PROGRESSIVE ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Parcel F9 and F10, Putrajaya.





Final design scheme for parcel F9 and F10 jointly developed with S&O Architects (F11), submitted to Perbadanan Putrajaya for planning permission, and proceeding with preparation of tender drawings. The design was developed based on concepts initiated by the lead architects, Pakatan Reka Architects Sdn Bhd (PRA).

4G9 Tower: Progress as at 8/12/2010




Work started on roof level canopy structure. Painting works on the external wall is still in progress.



Travels: Melaka, Kampung Morten





Traditional Malay houses of the Malacca type, indigenously developed throughout centuries by the Malay population is a popular tourist attraction here. Among the distinct features of the Malaccan Malay house compared to that of other states include the distinctive tiled main front staircase, the A shaped roofs and a connecting courtyard between the main house and the kitchen area.


Monday, December 6, 2010

Travels: Melaka; Peringgit Mosque





While on a trip to Melaka, I came across an old mosque that was restored by the Muzeum and Antiquities Department in 2002. Peringgit is a hill that that got its name from the word 'Peringgi' used by the locals referring to the Portuguese. The first mosque built upon this site was constructed in 1726AD but was later destroyed and the present mosque built in its place in 1868AD.
It is essentially a traditional Malacca mosque, square in shape , its foundation built of laterite blocks and Dutch bricks whereas the floor is of terracotta tiles. The roof structure, doors and windows are of timber construction, its three tiered design characteristic of mosque of the period. The verandah was originally roofed using Chinese tiles while the middle and top tiers of Dutch tiles or better known today as the 'Marseille' tiles, but in the restoration the latter tiles were used throughout. The roof summit is made of specially carved corral reefs.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Architecture: Firmness, Commodity and Delight


Unlike other arts, architecture is not concerned purely with producing creations that embody the personal philosophical or aesthetic pursuit by individuals. Rather, architecture is about building permanent structures that consider the average person’s everyday needs, symbolize the hopes and aspirations of a particular nation or society, achieve a sustainable way of using energy and technology to provide a livable environment without depleting the natural resources of our precious planet, and above all, contribute to the beauty and character of a place.

Architecture, therefore, can be described as the application of art and science to create places where the activity of living life as we know it, could take place.Throughout time, architects, in order to achieve this end, had developed numerous principles and theories so that their present community and the next generation could learn to make architecture better and more responsive to people and the way they live. These theories, in the form of philosophies and thought concepts, may be expressed differently at different times or era while ideas continue to change and develop. However, each and every one of these relate to the earliest known treatise on architecture; that by the Roman architect Vitruvius. In his book ‘De Architectura’ written in the early 1st century CE, Vitruvius stated that a good building should satisfy three important principles: firmitatis, utilitatis, venustatis (durability, utility, beauty). Today, these principles are better known and oft quoted as FIRMNESS, COMMODITY and DELIGHT based on Sir Henry Wotton’s translation of Vitruvius’ book in 1624.

These three principles of architecture remain true today as when they were first written and are present in recent contemporary architecture, regardless of their designers’ personal or collective philosophies. To fulfil the first principle, ‘firmness’, that buildings should stand firm and remain in good condition, architects do not leave the task to their engineers. Architects actively collaborate with other members of a project team to make a building structure as much a part of their architecture, rather than being merely the internal support system unseen from outside. They also consider material selection carefully to enable buildings, once completed, to be feasibly maintained by their owners.

The second principle, ‘commodity’, relates to the economics, practical function and purpose of a building. Although it appears to be quite straightforward, achieving this principle is by far the most difficult part of an architect’s work. To effectively plan the spatial relationships within a building and design functional exterior facades and fenestration, architects work tirelessly to resolve numerous design issues to fit the requirements of clients and local authorities, a time consuming activity which involves countless amendments to the concept and content of an architectural scheme before an acceptable proposal could be agreed upon by the stakeholders of a project.

The third principle, ‘delight’ or creation of beauty, is one that most people would expect to be the primary task of all architects, being the artists they are usually perceived to be. Yet for architects this is only a third of an all encompassing task of designing and managing an architectural project. It is within this third principle that aesthetical theories and philosophies become applicable, and contrary to popular opinion, only within a fraction of this ‘third’, can a building be given the attributes of personal expression. This is why architects often describe themselves as people who work diligently, using their knowledge and their art to serve the community they are designing for.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

4G9 Tower: Progress as at 9/11/2010




Regular monthly progress photographs. Fibonacci facade installation completed. Main contractor proceeding with skylight structure installation and spray painting works.One of two tower cranes dismantled. At this rate, the building enclosure could be completed by end of the year but external works and interior works are still in progress. Taking into consideration the process for application of CFO, completion date is targetted mid 2011.

Monday, November 8, 2010

F8 Visitors' Centre: Final design scheme






Final design scheme for Parcel F Multipurpose Hall and Visitors' Centre. Preparations underway for planning submission to authorities and tender documentation. Jafri Merican Architect was appointed for blocks F8, F9 and F10. The other two are office buildings. Facilities include a multipurpose hall that accommodates 1000 pax. Surau, cafe, office and open exhibition areas are located below the hall.

Friday, October 8, 2010

4G9 Tower: Progress as at 5/10/2010





The fibonacci facade has by now progressed 5 floors since 6/9/2010. At this rate, completion of all facade works can be anticipated by end of December 2010. With fibonacci 3 segments being installed, the geometrical progression has become more apparent in the facade. WCT and Avos had done a commendable job in fabricating the facade, and we hope to see fibonacci 2 segment at levels 36 and 37, the highest two office floors, to be completed by next month, leaving the skylight structure of fibonacci 1+1 at the mechanical levels to be installed come December 2010.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

4G9 Tower: Progress as at 6/9/2010




The Fibonacci curtain wall facades have progressed 5 floors since 10/8/2010 (Fibonacci 8 completed and 3 floors of Fibonacci 5 facade). With only 7 floors to go (2 floors remainder of Fibonacci 5, 3 floors Fibonacci 3 and 2 floors Fibonacci 2), and if WCT maintains the current rate of progress the facade may be completed by the 3rd week of October 2010. In November and December they could work on the skylight (Fibonacci 1 + 1 of the equation) and the roof covering for the maintennance gondola.

Lot 5G2, Putrajaya: Progress as at 6/9/2010




External works, IDFO (Interior Design Fit Out), and installation of facade decorative elements in progress. The architect for the project is Arkitek Seni Bahri. Jafri Merican Architect represents the design and build contractor Bina Goodyear Berhad. Our scope of work is to develop detailed drawings for construction implementation.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Competition scheme for commercial lots 3C10 and 3C11

This is our proposal for a design competition in 2009. The design featured 2 main elements. A glass facade with sunshading devices forming wave patterns and corner shear walls of the service cores. We developed the wave concept to provide the scheme with design elements that give some form of dynamic effect and movement, whereby the facade changes whenever the traveller moves within the pedestrian mall. We felt that the wave metaphor is relevant because of the site being located in the Core Island. No building in the boulevard had addressed the symbolic relationship with the water elements so by adopting this approach we hoped to create a unique scheme.

The two lots are separated by a pedestrian mall leading to the Boulevard.This separation is due to an LRT tunnel route that traverses the site leaving 2 triangular shaped parcels with separate basements. We oriented the grid to face the longer boundaries at the separations to make the basement design more effective. As for UDG we provided the low rise streetwalls and punctuation zones facing the boulevard and the height tallies with POJ and 4G3 facades.

The shear walls of grey concrete finish with bas reliefs of exotic patterns is a homage to post merdeka Malaysian architecture of the early 60s period but rendered in a more contemporary way.

The competition winner was Broadway Malyan. Pakatan Reka Architects Sdn Bhd was appointed as local architects. Recently, Sacha and Tan architects, one of the participants, presented their scheme in the Venice Biennalle architectural exhibition.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Competition scheme for parcel 2C2






The proposed commercial office development on Lot 2C2 (abbreviation for Precinct 2, Commercial Building, Parcel 2) is located in the vicinity of the Wawasan Bridge and is adjacent to Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd headquarters building. It is accessible via two platform levels; first, the vehicular access level, at the same elevation as the Core Island main roads and second, a lakefront promenade, about 6 metres lower. By virtue of this promenade frontage, the site is part of an extensive network of tourism related lakefront developments in and around the core island.

Designed based on a modern theme and inspired by maritime elements, the building enclosure is of blue coloured glass combined with passive solar shading devices. The proposed scheme is composed of curvilinear forms aimed at creating visual continuity of the facades when viewed by tourists travelling on boats and ferries across the lake. Consisting of a 16 storey office tower and a 4 storey retail area and office suites, these two blocks are linked by a central stepped courtyard which connects the two main access levels. Around the courtyard, retail outlets combined with various dining and fast food outlets create a lively ambience which will attract tourists, lunch hour and weekend visitors; a key factor in ensuring the success of this commercial development.

This competition scheme was not submitted however, because of disputes relating to issuance of a letter of release between Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd and the previous architectural firm NR Architect who had designed the Impiana Hotel proposal on the same site. Proposals were submitted by foreign consultants and the architectural scheme by Cox Architects of Australia was accepted as the overall winner. Jafri Merican Architect eventually became involved in the project after award of a design and build contract. The main contractor, Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd appointed our firm as architects for this project upon issuance of a letter of release by the local architect, Perunding Alam Bina Sdn Bhd who in collaboration with Cox Architects prepared the tender documents and obtained planning approval from Perbadanan Putrajaya. Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd retained the collaborating consultant architectural firms' services as checker consultants to manage the design implementation on site on behalf of the client.