Selected Work 2016 - 23

Tamarind Square (Phase III) Cyberjaya, KL 01

I predominantly worked on this project throughout my stay at Unit One Design (November 2016February 2018) as the Assistant S.O..

My responsibilities included:

Attending the site meetings

- writing site minutes, site inspections, assisting in coordinating with the consultants

Preparing construction drawings for issuance to consultants & main contractor

Preparing tender drawings

Involved in the wayfinding schematics & tender drawings

Preparing authority drawing submissions - ABP & Abomba

Project: Tamarind Suites, Cyberjaya

Type: Residential apartment

Status: CCC

Date of Completion: 2018

ideas.

The idea behind Tamarind Square is:

1 to break away from the typical design for ‘small, compact units’

2 to craft a distinctive & dynamic building which is supported by communal facilities

3 variety of unit types (studios + lofts) are woven together - creating a facade that is animated & porous

01 key plan of Tamarind Square in relation to KL City Centre

02 location plan of Tamarind Square

03 front perspective of Tamarind Square (Phase III)

04 site boundary of Phase III

05 facilities for public use - encourage social connection between the residents & visitors

06 common terrace garden - porous facade enable light penetration into the corridors

07 modular angled grid solar filter divide facade into compartments of various dimensions

08 example of configuration of different types of units (studios + lofts)

Community-building spaces.

09 The trumpet draws attention to its geometrical shape. As the entrance is approached, definition of the feature & architectural details begin to reveal themselves. Visitors are greeted with a grand staircase that drive them into the trumpet & building.

10 The street between Phase III & Phase I+II as a meeting point / hang out spot. It also provides business amenities opportunity to be an important commercial centre in the future.

11 The Trumpet also acts as a connector between the building & the neighbour. Due to its massiveness, it will become the terminus point for people who travel along the street.

12

big

Top of the podium (L6) provides a

area for mingling - landscaped area that acts as open auditorium, multi-purpose rooms for meeting etc.

“Meet me at the Tamarind.”

section of the trumpet * Detail drawing to refer to pp. 7

2016 // November

Detail

03 RC structure Block F2 Level 10M completed.

04 Steel formwork is used for casting gable ends for smoother concrete finish.

05 Steel formwork was also used for casting feature walls on podium Level 4.

drawing // Podium Level 4

2017 // June - August

06 Precast fins - panels installation commenced on site.

// Tonality is difficult to control so some of the panels were of different tones from each other. For such cases, the affected panels would be dismounted & reinstalled for review & approval.

07 Propping for the podium staircase finally removed - the trumpet form is finally revealed. (see pg. 13 for detail drawings)

08 For most parts, architectural & M&E mock-up works have begun.

Detail drawing // Precast Panels

2017 // September - November

09 Most M&E works at the podium have just begun, following architecture works. // Photo shows the installation of ACMV ducts under the monitoring of S.O., site M&E supervisor & C.O.W.

10 Block F2 roof services level RC work completed.

11 Tower glazings installation commenced.

Detail drawing // Trumpet section

Proposed signages along a typical tower corridor

Proposed signages at a typical lift lobby (a)

2017 // December - January 2018

12 Tender preparation for Statutory Signages & General Wayfinding.

Proposed signages at a typical lift lobby (b) 12

Wayfinding design proposal

// Photo shows the schematic illustration for general wayfinding for common terraces for Block F1 & F2. We collaborate with graphic designers to produce design proposals that resonate with the ‘language’ of Tamarind Square. We also want to be creative about the statutory signages while still abiding with the authority requirements, as shown above.

D'(!#"$!#/&,4#( 2#4#2(8(2-))*

post CCC images

13-15 accessorising the multipurpose rooms on Level 6

16 wayfinding signage at a lift lobby

17 trumpet staircase

18 view on the bridge connecting Tamarind Square & Tamarind Suites on Level 5

19 lift lobby with customised loose furniture on Level 4

02

Besides Tamarind Square project, I was also placed in the main schematics team of Dutamas House that also ran throughout my stay at Unit One Design (November 2016 - February 2018).

My responsibilities included: Attending the client-consultant meetings - writing site minutes (developing client’s brief) Conception of schematics - CAD & 3D Preparing ‘storybooks’ for presentation to client

Project: Dutamas House, Kuala Lumpur

Type: Private - House (>4000sq/ft)

Status: Schematics

Targeted Date of Completion: Estimated 2020

Dutamas House Jalan Dutamas 3, KL

Dutamas House Jalan Dutamas 3, KL

OBJECTIVES / DESIGN DRIVES

ARCHITECT

apartments for 2 with views

minimal land cut

address sound from road with sound of pond below public & private domain separated by oors

central lounge

mosquito netting around bu er zone to address mosquitoes

outdoor space for exercise / meditation below building

house on core with views

minimal land cut + utilise existing slope & trees

address sound from road + neighbourhood dogs

public & private domain separated by oors

interchangeable usage of space

naturally ventilated space comfortably shielded from insects

outdoor space integrated with natural greeneries / pond

20 key plan of the proposed site in relation to KL Petronas Twin Towers

21 location plan showing access to the proposed site from Jalan Duta

22 site plan

23 diagram showing immediate context + surrounding noise study + view to KL Petronas Twin Towers + sun path

24 section showing the class 3 slope of the proposed site

- 27

Schematics #1

Sitting of the house on site & the draft plans (2 options) are laid out in this stage; client wanted to have the house plans predetermined before deciding on the concept of the house form.

28 // Precedences

2017 // September

28 - 30

Schematics #2

concept: central

29 // Study Diagrams

30 // 3D perspectives of proposed structures

Exploration of the primary form of the building by starting with the structural concept. Began with a series of precedences which were approved by the client, we further explored the possibilities of what the structural forms could be through a series of studies (figure 30), finally came up with simple 3Ds to convey the rough ideas of our intention.

Geisel Library, San Diego, California by William Pereira & Associates

Sleuk Rith Institute, Cambodia (conceptual) by Zaha Hadid Architects

Yusuhara Museum Bridge Museum, Yusuhara, Japan by Kengo Kuma & Associates

branching subset 1 scheme 1 opt 1 opt 2 opt 3 scheme 2 scheme 3

31 // Structural Forms Development

2017 // October - December

31 Schematics #3

At this stage of schematics, an experienced engineer consultant joined the board of discussion & we explored more structural possibilities. Most of the original layout is preserved (together with the pool) throughout the process. The bridge design has not been developed as of yet, pending the main design of the building.

scheme 1 scheme 2 scheme 3 scheme 4

Urban Works Co-working Space Jalan Yap Ah Shak, KL 03

briefly worked on this project as an assistant architect at Unit One Design Sdn Bhd.

The project has three main retrofit spacesthe co-working space, the fine-dining restaurant & the rooftop pavilion.

mainly worked on the rooftop pavilion.

Project:

Co-working multi-storey space, Kuala Lumpur

Type:

Retrofitting (>30000sq/ft)

Status:

Schematics

Targeted Date of Completion: -

Urban Works approached Unit One Design Sdn Bhd for a retrofitting of an existing building along Jalan Yap Ah Shak (’warisan area)transforming it into a high end, fully-serviced co-working space. It also incorporated a newly added rooftop pavilion & fine dining restaurant at its ground floor.

While preserving the ‘warisan’ look of the facade, the designer decided to retouch it with adding aluminium louvres; the interior retrofit will be modernist.

Exterior perspective of the pavilion rooftop - bar (left) & group meeting room (right)

Gated Community - 7 Bungalows Bukit Tunku, KL 04

worked on this project as the leading designer throughout my employment at Asima Architects Sdn Bhd.

My responsibilities included:

- Attending CCM meetings

- Liaising with the client in developing & producing schematics drawings

- Engaging the suppliers for future tender stage

- Preparing drawings for DO & BP submissions

Project:

Gated Community Development, Kuala Lumpur

Type: Private - House (>9000sq/ft)

Status:

ABP Submission

Targeted Date of Completion: -

38

39 Location

40 Masterplan submitted for DO with superimposed sun path diagram

Note: For the purpose of this portfolio, I have chosen Unit A2 (highlighted with brighter colours) to have the layout & facade revamped to suit Malaysia’s climate better while still adhering to the requirements stated in DO submission approval documents.

Unit A2 // original design for DO submission.

2018 // <April

41 Front perspective

42 Front perspective

43 Rear perspective

44 Plans diagram of the original Unit A2 layout for DO submission

ideas.

44 client’s brief.

For each unit to have:

1. five en suite bedrooms - master bedroom to have a den

2. swimming pool with bar / lounge

3. family hall

4. living

5. dining

6. kitchen

7. study room

7 Bungalows – Gated Community at Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur with each house comprises of 9000-10000 sq ft of area. Located on a hilly terrain.

After the DO submission, the client wanted us to restudy the brief and layout to produce more pragmatic & efficient space planning. Among the problems & issues we encountered with the previous design were:

- Not enough study of how the houses and roads connecting the houses with the main road sit on the hilly terrain.

- A lot of spaces were not designed to suit their purposes (some spaces were too small for their functions, some were too big)

- Houses not having enough natural ventilation & lighting, as well as not making use of the good views surrounding the houses

- Unattractive front facades as most of the them have aluminium shutters for their garage which are on the ground floor facing the main entrance gate to the house

45 // Front Perspective of the new proposal

tried to improve the design within the boundaries stated on the approval letter of BP submission, the major one being the newly proposed layout has to be within 5% deviation of the one originallysubmitted for BP. One of the main issues that badly needed to be addressed is the lacking of natural ventilation within the house - so my response is to recompose the entire layout so that all of the rooms are fully ventilated, especially the corridors. The issue of creating threshold between the outdoor carpark & private rooms in front of the house is also solved by simply putting a ‘screen’ between them. The front facade, therefore present a more ‘private’ to the visitors. The house visually consists of four towers, with one tower possesing one room per floor plate. The towers are connected via naturally ventilated corridor with amplesunlight penetration during the day. The house ‘rests’ on an entire lower ground floor made of stone so to visually ‘divide’ the building so as not to make it appear too rigid. The house is also connected to the outdoor carpark via a narrow ‘bridge’ to create a more intimate approach to the building.

An outdoor dining area on the lower ground floor also is an option for the users to gather and dine with visitors anytime throughout the day.

ground oor // interior shots

52 (previous page) Foyer, overlooking the corridor leading to semi-private areas

53 (previous page) Living room

54 Living room overlooking the balcoy terrace & dining

55 Balcony terrace

Apartment Retro tting (ID) Anjali, North Kiara, KL 05

worked on this freelance project with a partner. The client approached us for the project to retrofit his new apartment with ID, with the budget of about RM200,000.

Project: Apartment Anjali Retrofit, Kuala Lumpur

Type: ID retrofitting (>900sq/ft)

Status: Completed

general info.

The client approached us in May for the retrofit ID of his newly bought apartment at North Kiara, Kuala Lumpur with a budget of RM200,000.

This project is interesting because we have to work our way around feng shui (the client engaged with a feng shui consultant before schematics stage).

One of the main rules is to avoid using dark materials in the house, hence the Scandinavian concept that we decide to employ for this ID project.

*All 3D images in this chapter are still undergoing design changes

1 Foyer

2 Living/dining

3 Study

4 Master bedroom

5 Master bathroom

6 Kitchen

7 Laundry

8 Shower

9 Guest’s bedroom

homogenous tile 1

homogenous tile 2

board

black granite

walnut

grey terazzo senply stained white titanium coated s.s.

white carrara marble

engineered stone

senply lime rubbed

white oak white stained

Material Board

// Foyer - Plan (NTS)

64 // Foyer - Interior shot from the elevator

All exposed timber construction cabinet surfaces in walnut clear lacquered, matte, crown cut

Nelson Saucer Bubble Pendant Light

Quadro Pouf by Wendelbo

Wendelbo’s Blade Couch titanium coating stainless steel

Wegner’s wishbone chair (beechwood with soap finish & natural colour paper cord)

Corridor - Interior shot : feature wall

Philippe Starck’s Romeo Babe Suspension Light

Book match White Carrara marble

Project: Anjali

Location: Mont Kiara

Sihanouk International Airport (ID) Sihanouk, Cambodia 06

Led by Vinci Construction Grand Projets (based in France) under a Design-and-Build Contract, we were hired as the consultant Interior Designer for this 40,000m2 new passenger terminal of Sihanouk International Airport, Cambodia. We also collaborated with Melon Rouge Agency, a Cambodian firm providing creative consultation specialising in communication.

My responsibilities included:

- Producing schematics & detailing drawings

- Drawing coordinations with Naviswork draftsman & the Architect (BH Yew Architects)

Project:

New Terminal at Sihanoukville Airport

Type: ID retrofitting (>40,000m2)

Status:

Tender

Targeted Date of Completion: -

MAIN ENTRANCE ON GROUND FLOOR

Taking cues from nature, the flooring at the main entrance uses different textures of flooring to define the space as well as pieces of furniture that ‘rise’ from the ground.

BAGGAGE RECLAIM

Schematics (excerpt from presentation to client dated January 2020)

Kota Bharu, Kelantan 07

Expansion of Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (ID)

This project was to procure a RM440 million contract from the Ministry of Transport to undertake the proposed extension & upgrading of the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Led by Muhibbah Engineering, Linear Vista was approached to be the ID consultant. co-lead the design with a senior interior designer in: - Producing schematics & relevant drawings for the ID package

Project:

Expansion of Sultan Ismail Petra Airport

Type: ID retrofitting

Status:

In 2021, WCT Holdings Bhd bagged the contract and work was expected to commence in April 2021.

THE COLOURS OF KELANTAN C U LT U R E

ISLAMIC GEOMETRY B A S I C P A T T E R N

The diamond shape extracted from the Islamic 6 - pointed star will be the basic pattern that runs throughout our design

EXPERIENCE

G U I D E L I N E

Rebranding the Airport

Where Dying Arts Thrive

Kelantan is a time capsule that preserves various forms of Malay cultural heritage – batik, songket, wau bulan, gasing, silat, wayangkulit etc.

An Islamic State

Kelantan’s legal system traditionally operated according to Islamic law.

Taste of the Land & Sea

With vivid colours & a medley of aromatic herbs, Kelantan is famous for their authentic Malay dishes –especially NasiKerabu

M I S S I O N 2

EXPERIENCE

Integrate retail and leisure experiences at each stage of the user’s journey to foster engagement with the space and ease the boarding/arrival process.

M I S S I O N 3

DELIGHT

Create a visually stimulating environment to leave a lasting impact on users.

M I S S I O N 1

GUIDE

Inform and reassure users for efficient journey following each of the steps before boarding and at arrival.

M I S S I O N 4 PRIDE

To instil and foster a sense of belonging of the majority of the users (which will be Kelantanese) with their cultural background.

Kelantan DarulNaim ‘Land of Lightning’ ‘Kilatan’ (Lightning)

Extracting Islamic motif on the flooring

We streamlined shopfront for cleaner finish

S C H E M A T I C

Extracting Islamic motif on the flooring

Extracting Islamic motif on the flooring

FLOOR FINISH PATTERN

600mm x 1200mm

Basic Islamic geometry as a pattern on the floor to demarcate the retail kiosk area

We streamlined the check in counter back wall & adjusted the position of the counters to behind the columns for cleaner finish

Mood Images

Multiple direction baffle ceiling – direction is determined by the major passenger traffic flow in corresponding areas

PASSENGER FLOW GUIDE S

Using lighting trove as a subtle wayfinding for passengers

Using batik motif as feature wall

Option 1

Option 2

section elevation

25x150mm b affle ceiling with batik print

Perforated lighting trove

Working with a partner, we produced a schematic package for our client who wishes to build her own house in her 30-acre garden in Bintulu, Sarawak.

The project, however, was stopped in 2021 when the Covid hits & the cost soared beyond the budget due to the significant material cost increase.

Project: Single-storey residential

Type: Architecture + ID

Status: Stopped at tender

Targeted Date of Completion: -

Rumah Kebun Olivia & Carl Bintulu, Sarawak 08

OPEN AIR CORRIDOR TO KITCHEN Option 1

OPEN AIR CORRIDOR TO KITCHEN Option 2

OPEN AIR CORRIDOR IN BEDROOM WING Option 1

OPEN AIR CORRIDOR IN BEDROOM WING Option 2

LIVING AREA Option 1 V2 DRY KITCHEN Option 1 V2

LIVING AREA Option 2

LIVING AREA Option 2

DRY KITCHEN Option 2

The idea borne by the PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, MTM will be the first textile Museum in Malaysia dedicated to exhibit Malay textile collections, including permanent exhibition of a collection from Azah Aziz or Mak Ungku.

In ensuring the museum functions as a forefront textile museum in Malaysia, my team & I worked alongside other consultants such as WY-TO Architects (as the designer for the museum gallery), museum director, brand designer, textile collectors & textile conservators.

Project: Textile Museum

Type: ID

Status: Ongoing

Targeted Date of Completion: 2024

Merdeka Textile Museum (Look @118) Kuala Lumpur 09

Most left plan

Site location of the textile museum in relation to the 118 Tower by RSP Architects

Immediate left plan

3D rendering of the context of the museum building by RSP Architects

Bottom image

3D rendering of exterior of the Merdeka Textile Museum by RSP Architects

Designed by RSP Architects, the gallery was initially designed as an observatory deck for visitors to come & observe the 118 Tower that lies about 400m to its north. The idea of turning it into a textile museum came later, when most of the structural elements are already constructed on site. This makes for quite a complex ID retrofitting project - since it was not designed to house a gallery with conservation programme such as conservation lab, storage space for textile collection, as well as materials library.

PROGRAMME

Textile Gallery by WY-TO Architects

Conservation Lab Studio Bikin

Storage Space Studio Bikin

Materials Library Studio Bikin

Textiel Resource Centre Studio Bikin

Museum Shop Studio Bikin

Cafes by Others

Studio Bikin’s scope of work area: 11,425 sq ft

prime Café area

1 Banners / posters of current / ongoing exhibitions

2 Fabric or thematic inspired installation

3 Vertical installation centred on spiral stairs alluding to the Textile Museum below

Up to café mezzanine

To/from Textile Museum / roof terrace

To/from Textile Museum

From tower plaza From tower plaza

retail display Focal point to draw crowd

Reception & ticketing counter gift shop checkout

Gift Shop Entrance Foyer

L2 : Reception & Giftshop

To/from Textile

From Linear plaza

To/from Textile Museum / roof terrace

View of the Gift Shop.

Note:Circularcolumns,externalglazingareasperArchitect’sdesign.

View of the Gift Shop & Reception / Ticketing Counter behind

View of the Gift Shop & Reception / Ticketing Counter behind

MUSEUM LOBBY / RECEPTION & TICKETING AREA

APPROX. AREA : 1,892 sqft

THE PANGGUNG THE PENTAS

Museum gallery / exhibition space

APPROX AREA : 13,358 sqft

Feature stair : Plaza / Café & retail zone

Lift : from Plaza / Future development , Café & retail zone

Entrance from Monorail / Plaza area

From plaza / café / gift shop

From plaza / future devt / café - gift shop / roof terrace

Gallery 01 / M aterial Culture & Nature – Gal lery Entrance

Gallery 02 / Gl obal M al ay Room

Gallery 08 / Tex tile Future

Gallery 07 / L iving with Textiles and Evolution

Gallery 03 / M eaning Patterns & S ym bols

Gallery 06 / S acred and S piritual

Gallery 05 / Power and Pol itics

Gallery 04 / Tec hniques and Craftmanship

To Grand Staircase Plaza & Maharajalela Monorail

LEVEL1GALLERY BY WY-TO ARCHITECTS AND STUDIO BIKIN

L1 : Museum

MAIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE

+ Installation 01

LIFT ACCESS

GALLERY 8 + EXIT

THE FOY ER

+ Installation 02

ENTRANCE + GALLERY 1

P LEATED CORRI DOR

P LAZA LOBBY

VISITORS

LEVEL 1

FOYER/TEXTILERESOURCE/PLAZALOBBYLAYOUT

GRA ND STA IRCASE P LAZA

/ The Foyer : towards MTM exit (Textile Futures)

/ View along the Pleated Corridor & Plaza Lobby beyond

STAFF FROM CARPARK

RED LINES DEMARCATING SB’S SCOPE OF WORK

VISITORS FROM BUSPARK

STAFF / RESEARCHER

VISITORS

LOADING AREA FOR B1 MUSEUM ANCILLARY SPACES

BASEMENTLEVEL DRAWINGBY RSP ARCHITECTS

STAFF / RESEARCHER

VISITORS

MUSEUM DIRECTOR’S OFFICE

MA TERIALS LI BRARY

TEX TILE RESOURCE CEN TRE

ENTRANCE / FOYER

STORAGE

MEETING ROOM

PANTRY

OFFICE (FINANCE ADMIN & PROGRAMME MANAGER)

LIBRARIANS’ HOT DESKS

CON SERVATION LA B (WORKSPACE & STORAGE) TREATMENT ROOM

TRANSIT ROOM

BASEMENT1 LEVEL TEXTILERESOURCECENTRE/MATERIALSLIBRARY/ CONSERVATIONLAB LAYOUT

Note:Floortilesisaccording to the finish code that has beensentbyRSPon22/11/22

Entrance Foyer towards entrance to Textile Resource Centre

Conservation Lab

Note:Floortilesisaccording to the finish code that has beensentbyRSPon22/11/22

Entrance Foyer

Conservation Lab

Textile Resource Centre

Museum Director’s office

Textile Resource Centre : large-format / latest publication bookshelf (left)

View from Meeting Room / Breakout Space / Presentation / Additional Work / Discussion Space

Pantry

Materials Library : table space above flat storage for laying out samples. View towards Conservation Lab beyond

Competition Tropical House for Orang Asli 10

The Tropical House for Orang Asli Design Competition is part of the KUALA LUMPUR ARCHITECTURAL FESTIVAL 2019 (KLAF2019: TOMORROW)’s programme in collaboration with Epic Society.

The Epic Homes programme is designed to develop support networks by bringing together rural and urban folk through the act of building homes, leading to the development of cooperative, resilient and sustainable communities.

This competition called for the design of houses for the Orang Asli of Malaysia.

Category:

1 - rural setting

Prize: First place

“What was once a largely nomadic self-sufficient community is now transforming into permanent residents of their land. As a result of many factors, including losing access to forest resources, many Orang Asli now have to get secular day jobs for money to survive instead of living off their land and it’s resources. This results in a lack of time to maintain, fix and rebuild their homes and community infrastructure. It also takes away the opportunities for traditional knowledge and skills to be passed down to younger members of the community, often leading to disrepair and unsafe living conditions. This is the challenge we seek to address.

We believe the situation can be improved through a step-by-step facilitated collaborative approach between all stakeholders, moving forward to develop in the way the local communities wishes, without compromising their livelihood. We believe a good first step is for people to have the power of choice.

The KLAF2019 International Design Competition aims to widen access to designs, providing potential options for the Orang Asli. In the past, we have had village heads and residents asking us to visit their village to share ideas and resources for housing. Ideas and designs that emerge from the KLAF2019 International Design Competition will be shared and discussed with them for further exploration.”

https://www.klaf.my/competition/tropicalhouse/

objective.

To seek the best architectural design solution for a house that reflects the ambition of Epic Homes to provide Basic Tropical Shelter for the Orang Asli community in Malaysia based on the following scenarios:

Category 1: Rural Housing

Housing in the rural and remote parts of Malaysia faces issues that surpass economic considerations. Due to the high level of deforestation and urbanisation, many rural villagers, especially Orang Asli have been slowly forced out of the forest – and the source of their livelihood. They are unable to find the resources and time for doing essential things such as fixing or re-building their homes.

The Clients for these designs are the rural Orang Asli who has unique communal, cultural and traditional backgrounds, including the way they build and maintain their homes.

How might we propose a suitable and affordable built solution for them?

Materiality

Mass produced materials (steel frames, marine plywood etc) are much more durable than the traditional materials

Community Spirit

Ground floor is designed to be openable to the surroundings, encouraging interactions with neighbours. Privacy for bedrooms are retained on the floor above.

Climate Response

Walls are made up of breathable skin (mosquito netting) to facilitate ventilation. A double roof prevents heat from radiating from metal roof into the interior spaces.

Visibility

Semi-transparent skin of the house foster natural surveillance & encourage interactions between neighbours & the house users

Ergonomics

Due to constraints of site, the layout & designneed to be compact but functional. In bedrooms, low wall doubles as work desks / shelf.

Ease of transportation

Biggest component: the 3m long steel structure sections can still be transported to site by hand by 3 persons.

Budget allocation (top left), exploded axonometric of the proposal (middle) & stipulated work programme (right)

Bird perspective of how the rural would look like should the orang asli select our proposal (top),

2 Exterior perspective of the proposal

3 Interior perspective of the kitchen on ground floor

4 Interior perspective of the bedroom on first floor

The Disappearing Gateway

DIALOGUE WITH THE TREES

Competition UM Gateway Ideas 11

UM Gateway Ideas Competition GP011BRM

Open to the public, this competition is to design a new gateway that reflects the image and identity of the university in line with its mission, vision, and core values:

Vision: A global university impacting the world.

Mission: Pushing the boundaries of knowledge & nurturing aspiring leaders

Core Values: Passion / Oneness / Integrity / Sincerity / Empathy

Prize: Third Prize

Why Campus Gates?

the entrance to universities, but also work as interfaces between them and the cities, and as tools of their identity representation.

designs often motivated by:

- Local references (eg vernacular Malay roof profile)

- Free-floating historicity (historical collages – eg colonial columns)

- Geometric/stylistic experiments

- Place/ments: spatialized gates (not 2D passage; expand into a spatialized design)

( H. A. K. A. N. (2018). University Campus Gates as a tool of identity representation. Frontiers Research of Architecture and Engineering, 1(2), 54. https://doi.org/10.30564/frae.v1i2.48)

Existing Gateways & its Surrounding Context

Design Concept

The gateway proposal aims to reflects the identity and aspiration of the university in line with its core values:

to nurture and grow.

The proposal strives for an architecture that ‘ grows ’ (ever- changing, to adapt according to time) and that it van shes n o na ure ’ , its structure so light that it seemingly disappear into its background of existing lush green trees surrounding UM’s gateways.

The gateway structure being ‘subsumed’ into the surrounding trees and thus harmonises with the context – symbolizes UM’s rigorous championing of sustainability research & practice in Malaysia.

Design Concept

On top of fulfilling the university’s aspirations put forth in the design brief, the proposal also aims to:

1. to celebrate the lush background of UM’s flora, & to use them to highlight the university’s aspirations;

2. to create a gateway that ‘changes’ as time passes symbolises UM’s adaptability in changing with the time);

3. intangibly ground the gateway in Malaysian’s weather (sunlight, wind).

Existing main gateway of University Malaya at PJ.

1 & 2 Sunlight filtering through trees, forming dappled light on the ground. 3 Kepong Forest Reserve. Crown shyness in the kapur tree. 1997.

Knowing the Site

Existing gateways are disconnected from the lush surrounding; does not convey the ideals of the university. Not ‘grounded’ on site.

Potential: To celebrate the existing nature and use them to highlight the university’s aspirations.

Design Concept

Komorebi // “to the sunlight shining through the trees.”

the movement of light and shadows formed by the interplay of trees, wind and sunlight on the landscape.

Crown shyness

A phenomenon in which the highest branches of a tree canopy avoid touching each other, forcing their neighbours into a pattern that maximizes resource collection & minimizes harmful competition.

Sowing the Seeds

First, the implementation is started by ‘sowing’ the seeds of columns which imitate the growth of forest (in order to blend in); at the same time, symbolises the university’s ‘Passion’ in providing and equipping students to be aspiring leaders through the offered education.

Growing the Columns

The placement of columns defines the pathway and spaces for human and vehicle flow. Hence, urban street scape and social lingering can take place in between the columns. ‘Oneness’ & ‘Empathy’ are portrayed by the blending in of the structure with existing surrounding trees.

Learning from the Nature

The canopy learns from the philoshophies of komorebi and crown shyness which highlight the influence of nature and aesthetics in the design. Materiality and shapes of the roof are controlled to allow sunlight piercing through the roof creepers - as a way to ‘embrace’ our tropical climate while being under pleasant shade. The ideal of ‘Integrity’ is reflected in its honest use of materiality of the roof - not hiding the nature of bend-able GI mesh.

UM Gateway Ideas Competition GP011BRM

1 & 2 Sunlight filtering through trees, forming dappled light on the ground. 3 Kepong Forest Reserve. Crown shyness in the 'kapur' tree. 1997.

Free standing lighting

Location of existing guardhouse

Roof can be segmented for ease of transportation to site

‘cornerless’ guardhouse

Matching the organic form of the roof, the corners disappear so the structure

‘vanishes’ amongst the columns and trees

Exploded Axonometry

Powdercoated alum. frame lightbox signage

Recycled brick aggregate concrete

Galvanisediron mesh

Stainless steel suspension cables

Location of existing guardhouse

Roof can be segmented for ease of transportation to site

Tropical creeper plants (eg. clitoria ternatea etc)

Materiality & Detail Axo

EXPLODED DETAIL AXO

How the columns meet the folded mesh roof

Petaling Jaya Gate Roof Plan // scale NTS

PJ Gateway Section scale NTS

PJ Gateway Elevation scale NTS

took a rare opportunity to become a research assistant for a sociolinguistic research headed by Dr Welyne Jeffrey & Dr Patricia Riget from University of Malaya in January & February 2023.

was sent to collect interviews from one of the minor native groups in Sarawak - the Kelabits - in their ancestral Kelabit Highlands which is also called Bario. The research is to study their language vitality & inter-generational language transmission.

took up this work as have always been interested in working directly with the indigenous communities, & am hoping to somehow integrate this experience into possibly working on cultural buildings that represent their culture & identity one day.

Research Assistant (Sociolinguistic) Bario, Sarawak 12

Dr Welyne Jeffrey Jehom (top left) is writer, storyteller, curator and public speaker. As a trained anthropologist, she is an authority on indigenous cultures of Southeast Asia, with a particular expertise in the textile traditions of Borneo. She has published on indigenous peoples, gender relations, heritage conservation and textile-making techniques, and is finishing a book on Iban weaving and sustainable development for Palgrave Macmillan.

Dr Patricia Nora Riget (top right) is a senior lecturer at the Department of Asian and European Languages, Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya. Currently the President of the Malaysian French Teachers Association (AMPF), she was conferred the Knight of the Order of Academic Palms (Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques)by the Government of France in 2019 for her contribution to the strengthening of cooperation in the French language and culture between France and Malaysia.

Clockwise from top left:

Sinah Rang Lemulun, or her real name, Renai Uding, working on a traditional Kelabit bead hat, peta’. In Kelabit culture, it is common for a person to possess up to 3-4 names; a person changes his/her name when he/she achieve a higher status in the community, including when he/she becomes a parent, a grandparent, and so on.

Mazana Teda, working on a bead hat that I purchased from her. She is married to a Malaysian Chinese from Selangor but they both decided to settle in Bario after staying in KL for more than a decade. They are now working as a homestay owner, farmer, & shop owner (operated by her husband, Uncle Ah Meng).

38 high school students from Form 2 & 3 participating in the questionnaire interview. Many of them are half Kelabits, with one parent from the tribes of Ibans, Penans, Kiputs, Sebops, Sabans and others. Most of them possess little knowledge of the Kelabit language, and if they do speak it, they would often mix the language with either Malay or English.

Sinah Rang (left), Sinah Geraut (middle) & Sinah Ulo (right) discussing Sinah Rang’s bead work by a tetal (fireplace).

Roystance Khairel played a Kenyah piece on his sape when visited his house. He was a part of a team that performed in Kuala Lumpur in October 2022. The event was organised by Yayasan Kesenian Orang Asli.

Norina Changan with her youngest child, Ian, barbecue-ing chicken at the tetal. Norina is an Iban who got married to a Kelabit. She speaks mostly Malay to her 4 children. Her oldest child, however, is more fluent in Iban than Kelabit.

“Language and culture are under tremendous pressure of endangerment due to rapid changes from the modernisation process affecting a community. If language shift among the indigenous and minority speech communities continues to take place, the language is in imminent danger of facing extinction. If that happens, it will be a great loss not only to these communities but to our national heritage as well.”

- Dr Salasiah Che Lah, Dean of the School of Languages, Literacies and Translation, USM