PART04 [2020-2023] Kolkateka K. Nguon Folio

Architectural Design & Construction

Year: November 2022 - Present.

Project Team: SIRI Asia.

Location: Koh Pich, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Role: Conceptual Designer, Project Cooridinator.

OXYGEN MEDIA GROUP OFFICE.

ISLAND vs. WORKSTATION

A series of corridors flows throughout the office swaddling between a row of punctured function blobs - which we call island for its disruptive floating aesthetic.

The island is a shared social core of mixed use: hot desks, lounge, printing, massage, etc.., As one takes their daily walk to print, or bathroom run, they are left with no option to encounter and interact with one another.

A Manifesto: OFFICE EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN

More than the corporate color

The 21th century office must seek beyond the desks, the chairs, and mere corporate color. Instead, cater to the professionals who occupy the space, in order to promote a forward thinking and creative office environment that serves like-minded solution providers.

Whether it is active, relaxed, or focused, the Oxygen House hosts an agglomeration of localized spaces where independent professionals work, share resources and collaborate with one another - fostering a positive environment of productivity and meaningful interaction.

The project caters to 3 groups of professionals: the Utilizers, the Learners, and the Socializers. The workstations offer the “Utilizers”a private space with a direct view outlooking the city of Phnom Penh, aiding creative thinking and reducing stress. The central strip of lounge, called “islands”, offers a medium of interaction and collaboration for the “Socializers”, and also as a wall that blurs between the meeting areas and the workstations. The variety of meeting spaces of multiple sizes and atmosphere are designed for “Learners” to share and collaborate in many forms.

“Work” is a complex system of tasks; the Oxygen House is a user-oriented workspace that taps into experiential design to stimulate creativity and productivity of its users.

We work because we have to, need to, and want to work. We have to work for income, need to work to pursue a purpose, want to work because we want to achieve our goals.

We work because we have to, need to, and want to work. We have to work for income, need to work to pursue a purpose, want to work because we want to achieve our goals.

We work because we have to, need to, and want to work. We have to work for income, need to work to pursue a purpose, want to work because we want to achieve our goals.

what is WORK (?)

what is WORK (?)

The notion of work cannot be limited to set criteria of roles played out within a spatial confinement. Instead, work itself is a complex system of tasks, and should also be translated and practised spatially to suit the needs of a workspace.

The notion of work cannot be limited to set criteria of roles played out within a spatial confinement. Instead, work itself is a complex system of tasks, and should also be translated and practised spatially to suit the needs of a workspace.

why do we WORK (?) how do we WORK (?)

why do we WORK (?) how do we WORK (?)

what is WORK (?)

The notion of work cannot be limited to set criteria of roles played out within a spatial confinement. Instead, work itself is a complex system of tasks, and should also be translated and practised spatially to suit the needs of a workspace.

How do you work? Subjectively & Objectively speaking, work is like gender: it is fluid without confinment. Work may mean a certain tasks involving a certain suppostion of a space or of certain group of activities and interactions.

How do you work? Subjectively & Objectively speaking, work is like gender: it is fluid without confinment. Work may mean a certain tasks involving a certain suppostion of a space or of certain group of activities and interactions.

why do we WORK (?) how do we WORK (?)

How do you work? Subjectively & Objectively speaking, work is like gender: it is fluid without confinment. Work may mean a certain tasks involving a certain suppostion of a space or of certain group of activities and interactions.

Given the synopsis of the studio:The Office, the questions: why do we work, what is work, and how and objective perception of work and lifestyle.To ends at 5, to a stay at home mom it never stops

Given the synopsis of the studio:The Office, the initial concept questions: why do we work, what is work, and how do we work?. and objective perception of work and lifestyle.To an accountant, ends at 5, to a stay at home mom it never stops - and to some

Given the synopsis of the studio:The Office, the questions: why do we work, what is work, and how and objective perception of work and lifestyle.To ends at 5, to a stay at home mom it never stops

A series of corridors flows throughout the office swaddling between a row of punctured function blobs - which we call island for its disruptive floating aesthetic.

Contrary to a traditional office space, the entry from the elevator is given great significance: both for the visual and spiritual disconnection from the outside world.

Work Stations vs. Island

Main Lobby

A variety of seating areas, both formal and informal are coupled with an open-adaptive layout to induce a sense of comfort and flexibility suited to their needs of work.

The Colosseum

Zone 02:

The sloped stair case is designed to offer an flexible use area between seminars, a stage, and an informal lounge.

The long meeting table serves the purpose as a waiting/huddling area in front of the meeting room. A series of corridor space circulates throughout the office - mediating between public and private functions.

Site Image:

Site Image:

Islands vs. Workstations.

Main Lobby.

Site Image:

Site Image:

The Colosseum.

Zone 02

Architectural Design & Visualization

Year: January, 2023.

Project Team: SIRI Asia x JDSA

Location: Koh Smach Cambodia.

Role: Architectural Designer & Visualizer.

KOH SMACH YACHT CLUB.

KOH SMACH YACHT CLUB

A fishing community inhabits the island, with people of Khmer, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese descent. Koh Smach as a site of rich yet humble origins and unique calmness, guides our design for the Yacht Club; a dedication to accentuate the local culture, and to meld with the simplicity and comfort of modernity.

The Yacht Club is to be pure and undisruptive in its form; there is an aspiration to bring out the pioneers in each element the volume utilizes–light, materials, and craftsmanship. There is a cosmopolitical urge to fuse a combination of Khmer-Sino Architecture, Art Deco, and classical proportions together under one roof. Despite their differences, these elements are extremely compatible—if you look at Angkor Wat, much like the expression of Art Deco, it’s all about squares inside of squares and of nestled volumes. This is also paralleled by the motifs of Art Deco, and proportions of Palladio. The built space should reflect its function as a meeting ground of prominent figures and brightest minds: a place of leisure with modern intricacy accented by elegant homage to its context.

KOH SMACH YACHT CLUB

Visualized 3D

As evident in the section above, the living room is situated with significance in relation to the suites on either sides; the grandeur is expressed through the lifted floor level, ceiling, and opening towards the sea.

The suites is designed for one to choose between having complete privacy or opening up to the distant view of the ocean. The interior showcases a sensitive mixture between modern comfort and traditional elegance.

ROOF PLAN

A fishing community inhabits the island, with people of Khmer, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese descent. Koh Smach as a site of rich yet humble origins and unique calmness, guides our design for the Yacht Club; a dedication to accentuate the local culture, and to meld with the simplicity and comfort of modernity.

FLOOR PLAN

A fishing community inhabits the island, with people of Khmer, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese descent. Koh Smach as a site of rich yet humble origins and unique calmness, guides our design for the Yacht Club; a dedication to accentuate the local culture, and to meld with the simplicity and comfort of modernity.

Personal Hobby/Passion.

Kbach Arts Competition

Yamada / ADA Art Exhibition

American Chamber of Commerce - Art Exhibtion for Charity

Sra’art Gallery Phnom Penh

OIL ON CANVAS & PHOTOGRAPHY.

Khun Kolkateka is a Cambodian artist who has a reverence for the history of the Khmer Kingdom and its culture. His love for Cambodia’s lavishing style of arts, integrated with his deep interest towards European art creates a balance between the two worlds - his kingdom and that of the west.

Born and raised in Phnom Penh, his paintings pay homage to the colors of his homeland. As his passion for Khmer art started ever since he was young, his taste for European art history and techniques were cultivated during his years in middle school and high school. His distinctive personal style emanates joy and peace and expresses the vibrant spirit and atmosphere of the Cambodia’s past. His realistic depictions of the transformative effects of light and color in the four elements of earth, sky, water and land are life-affirming.

At just 18 years of age, Khun is widely recognised for this works as a rising young talent in Cambodia. He was named the runner-up of an international gallery competition in Phnom Penh for his work entitled “The Show Must Go On”. His artwork is included in numerous private art collections throughout Cambodia (including the Cambodian German Embassy) and Canada.

PRICE OF INDULGENCE

Oil on Canvas 800mmx600mm 2019

As the composition of the piece is heavily inspired by medieval religious paintings of the Virgin Mary, the subject is painted in Khmer traditional costume sewn from Chinese textile. All of which is accompanied by various Khmer architecture in the background.

The painting depicts a still life of a Cambodian Royal Dance Mask and Chinese Porcelain Items. Cambodia and China has been trading for centuries, and Porcelain is one of the most sought after Chinese goods as it is commonly used in the household of the wealthy, hence its symbol of status and opulence. The painting is painted to capture the Chinese influence towards the Cambodian Society and Lifestyle.

CHINA

Oil on Canvas 500mmx500mm

2019

Neang Kongrei: The painting depicts a scene from the Cambodian Legend of Puthisen Neang Kongrei - the story of a giant’s daughter who was abandoned by her husband. During her attempt to follow him, she was halted by Puthisen’s magic potion that turned the land between them into water. Neang Kong-Rei cried herself to death, and her body turned into the mountain of Kong Rei, which still lies across the river in Kampong Chhnang province, today. Inspired by Van Gogh’s strokes of vorticity, Khun effortlessly incorporates world’s most known classics with the essence of khmer art, creating yet another spiral into the past.

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Oil on Canvas 600mmx800mm 2019

THE SHOW MUST GO ON Oil on Canvas 600mmx800mm 2018

Depicted in the style of Fernando Botero, a scene of the Khmer version of The Ramayana Epic in which Suppanaka (ugly Giant) attempts to fool Preah Riem by turning into a ‘beautiful’ woman.

With the topic of ‘“Classic/Avant-Garde of Cambodia”, I painted with a little twist to the Cambodian Myth of Thunder and Lighting through the combination of both classical Khmer art and Botero’s style of Avant-Garde, mixed with a hint of surrealism. The Khmer classical art style can be seen not only through the story behind the artwork, but also through the use of gold details on the costumes. As shown above, certain details are also playfully replaced by luxury brand patterns such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace.

AN INFINITY AND A HALF Oil on Canvas 600mmx800mm

My grandma is the inspiration for my project.

I grew up under the comfort of a home: a roof to live under, a complete family with always enough to eat, and an opportunity for education. My home is in Cambodia. This is the home that my grandparents and parents fought for me. Giving me what they had lost in the war became their goal.

During every family gathering, my cousins and I would always gather around my grandmother to listen to the bizarre stories of her life during, and after the Khmer Rouge. From stories of selling candy at the gate to stories of how my father had to spend his after-school herding buffaloes and go fishing for his own dinner, these stories never fail to gain my reverence towards them.

I took these images simply out of the urge to render these stories of courage and resilience of the older generation of Cambodia into a tangible form that has the capacity to have an impact on others just as how it impacted my life as a young Cambodian. The stories of loss, followed by many more stories of found hope and bravery.

Today’s Catch

Harmonious Chaos

On Architecture, Arts, Planning, and Living Design. Through the medium of drawings, photography, painting, and storytelling.