Emporium

Emporium and Delofts Residences

The Emporium and DeLofts Residences project is a mixed use commercial and residential development designed to meet the growing demands of the commercial spaces and housing in Kuching City. Strategically located in a prominent city fringe precinct of Kuching and along the major thoroughfare of the Airport to City route, the development catalyzes small and medium capital entrepreneurship through providing affordable retail spaces that co-exist with residential living.

Dictated by the triangular shape of the site, 3 residential blocks rest above the commercial podium wrapping around alongside the boundary enclosing a courtyard and atrium space in the center. The design concept is to position double frontage shops to energize the central atrium and create clear and distinct street level entrances to this activity space. The atrium roof is designed as a usable break-out deck and courtyard open space for the residents. 5 steel columns hold up large span steel beams to support this deck which features walkways, planting and skylights all organically shaped to contrast with the rectilinear forms of the building.

Architecturally the building form is envisaged as linear blocks with an emphasis towards horizontality and diversity/dynamism. The linearity is a gesture towards speed and movement as one passes by the project along the highway. This is further emphasized by means of the steel and aluminum horizontal fins along various levels of the façade as well as the one long roof along the main highway façade. In addition, the fins and roof overhang provide sun screening for the east and west facing facades. Equally the façade sees an interplay of solid walls and window openings in a “purposed random” fashion as they are purposed based on the differing layouts of the apartment units within. The upper 2 floors of the apartment blocks are duplex/loft units.

Construction-wise the project employs concrete with traditional formwork. Prefabricated shear formwork construction had been explored but the differing unit layouts and low-rise nature of the project together with the shortage of local manufacturers in East Malaysia resulted in the option being not viable.

A key design intention of the project is to differentiate its outlook from the typical apartment condominium to one which is dynamic and modern. The project explores one’s perception of materials and this represents a key idea to the employment of metals as a material which conjures the sense of lightweight-ness. This is then accentuated by the use thin-edge detailing which only the use of metals in architecture permits. In the blend of traditional plastered brickwork construction and the simple use of steel and aluminum the façade takes on a different form.

The development seeks a socio-economic balance of commercial and residential living in a community. This is evident in the many occupants who are actually working and living in the same premise. In the near future, the Kuching Urban Transport ART station will be located directly in front of the development which will inevitably add value to the project and enhance long-term sustainability.