MBEA2149 Design Thesis
2022/2023-1
Final Thesis Assessment
Enhancing Visual Art Culture Among the Local Community in Kuala Lumpur Through Calligraphy Art & Cultural Centre
Thesis Supervisor: Prof. Madya Ar. Dr. Lim Yaik Wah
Pre-Thesis Supervisor: Dr Sharifah Salwa Bt Syed Mahdzar
KualaLumpurhas always serve asthecultural,financial and economiccentreof Malaysia. It is a confluenceofdifferentculturalidentities andare attheforefrontof the convergenceof art, culture,mediaandcommunication.
Literature & Publishing
Design, Fashion & Textiles
Crafts
Music, Performing Arts & Visual Arts
Film, Broadcasting & Digital Contents
Museums & Archives
• The active participationof people in cultural activities improvestheirqualityof life, wellbeingandenhances life opportunitiesandoptions.
• Within a sustainabledevelopment context,culture is both a key tool and a coreaspectof thesocialfabric,promotingcohesion at the neighborhood level,conviviality,and citizenship.
• Culturally informedurbandevelopmentcan inspire more participatoryprocesses:
Learning the pastof our culture, so that we can“own” it and propel this identity and knowledge into the future.
Cultural actions and expressionscan catalyzeenvironmental reclamation and enhancesocialconnections with theecosystemsoflocalplaces.
Cultural activities means for expressioncontribution to generatetransformative change in bothurbanandruralenvironments.
According to Cultural & Creative Economy Report
byCendana Cultural Economy Development Agency
CULTURAL & CREATIVE EDUCATION : Create A Creative Workforce
1. Key Qualities ofKualaLumpur
• Well educated,youngambitious workforce with strong education.
• Some creativespecialisms.Eg: crafts, digital,performing arts etc
• Growingvocationalprovision with industrypartnership
2. MajorGaps in KualaLumpur
• Lowlevelsofculturalandcreativeeducation in schools
• Weakappreciationofthecreativeindustriesas a viablecareer.
• Major skills gap – backstage skills forperformingarts, dying crafts skills and script-writingforaudiovisual.
• Lack of world-leadinghighereducationinstitutionswith specialism in creativepractice.
3. Opportunities
Culturalandcreativeeconomyare high-growth resilient, intensivelyskilled,andlabor-intensivearenas. However, cultural arts showsone of the lowest employment rate in Kuala Lumpurdue to the lackofplatforms to promotetheculturalartindustry.
• Undertake a long-termsector-wide audiencedevelopment program – raisingawareness ofthe powerandquality of the arts, programming art in spaces for which there is existing footfall.
• EstablishKualaLumpurasaneventsandfestivalscity.
• EstablishKualaLumpuras a globallysignificantcenterfor contemporaryvisualartsandurbanism
• More than 90% of handicraft producers in Malaysia are small scale players.
• Sole proprietors are reluctant to adapt to changes, such as new methods of craft production to increase economics of scale or to promote their business beyond the local market.
• The first and second generation of craftsmen are approaching retirement age but there is a lack of knowledge transfer to the next generation.
• Low interest level and disinterested of the younger generation to pursue a career in the crafts industry.
• Lack of cooperation and coordination between craft producers and respective regulatory bodies is hampering the industry.
• The Malaysian art scene, despite a slow growth, is maturing into a professional industry that has the potential to make it onto the word stage.
• The artistic community is continuously making concerted efforts to take the visual arts industry further into the spotlight.
• Foreign tourists appreciate local arts for their uniqueness but also due to the attraction towards the story behind of our craft products.
• Malaysia is recognised internationally as being a culturally-diverse society.
• This provides numerous and diversified opportunities for audiences of various cultures and backgrounds.
Looking back at Kuala Lumpur as an urban site itself, it has always been bringing people in KL city and the surrounding suburbs together to celebrate the cultural aspect of the city and enhance Kuala Lumpur as a globally significant centre for cultural arts and urbanism.
KUALA LUMPUR SENTRAL
Petaling Street
Kwai Chai Hong
Chin Woo Stadium
Chan See Shu Yuen
Guan Yin Temple
Merdeka 118
Theexistingcultural facilitiesin KualaLumpur aremostly focusing onperforming arts, music, crafts, textiles, film, broadcastingand digital contents. There is a lack of visual art activities in Kuala Lumpur due to the lack of platformsforpromotion and weak appreciationtowards visualartsector.
Stadium Merdeka
Stadium Negara
National Textiles Museum
KL City Gallery
Dataran Merdeka
MuziumTelekom
Central Market
Calligraphy facilities and activities are seen small scale and segregated in the context of Kuala Lumpur resulting low visibility of calligraphy arts in the city, thus it needed to be promoted.
Cultural education in school ?
Cultural segregation ?
.HOW
Lack of attention from public ?
Initiation of cultural preservation ?
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia
Government body whoresponsiblefor tourism, culture, library, museum, heritage, arts, theatre, handicraft,visualarts,exhibitions,etc
KLTA provides KL based industryplayerswitha common platform to network andengage withall KualaLumpurtourismindustrystakeholders.
To provide a space for small scales producers and associations to come together to promote calligraphy in a bigger scale
To cultivate and enhance cultural interest among local community which consists of the kids, youth, adult and elderly
Capture the interestsandbecomeoneof the attraction tourist spotsfor both locals and foreigners.
History
Importance of Calligraphy
Islamic Calligraphy
• Major Islamic art thatwasused in the earliest writing of Holy Quran in Makah
Chinese Calligraphy
• Used by Confucian scholars and literary menwho served the government as officials
• Visible expression of highest art of all, knownas the art of the spiritual world
• Provideslinkagebetweenthelanguages of the Muslim with religion of Islam
• Artistic practice ofhandwritingArabic script in a fluid manner to conveyharmony,graceandbeauty
Specialty
Writing style/ technique
• Doesnot portray figures of animals or people for religiousreason,instead become animportantmeans of decoration and a highlycreativeart form
• Arabic script offers infinite possibilities, as letters can be stretched and transformed in numerous ways to create different motifs
• Associated with geometric Islamic art – arabesque
• Consist of variety of scripts which cursive with vertical extensions andgeometric construction
• Some other scripts use fuller curving andlinking between letters
• Strong left-slanting vertical strokesanddeepcurving horizontal lines that often interlaced within letters
• Writtenfrom right toleft
• Differences in style can convey the feelings, culture andcharacter of the artist whouses language to createtheirart
• Use to reflect a person’semotions, moralintegrity and character
• Expresses the abstract beautyof lines and rhythmsthroughtheorganizational structure of lines anddots
• Theshape,size, stretch and type of hair brush, colour & density of ink influences the writing outcome
• Focuseson 3 features: ink, strokes and style
• Correct strokes,stroke order, characterstructure, balance andrhythmare essential
Tools used
• Synthetic paint,markers,spray paint,woodcarving, embroidery,metaletching
• Brush, ink and inkstick, inkstone,sealandseal paste
1. Calligraphy, Architecture, Callitecture
“Calligraphy andarchitecture are all about spaces, not only 2 dimensional, but 3 dimensional (letter sculpture). By analyzing the strokes,spaces,moods of calligraphyand then generate/transform to newspaces for thebuilding. Thebuilding can capture the essence of calligraphy and itself is a threedimensional calligraphy.”
The qualities in calligraphy which can transform to architecture:
• Equilibrium/balance
• Solid & void
• Structure of composition
• Philosophy
• Emptiness
• Subtleness
• Degree of overlapping
• Minimalism
• People who arecoming tothebuilding are creating their own style of calligraphy by theactivities they participatedinthe building.
• Learning In transit-learningis a process/creatingprocess, peoplecome tothebuilding,they shape and create the building,andthey createspaces,that is thearchitectural calligraphicspaces.
• Energy Fluidity of strokes
• Layers
• Mass Speed/velocity
• Continuity of space
• Proportion
• Sequences of Strokes
• Texture
• Naturalness
• Structure
Alice Keung, (1999) “Calligraphy, Architecture, Callitecture”
• Motion Emotion
• Gesture
2. Architecture and Zen Calligraphy: Shaping Spiritual Space
Why Calligraphyasa Generator forArchitecture ? Theexperience of the elevation of thespirit and soul are found throughout all forms of art, including the art of calligraphy. Islamic andChinese culture areso distinct from oneand anotherand so unrelated,yet their artformsof calligraphy share the same elevated understanding and appreciation, the same inherent spiritual values, andmost importantly, they share the common desire to animate, heighten, and enlightenthe spirit (figure5).
Path andpause
• First stroke(Cè)- seen as a starting point orentrance to therestof thecharacter
• Second stroke- shortdiagonal line thatbegins in the upper left corner andbroughtdowntowardstheright
Figure 5: ChineseArabic Overlap – the similarities found between Islamic and Chinese calligraphy is the application of the human spirit
Siddiqui, Rubina R., "Architecture and and Zen Calligraphy: Shaping Spiritual Space. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2007.
• Third stroke (Nǔ) - acts asthe binder of the character. It is, asthe nameindicates, thebasic structure that brings all theother strokes together; actingalmostas a spine.
• Last stroke(Zhé)- dismembermentorpressingforcefully
Hajji Noor Deen, June 2006
InkstoneHouseCulturalCenter is builtto celebrate the heritageand customs of this area of Western Sichuan.
Architect: Archi-Union Architects Area: 2200sqm Location: Chengdu, China Building typology: Cultural center Project year: 2018
• Centre’s form is basedon the inkstoneusedintraditionalChinese calligraphy, which has a waterholding cavityincorporatinginto a surface used togrind inksticks.
• Roof leanstowardstheinnercourtyard throughan elegantcurve to connect the boundaryof the skyand the earth, rethinkingtheelements of the placeandtheirrelationship.
• TraditionalChinesecalligraphy is mimicked in the project, featuring sweepingtiledroofthat flows into a centralcourtyard.
• Insidetheculturalcenter, a reception, anexhibitionarea, a conferencefacility andcorrespondingauxiliaryfunctions are accommodatedonthegroundfloor.
• Definedby the calligraphygestureanddistinctive metallic envelope, the mix-usebuildingfeatures four twisting andelongatedvolumes,eachrepresenting a distinctclusterofactivities.
• Intimatecourtyards sitin thenegativespacebetweentheintersectingwings,andtogether with the green roof, integrate natureintothedenseurbanenvironment.
DESIGNFEATURES :
• The building’s dynamic, curvilinear form travels from exterior to interior,creating a continuous internalspatialexperience anddramaticcourtyardandflowingpublicspaces.
• This is createdtheuse of fourelongatedelementsthat are tied together by a sinuousretailpodiumand a continuousmetallicribbonthatactsasthe skin.
• This is a highlyrecognizablecalligraphygesturethatemphasisonsimplicity.
Architect: Zaha Hadid Area: 342500sqm Location: Shanghai, China Building typology: Mixed-Use Project year: 2014
Intimatecourtyards sitin thenegativespacebetween the intersectingwings,andtogether with thegreen roof, integrate natureintothedenseurbanenvironment.
Architect: Snohetta Area: 4000sqmLocation: Jeddah,SaudiArabiaBuildingtypology: MarketProjectyear: 2021
DESIGNFEATURES :
• Thestructure is topped with a canopyformed of metalfinsthatradiate out tocreate a dynamicsurface influenced bythefluidlinesoftraditional Arabic handwriting.
• Thecanopy’s form isderived from the sinuous flow ofArabiccalligraphy where it follows the logicof a playfulmovementoflightand shadow built from aluminiumfins which provideshade,naturalventilation, andanephemeralappearance.
• The building’s curvingform is basedonthenatural sweep of thecornicheand its double-walled structure appearstocontinuethe curve ofthebay.
Building Programme
Site Analysis&Synthesis
Space Planning
Massing
Design Strategies
KualaLumpurCalligraphy
Art&CulturalCentre
Calligraphy learning asan extensionof leisure and schoolactivities forthe youth, locals and tourists.
Provision ofanenvironment for local culture and communityinteraction, exchangeofideasthat impact the quality ofurban environment
Interdisciplinaryresearchthat involves the creation, development, programming and delivery of interactivecontent, arts, community andapplications of multi-religioncalligraphy
Contributes tothegrowth of cultural & creativeeconomy and the calligraphy art & culture center.
Calligraphy learning asan extensionof leisure and schoolactivities forthe youth, locals and tourists.
• Short term teaching which involves specific teaching
• Can be learn in a shorter time (1 – 4 times)
• Suitable for basic & intermediate
• Focus on basic learning & practice practical skills
•Eg: Learning khat thuluth & nasakh, standard or cursive writing
• Short term teaching which involves specific technique from the master calligraphers
• Conducted by invited master calligraphers
• Suitable for advance & highly talented students
• Only student that attended intermediate workshop or intermediate routine class eligible to attend
• Long term teaching which involves specific teaching
• Weekly class with thorough lesson planning of the year
• Suitable for basic & intermediate
• Focus on theory learning & practice practical skills
•Eg: Learning khat thuluth & nasakh, standard or cursive writing
• Suitable for kids who interested to get expose in calligraphy art
• Simple drawing skills and basic teaching on calligraphy
Provision ofanenvironment for local culture and communityinteraction, exchangeofideasthat impact the quality ofurban environment
Interdisciplinaryresearchthat involves the creation, development, programming and delivery of interactivecontent, arts, community andapplications of multi-religioncalligraphy
Contributes tothegrowth of cultural & creativeeconomy and the calligraphy art & culture center
• Interactive heritage tunnel
• Gallery & exhibition area
• Performance & event space
• Rooftop garden
• Research studio
• Collaborative workspace
• Conference hall
• Archived room
• Auction hall
• Retails
• Café & restaurant
R&D Collaborative Work Space
Legend
Social Participation & Engagement
Calligraphy Learning
Research & Development
Business Income Generation
Roof Level 19500mm
Semi-Public
Pre-Function Area
Auction Hall Holding Room
Calligraphy Communal Workshops
Sunken Amphitheatre
Skate Park
Elevated Garden
Research Studios
R&D Lobby & Lounge R&D Conference Hall
Lecturer’s Office
Admin Office
Archived File Rooms
Private
Level 03 15000mm
Lounge
Digital Exhibition Room
Gallery & Exhibition Space
Open Plaza Drop-Off Sculpture Park
Basement parking
Calligraphy Youth Classrooms & Master Studios
Level 02 10500mm
Interactive Calligraphy Tunnel Lobby
Level 01 6000mm
Café & Restaurant
Public
Café & Restaurant
Ground level 0mm
Basement 01 3000mm
Pedestrian Walking
Presence of MRT andmonorail within400m from the site. Reachablewalkingdistance.
Revitalizing Back Alley
Asa livelyalleys connectingthe site tothe Stretch of JalanTun Perak– distributor of thepeople.
Jalan Stadium as Secondary Road
Not ascrowdedas primary road, potentially to proposewiderpedestrian walkway toelevatehuman-centricactivity.
BuildingHeight
Two to three-storeybuildingsaround thesiteallowingtheproposedbuilding tohave a better view ofthecity.
Potential Connectivity of Site to Merdeka Boulevard Park
Ensuringvisualcontinuity across thebuildingandvisual connectionfromsiteto a publicgreenerypark.
Merdeka 118 Tower
Merdeka Mosque
Merdeka Boulevard Park
• Revitalization of greenspacesto increaseambienceand walkability, makingnewoutdoor spacesavailable – infill project.
• Hard landscapestreettobe accompanywithnewgreen strips toimprovetheroadside & back alleypedestrianenvironment.
• Sharedsurfacingencourages drivesto travel more slowly and carefully since there is noclear definitionoftravellane.
Hard landscape street to be accompany with new green strips to revitalize backalleyas a lively alleysconnecting the site to the stretch of Jalan Tun Perak linking it to Petaling Street.
Sharedpaved road encouragesdrives to travel more slowly and carefully since there is noclear definitionoftravellane.
View from Masjid 118 towards site
Brush-stroke inspired facade panel is placed around the building to show distinct languageof the buildingand at the same time allowing naturalventilation.
Social Participation & Engagement
Social Participation & Engagement
elevated garden
communal workshop
auction hall main entrance view to pre function area
FRONT ELEVATION
N.T.S
Problem Statement:
Theexistingculturalfacilities in Kuala Lumpur are mostlyfocusingonperforming arts, music, crafts, film, & digitalcontents. There is a lack of visual art activitiesin KualaLumpurdue to thelack of platforms for promotion and weakappreciationtowardsvisual art sector. Calligraphyas a form of visual art can beusedtopromote the diversityofthemulticulturalidentity in Malaysia. Calligraphyfacilitiesandactivities are seen small scale andsegregated in thecontext of KualaLumpurresulting lowvisibility ofcalligraphyarts in the city, thus it needed to be promoted.
Micro (Site):
Issues:
1. Lack of public engagement towards calligraphyart culture
2. Low level of effort of preservingcalligraphyartamong the
3. local community
4. Segregatedplatforms for calligraphyartexperiences
Research Aim:
Topromote calligraphyart culture in order tostrengthenthe local culture identity and cultivatethe sense of appreciation amonglocal community and touristsin Kuala Lumpur City.
Research Objectives:
1.To study and integratecalligraphy art in architectural form andspatial planning
2. To develop a building program that establish education, tourism andresearch through calligraphy culture
3. Topropose a calligraphyart & cultural centretopromote thediversity of the multicultural identityin Malaysia
Special Focus Studies: Interpretationof calligraphy art in architectureform & spatial planning
Program:
1. Calligraphy Learning – extensionof leisure & schoolactivities for youth and localcommunity
2. Social Participation & Engagement
– promote local culture & community interaction
3. Research & Development – creation & developinteractive calligraphy content indigital form
Methodology:
1. SiteStudy
2. LiteratureReview
3.Theory & Approaches
4. CaseStudies
Precedent& CaseStudies:
1. Unity Templeby Frank LioydWright
2.Hiroko OdaMuseum by Tadao Ando
3. Sprawling Museum Complex, China
4. Inkstone HouseCultural Center, China
Macro (Urban):
1. Issue: Low permeability and poor connectivity of pedestrianroad
2. Mini MasterplanApproach:
I. Revitalizing back lane into lively alleysand act as a connectivity to link from Petaling Street (east) to site
II. Potential connectivity of site toMerdekaBoulevard Park allowing public from Merdeka118 (east) & MerdekaMosque(south)to walk tothe site
3. Mini Masterplan Design:
I.Green strips street design
II.Pocket spaces
III. Pavedroaddesign – shared surfacing
