24 minute read
A special feature of Top10 winners and an interview with the judges
Grand Winner Zulhazman Bin Abu Bakar
Proposal Title Design Enhancement
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Before being announced as the winner, I didn’t think I have the slightest chance of winning. So I am very relieved and satis ed that my hard work has paid o . e design proposal aims to further enhance the existing environment of e Palette through lifestyle features and quality of spaces. is is accomplished by applying speci c sets of Design Principles, Design Elements and Design Components to create an identity unique to the Palette. Among the features proposed include the implementation of lush landscape to provide seamless connectivity between e Palette and the neighbouring park, while creating an illusion of the park ‘spilling over’ into the commercial area. Further, the existing site layout creates pocket spaces between the buildings that can be fully utilised with various design components while addressing the ‘Sustainability’ aspect of the competition, such as:
1) Louvers and green - Adding various trees, plants and louvers to provide shade for the building and other spaces. is will also reduce heat gain and can be part of the passive energy strategy for e Palette.
2) Ventilation - With e Palette comprising four individual buildings, this helps create natural ventilation pass through the buildings. e proposed design enhancement will further assist the wind ow to cool the spaces with the use of water elements and overhead shades.
3) Light - e design proposes the use of the light exterior paint colours, which can re ect sunlight to brighten up the spaces and consequently reduces the amount of energy used at the site.
4) Stormwater - e collection of rain water from the roof will be channelled through to water storage. e water collection can be used for cleaning and watering plants.
5) Cost - By implementing the proposed design enhancement, it will cost a lot less when compared to the cost of constructing a new building. e design is an addition to the original concept, with most items proposed seen as necessary to improve the existing site.
1st Runner-Up Ngew Kah Sheng & Koh Jhee Son
Proposal Title Kampung Hijau Play
We are truly delighted when our proposal was announced the 1st runner-up entry for the Paint The Town Green! Award. We have spent a lot of time brainstorming and fine-tuning our proposal, and we are happy that the panel of judges sees the potential in our concept.
For our proposal, “Kampung Hijau Play”, the idea was sparked when we were looking for a design approach that resonates with our local context. To this end, we find that the kampong community is a good precedent that carries local identity of caring, community-centric and sense of place. As Malaysians, most of us identify ‘kampong’ as a recollection of good memories – a place where families and friends would gather and celebrate various events, Through deeper research, we discovered that the approach of ‘kampong’ can be relatable, if not thrive to serve as an epitome of sustainable, green and community-friendly not just in architecture, but in many other ways.
In our proposal, you will find numerous retailing journey/ pathways curated by themes – such as as Aromatic Street, Childhood Street and Insta-feeder Street – intertwined yet welcoming via multiple avenues or entrances along the way as we believe a good retail experience should include a mix of curated journey supplemented by freedom for roaming around.
In addition, we proposed the use of locally sourced materials with low carbon footprint and suitable for our hot and humid climate. We found the perfect combination of integrating bamboo as a primary material and reused timber to form the framework of the design, and took a step further by proposing the use of recycled shipping containers as modular units that are cheap, durable and proportionate to the site. In order to cool down the indoor temperature, bamboo and timber will be bind and form an insulator that clad on the exterior of the container. This will not only preserved the spatial quality of the container, but also gives it the appearance of a timber house from the outside.
There are much more to share, like how the identity of a ‘wakaf ’ has been translated and defined as the main attraction of the site, and the method of stacking the containers to form different programmes. We are truly inspired to find a way to represent our local identity of green architecture. That is how we envisioned our design to suit the competition.
2nd Runner-Up Adiel Amer Bin Che Mazlan, Nurul Nadhirah Binti Mohd Anuar & Alia Sofia Binti Hamzah
Proposal Title The Green Nodes
We are honoured to be awarded the 2 nd runnerup at the Paint The Town Green! Award. Thank you Platinum Victory and the panel of judges for recognising our hard work! The concept “The Green Nodes” is proposed with the objective to provide a green living space for the public to rest, play and even generate income. Most importantly, the proposal aims to develop a sense of environment responsibility among the patrons and vendors of The Palette.
The proposal explores several possibilities to enhance existing architectural qualities of The Palette by way of creating activities and implementing creative placemaking at the void spaces in between the buildings within the commercial hub. For this purpose, the layout of The Palette is divided into three zones:
Zone A - The Breathable Centre (Courtyard) The courtyard will serve as the ‘green lungs’ of The Palette. To achieve this goal, we proposed planting more greens in both vertical and horizontal parts of the buildings. The lush greenscape adds to the feeling of serenity at the commercial hub, and to help reduce the smells and noises from the surroundings. Further, the pocket green wall techniques can be implemented to purify the air quality, reduce noises from the surroundings and to manage the quality of water.
Zone B - The Play Alley The making of The Play Alley involves a play of vibrant colours along a walkway that is connected to several vertical structures. The colours can act as ‘a compass’, providing directions to recreational spots within The Play Alley namely The Colour Clouds and the Basket On The Wall.
Zone C – The Pocket Park The Pocket Park is to be located near the portal of AEON BiG with the intention to create a stop station or a park for children to play while parents shop at the hypermarket. At this zone, it is proposed using innovative of permeable surface to exchange the traditional drainage system into the geotextile surface and a softscape as an indicator to absorb the natural water during precipitation.
On the aspect of Financial and Worthiness, the social Green Nodes can be divided into two categories, which are activities
available on weekdays and on weekends. During the weekdays, there will be a rest and relax space at The Breathable Centre (Zone A), a play space at The Play Alley (Zone B) and a sitting area at The Pocket Park (Zone C). On the weekends, Zone A and Zone B can be used as a market, bazaar or any activity that can help the public generate income and to be rented out for community events.
Consolation Prize Koh Xin Hui
Proposal Title The Lively Hub
The proposal “The Lively Hub” focuses on three keywords – family-friendly, attraction point and easy installation. “Colours” and “curves” are used as the main theme for the design concept to attract families, which is seen as the highly likely potential customer base for The Palette. “The Lively Hub” proposed dividing the commercial site into multiple zones. For instance, a kids’ playground is placed in a zone at the center of the Central Courtyard that also housed a bazaar/kiosk area and seating spaces on both sides of the courtyard, with one side containing a semi-outdoor event stage. The bazaar/kiosk area is proposed to attract more young consumers who are fond of events as weekend bazaar, flea market etc. Contrasting yet harmony colours will be used on curvy timber panels to further enhance the overly lively ambience to attract the attention of visitors to the site. The curvy panels will also serve as partitions to separate (just slightly) the various zones. The irregular circular openings will be designed to provide visual connections for visitors.
All the elements proposed in “The Lively Hub” can be easily installed and uninstalled to make way for future planning intended at the Central Courtyard. These elements will be prefabricated and transported to site, which can help reduce waste and pollutions at the site. The only major element for the proposed design will be timber, which is commonly found and used in Malaysia, and it is known as the world’s most environmentally friendly building product.
The proposal is intended as “minimum effort, maximum impact” – it is hoped that the simple yet thoughtfully crafted design can still make a big impact to The Palette, and this is what “The Lively Hub” all about.
Consolation Prize S.Pin Architect Ar. Tan Sih Pin & TengkuAriffRiduanBinTengkuAhmad
Proposal Title The Wooden Crates Pavilion
For The Palette, we envisaged a pavilion that narrates a wide range of sustainability issues such as: • Reducingheatislandeffect; • Reducingland-clearingfarming,promoting‘Farm- to-Fork’routetoreducefoodcarbonfootprint; • Repurposewoodencrates; • Recycleplasticwatercontainers.
The proposed pavilion is a hybrid of a shaded outdoor social space, a vertical farm and an urban art installation built from repurposed wooden crates and recycled plastic water containers.
We have selected a landscape area situated at the south-east side of The Palette as the ideal site, which strategically link the Danau Kota Lake to the commercial development. We proposed a pavilion with a series of arches to occupy part of the landscape area to frame the link between the lake and The Palette.
On a grander scale, with tiny footprint, these modular farms can be easily replicated along the sidewalks or landscape pockets in the
citiestoservenearbyresidentsorshops;thiswillnotonlyprovide more shaded areas but create more ‘Farm-to-Fork’ routes that are incorporated into the food supply system of the cities. In addition, these modular arches can add an Instagram-friendly urban art element to the cities while promoting the repurposing of wooden crates and plastic water containers in a big way.
Consolation Prize Sharifah Nur Adriana Al Aidid Bt Habib Abdullah & Arif Izzuddin Bin Arif Ismail
Proposal Title Converge
Our proposal is titled ‘Converge’, which is a synonym to the ‘merge’, in line with the objective to merge people with nature through a design concept that combines different elements to form something new and unique for The Palette. Overall, ‘Converge’ aims to breathe new life to The Palette while offering a new Instagramworthy place of interest for visitors. The concept ‘God’s Art vs Human’s Art’ is proposed to depict two elements that are different but related to one another – human’s art inspired by God’s creation. With design intentions of the competition comprising sustainability, enhancing social interaction, creativity, cost efficiency and practicality, ‘Converge’ proposes facade treatment, landscaping and interior that can enhance social interaction while providing a place for people to creatively express their definition of art on the ‘skin’ of the buildings.
Through the use of materials that are recyclable, therefore making it cost efficient as well, The Palette will then serve as a space where community can gather and be creative together. The concept of ‘a chameleon’ is applied to the buildings’ facades where the skin camouflages, and will consist of palettes that are rotatable 360 degrees with two different surfaces, either transparent or opaque, with another surface is covered with artists’ artworks. Further, the buildings’ facades can function as wind harvesting facades as well as manually act as shading devices. The Palette’s landscaping features lush greenery and outdoor open spaces such as a central courtyard, a memory lane market and a rainforest vortex for visitors to come together and socialise. The merging of façade and landscaping proposed truly reflects the concept ‘God’s Art vs Human’s Art’. Interior spaces proposed include F&B and co-working spaces, to which the style Brutalism will be implemented where the materials and finishing are very raw, therefore is cost efficient.
Consolation Prize Tan Xian Yi & Lau Zhin Yang
Proposal Title Together As In Building Together
It’s an honour to be recognised as one of the Top10 Winners for the Paint The Town Green! Award. We are very thankful for this achievement and we look forward to entering and winning more design competitions so we can continue make everyone proud of us.
Our proposed design concept puts an emphasis on “better quality of life”, built together by the community for the community by means of improving the way they live and work. Today, the public realm should be used to create social dynamics;‘togetherness’iskeytothesuccessof this project as it makes us stronger and gives us force.
In an effort to reduce the brick-andmortar footprint of The Palette, the design concept intended to transform the commercial development into a green haven. This is achieved with the use of colourful recycle and reusable materials to create sculptures as well as indoor and outdoor furniture. The open spaces, back lanes, corridor pathways will also be re-purposed into attractive areas that are Instagram-friendly, boost social interaction and learning as well as providing new places for relaxation and gathering. In addition, these places can be used to host various activitiesandeventsrelatedto5Rlearningorto showcase the artworks of local artists.
Elements related to the required criteria of the design competition – namely sustainability, originality, creativity and innovative, practicality, financial and worthiness – are taken into consideration and applied into the design concept proposed for The Palette. Therefore, this design concept aims to gather all the community near and within The Palette, to encourage more interaction with each other through common interests like arts, knowledge, exhibition, products and use of colours to enhance the quality of life of the community.
Consolation Prize Tang Ker Nee
Proposal Title
Iwas ecstatic to be named as one of the top winners for Paint The Town Green! Award. I didn’t expect to win as I was up against many talented people participating in the design competition. This experience has definitely encouraged me to work harder and improve myself.
Shopping malls are considered one of the buildings that contribute the most negative impacts to the environment for their energy and water consumption, which generate high volumes of wastewater and greenhouse gasses that are harmful to our planet.
The proposed design concept is called ,whichisashortformforRainWater Cycle, inspired by the natural water cycle and the usage of rainwater. aims to reduce water consumption in shopping malls and to educate visitors on the culture of recycling rainwater to save water and decrease wastewater production.
makes full use of rainwater, which will be collected at a water fountain area before being pumped into three areas at The Palette, namely the rainwater garden, a water feature and the fish pond. Leftover rainwater will be pumped up to the rooftop to be use in the next cycle.
will not only fulfil and meet the sustainability requirements set by the developer, but also create a fun, exciting and comfortable environment for visitors at The Palette. By combining these two elements, visitors are able to enjoy their shopping experience to the fullest at The Palette, while learning more on how they can play a part in saving the environment by adopting the culture of harvesting and recycling rainwater.
Consolation Prize Teh Boon Soon
Proposal Title Pallets For The Palette
It feels great to be awarded as one of the Top 10 Winners. For the design competition, my proposal ‘Pallets for The Palette’ offers several solutions based on site context and scenario of the commercial hub.
Building Orientation The central courtyard including a majority of the retail façades are orientated towards east and west culminating in higher heat gain. The design proposed the use of shading device to reduce solar radiation entering the indoor spaces, which consequently reduce energy consumption in the buildings.
Materials Selection With AEON BiG hypermarket being part of The Palette, the proposal envisaged a closed-loop solution with wooden pallets as the main material for the modular shading device. This design solution also engages the tenants to create a sustainable relationship with The Palette whereby wooden pallets from their outlets can be reused and repurposed to create a more vibrant space within the commercial hub. With their sponsorship, the wooden pallets can be tagged with their outlets or be used to advertise their products. This will reduce the cost of the construction significantly while creating a win-win situation in the commercial hub.
Three added values: • SunshadingdeviceandgreenwallWith most shops facing east and west, the facade would enable a reduction in heat gain in the interior spaces of the shops.
This will improve the comfort of users apart from reducing the electric usage to cool down the space. • Serenespacesurroundedby greeneries The main space, the central courtyard can be enhanced with green walls and potted plants. Additional seating areas can be
created to ensure users are able to enjoy the indoor greeneries and the Danau Kota Park. • BrandingEnhanceThePalette’s branding by creating a unique facade that aligns with the colour scheme and create a mixture of colours and spaces that reflects The Palette’s tagline ‘Let’s Mix’.
Consolation Prize TohWeiHang&LainJiekRu
Proposal Title Bamboo Town
The proposal, ‘Bamboo Town’, is based on the material of choice for The Palette – Bamboo. Bamboo symbolises vitality and life, and well-known for its healing properties such as reducing stress. The nodes ofabambooculmarealsosymbolic;inthiscase, they represent the various high-rise developments of Platinum Victory that have become the beating heart of the urban city. ‘Bamboo Town’ is proposed to create a new place of attraction in Setapak. Bamboo-made structures are seldom seen in Kuala Lumpur, as compared to timber, so this can be the element of attraction for the community and visitors of The Palette. ‘Bamboo Town’ will help create an environment suitable for human and nature, provides an opportunity for people living in the city to have more contact with nature and be more appreciative of its beauty. Further, the proposed concept sets to showcase environmental harmony created by merging architecture and nature in a single setting, while creating different experience in each area of The Palette by blurring the line between indoor and outdoor environment.
REFUSE The concept proposed to minimise or omit the use of metal and steel for thecommercialhub;metalandsteelarecoldandlessemotion,andthe extraction process of these materials can cause water and soil pollutions. Further, continuous extractions of these materials can also cause natural resources to deplete quickly.
REDUCE The concept aims to reduce the use of materials that cannot be recycled like broken glass, plastic and PVC, decrease wastage of building materials and lower cost of construction.
REUSE The main material, Bamboo, can be reused after disassembling such as to build small furniture. The bamboo can also be reused as bamboo charcoal.
REPURPOSE Bamboo, being flexible in shape and form, can be repurposed for exterior façade, interior design and pavilion. It can also serve multiple construction methods and easy to be built.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE JUDGES Arkilab creative director Michael Gibert. Platinum Victory executive director Gan Yee Hin (back row, sixth from left) and the top 10 winners and judges of the Paint The Town Green! award design competition at the prize presentation ceremony. P latinum Victory’s foray into the property industry began in the late 90s, and today, it is recognised as one of the most soughtafter developers in Kuala Lumpur for its practical and reasonable residential and commercial developments. Platinum Victory is renowned for its high-rise projects and has delivered more than 10,000 houses and shoplots to date.
Platinum Victory made headlines once again for the successful conclusion of the Paint The Town Green! Award design competition for The Palette by Platinum Victory, a 7.4-acre lakefront commercial and social space in Setapak. The competition saw over 150 submissions received from 14 June to 30 September 2019, of which the top 10 designs were awarded at a recent prize presentation ceremony.
B&I met with Michael Gibert, Creative DirectorofArkilab;IkoIn,founderof INPublishers;OwenTan,DirectorDeco Sales of Kansai Paint Malaysia, Nur Maihan Muhammad, Landscape Architect
ofHashimDesign;andGanYeeHin, Executive Director of Platinum Victory to get the judges’ perspectives on the design competition.
B&I: Congratulations on the successful conclusion of the Paint The Town Green! Award. Firstly, what are your thoughts on the overall response for the competition and the top 10 designs awarded at the prize-giving ceremony?
Gan Yee Hin: Overall, we have received very good response for this competition. The submissions that came in showcased a wide variety of design approaches, from minimalist to high-end, so it took a lot of
time and many discussions with the judging panel to determine the best designs for The Palette, and we are proud to say that the top 10 designs meet our (Platinum Victory) expectation.
Michael Gibert: Most submissions addressed The Palette directly by way of proposing numerous solutions that could improve the development, which has already been built, but some were not up to the mark. The grand prize winner Zulhazman answered all the criteria in his winning design, which showcased minor intervention to the existing building and yet can result in major improvement to the existing scheme.
B&I: What are the areas of focus for the design competition? Can you walk us through the judging process?
Owen Tan: The design competition focuses on three aspects namely interior design, landscape and architecture. The participants are judged not only on their design and concept but also on how they address the five elements of ‘Sustainability’, which are Originality, Creativity & Innovativeness, Colour, Practicality and Financial & Worthiness.
Iko In: The judging process was carried inseveralstages;firstly,wetrimmed down the bulk to 30 submissions for the judges’ presentation before deciding on the winning design. A sharing session was also conducted to give the shortlisted participants a chance to meet the developer and the judges to iron out the details that can further improve their designs before the presentation.
Nur Maihan: The participants competing in the Paint The Town Green! Award are from various backgrounds – some are students, designers, architects and etc – and this is reflected in the designs we’ve received. There are participants who focused on using only one design element or just a section of the development while some proposed designs that may work in theory but are not practical in reality. So during the judging process, we looked for designs that not only meet the required criteria but also paid attention to the space composition of the whole development, both indoor and outdoor.
B&I: The design competition puts a strong emphasis on ‘Sustainability’. Why is this so?
Gan Yee Hin: Unlike other commercial developments, The Palette is designed to become an ecosystem for the township where the community can gather, learn and grow in a lush green setting that enables them to reconnect with nature. When people hear the word ‘Sustainability’, it is always interpreted as creating something that will sustain for a long period of time. What Platinum Victory is trying to promote is ‘sustainable living’ by creating a place (The Palette) that can educate the community on how to preserve and protect the environment. Consequently, through the Paint The Town Green! Award, Deco Sales of Kansai Paint Malaysia director Owen Tan.
Hashim Design landscape architect Nur Maihan Muhammad.
IN Publishers founder Iko In.
we hope to find the most creative and sustainable design that can bring our vision to life. The winning design by Zulhazman is the closest to the concept we have in mind;heusedaminimalistapproachthat is packed with sustainable solutions that we are looking for, and more, for the project.
B&I: In your opinion, what do you think of open design competitions like Paint The Town Green! Award?
Iko In: Whenever a developer decides on a new project, the usual scenario would be to consult an architect or a designer that they are familiar with through past collaborations or by reputation. By organising open design competitions, the developer can have a fresh perspective on the project and make it more marketable. For non-professionals like students, on the other hand, it is a good platform to showcase their talents and creativity in design. Some students may have a lot of ideas but in need of guidance from experts to realise them. Michael Gibert: Generally speaking, I would say it’s great as open design competitions create awareness at all levels across industries. For developers, it offers a potential alternative to what they are currently doing and thus staying ahead of thecompetition;therearemoreawareness on what the younger generation of the industriescanbringtothetable;andfor the community at large, it gives a glimpse on what is up and coming in their township and it also initiates innovative responses to critical situations that needed be addressed immediately.
The notion of painting the town green which is underlying the principles of
sustainability are regularly discussed but in reality not being addressed as much. For this competition, however, it has been beneficial for all involved as we get to see what the new generation thinks regarding the ‘sustainability’ theme. The developer can self-reflect and inject some of the proposed innovative ideas to their project and for the judges, who are professionals in their respective fields of the building industry, it allows us to think further about what we do on a daily basis and areas we can improve on. So, I would say it is a win-win situation that should happen more often as it encourages that relationship with all different parties.
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