Preserving Agricultural Identity
The journey to the site began as an arduous adventure on foot, starting at the edge of a small tropical town. In a bewildered quest to locate the site boundary within a hinterland, the architect trekked through acres of abandoned oil palm plantations and one of the few remaining grasslands for a local dairy farm. The exact location of the site remained unidentified on the first day, as the crew felt disoriented amidst large, undulating hills within an agricultural landscape slated for urban housing development.
While studying the site, an unusual landscape pattern emerged. The prevailing palm oil trees formed a border around an area later identified as a cluster of rubber trees preserved during the land-clearing works. After extensive discussions, the client was convinced by the architect of the importance of preserving the rubber trees. This decision significantly influenced the subsequent design process.
Journey of Approaching
The design prioritized creating a human experience before conceptualizing the actual building. This is a journey of discovering a forgotten place. The path to the gallery begins at one end of the preserved rubber forest, inviting visitors to find their way through the trees on a winding, elevated metal platform. The building's striking red facade is always faintly visible behind the forest, yet its full form remains elusive. Entering the forest path feels like venturing into a dark cave, while the gallery within the building appears as a vast white cave.
A Functional Hill
How can a building shape its form through logical spatial sequences and varying scales of spaces? The building, with its black roof silhouette, is designed in the shape of a hill, commemorating the original agricultural landscape. Across different functional areas, the scale of space changes dramatically. Ceilings rise and fall, and walls fold in and out, framing fragmented views of the outside at various angles. A zig-zag corridor leads to an internal courtyard garden, serving as the central point of the office space, mirroring the experience of searching for a destination in a forest.
As one leaves the site southward, the building is fully revealed with the forest behind it. Its form evokes the compressed, undulating hills that slope towards the ground, disregarding any sense of scale. This design allows visitors to connect their internal experience to the natural surroundings.
Sustainability
The building is designed to achieve low energy consumption. The envelope is fully covered in a double skin facade, with an external layer of sun-shading mesh and an internal layer of 200mm thick block wall. The roof is an insulated metal deck. Windows are oriented to avoid excessive sunlight while framing views of the landscape and forest. Some landscape materials are directly sourced and recycled from the site, enhancing the building's sustainability.
By preserving the rubber trees and integrating the agricultural landscape into the design, the project honors the site's history while providing a unique architectural experience. This approach not only conserves the natural environment but also creates a meaningful connection between the past and the present.
Situated within the growing township of Vervocity, Bandar Indahputra, is a new concept retail mall aptly named The Commune. The eponymous retail centre seeks to serve its burgeoning township as well as its more established neighbouring precincts by redefining typical conventions of a retail centre. It does this by combining and providing attractive communal amenities, such as a multipurpose hall that caters for both sporting and social events, alongside retail units.
In exploring the expressive possibilties for the façade’s design language, the designers were approached to interpret what this new convention would entail in built form. The designers sought to call upon tactility and simplicity in their final design scheme.
The designer brought to life the unique concept for The Commune by creating a sinewy and undulating envelope for its exterior. The objective here was to go against the usual design language and grain of shopping malls with their harsh commercial lighting and rigid exteriors. In its place, the designers looked to developing and creating a more tactile and welcoming surface reading of The Commune.
To do so, the designers perceptively employed the use of Lysaght® Spandek Optima™ in their design scheme. Interrupted only by a complementary timber slat counterpart that runs along a solitary corner of the building, the edifice’s upper floors are deftly concealed by their selection of ribbed steel panelling. While the Spandek Optima™ is manufactured in single corrugated sheets, the product was instead skilfully manipulated and assembled on-site by the contractor following the designers’ specifications to create an impeccably continuous and singularly flowing curving surface. Further accentuating the wavy external cladding is the designers’ unconventional choice of colour: Sahara Iris (from the Bluescope COLORBOND® Petal Series). The colour’s tawny earthy blush works to further soften the building’s mass, blending in with not only the tmber slats that completes the façade’s evocative undulation but also, the use of bricks on the ground floor below.
These key design themes of simplicity and tactility are echoed in the interior of the building. The waves of the façade are signalled in the decorative ceiling panels that have been carefully placed throughout the mall. These appear to weave in and around the building’s bare concrete framework. Used in tandem with slender curves of tube-lighting, the Lysaght® EASYCLAD® panels were chosen for their durability and aesthetics. The timber-finish steel panels hang suspended from the otherwise exposed raw concrete ceiling, creating a warm contrasting accent against the unadorned concrete backdrop. The series of fluid, looping panels draw the eye upwards and onwards, both encouraging movement and visual interest throughout the retail centre while blurring the distinction between its indoor and outdoor spaces (such as its communal courtyard and play areas on the first floor).
In their design efforts for The Commune, the designers kept in mind the client’s vision: to create a vibrant and welcoming lifestyle and retail hub for its thriving community. The team has strived to achieve this in the final design scheme of The Commune’s warm and graceful façade and interiors through the inventive and creative use of select Lysaght® products.
Talula Hill is perched on a hilltop near Gunung Lambak in Kluang, Johor. The 10 acre site was originally an oil palm estate that is to be converted into a vegetable farm and fruit orchard. The intention is to develop a place for organic farming and sustainable living — a model for a future green livelihood. The proprietor’s plan is to have a reception building giving access to a cluster of cabins. The cabins will include a multipurpose hall for small gatherings. Steel frame buildings or prefabricated buildings are proposed for ease of construction. The cabins are stacked together on the slope with voids between the cabins. The buildings are raised on stilts and cantilever from the hillside in keeping with the concept of architecture that ‘touches the ground lightly’.
The planning began with multiple attempts to position the cabins to suit the existing terrain and access while ensuring efficient surface drainage that would feed a man-made pond. As one enters the farmstay, one arrives at a welcome centre that houses a registration counter and a small reading area. The building’s entrance has breathtaking views of the surroundings. Timber and stone are the materials of choice for a rustic overall appearance.
SAMA Square: Reinventing Urban Connectivity in Setapak
Nestled in the vibrant heart of Setapak, SAMA Square emerges as a groundbreaking landmark, pioneering a new paradigm in community and Commercial development. This project epitomizes the spirit of unity and communal engagement, encapsulated in its name, "SAMA SQUARE," which translates to "togetherness." As a beacon of community and multi-generational interaction, SAMA Square invites the residents of Kampung Baru Air Panas and beyond to celebrate life in its myriad forms, from shopping and dining to leisure and activities, all accessible from its strategic location at Setapak.
Introduction: Unveiling the Heartbeat of Setapak
SAMA Square is thoughtfully segmented into three distinct zones: the Main Market Building, offering a plethora of dining and shopping experiences; the Open Street People Plaza, a dynamic space for pop-up events and gatherings; and the Retail Village, a curated collection of shops, eateries, and service outlets designed to cater to every need and desire.
Design Ethos: A Canvas of Urban Vitality
SAMA Square is a bold response to the challenges and opportunities of urban living in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. By adopting a 'club sandwich' approach to its design, the project maximizes the use of its ground plane, creating a layered experience of public plazas, markets, and retail spaces that not only enriches the urban fabric but also promotes sustainable and vibrant community interactions.
Celebrating Vibrancy of Life: The Heart of Community Engagement
The overarching planning concept of SAMA Square is to empower and engage the local community through an integrated design that fosters social interaction, supports active lifestyles, and encourages a dynamic interplay of public and private spaces. This vision comes to life in the People’s Plaza, a central hub that connects various elements of the project, creating a seamless flow between the food court, market, and retail village.
Masterplan: Weaving Community Threads Through Innovative Design
Through its comprehensive mix of amenities with colourful metal decking roof and facade for community markets, retail villages, and pocket gardens, SAMA Square is poised to become a pulsating heart of the community.
A Tapestry of Spaces: From People’s Plaza to Urban Retreats
The market at SAMA Square is a revolutionary space that transcends traditional market experiences. It is a hub of freshness and variety, housing fashion wear, coffee roasteries, and food courts alongside bakeries and patisseries. The market's design, with its translucent facades and strategic lighting, creates an ambiance that is both inviting and innovative, fostering a unique shopping and dining experience that extends into the evening hours.
A sustainable Market: A Beacon of Light and Life
"SAMA SQUARE" redefines the marketplace, setting new standards for cleanliness, organization, and accessibility. The modular stall design and linear organization streamline operations and enhance the shopping experience, connecting seamlessly with residential areas and providing easy access for all. The development is meticulously designed to optimize rainwater harvesting, passive ventilation and natural lighting, catering specifically to the tropical climate. This approach not only enhances comfort but also promotes sustainable design by significantly reducing energy consumption.
Conclusion: SAMA Square - Where Every Day is a Celebration of Community
SAMA Square stands as a monument to community, vibrancy, and innovation in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. Through its thoughtful design, strategic planning, and commitment to inclusivity, SAMA Square not only meets the needs of its community but also inspires a new vision for urban living.