Investigation Building Site – Yan Keng Benevolent Dramatic Association, Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur Building Proposal – Gallery + Café Integration The Study of the Streetscape in Jalan Sultan. Jalan Sultan was known for its heritage street in Petaling Street long before the war began. Partly conservation was conducted due to the construction of the mass rapid transit nearby the street of Jalan Sultan, massive destruction was inflicted on the Yan Keng Benevolent Dramatic Association causing part of the building torn down to make way for the MRT project. The Study of the Yan Keng Benevolent Dramatic Association. The building has achieved a 100 years old historical value as the Chinese owner has did a good job in maintaining the building condition. The income for maintaining comes from the membership fees of the ping pong club and rent that are given out to the ground floor shops which are the Chinese tea shop and the tailor shop. Yan Keng Benevolent Association is a Chinese cultural association where Chinese opera are played in a theatre during olden days but currently the theatre room is being used as a community hall where ping pong club is being held to create an exercise training for the older generation. The Reason of Building Proposal A proposal was conducted to create an awareness of the existent of the building as how valuable the Chinese culture of the opera was during the past. The main reason was to bring back the theatre play again so that the future generation are able to learn more of the historical culture of the Chinese drama. The gallery space provides knowledge of the culture value of the historical Yan Keng Benevolent Dramatic Association while the café offers relaxation spot for the building which are able to attract more people into the building. Target User Teenagers and adults. Space Proposal Gallery – First floor level Theatre Hall – First floor level Café – Roof level
Precedent studies Art Gallery, Buenos Aires
Architects: Nicolás Fernández Sanz Location: Juan Ramírez de Velasco 1287, C1414AQY CABA, Argentina Design Team: Arq. María Laura Gonzalez Area: 710.0 sqm Project Year: 2014 BEFORE The project was designed for a warehouse space constructed in the mid-20th century on Ramírez de Velasco Street, between Darwin and a crossing of the San Martín train line. For many years, this large industrial vessel full of air and light was used to store industrial parts.
AFTER The aim of the project was to turn this space into the fourth seat of the historic Galería de Arte Ruth Benzacar. The gallery finds the high grasses that grow along both sides of the tracks and a tangle of small paved and cobblestoned streets, low houses, and old factories. The move coincides with a number of important changes in the city’s artistic geography; it reaffirms Villa Crespo as a new focal point on the local art circuit.
The project is, in essence, an intervention that uses existing elements and spaces rather than forcibly imposes an ideal. It makes use of everything that was in working order; the distribution of the space, as well as ways of exploring it, reflect the warehouse itself.
In the design, the mission of the project was to allow for an array of subjectivities that would find multiple meanings in both the new bricks and the old exposed beams and tin roofs. The primary attributes and intentions of the project were silence and translucence. The white warehouse takes precedence over the white cube in material, urban, and symbolic economies.
Precedent studies Hotel Castell D’emporda, Girona, Spain
Project Name: Castell D’emporda Location: La Bisbal, Girona, Spain Program: Terrace Covering to Accommodate 200 People Design Team: Concrete Architectural Associates Area: 250 sqm Project Year: 2011 BEFORE Castell d’emproda was built in 1301 on a hill nearby the small city of La Bisbal close to Girona (Spain). The castle has been owned for centuries by the Margarit family. Since 1999 Castell d’emporda has been transformed into a boutique hotel. Next to the hotel’s restaurant there is a large terrace with great views over the surrounding landscape.
AFTER The terrace transformed into an outdoor café. Parasol was installed for sun and rain protection, but there is no obstruction between the visitor and the view. A glass roof or winter-garden would too much become a building, create a feeling being inside a structure and would also appear as an extension of the building, damaging the ancient character.
12 Circles in divers diameters are placed randomly on the terrace. Where the circles touch they melt together, where not, the open spaces between circles are filled in with glass. With the circular parasol shape, the feeling of being in an outdoor environment on a terrace, remains. The same shape makes sure the covering appears as a separate almost temporary element, leaving the ancient building untouched. The top and edge of the parasols are made in rusted steel, seeking harmony with the ancient building and the natural environment. The white painted steel columns and ceiling create an open and light outdoor atmosphere under the parasols. Transparent sliding curtains can be hung easily in colder periods but always stay open. When the mistral-winds suddenly appears the whole covering can be closed in a couple of minutes.
Space proposal Ground Floor – Reception Counter
Ground Floor Plan Scale 1:200
Ground Floor Plan Scale 1:200
Space proposal Ground Floor – Reception Counter
Reception Area – consisting receptionist counter and a foyer for public to register upon entering the theater hall. A transition space before moving to the upper level. Information centre is located at this specific spot to allow user obtain further knowledge or any uncertainty.
Space proposal First Floor – Gallery Space
First Floor Plan Scale 1:200
First Floor Plan Scale 1:200
Space proposal First Floor – Gallery Space (Before)
The interior space are refurbish before placing the partition panels to exhibit the artwork or writings of the Chinese Opera culture. The rooms are removed to create extra spaces for the gallery where users are able to roam around and equip themselves with the understanding of the historical culture of the Yan Keng Benevolent Dramatic Association. The office room such as the meeting room, manager room and secretary room are united and integrated to form a space at the existing meeting room. The store room is refurbish and kept to store the gallery equipment and other usage.
Space proposal First Floor – Gallery Space (After)
The gallery work are also displayed on the stairs where user are able to look at them while going up to the roof terrace. Staircases create a unique architectural sense to user but must be well design in such a way does not block the circulation of people.
The gallery spaces showcases the knowledge of the rich cultural value of the building and the Chinese opera. The gallery also exhibits the ancient Chinese opera mask that are used by the theatre which each mask has a story to be told. User are able to experience the richness and depth of the Chinese culture through the gallery. Exhibition are able to create awareness to people of the importance of the Chinese cultural tradition is to be continued in the future generation. Lighting of the space has to be well design to provide high colour rendering index to the space. This is due to the existing space which does not have sufficient lighting to the interior space.
Space proposal First Floor – Theatre Hall
First Floor Plan Scale 1:200
First Floor Plan Scale 1:200
Space proposal First Floor – Theatre Hall
The very main focus of the idea of proposal was to recreate and revive the opera theatre that was long extinct, through watch the opera play the audience will further understand the cultural value of the Yan Keng building as this building was once build to create Chinese Opera shows for the locals around Jalan Sultan. The history of the building should be revived once again to continue the play of the opera. User are able to watch the play after going through the gallery space and witness the history the lives within the building. The hall not only exist to conduct drama but can be used as a community hall or in a multipurpose event. The interior spaces are replaced with any new parts but the walls will be refurbish to once again to liven up the halls. Speech or public speaking can be also conducted on the stage, chairs can be kept on the back store room and the normal ping pong club could still pursue on during the non-use of the drama club.
Space proposal Roof Floor – Terrace Café
Roof Floor Plan Scale 1:200
Roof Floor Plan Scale 1:200
Space proposal Roof Floor – Terrace Café (Before)
The roof terrace has an extensive large area to accommodate 30 people in servicing café stalls. The space above offers valuable benefit such as exiting toilet which can be reuse for the customer to use when in urgent. The water closet has to be refurbish to beautify the outlook of the toilet. The existing view creates a sense of openness to the space allowing user to observe the street along Jalan Sultan accompanied with trees and building. The view that can be observe as well would be the city centre of Kuala Lumpur.
Space proposal Roof Floor – Terrace Café (After)
The wall façade of the roof top is redecorated and gallery display can be placed on the wall to allow the customer to read while enjoying the brewed coffee. This causes and continuous flow knowledge from the gallery to the rooftop. The wall also can be painted to create a cultural unique sense to the place
The roof terrace which offers great view to customer while enjoying a cup of tea after a visit to the gallery and the theatre play, the design of the roof has to blend harmoniously with the existing building such as extracted from the precedent which is to justify a unique sense of belonging to the spirit of the place. The overhang provides shade and shelter to the user in the space. The proposal of roof café was to attract young teenagers thus indirectly increases the awareness of the tradition history of the Yan Keng Benevolent Dramatic Association. Furthermore, the area lacks of coffee shop which provides satisfying meal to customer nearby.