THEATRICAL HUB
Portfolio is arranged by Chin Kuan Wei
email: kuanweihuat@hotmail.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 (Sungai Lembing Revisited & Theatrical Puzzle) - Introduction - Collage Ideation Extraction - Sungai Lembing Revisited - Theatrical Puzzle
Chapter 2 (Theatrical Stage) - Pai Naa - Theatrical Infrastructure - Theatrical Stage - Site Inspection
Chapter 3 (Theatrical Hub) - Theatrical Journey - Theatrical Hub
Sungai Lembing Sungai Lembing is a small town in Kuantan District, Pahang, Malaysia. It is about 42 km (26 miles) northwest of Kuantan. The town was founded in the 1900s as a tin mining community when the British company Pahang Consolidated Company Limited (PCCL) set up the tin mining industry there after mining activities had begun in 1886. Sungai Lembing had electricity, schools, a cinema, its own petrol station, and a hospital. In 1926, flooding damaged caused mining activities to be suspended for three months. The Great Depression and the Japanese occupation of Malaya greatly affected the town’s tin mining industry. Since the independence of Malaya, Sungai Lembing has gone into decline as global demand and prices of tin dropped, resulting in the closure of the mines in 1987. Many residents moved away, causing facilities such as shops and petrol stations to close. After 2001, Sungai Lembing was revitalized as a heritage tourism attraction with the opening of Sungai Lembing Museum. Subsequent government investment has made this area one of the important tourist attractions in Pahang. In 2014, the town had a population of around 5,000. A large fire in 2019 raised concern for the preservation of historical buildings.
Sungai Lembing Map Study
1
description Sungai Lembing was once a famous tourist spot where locals would often visit and appreciate the culture of the land. In our modern era the community would not prefer to visit Sungai Lembing due to more choices for leisure activities outside of Sungai Lembing. Having a nearby city in the area people would choose to leave Sungai Lembing for the leisure of the city.
2
description Religion is the most common topic in our generation and that can be found richly in Sungai Lembing. Reflecting the past and present of religion activities, the use of the temples, mosques and churches are now abandoned and now we are moving towards through virtual religious activities.
3
description Sungai Lembing is famous for its natural landscape where there is alot of hills, mountains and rivers that can be explored. With our modern day society more people are willing to demolish and develop the land of Sungai Lembing hence the cultural landscape are soon to be forgotten and not preserved by the communities living in the area.
4
description The community across the river is well known for their rich chinese culture communities. In the past the people would often enjoy their morning breakfast at a small teashop where they would eat and drink with their families and friends. As of now people are slowly evolving as they now prefer to go to cafes and fast food restaurants. Soon these livelihood activities will soon be forgotten.
Sungai Lemb
The narrative of Sungai Lembing Revisited is and experience for the audience to unders living in the area. The narrative is made ou “The Heart, Flooding Memories, Ba
bing Revisited
s to create the whole ambience, exposure stand the story of the communities that are ut of 4 components which they are named ack to the Roots and Death Ride”.
The model emphasize the beauty of its na tell a story to the audience. The story is crea sibilities, issues and memories that are pre Lemb
arrative creating a storyline where we can ated with the ideation of exposing the posecious to the communities living in Sungai bing.
The Heart (Journey)
Flooding Memories (Livelihood)
Back to the Roots (Culture)
Death Ride (Past)
The Heart (Journey) description Sungai Lembing has a rich culture and diversity where the communities share a harmony bond. Over the past few years the harmony bond of the communities have built up the town as of now which it can be seen by today. Creating a place filled with memories with “The Heart”.
Flooding Memories (Livelihood) description The communities of Sungai Lembing faced a common issue that has happened over and over again for the past few years which is the flood. The flooding period would often cause objects around the town to be afloat which the communities would have a clear memory of the “Flooding Memories”.
Back to the Roots (Culture) description The Village across the river in Sungai Lembing is famous for its rich Chinese culture. Where the locals of the chinese culture would often practice a lot of their cooking skills in their cozy wooden furnitures that is traditionally self mechanism. Having each space that is planned based on their needs and wants which would bring them “Back to the Roots” of their culture.
Death Ride (Past) description A sad historical past that has happened a lot during the old days of Sungai Lembing where the tin miners would work hard on a sunny day in the deep tunnels. There would be accidents that would occur during the working days and some accidents have caused deaths. After years of tin mining eventually the tin mine business have shut down causing lack of maintance to the place. Left to be abandoned the tin mine will be known as the “Death Ride” to anyone who wish to explore the mines again.
Golden Era (Community) description Sungai Lembing is well known for their tin mining activities which creates a lot of opportunities for people to come to Sungai Lembing to work as a tin miner. Back in the days people would often migrate to Sungai Lembing and start their lives there as it was known as the “Golden Era” of tin mining period.
Ruins
Waterfall
Wishing Tree
Shop Houses
Flooding Kitchen
Flooding Dining
Flooded Furnitures
Timber Windows
Chinese Dining
Lantern & Dumplings
Communal Space
Tin Mining Tower
Tin Mining Cart
Tin Mining Storage
Hidden Bones
Mining Cart Track
Theatrical Puzzle
“A design piece where it acts as a theatre.”
Chapter 1 The designer’s intention is to create theatrical components to role play its narrative in senarios, combining different themes into 1.
“Theatrical Pieces” Sungai Lembing has a rich industrial tin mining heritage with the fusion of rich socio cultural aspects. These pieces represent them in ways where it explores the ambience and typology. Using them to roleplay in a process of crafting the narrative.
Chapter 2 Crafting theatrical pieces that are inspired from theme 2 and 3, the designer roleplays them into different stories from pictorial methods of extracting ideas.
“Theatrical Roleplay” Having two story scenarios combining into one creates a fun and exciting narrative. This narration is moulded from the creator’s emotions where he feels the lack of need that is not proposed to the community. The creator expresses his fun ideology by creating a theatrical theme park for the community to enjoy and experience the past and present of the culture.
Chapter 3 The narrator speculates the vision turning into a roleplay where he creates a storyline out of the theatrical pieces.
“Visionary Roleplay” The Visionary Roleplay is created with the two theme components that the designer have created which crafting the imaginative course that allows visitors or locals to explore and enjoy.
Chapter 4 “With the ideation still in the progress of being in a roleplay the story still goes on until the finale that will be created soon.”
“Story Line”
The community living in Sungai Lembing had a bitter past where they have experienced burned down buildings within the community and also floods. Creating a playful yet meaning spaces and structures aims to lift up the mood of the community that are staying in Sungai Lembing.
With the opportunity given to explore the land the tunnels structures are designed to lead and encourages people to walk through the structure giving a similar experience from what the tin miners had experienced in the past when they where still mining tin from the underground tunnels.
The golden houses represents the beauty of the recent accident of the buildings that have been burned down that will be remembered for having been built from the golden era of the community during the starting point of tin mining.
With the current state of the area, people are still living their life enjoying the beauty of the environment creating an unforgettable moment where the community live their lives with their heritage in one place.
Literature Review Extraction During the narrator’s journey on searching and exploring the continuation of his theatrical narrative he stumbled upon a book called “Pai Naa” where he has taken upon an interest which inspires him to include the story of the book called “Pai Naa”.
“Pai Naa” By the time the British surrendered to the Japanese in February 1942 at the fall Singapore, nearly all white civilians had left Malaya. One remarkable exception to the white flight was Nona Baker, ‘a parson’s youngest daughter’ from Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Nona Baker and her brother, Vin, general manager of Sungei Lembing tin mine in Pahang, stayed behind in the Malayan jungle and were later adopted by Chinese guerrillas (who, after World War Two, would become the Communist terrorists of the Malayan Emergency). Against all odds, this remarkable, brave young woman, known as Pai Naa (White Nona), remained in the jungle for three years, avoiding capture by the Japanese and betrayal by spies before being delivered safely into the care of war hero Freddie Spencer Chapman. With hair cut short Nona Baker worked alongside the men while under constant threat of discovery and certain death, and with the men she suffered from malaria, dysentery, beriberi, hunger and, above all, fear.
“The Nine
My father, who was rector of Dunstable, est; having run out of names by then, m changed to Nin by m
Children”
had nine children and I was the youngmy parents called me Nona, which was my brothers and sisters.
“The Recto
My father spent long hours in his stud a large, silent figure with a deep voic when I wa
or Father”
dy, ostensibly writing sermons; he was ce, and I found him rather frightening as young.
“Leisure of Sun
In the evenings I was expected to am club and the village tin cinema, o
ngai Lembing”
muse myself: I could go down to the or sit sewing or playing the piano.
“Flooding
With typical self control and without sh ing, he called a meeting of the heads for the flooding
the Mine”
howing anything of what he was feels of the departments and made plans g of the mine.
“Japan In
Alarming reports about the nearness of the Japs ing and massacring all the Chinese they could l had been surprised in their house and hanged fr
nvasion”
came to our ears; we heard how they were raplay hands on, while a British planter and his wife rom a tree in the garden in front of their servants.
“Hut in the
Our hut had been made in a part of the an hour’s walk fro
e Jungle”
e jungle, which was about a quarter of om the gardens.
“Journey into
Ofcourse there was plenty of beauty: trunks of massive trees, bright kingfishers lour and enormous butterflies would ho head was a lit
o the Jungle”
pink and yellow orchids clung to the s would flash past you in a streak of coover in places where the canopy overttle less dense.
“Hopes of
He would talk for hours about what he p he would set about draining the mine o how he would salva
the Mine”
planned to do when he got back; how of water and starting the pumps again, age the bags of tin.
“The Fou
Two days in the first hut, two weeks in wonder how lo
ur Huts”
the second, two months in the third, I ong in this one?
“The Sneak Peak o
One day we climbed the hill behind th which to our excitement gave us a glim bin
of Sungai Lembing”
he hut and found ourselves on a ridge, mpse of one of the hills at Sungai Lemng.
“The Communi
To ease the food problem, the communist leaders hard ordered la etable-growing and the rearing of pigs, and by 1944 the guerrilla but, in spite of this, feeding the ever increasing numbe
ists Clearance”
arge clearnings to be made, often of two hundred acres, for vegashad seven large plantations of this kind dotted about the jungle er of refugees and soldiers became an acute problem.
“Huts in
The dormitory huts lined one side of the parade grou rison troops, domestic staff and all the others who had were constantly out on
n Rows”
und, providing accommodation for two hundred gard sought sanctuary in the camp; many of the soldiers n raids during this time.
“The Search for the J
We started our search without delay trying hard to follow Fons he had drawn it upside down: also as he had already warned m old landmarks had vanished with the vast incr
Japanese Weapons”
seca’s map, which was not made any easier by the fact that me, i found that hardly recognized the hillsides where so many rease in the acreage cleared by the villagers.
“The Dea
Terrified, I put my blanket over him and rubbed horrible stillness of death had settled on him exc from his half o
ath of Vin”
d his hands, calling to him all the time, but the cept for fitful gusts of breathing, which escaped open mouth.
“Communists Bas
After their devastating attack, the Japanese destroyed all the plantations except for Numb hidden, had not been
se Under Attack”
had withdrawn from the entire area, having ber Seven, which, being the newest and most n discovered by them.
Theatrical Infrastructure
“The continuum piece where the theatre becomes alive.”
Theatrical Exploration With the existing data explored and collected the narrator moves forward with his theatrical exploration with speculative models being part of the “Theatrical Infrastructure”.
“Theatrical Infrastructure” Theatrical infrastructure is made to explore the possibilities of having rich and historical exhibition spaces within under the existing shoplot building structure. With the addition of maze like structure that encourages the visitors to go through the theatrical spaces itself.
Chapter 1 The vision of the narrator had in mind started off with a simple vision where he models the form of the underground tin mining passage ways.
“Hollow Pathways” The Hollow Pathways is done with the intention of speculating the elements of the tin mine added into the theatrical exploration by contributing with space exploration and structure stability tests.
Chapter 2 Continuing the narrative exploration the narrator seeks to add the existing elements that can be found on the site.
“House of Privacy” Adding familiar elements from the site itself the wall panels are done from the inspiration of the old shophouses where they use timber or metal sheet as the outer shell of the building. Creating this sense of privacy and leading the focus of the audience to avoid looking through the sides.
Chapter 3 The speculative shell is created leaving what is left missing which is the soul of the shell.
“Old Soul” Multiple historical elements from the past are added to fill in the voids where it creates a rich experience for the users or visitors when they visit the building.
Chapter 4 Having the beauty of multiple elements the narrator adds the main component into the exploration which is the community.
“Big House” Big house is added to create a sense of welcoming for the community to explore and experience the theatrical experience that have been created.
Theatrical Stage The end product of the theatrical journey is ended with a stage where it narrates different scenes which is projected with light and shadow. The model is created to be exposed and hide the different elements that are found in the narrative where the speculation of the idea revolves around the building being a theatre itself from the exterior to the interior.
Theatrical Spaces Spaces with value creates a memorial theatrical scene where the audience will remember from time to time. Creating a first impression impact gives the space its value with that this creates a spectrum of dimensions that is within the ‘Theatrical Space’.
Theatrical Transitions Having spaces with values in the theatre another element is explored and added that enchances the impact of which is known as transitions. ‘Theatrical Transitions’ brings the audience into the journey and in the moment before exploring the spaces that is proposed.
“New
With the past narrative explorations be added to the existing buildings th shines during the night and brin
w Soul”
s and speculations a “new soul” will hat can be found on the site, where it ngs adventures to the citizens.
Site Inspection “The narrative integration between site and theatre.”
Overa
With some speculative art models and na look into the site and studies its surroundi where he thinks the th
all Site
arration of literature reviews the narrator ings learning and relating to the context heatre is suited at best.
Site A Site A consists alot of heritage buildings that is famous for its location where the area is highly populated compared to the whole site.
Site B Site B consists of ruins that were once active and being once occupied by the miners that where active during the old days and now has been abandoned and forgotten.
Theatrical Journey
“Theatrical pieces which crafts the journey.”
Chapter 1 “Shophouse are played into an element of the theatrical scene analyzing open space with no walls.”
“Empty House” The skeleton structure of the shophouses are being put together to speculate the spaces where it transitions in different blocks.
Chapter 2 “It is then combined adding spatial elements into the spaces to create a heirarchy of narratives.”
“Roaming Souls” Spaces are being crafted into the empty shophouses which creates an explorative journey for the visitors to explore.
Chapter 3 “The development of spaces where to speculates what if there are different heirachy of spaces added together.”
“Theatrical Puzzle 2” Crafting spaces and visualizing into pieces gives the narrator a speculative visual representation of what would the space feel or to be seen in a physical piece.
Chapter 4 “Combining spaces and creating a journey out of theatrical pieces.”
“Crafting Storyline” The narrator looks into the theatrical pieces in different views to plan its spatial narrative arrangements.
Chapter 5 “With the theatrical pieces combined, the narrator has the opportunity to visualize and look into the interior spaces.”
“Story Line 1”
Experiencing different heirachy of spaces gives the audiences multiple emotions that allows them to not forget their experiences into the spaces.
Using facade elements creating cave like structure brings back the narrative of ‘Pai Naa’ where it allows the visitors to experience what the main character of the book have experienced.
With that added multiple heirachy of levels gives the audiences an active space to explore and experience going through the different theatrical narratives.
Challenging possibilities the narrator puts the narrative spaces below creating a new path above shows the historical story of ‘Pai Naa’.
Chapter 6 “Spaces are molded into different narratives relating back to the illustrations of the narrator have drawn.”
“Story Line 2”
Bridge elements are crafted into the pieces gives the audiences a new element to enjoy or explore while they are on the journey through the spatial narratives.
Walls are to be explored and crafted with the inspiration of the ‘Pai Naa’ creating jungle like ambiences.
The continuum of spaces are linked together with different heirachy of spaces included brings an adventurous journey for the audiences.
Active wall facades and small tight spaces are added to bring the enchancement of explorative elements into the spaces.
Chapter 7 “Hidden and unhidden spatial explorations which is conducted into this piece.”
“Theatrical Journey 1” Journey 1 has explorative elements created to visualize the heirachy of space with having a tunnel above with a tempting path to explore.
Chapter 8 “Using the elements that can be found in the narrative creating a space of its own.”
“Spatial Narrative 1”
Chapter 9 “Explore the usage of walls or facades to create a new language of spaces that is inspired from the narrative.”
“Theatrical Journey 2” Journey 2 piece is crafted to have an lost and found experience where the audience can feel the sorrowness of the space due to minimal lighting influenced space with a double volume heirachy.
Chapter 10 “Using the elements that can be found in the narrative creating a space of its own.”
“Spatial Narrative 2”
Chapter 11 “Combining the narrative of continuum spaces with existing elements that have been explored.”
“Theatrical Journey 3” Journey 3 is the first sequence of spatial exploration where it mixes different existing elements that have been explored.
Chapter 12 “Using the elements that can be found in the narrative creating a space of its own.”
“Spatial Narrative 3”
Chapter 13 “Explores the continuum of connected spaces creating new linkage to different spatial narratives.”
“Theatrical Journey 4” Journey 4 brings new elements into the spatial narratives, it creates different heirarchy with newly explored pathways and facade elements.
Chapter 14 “Using the elements that can be found in the narrative creating a space of its own.”
“Spatial Narrative 4”
Chapter 15 “Questioning the light and shadow elements of how to bring in and express each spatial narrative to its own uniqueness.”
“Theatrical Journey 5” Journey 5 creates new dimensions of spatial narratives where it explores the different possibilities of having different light and shadow into the spatial narratives.
Chapter 16 “Using the elements that can be found in the narrative creating a space of its own.”
“Spatial Narrative 5”
Theatrical Hub “Finale.”
“Theatrical
“The theatrical museum acts as the main occupy the explorative journey of a book n into a theatrical experience from inside framed into its o
l Museum”
n core of the theatrical narrative where it named ‘Pai Naa’, this brings the audience out of the building where each space is own narratives.”
Spatial Narratives 8
4 7
6
5
3
Chapters: 1. “The Nine Children” 2. “The Rector Father” 3. “Leisure of Sungai Lembing” 4. “Flooding the Mine” 5. “Japan Invasion” 6. “Hut in the Jungle” 7. “Journey into the Jungle” 8. “Hopes of the Mine”
9. “The Four Huts” 10. “The Sneak Peak of Sungai Lembing” 11. “The Communists Clearance” 12. “Huts in Rows” 13. “The Search for the Japanese Weapons” 14. “The Death of Vin” 15. “Communists Base Under Attack”
15
2
1
10
11
9
12
14
13
(4) (3) (1,2)
Ground Floor Chapters: 1. “The Nine Children” 2. “The Rector Father” 3. “Leisure of Sungai Lembing” 4. “Flooding the Mine” 9. “The Four Huts” 10. “The Sneak Peak of Sungai Lembing” 12. “Huts in Rows” 13. “The Search for the Japanese Weapons”
(9,10) (12,13)
(6,7)
(8)
First Floor Chapters: 5. “Japan Invasion” 6. “Hut in the Jungle” 7. “Journey into the Jungle” 8. “Hopes of the Mine” 11. “The Communists Clearance” 14. “The Death of Vin”
(5)
(11)
(14)
(15)
Second Floor Chapters: 15. “Communists Base Under Attack”
(15)
“Theatrical Acc
“Theatrical accomodations acts a gives opportunity for the communit interact and stay while enjoying the atrical
comodations”
as a catalyst where it attracts and ty to have a space where they can e theatrical experience of the ‘Thel Hub.”
“TA-Walls” TA-Walls is crafted with the function of being able to combine outdoor and indoor space into one without the need of feeling a transitional space. With that this gives the community to be able to explore freely around the area.
semi outdoor space
wall facade
“TA-Structure” TA-Structure is designed where it utilize every components that can be found in the building as a support system one of the main support system is the facade where it transfer the load from beam to beam in different floors.
facade support
“TA-Facade” TA-Facade is a facade that provides an experience where it gives the community a semi permeable space where they can stand on the facade’s platform with being able to look down from the platform.
wall facade
spatial facade
“TA-Columns” TA-Columns is designed and inspired by the existing shophouses that are located around the area. The shophouses are located side by side without sharing columns.”
plan view
dual columns
“TA-Staircase” TA-Staircase brings back the exisiting shophouses wall elements with using wood and steel panels as the main elements into designing the crafted staircases that links each different floors.
axono staircase
staircase facade
“TA-Spatial Facade” With the exploration of the facade design it has transformed into a functional and mixed usable opportunity for the occupants to utilize such as additional space/ platform and storage space.
spatial facade
storage facade
“TA-Access” TA-Access is planned in a way that gives a circulation with easy fire access incase of any possible emergencies that might happen in the future.
plan view
“TA-Space” Spatial planning is taken into consideration where it is planned for the occupants to have an easier access going in and out of their units and out of the building.
walkways
entry
“Theatrica
“Theatrical theatre gives life of a where the space allows the view directions with a he
al Theatre”
a theatre in a complex dimension wers to be able to look in multiple eirarchy of visuals.”
“TT-Roof” TT-Roof is designed to allow natural sunlight to come into the space during the day during the night it allows natural moonlight into the space. With good airflow into the space.
roof support
roof truss
“TT-Facade” TT-Facade is crafted to allow visitors or audience to be able to see the interior visuals from the outside with permeable view acts as a sneakpeak into the space from the outside.
wall facade
ceiling facade
“TT-(S)Visual” TT-(S)Visual aims to allow the space to be turned into a theatre where it holds different visual dimensions. The structure holds the system that is needed to use and to be projected onto the walls and facades.
visual support facade
facade connector
“TT-(S)Wall” With the aim of crafting the space into the theatre the wall is transformed into structure frames which allows the space to have different visual narratives where the audience is allowed to enjoy the experience in different multiple frames.
front elevation
right elevation
“Theatrica
“With an active community that has its gives a familiar while at the same time encourages the community to have a can enjoy the beauty of industr
al Bazaar”
s passion of eateries theatrical bazaar e not familiar element into the hub, this an active gathering space where they rial elements that is in the hub.”
“TB-Structure” TB-Structure is designed to provide double volume space where the visitors can enjoy the industrial elements of the bazaar while sitting down eating. The structure also allows for any future exhibition proposals that can be used for displaying panels or objects in midair.
support detail
roof structure
“TB-Facade” TB-Facade provides sun shading for the space it also allows some sunlight to pass through into the space this provides the balances of the amount of sunlight needed to light up the space.
front elevation
right elevation
“TB-Gutter” TB-Gutter provides natural water cooling system where it allows the rain to flow down from the roof to the drainage system that is located in the middle of the space this gives a cooling temperature from the hot-wet climate weather.
gutter support
“TB-Heirachy” TB-Heirachy acts as steps and seats where it provides the basic needs for a space and also this gives more space to occupy visitors that would wish to stay at the ‘Theatrical Bazaar’.
individual seats
multiple seats
“Theatric
“With a familiar reminder of the sho entering the theatrical hub, theatric ration of individual shophouses with that can be proposed by the comm offer to sell into a the
cal Stalls”
ophouses that can be found before cal stalls are designed with the inspih endless economical opportunities munity to showcase what they can eatrical movement.”
“TS-Roof” TS-Roof is designed and inspired from the existing shophouses where it provides shelter from the weather in the outdoors. With basic construction details from using roof trusses and sheets.
axono
elevation
“TS-Column” The column support acts as a pillar where it holds the panels in place with added steps for people to be able to tackle the wet climate of the site.
axono
elevation
Technica
al Report