3 Problematization

Problematization

37 3

“... [totalitarianism] is not a government in any traditional sense but a movement...” - Hannah Arendth

Problematization

The experience of freedom from domination that our country has experienced has come with various challenges. The whole process of getting progressively more and more freedom for the ordinary man in the street may be thematically called “the fight for freedom”.

From the angle of what the ordinary person experiences, the thematic chapters of this fight has taken them through, (1) Colonialism, (2)Japanese Occupation, (3) Communism, (4) Neo-colonialism (Independepence to UMNO), (5) Bersih Cleaning, and (6) The Sheraton Move.

While the various chapters of this struggle for freedom of the people is well researched and reported, the entire narrative as ONE STORY with a theme has not been expressed as ONE PIECE of architecture. I have therefore contextualized this opportunity in my design thesis by exploring this architectural methodology with mnemonic devices for a commemorative building sited in Kuching, Sarawak.

Kuching, the capital state of Sarawak has the most significant political historical background in Sarawak. The thesis site is proposed at the waterfront of the kuching city, which there are several heritage buildings leftover since the Brooke era (British Colonial Era). These buildings included, Square Tower, Old Court House, Sarawak Steamship Building, and Brooke Dockyard. Proposed site is on the Sarawak river inbetween the new India Mosque and the Darul Hana Bridge. It is full of local culture place. Every city has its own story to be told. Therefore with my research of Malaysia political history from the early era until the present time, it would be a great site for investigate my design thesis.

Figure 25 Site Plan