ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN REPORT RIVERFRONT RELICS UNESCO CULTURAL CENTRE (RRUCC) 60, JALAN LAKSAMANA, 75000, MELAKA ANDREW CHEE KIONG CHEE MAN SHING 0316202 TUTOR: EDWARD CHEW
1.0 Outline 1.1 Abstract This project is a thematic studio based on the theme “sustaining humanities� - architecture for people, place and time. Designing for sustainability has been a fundamental issue for for architects in our time within global and regional context. Architecture can affect society and humanity, and have a role in making a place civilized by making a community more liveable. Community is to be brought into the process of a project.
1.2 Introduction The RR UNESCO Cultural Centre was designed to bring awareness of the teachings of site conservation in Melaka, Malaysia and signify the importance of the Architecture of Melaka. The Riverfront name symbolises the well-known Sungai Melaka, and hence bringing back the significance of the public space to the local community and encourage the people to populate the riverside. The Relics name refers to the ruins located on the site, representing the history of previous settlements.
1.3 Aim and Objective The objective of this project was to develop a programme suitable to the factors and characteristics of the site. With the use of case studies, gain an understanding of the architectural responses and produce strategies to inform the design of the project.
2.0 Contextual Study 2.1 Introduction to site We are taken to the centre of Melaka along the Melaka river, which has changed since the recent years due to the major cleaning of the river. Since then activities were brought to the riverside to boost the businesses along it. The site is easily noticeable as it is also located along Jalan Laksamana leading to landmarks such as St Francis Xavier Church and The Dutch Square. The significance of the site also relies on the Bastion Victoria ruins found on the site.
2.2 Site History The Bastion Victoria formed part of the Malacca Fort which was destroyed in 1807. Other bastions forming the fort were the Wilhelmus Bastion, the Fredrick Hendrick Bastion, the Middelburg Bastion and the Henriette Louise Bastion. The Bastion Victoria was unknown to be located at that location until the land was excavated to accommodate more parking spaces for the existing one. Since the discovery and excavation,, the site was fenced for the safety of visitors and was made as a touristic place of interest.
River Development
2.4 Urban Studies
For the urban studies, the 5 elements of Kevin Lynch were applied.
The river is the boundary which separates mostly the commercial district from the residential.
The site consists of 3 experiential journey
3.0 Design and Social Impact 3.1Micro site Analysis Strength
Strategically, the site is located at the intersection of several roads such as Jalan Bendahara, Jalan Temenggong, Jalan Banda Kaba, and Jalan Bunga Raya, Thus the site being very easily accessible. The proximity to some of the landmarks in Malacca gives a strategic location for the site as it forms part of the circulation to the landmarks, hence expecting a huge flow of visitors.
Weakness
Due to the intersection of those roads, congestions and heavy traffic occur in front of the site. Lack of traffic light makes crossing the road difficult.
3.2 Precedent Studies To find a solution to the issue of building and including the ruins, the study of Peter Zumthor’s Kolumba museum rose the interest. Zumthor’s design delicately rises from the ruins of a late-Gothic church, respecting the site’s history and preserving its essence. Its ground floor contains a large archaeological excavation site with the remains of previous church buildings, with walls gently wraps every spaces together. Use of micropiles allow structures to be built over the 600 year old of church. By considering the placement of the micropiles, only the ground on which the church was built, was left affected. However the intention of integrating a journey into the ruins created another way of celebrating the ruins by allowing the visitors to actually somehow walk among the ruins. Hence from this study, the idea of integrating a space or a program with the ruins would be a wise opportunity.
Opportunity
The Sungai Melaka being located at the back of the site represents a potential asset in order to revitalize the site and the river itself. Since the proximity of the landmarks is convenient to the site, it can become an indication as a landmark for the Dutch Square and others.
Threat
There is also an overcrowding of birds on the site, which tends to create unpleasant sight and smell of bird’s excrement.
Boardwalk
Jetty
CHICAGO RIVERWALK - ROSS BARNEY ARCHITECTS ALLOWING THE USE OF KAYAK AS A MEAN OF TRANSPORTATION AND AS PART OF THE ACTIVITIES ALONG THE RIVER. THE PEOPLE ON THE FLIGHT OF STAIRS ACTS LIKE THE AUDIENCE FOR THE ACTIVITIES OF THE RIVER.
Water Plaza
River Theatre
Cove
Marine Plaza
SENSE OF REFUGE PLACES WITH ACTIVITIES GENERATE GREATER SENSE OF REFUGE WHERE ‘ACTIVITY-SEEING’ BECOMES A COMMON INTEREST FOR A NUMBER OF PERSONS.
3.3 Design Intention
Proposed Building will be integrated with the Bastion.
Vehicular access into the site with basement parking facility.
Site strategic location to be treated as a starting point for the main one way path and the river walk.
Continuation of the existing architectural styles fit into the context.
3.4 Project Proposal The primary programme involves the teachings of the site conservations. Symbolically the site includes the Bastion Victoria ruins which does signify a starting point for the programme’s aim. The secondary programme involves more towards the conservation of culture and history of the site. It requires the participation of the locals to express their creativity in respect to the history of Melaka. Hence the results of the work will be displayed and conserved as part of the culture of the site. The site used to be visited for the purpose of seeing the ruins. The activity will be maintained, but additionally part of the ruins will be included in the interior of the centre.
Provided that the site is along the Melaka River, a riverfront will be designed and hence stretching the public space along the river too.
The workshop will provide facilities for the visitors to express the creativity. The idea is to help emerging artist who are interested in cultural artifacts.
The provision of public space on site will promote interaction among tourist, visitors and local people.
The library mainly provides book related the Melaka’s culture and history and also UNESCO conservation researches. Precedence of UNESCO works will help in encouraging people to participate in local conservation of the heritage.
The museum will display most of the found objects or artifacts that will be discovered in the sites to be preserved in Melaka. They will belong to the cultural and historical heritage.
The gallery will be used mainly for the emerging artists to display their work, with the aim of selling them. This will act as a kickstart for the artists’ career.
3.5 Design Response to the Site
4.0 Building Science/Environmental Strategies 4.1 Orientation
The building orientation ensures that during most of the time of the day the public spaces are shaded. The South East facade will not be affected by the morning sun, since the neighbouring building is blocking the sun penetration. The North West facade will receive most of the afternoon sun, hence taking into consideration natural lighting for the spaces adjacent to the North West exterior walls and fenestrations.
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The RRUCC is oriented in such a way that it does not interfere with the wind tunnel effect on the site. Major public spaces found on the site were designed to take full advantage of the prevailing winds coming from the North East to South West direction.
4.2 Solar and Sun shading According to the ecotect sun path analysis, proper screening or fenestration should be taken beforehand, as the analysis has revealed that the major exposure zone happens at the North West and South East elevation. Thus measures to reduce the rate of transmission of heat by sunlight has highly taken into consideration.
Since the long elevations are mostly exposed to the sun’s radiation, the facade has been designed primarily be massive and not fully transparent like a curtain wall. The openings to the exterior were designed rather small to allow a desired level of natural lighting inside the building.
4.3 Ventilation
The cross ventilation takes place in the building due to passive design methods and building orientation. Thus, at every wind wave, the building tends to cool down in a cross ventilation manner by the help of the fenestration on opposite sides of the building. Suggesting from the elevations, as shown, the number of fenestrations provided, indicate the intention of promoting natural ventilation in the building.
4.4 Acoustical Consideration Being located on the side of Jalan Laksamana, the main source of noise would be from the traffic. The noise criteria for a library is within the range of NC-35 - NC40 (quiet). The compined SPL of the traffic noises exceeds the noise criteria for a library, making study and concentration not possible. Noise reduction Strategies The sound transmitting properties of the facade need to be considered so as to mask the exterior noise. Adding gypsum board supported on furring or studs at a distance from the surface of the wall can greatly improve the sound insulation of the wall assembly. Three factors that govern the degree of improvement are: 1. The method of support — ideally, the gypsum board should not be solidly connected to the wall; 2. The depth of the cavity (the distance between facing surfaces of the block and the gypsum board); 3. The use of sound-absorbing material in the cavity between the gypsum board and the surface of the wall.
For spaces such as the library, acoustic performance is essential for a comfortable experience. Another element of acoustic performance is the reverberation time of the space, in that case the library. The reverberation time for the design is to be calculated and analysed whether according to the standards of reverberation time, the standard comfort reverberation for a library is within the required value of time. Hence the reverberation time will determine the standard of comfort of the library. Reverberation – or an echo – occurs in living spaces when sound waves can reflect off of hard, flat surfaces unhindered. Because the listener receives the reflected sound later than the direct sound, this can negatively affect the clarity of the direct source sound. In order to reduce these undesired reflections as much as possible, there is a need to intall highly noise-absorbent materials in the library.
Fig. Jalan Laksamana