(Case Study) Shalini Ganendra Fine Art Gallery

INTRODUCTION

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ropical climate country experiences hot and humid weather. There are difficulties in achieving a thermally comfortable environment due to the two-seasoned weather. Unbalanced indoor and outdoor air temperature are nothing compared to the sun, as the sun does not have differ much in intensity of radiation in different places; yet the site context contribute a lot to a site’s thermal comfort.

Shalini Ganendra Fine Art Gallery, located in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia is an attractive site to study on when it comes to designing a sustainable building that matches the country’s weather as it has received numerous green building design awards. Despite the size of the site, the building design works and matches well with the environment, creating a harmonious and comfortable thermal condition for people to reside in by applying some principles without abandoning the modern touch to make the site more aesthetically pleasing.

The case study that is to be presented on the paper is to analyse the building’s features and what can be done (if there is any that needs to be changed) in order to make the design better for the sake of achieving the best thermally comfortable environment, indoor and outdoor. The features that are to be studied would include the material, openings, building configurations, building orientation, and open space.

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BUILDING’S BACKGROUND SHALINI GANENDRA FINE ART GALLERY

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halini Ganendra Fine Art is one of the most established galleries in Malaysia.

Since 1998, SGFA’s holistic approach to art representation and expertise in the contemporary art of Asian emerging regions has established the organisation’s distinctive presence as a placemaker, advisor and culture pioneer.

SGFA works regularly with established artists connected to South East Asia, and programs reflect a spectrum of international artistic and curatorial talent, with emphasis on the multidisciplinary.

We are committed to a Culture of Encounters – between cultures, disciplines and mediums.

Our commitment to artistic excellence is realised through a number of successful initiatives, including exhibition, educational and residency programs, all presented in the award winning Gallery Residence.

Drawing upon broad expertise in fine arts and design, SGFA offers a full range of services including advisory, valuation and collection management.

GALLERY RESIDENCE: Opened in January 2011, Gallery Residence is a tangible symbol of SGFA’s commitment to design and applauds innovation and creativity of internationally renowned local talents. The space itself is an ideal backdrop for showcasing SGFA’s eclectic range of art and design exhibitions – providing a contemporary arena for contemporary art. This inspiring building is at the forefront of modern architectural style, boasting effective design for green living.

Gallery Residence was designed by the award winning architectural luminary Ken Yeang in collaboration with SGFA as an exhibition space that embraces aesthetic and conceptual innovation, in line with contemporary art thought. Gallery Residence presents unique green features including a wind catcher, bioswales and turf ramps, and is the first space of its kind in the region.

Gallery Residence also accommodates living and work spaces for artists and management who live in and maintain the building.

The interior galleries have Rio LED track lighting which more accurately shows the artwork, creates a comfortable and elegant atmosphere and is energy efficient. Garden lighting is a mixture of LED and Solar, selected and placed to emphasize building design, outdoor installations and landscaping features.

Gallery Residence was one of the first projects in Malaysia to receive Green Building certification and won a PAM (Architects) Excellence Award in 2011. The space was nominated for the 2016 Aga Khan Architecture Award.

ADDRESS: No. 8 Lorong 16/7B Section 16 Petaling Jaya

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SITE CONTEXT SUN AND WIND ORIENTATION

SITE PLAN ENT

The wind flows from north (high pressure zone) to south (low pressure zone), mostly going to the northern suction of the wind chimney to later be flowed inside the interior space.

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There are less windows on the west to take maximum use of the sunlight during daytime for natural lighting as the sun moves from east to west, making the building using less energy for lighting before the sun sets.

LANDMARKS NEARBY:

The sun rises and sets from east to west, giving the greens at the courtyard on the east of the building to regenerate sunlight for photosynthesis, thus making more oxygen and giving more thermally comfortable environment.

When the sun is at its highest point, the sunshades work perfectly to block the incoming radiation, thus preventing glares.

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SCHEDULE OF AREA Room

SCHEDULE OF AREA

Area (in m2)

Room

Area (in m2)

6.58

Gallery 2

134.25

Lobby Area

24.74

Gallery 1

119.67

Balcony

44.28

Study Room

17.33

Bedroom 1

18.37

Guest Room

19.94

Bath 1

5.98

Utility Room

6.91

Bedroom 2

12.09

Bath 3

5.26

Bath 2

7.48

Kitchen

8.96

Bedroom 3

7.88

Courtyard

69.14

Total

Total

278.53

FIRST FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR

Entrance

Total of overall area: 508.86

230.33 04

DESIGN FEATURES Adding some greens for the building is necessary to keep the building in its thermal comfort condition. During daytime, the green will convert oxygen with the help of sunlight, thus making the site less hotter during the day.

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Courtyard with greeneries

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The large opening eases sunlight to penetrate into the indoor space so no artificial lights are needed during the day.

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1 Large opening

Despite the amount of windows in the east, they are mere openings; only with the frames without glasses that allow more wind to enter the indoor space.

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Windows and shading

The small glass windows on the west opened to a certain angle to allow circle ventilation to happen.

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Windows and shading

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Wind chimney

The main feature in the design which is wind chimney; works to catch wind from all direction and direct them down the shaft to create a proper wind circulation at the indoor space.

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DESIGN FEATURES The sun shade works to block tropical sunlight to reduce radiation and direct heat.

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Sun shade

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7 6 Plain Facade

Because the win flows from north (high pressure area) to south, there are nearly 0 opening on the viewed side so most of the wind can be reflected up and be caught by the wind chimney.

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DESIGN FEATURES

The two features work in an interconnected way; they are in different positions in order to allow the wind to flow not only in just one direction through the ventilations, but also across the room so the indoor area are thermally comfortable.

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High windows and wind chimney ventilations

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Polished concrete flooring works best to keep the space cool.

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Concrete flooring

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WIND CHIMNEY

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he wind chimney plays a big role in keeping the indoor space thermally comfortable. As the cool air from outside flows from the north (high pressure zone), the wind chimney makes away from the northern suction for the wind to flow into the space. Not to forget the air that is drawn through the openings at the south of the building, as it slowly becomes hot air inside the space, it flows through the chimney’s ventilation and reflected up through the shaft to flow to the lower temperature zone; creating a cross ventilation with proper inlets and outlets that keep the thermal comfort in its most excellent condition.

Hot air Cool air Air drawn through openings

Another example of how the cross ventilation works in the space to give the space a proper thermal comfort

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