From the photomontage below, it captures the essence that i’ve captured on site, which are vast contrast between the user groups, scale, materiality . This project captures and embraces the contrasting elements by creating spaces of unification that gathers the contrasts and create dialogues between them through collaborative and interaction encouraging spaces. The eating spaces presents itself as a mediating factor between the contrasting elements, in hopes to create a more culturaly interactive community.
1.1 PROJECT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Due to the diverse culture and daily activities (eat, sleep, work, play) environment, it has created a social barrier between the user groups (white collars, tourist, local vendors, homeless) . Though making it a site with rich cultural values but it lacks interaction. Therefore the proposed complex is aimed to encourage various forms of interaction between users and to create an interdependent relationship. Through conducted site analysis that focuses on the daily activities of the each user group, we’ve concluded that the “eat & play” activities units and gathers user group in a single space, example of these spaces are back-alley vendors where different user groups can be seen together. Thus, prioritizing the ground floor with F&B and common eating area that encourages the influx of said user groups. The programmes that exists on the first floor includes collaborative studios and workshops that focuses on innovative craftsmanship of modern market stalls that occupies the ground floor. The upper floors then consists of spaces that caters for individual user groups.
2.0 SITE INVESTIGATION & CONTEXTUAL STUDIES
2.2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
2.1 SITE INTRODUCTION
Emergence of chinese community due to tin mining industry. A wet market was established to cater ti the community needs and as a medium of trade for the sprouting chinese community.
The site is located in front of Central Market and right beside the River of Life. This district is known as the old Kuala Lumpur city centre whereby many historical landmarks are situated within close proximity of given site. This has caused the influx of tourist and foreigners that are driven by cultural, economic and tourism factors. Thus, causing the locals to slowly lose their place in the city. Despite being a cultural core in the city centre, social and cultural interaction between the diverse user groups of the locals and foreigners is overshadowed by the economic interaction, causing the site to lose its Genius-loci and causes cultural and community segregation. Therefore, I aimed to tackle this issue through spaces of unification.
The wet market was relocated to the current location we see today due to its more strategic location and expansion in size due to the growing chinese community.
There were existing shophouses that were occupied by families, but were commisioned to be demolished due to the development of Central market as a form of gathering hub for the community at that time.
Current frontage state of Central Market, occupied by traffic and parking spaces.
2.3 SITE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES MARKETPLACE
RENEW, BUT GONE. Known to be dense with flea markets and cultural marketplace, the site presesnts itself as a booming economic place causing the influx of foreigners seeking revenue. This has caused the existing local vendors to lose their place as the original market operators thus lessening the orginal art & craft, while being replaced by conterfeit.
CONSERVATION Being packed with historical landmarks and shophouses. The responsible parties have placed efforts in maintaining the intregity and essence of the site. But to no avail, rapid development have since unsympathethically occupied the skyline, paying no respect to the heritage, this has also caused the site to lose its cultural context.
The government have taken measures to drive Kuala Lumpur into a desirable tourist hotspot by executing beautification projects such as the Petaling Street coverings and River of Life development. But, these renewal have ignored the essence of these hotspots, causing further alienation of culture and diminishing identity. ADAPTIVE “ABUSE�
CULTURAL Though being one of the tourist hotspots in the area, its definition of culture has slowly become just a shell. Driven by economic growth and tourism, many of the craftsman and artisans have left the area due to unsusMany developers and entrepreneur have promised to imply adaptive reuse to the existing shoptainable environment and competition. houses to breath new life into it. But many have left with fake promises, shophouses around the site are in crude condition and left abandon. SHOPHOUSE OVER THE YEARS The programme arrangement of floors have also evolved over the years. 1) Started off as a affordable family business that serves the common, while the family lives on top. The programme is modest and community friendly. 2) As time progresses, development too. The restructure of the shophouse programme has adapted themselves with the modern norm, whereby commercialized business runs on the ground floor while the top floor is occupied by hotel and inns. This has cut the cultural ties from the past and is economic driven. 3) As envisioned in the diagram, the future of shophouses will drastically change into a far culturally distant programme. Whereby, offices will occupy the first floors and businesses becomes for the premium, losing its domestic and cultural values.
2.4 URBAN STUDIES DISTRICT
EDGES
LANDMARKS
LANDMARKS 2
PEDESTRIAN PATHING
VEHICULAR PATHING
NODES
ACTIVITY DIAGRAM
2.5 MACRO SITE ANALYSIS
Economic Interaction Density of tourist user group is dense during the day therefore attracting local vendors to seek revenue around this area.
Social Interaction Density of foreigners is dense at this area due to their domesticized shops that were established by themselves. It gives them a sense of familiarity, attracting respective foreign workers to this area.
Economic interaction The backalley is occupied by local vendors as the prices of landed stalls have skyrocketed due to gentrification. White collars are driven here due to the affordable and convenient food that the vendors offer.
Social Interaction Due to the abundance of urban furniture and passive sun shading around the site, white collars tend to be dense in this area due to its proximity to food and social concentration.
Economic Interaction Due to the dense tourist user group around here, local vendors are attracted here, though being at a strategic tourist location, the vendors are driven by economic interaction of only trading conterfeit goods.
Conclusion: From the site section diagram above, we have concluded that they are very little to none cultural driven interaction on site. Whereby most of are economic driven, this has caused the cultural aspect of the site to simmer down where eventually will be lost in the long run.
3.0 PROJECT BACKGROUND MICRO ANALYSIS (VIEWS)
Frontage view is block by a mixture of buildings, traffic, and greens. These element could be to the design proposal’s advantage by creating either a attention grabbing facade that attract’s viewers view or a mellowed down facade that aligns with the above urban view.
3 out of 4 views are blocked
Though the views towards the river of life is blocked by the LRT rail, there are leftover spaces under the bridges that presents itself as a window of view towards the river of life. This can pose to be an opportunity for the design proposal whereby pedestrian could utilize these leftover spaces for recreational or viewing purposes.
Frontage view from the other angle is interrupted by the tree follaiges, traffic and advertisement boards. Design proposal needs to respond to the interruption by recirculating the entry route to the building or site responsive facade design.
MICRO ANALYSIS (CIRCULATION, PATH, NOISE, USER GROUP CIRCULATION
VEHICULAR PATH AROUND/INTO SITE
ACTIVITIES AROUND SITE
NOISE INTERUPTION
CASE STUDY
USER ANALYSIS DIAGRAM
ACTIVITIES AND SPACES This plate researches on the relationship between the 4 main user groups and the 4 main activities in the context of “Space” that they are in.
IN AND OUT This plate researches on the relationship between the 4 main user groups and the 4 main activities in the context of “INTERACTION WITHIN AND OUT OF A SPACE”
CONCLUSION: Eat unites the 4 main user groups and houses them in a common place.
CONCLUSION: Interaction within the building is minimal as compared to the interaction out of the building (semi-public/public spaces), which is more profound.
FORM DIAGRAM
Geometric forms as a starting point to conform to urban grid.
Parabolic form aimed to smoothen urban skyline. 3 layers of scale: HUMAN | SHOPHOUSE | SKYSCRAPPERS
Combine both architectural language to represent mediation between elements. (space of unification)
Single diagonal spline that splits the form and aligns spaces to both side. This conforms to the circulation.
3-DIMENSION OF MATERIALITY This plate researches on the relationship between the 4 main user groups and the 4 main activities in the context of “MATERIALITY - FLOOR | WALL | CEILING� CONCLUSION: Materiality of the 3 said dimension varies contrastingly amongst all user group.
Single vertical spline that splits the form and aligns spaces to both side. This conforms to the circulation.
SPATIAL EXPLANATION
VIEWS FROM CULINARY KITCHEN
VIEWS FROM COMMON EATING SPACE
4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL & TECHNOLOGICAL STRATEGIES SUN ANALYSIS & RESPONSE
9:00 AM
12:00 PM
3:00 PM
6:00 PM
WIND ANALYSIS & RESPONSE
9:00AM - 12:00PM
12:00PM - 3:00PM
3:00PM- 6:00PM
NOISE INTERUPTION