Architecture for me, is about the traditions and lessons we chose to keep and the dreams we aspire to. It is a reflection of our imagination, something we associate with a sense of civic pride and identity. Good architecture makes us feel speaks to us on many different levels. It makes us feel involved so the ides we hold onto can become in our imagination, more real and tangible. The values I wish to instill in my architecture are pride, belonging and empowerment. Architecture being a form of civic pride, should speak of an idea shared by everyone. Architecture should also speak about a sense of belonging, An architecture for the people, providing a stage for people to interact to foster meaningful connections. One that is as much of a psychological as well as a physical experince. One that speaks of the vastness of the forever unattainable and receding blue of the sky, the calm ripple of water, the burning ambition lighted by a ray of light or the feeling of change that comes with the gust of wind. The architecture is believe in is one of empowerment. One that speaks of the skills of the people who built it. Serving as an inspiration for future generations but also a reminder of what can be done is times of hardship and self-doubt.
BBCC SHOW GALLERY, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
The concept of the showroom, same-same but different, was derived from the client’s programmatic need to operate 2 separate autonomous galleries but yet project an image of seamless unity. The organic inspired language of curves and gradients allowed us to design a series of more inclusive plans with could be seamlessly combined or segmented as required resulting in 2 halves link visually by a projecting canopy and shared vehicular drop off. Next we extruded this organic plan incrementally, layer by layer instead of having it as a single wall. Allowing us a method of form-making to fine tune the volume by pinching it smaller when we needed to reduce its volume or protruding it outwards at the canopy brim level to emphasize the reading of the building as a single form. Also by subtracting specific layers, visually integrated fenestrations for doorways and windows can be achieved while avoiding the conventions of a door or window frame. The overall design language is carried inside through open display galleries, discussion and function rooms. Naturally -lit galleries through a series of skylights and fenestrations serves as a verdant backdrop for the client to personalize and update the interior experience constantly over the 5-10year lifespan of the gallery. Office spaces also open out to a series of green terraces overlooking the surrounding and on-going site behind the gallery. The 4 storey gallery is located minutes from KL’s city center and serves as the “face” of a multi-billion dollar project by joint developers UDA, Ecoworld and Malaysia’s sovereign fund, EPF. It also host a separate show gallery for Ecoworld international, showcasing and providing as sales platform for their numerous overseas projects.
SITE PLAN
FRONT ELEVATION
LONGITUDINAL SECTION
STEP 1 REQUIRED PROGRAM BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS PROXIMITIES SCALE
STEP 2 REORGANIZATION OF PROGRAMS MAXIMIZE SITE AS PURE OFFSET
STEP 3 CARVE GATEWAYS FOR ENTRANCE FRACTALIZE SPLIT COURTYARDS SPILL COURTYARD OUT TO STREET
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
PARRAMATTA STADIUM, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Using Karamba and grasshopper to aid in building an efficient structure, the design is inspired by the catenary and membrane structures of Frei Otto in creating architectural forms. The space box experiment divorces us from being influenced with after image of what it will look like. The designs rules derived with the experiment allows to see more than what we would usually see otherwise. How tension and compression forces can effect and guide the final form.
MASTERPLAN
RENDERS
BIRD’S EYE VIEW
REDFERN TRAIN STATION, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA Redfern train station is one of the most busiest train station in Sydney. The redevelopment surrounding the new Central to Eveleigh corridor means more people and an even more important need for good public spaces. Elements of the ideal cities were taken from research and applied to the master planning of the new Redfern station. Spatial quality, choice of materials, details in the built environment and potential for interactions were identified as some of the vital elements of a good public space. The station is imagined as a continuation of the public realm. Creating a new landmark and public space in Redfern.
AXO DRAWING The drawings below shows the hidden pockets that encourage exploration. The woonerfs that slow down cars and making this a more pedestrian street. The station program are seperated into their distinctive blocks that mimics the urban form and scale. the open nature of the station also ensure a continuity of the public space into the building creating a park like space.
GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1:1000
URBAN SECTION
URBAN SECTION
DESIGN STRATEGIES
BUILDING BLOCKS Architecture Blocks for station
Combinations
To provide more connections across the rail corridor
The ground floor is made transparent to make it more visually permeable.
More entries in to station to avoid congestion
Shelter for the tracks below follows the same language, growing out of the ground and provides public furniture
Have the parks and streets flowing into the station
Station as an opportunity to build an landmark design. Also an opportunity to address the extreme difference in scale on both side of the rail corridor.
Public Space
RENDERINGS
RENDERINGS
KL ART CENTRE, KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA The KL Art Centre aims to revive the old town of Petaling Jaya, on the outskirt of KL, through its dying craft culture to induce a ripple effect to other towns nearby. Creating an urban acupuncture. The main concept for this design was the idea of undesigning. In making the hand of the architect inconspicuous so that the art and artist can take centre stage. This is seen as an antidote to the recent architecture around the area that indulges in a form of attention grabbing sculptural facade. Architecture here becomes a supporting cast to the main protagonist, which are the users. Extruded volumes curate space in a theatrical way, framing the various interactions of various occupants. Movement through space reframe occupant’s vision, shifting from actors to audience.
NORTH FACADE
CENTRAL COURTYARD
VERTICAL FOOD MARKET, KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA The vertical food market is located in the old city centre of Kuala Lumpur, largely forgotten since the shift to the new city centre, the Petronas Twin Towers. As retail changes and the historical city centre no longer support or accept this, investors are forced to move elsewhere. Working, living and shopping are no longer in close proximity, bring money and life out of the historical city. This project aims to revive old KL, redefining the historical fabric and create a public space at a time when the city becomes less and less capable of creating public spaces. The design is inspired by the porosity and openness of the famous Malaysian street market. The idea of porosity help creates a lively hub, becoming a new landmark in KL. Openness is created by the use of ramps as a device to help promote the public nature of the building by confusing the notion of public and private and giving the design a sense of theatre. Choreographing the human circulation to play with a sense of reward vital when dealing with a vertical typology. The ramp also maximizes the amount of rentable area resulting in more profit for the investors.
OXFORD STREET HUB, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA This project aims to look at the principle of xenia through the relationship of a host and guest and how that is translated into architecture. How the act of xenia can made visible and be seen and shown through urban and architectural gestures. Thus allowing others to participate and hopefully act in the same way. The project proposed is a mixed used development on Oxford street consisting of a homeless shelter, food court, offices and residences. It brings together the different users of the streets and allow for serendipitous chance encounters. The homeless shelter in the program offer shelter and also a chance too reintegrate into and be accepted by society through different activities (soup kitchen, communal kitchen, event space for info sessions, counseling, potteries workshops to create and sell things) and employment opportunities through the food court and retail in the building.
CONCEPTUAL DIAGRAM The individual building elements are explored to see how the design can be more inclusive of more users. Inspired by the works of Olafur Eliasson , the elements of surprise created through the subtle design gestures makes people turn from passive bystanders to active participants. And by giving us a choice to engage in it, it shows how our actions have consequences. It raises questions on how things can otherwise be, questions on who really owns the public space of Sydney, who really owns the nigth life of Sydney in regards to the Lock Out Law imposed and how if I vote, take a stand, or choose to act, it can make a difference.
MASSING STUDIES
STRUCTURAL STUDIES MASSING STUDIES Massing studies to study how the program can be articulated through the massing of the building and how the arrangement of program effect the look of the building at street level and the relationship between solid and void.
STRUCTURAL STUDIES Structural studies on how the structure can be laid out, exposed and the opportunities that they can create.
STAIRS/ TERRACE STUDIES
STAIRS / TERRACES STUDIES Studies on terraces and stairs and how the two can be laid over to create intereseting spaces.
The building is hollowed out creating a big volume inside it for hosting the new program.
A public stairs is used to connect the different levels on both side. The form follows the contour of the site, allowing visitors to actually see and understand the nature of the topograhy better.
A grid structure is overlaid onto the existing fabric to support the new program.
The retail and homeless shelter is lifted above the stairs so the building remains porous.
Office spaces are set back in and glazed to give the impression that the apartment block that sit above is floating
Stairways are added to link the terrace from all 3 floors together.
Vegetation is added to offer shade and see the movement of the wind when it blows. The public corridor is also highligthed by painitng the columns and beams red. Defining the space and linking the outside space in.
Public park and communal area are floated within the grid system to offer spaces where residents can meet each other.
AXONOMETRIC DRAWING
SOUTH ELEVATION
LOWER GROUND FLOOR PLAN
SECTION Y-Y
SEVENTH FLOOR PLAN
VIEW FROM OXFORD STREET
VIEW LOOKING INTO THE PUBLIC SPACE
I-CITY PARKING FACADE, SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA The I-city parking facade takes inspiration from the developer’s idea of creating a new modern township in the outskirt of Kuala Lumpur. The design is inspired from depictions of the futuristic cities in movies like blade runner and star trek. The design uses neon lights overlaid onto a ligth-weight aluminium panels making up the facade to create an information rich facade that morphs according to the conditions of the car parks inside. All resulting in a facade that aligns with the developers vision of the project.
NIGHT RENDER
DAY RENDER
THE END