collected through field observations, photographic documentation, and open-ended interviews with the direct disciple of Mangunwijaya as the designer of the building. The findings identify three organising principles of designing misfit into architectural order, through the process of outline framing, shape recognition, and gap filling. The study shows that misfit emerges relationally between fragments and the larger composition and can be transformed through situated design practices. The study introduces the utilisation of misfit as a design method, expanding fit-misfit discourse by explaining how perceived imperfections can generate new forms of architectural order. It contributes to environmental sustainability by extending material use, reducing demand for new resources, and encouraging adaptive, resource-efficient construction practices.