Portfolio 2012

PORTFOLIOSELECTED WORKS

SAM, CHENSEN AU53/42-56 Harbourne Road, Kingsford,

Sydney, NSW, 2032Australia

HP: [email protected]

CSACHENSEN AU

© CHEN SEN AU 2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be printed or reproduced or utilised in any form by electronic, mechanical or other means, how known or hereafter invented, including photocopying or recording, or in any storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

CHEN SEN AU ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO 2008 - 2011

BAc2008 - 2009Masters of Architecture University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

2007Bachelor of Architectural Studies University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

2004 - 2006Diploma in Architectural Technology Taylor’s College Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

1993 - 2003SPM ‘O’ Levels Catholic High School Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

PROJECT LIST

uWoolloomooloo Children and Young People’s Theatre 2

The Third Wave: Milsons Point Train Station 9

w12 The Avenue Ashfield 21

10 Cecil Street Darlinghurst 25

32 Willis Street Kingsford 27

Burnett House - Five Dock 31

Yellow Town Houses - Camperdown 33

The Brooch - Sydney 35

oIpoh Point Semi-D 38

Island Hospital Arrival Hall & Office Building 41

No. 19 Pengkalan Weld 43

Bercham Township Development 45

i

u w oPART i UNIVERSITY PROJECTS PART ii WORK PROJECTS PART iii OTHER PROJECTS

ii

ua selected couple of projects selected from the projects I did back in university...

Woolloomooloo Children and Young People’s Theatre

2

In search for a construc-tive relationship in bring-ing children to engage the urban environment and society, this proposition calls for the creation of the Woolloomooloo Theatre for Children and Young Peo-ple, drawing affiliation with The Australian Theatre for Young People (AYTP), Sydney Opera House and neighborhood early edu-cation institutions. The program calls for a centre which affords performance rehearsal and practice, liv-ing accommodation and the appreciation of per-forming arts altogether. This in hand creates con-flicts as all three men-tioned activities possesses different levels of energy, i.e. rehearsal and practice being most active, the ap-preciation experience with a moderate level of energy and the living event being the least active. The big-gest challenge that arises is how to integrate all three distinctive events into one program, while reflecting each energy level in the architecture... 4

The PremiseThe Third Wave train station marks an entry to the Northern shores of Sydney at Milsons Point. The station is formed of two main entities, one being the main station curving body that responds to the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Har-bour Bridge and another being the railway portal roof that runs across the entire stretch of the rail platform. The main roof is aspired to be of sea-green-tinted low-e-glass to cre-ate a sense of transparency and dialogue between the new train station and the existing viaduct. On the other hand, the railway portal roof is inspired by the work of artist Ned Kahn. It is aspired to be composed of thousands of blue-anodized, 300mm square aluminium flaps that move in the wind. The blue anodized flaps will flicker with a mix of prevailing breezes and passing trains’ gushing winds, reflecting different amounts of light from the sky. This in hand creates the effect of a ‘liv-ing roof’ especially when trains arrive and depart the station.

This project is aimed primarily in creating a landmark and/or identity for Milsons Point, which in hand create a new public domain that reconnects the two suburbs of Kiri-billi and Milsons Point by utilizing the spaces under the via-duct. The earlier exercise of unravelling the historical and heritage value of the viaduct has led to notion of preserving and conserving the existing viaduct’s architecture as much possible while introducing new intervention and programs.

On the ground level, new programs introduced include the main station concourse, a row retail outlets and cafes to reinvigorate the activities that take place between the two suburbs, a bicycle servicing and storage outlet, as well as the reconfigured Milsons Point Plaza. From the Plaza, a new link is created to an upper level that leads to the starting point of a pedestrian footbridge that will be built in the future to connect the higher cliffs to the Lavender Bay foreshore area. Further one level up is another platform suspended from the main roof body that houses the smart ticketing access point, a premium bar as well as a view-ing platform that hovers right across the freeway underneath.

The Third Wave: Milsons Point Train Station

Axis & Direction

View Corridors

Green Spaces & Entertainment

10

The viaduct is a very difficult entity to work with as it is heritage-listed and the exterior of it should be kept and preserved as a minimum threshold.

The main concept is to create a large and clear axis between the two suburbs under the viaduct, afforded by the station.

The axis should encapsulate a volumet-ric space that hovers over the viaduct and also houses all the new programs within it, namely; railway station concourse, retail areas, bicycle service and storage area, as well as a premium cafe with exclusive views over the viaduct.

The existing railway will be maintained so as to work within the framework of conserv-ing the viaduct, more focus will be placed on reinvigorating the public domain with the new train station entrance as well as other new programs.

Part of the vision for this project is also to reconnect Kiribilli on the East of the head-lands with the Lavender Bay foreshore on the West. The exisiting parkings tunnel will be pedestrianize.

A conceptual link bridge is also proposed to run from the station’s premise over the steep cliffs down to the foreshore area that will be redeveloped in the near future.

A new link will also be added to connect the station’s public domain with the more elevated station’s programs.

Sydney Tower

Sydney Opera House Sydney Harbour Bridge Milsons Point Train Station North Sydney

The dilemma in creating a new transport-based development that marks the noth shore gateway lies in how to respond to the two existing icons of Sydney, namely the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Further, should the new building be very functional with conventional aesthetics or should it shout out and likely end up as a white elephant?

12

wselected few projects from the jobs I handled and participated at my current work...

The underused site contains a two storey brick house that ca-ters for only one dwelling while its neighbours on the same street predominantly consists of residential flat building. Given the proximity to the train station and neighbourhood, the pro-posal sensibly calls for a boarding house that caters to the inner-west new families as well students that can hop on the train to the nearby university. The proposal however, invited strong criticism and opposition from the neighbours and lo-cal council, particularly due to their perception of a boarding house from the past. This resulted in repetitive amendments and revisions to the proposal’s design to respond to the ob-jectors concerns but no middle ground was found throughout the DA and even to the S34 process. The proposal was then appealed at the Land Environment Court and a final outcome approving the proposal was achieved, after an ongoing fight of 16 month. The final proposal calls for a 20 unit boarding house including manager’s unit complete with a podium that accom-modates parking spaces for cars, motorcycle and bicycle, all in accord with SEPP Affordable Rental Housing, if not well above what is required. The client is committed to build the project despite the time and money spent on getting the approval in order to establish a long-term investment for their family.

Location: 12 The Avenue, Ashfield 2131 NSWSite Area: 672m2

Project Cost: AUD 1,200,000.00Progress: CCResponsibilities: Design development, DA drafting & documenting, DA package & submission, S82A Review, S34 Court mediation, Land Environment Court, Consultant coordination and collaboration

The Avenue Boarding House

22

x

x

DN

LiftCommunal Lounge

Area 25.31 sqmRL 18.30

Unit 19Area 21 sqm

RL 18.30Toilet

Entrance / KitchenUnit 1Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 2Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 3Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 4Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 5Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 6Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 7Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Entrance Foyer

Private Garden

UP

Stor

e

DN

UP

GardenStore

Main Entrance

RL 18.80RL 18.30RL 16.50

RL 18.20

1 : 14 gradiant ramp

Levelled Open SpaceRL 17.00

RL 17.00

Lift

Communal LoungeArea 33.55 sqm

RL 18.30

On-site Manager's UnitArea 21 sqm

RL 18.30Toilet

Entrance / Kitchen

Unit 1Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 2Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 3Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 4Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 5Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 6Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Unit 7Area 17 sqm

RL 18.30

Entrance Foyer

UP

Stor

e

DN

ROOF PLAN

BB

UP

UP

DNUP

DN

LEVEL 1 FLOOR PLAN

LEVEL 1 MEZZANINE FLOOR PLAN

LEVEL 2 MEZZANINE FLOOR PLAN

LEVEL 2 FLOOR PLAN

Unit 8Area 21 sqm

RL 21.15

Unit 9 - Accessible UnitArea 19 sqm

RL 21.15

Unit 5 MezzanineArea 8 sqm

RL 20.55


RL 20.55


RL 20.55

Unit 17Area 21 sqm

RL 24.0

Unit 18 - Accessible UnitArea 19 sqm

RL 24.0


RL 23.50


RL 23.50


RL 23.50


RL 23.50


RL 25.35


RL 25.35


RL 25.35

DN

UP

DNDN

FRONT LEVEL 1 FLOOR PLAN

FRONT LEVEL 2 FLOOR LAN

BB

Unit 10Area 17 sqm

RL 21.30

Unit 11Area 17 sqm

RL 21.30

Unit 12Area 17 sqm

RL 21.30

Unit 13Area 17 sqm

RL 21.30

Unit 14Area 17 sqm

RL 23.10

Unit 15Area 17 sqm

RL 23.10

Unit 16Area 17 sqm

RL 23.10

BB

BB

BB

O

RRRRR

R O

WW

WWWW W W W

W

R R

W

WW

R R

1

2

3

4

5

UP

BB

DN

C

C

A

A

BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN

x

SOUTH ELEVATION

RL 18300 new Level 1 Floor

BO

UN

DA

RY

BO

UN

DA

RY

RL 15300 new Basement Floor

A

A C

C

RL 23100 new Front Level 2 Floor



RL 26584 new front gutter ridge

RL 28540 new front roof ridge

RL 26550 new middle roof ridge

RL 28280 new rear roof ridge

RL 17000 Rear Open Space



THE AVENUE ELEVATION

BO

UN

DA

RY

BO

UN

DA

RY

RL 29510 Roof Ridge

RL 27700 Top Gutter

RL 28410 Roof Ridge

RL 26140 Top Gutter

N. 6 - 10 The avenue N. 14 The avenue

RL 28540 new front roof ridge


RL 26584 new front gutter ridge

B

B


RL 26550new middle roof ridge

RL 28280 new rear roof ridge

RL 26584 Top Gutter

NORTH ELEVATION


RL 18300 Level 1 Floor

BO

UN

DA

RY

BO

UN

DA

RY

RL 23100 Level 2 Floor

RL 21150 front Level 2 Floor

RL 24000 new front Level 3 Floor

RL 20550 Level 1 Mezzanine Floor

RL 25350 Level 2 Mezzanine Floor

RL 28361 new middle roof ridgeRL 28540 new front roof ridge

RL 26584 new front gutter level

RL 28280 new middle roof ridge

C

C

A

A

24

The proposal calls for a 28 unit boarding house complex built under the SEPP Affordable Rental Housing on a site that cur-rently houses a gallery/warehouse in one the most sought af-ter suburb in Sydney. The site is surrounded by predominantly medium – high density housing with low density dwellings scat-tered around the area. The proposal consists of two separate building mass housing the boarding units separated by a central communal courtyard. The basement would typically house the carpark and waste bin rooms. As the site orientation and neigh-bouring medium-rise buildings present a very difficult condition to provide generous natural light and amenity, all the architec-tural elements in the central courtyard are to be of glass and steel to permit maximum sun light penetration into the courtyard, namely the staircase, the lift and the walkways. Also, as there is limited greenery/foliage and deep soil plantation provided, the central courtyard boundaries would be lined with steel cables/rods to allow green climbers/creepers to grow vertically and hopefully, in time, to densely populate the central courtyard with vertical greenery, rather than the common horizontal coverage. Given the social sensitivity of building a boarding house in such a prominent area, this project went through consultation with-several political figures for the area and the final details are cur-rently being concluded by various consultants before going into a full DA. This process alone took a fair amount of time and hope-fully by the end would result in a fruitful DA that would contribute to the affordable housing stock in the area for people at large.

Location: 8-10 Cecil Street, Paddington 2021 NSWSite Area: 419m2

Project Cost: AUD 1,900,000.00Progress: DAResponsibilities: Concept & Schematic Design Design development, DA drafting & documenting

Cecil Street Boarding House

26

A supposedly straight-forward project that steps down across a site that falls 10meters from the street-fronting side to the rear laneway took almost a year to get an approval from council due to the council’s decision to impose a planning principle strictly upon the subject site. This resulted in the proposal being revised twice and after a persistent and hard-fought struggle, the coun-cil finally approved the application when their elected external planning body decided that they were pleased with the revisions. The final proposal presents an 18-unit boarding house including a manager’s unit that is built under the SEPP Affordable Rental Housing scheme. The stepping of the building responds to the steep drop found on-site and the building separation between two buildings provides visual separation and sun penetration through to the neighbouring property on the South. Two building masses sit on the basement podium which accommodates park-ing spaces for cars, motorcycle and bicycles as well the bin room. A noteworthy issue that impeded the application’s progress was that the council was concerned with the isolation of the Southern neighbour and rendering its future development potential yet the neighbouring property changed hands during the DA process and had been developed into a multi-unit boarding house under NSW’s CODE SEPP. This is also one of the reasons this project was approved hastily by the council towards the end of 2011.

Location: 32 Willis Street, Kingsford 2032 NSWSite Area: 613m2

Project Cost: AUD 1,000,000.00Progress: DA approvedResponsibilities: Concept & Schematic Design Design development, DA drafting & documenting, DA package & submission, SEPP 65 Compliance, Consultant Coordination

Willis Street Boarding House

BASEMENT FLOOR PLAN RL 38.2

WIL

LIS

STR

EE

T

WIL

LIS

LA

NE

motorcycle parking

Bike Racks(min. 5 spaces)

Met

ers

RRRR R R

RRRR R R

WWW W W

WW

W

O O O O

W

W

W

W

12345

UP

Basement CarparkRL 38.2Pump Room

Bin Room

Yard

5visitor's

car space

4visitor's

car space

3visitor's

car space

2visitor's

car space

1visitor's

car spacevisitor's

car space

3347 23850

400 5735 250 875 2600 1800 400

150

3000

4290

3000

1600

150

1219

1

Existing building footprintshown dotted

C C

Yard

WM

WM

UP

WM

UP

DN

DN

WM

DN

DN

WIL

LIS

STR

EE

T

WIL

LIS

LA

NE

LEVEL 1 FLOOR PLAN RL 41.2

WIL

LIS

STR

EE

T

WIL

LIS

LA

NE

UP DN


WM

WM

DN

WM

DN

WM

UP

3347 8000

1200

150

1219

1

1050

250

120011

060

026

6015

0

4295

1200

4295

1000150 3776 3924 1501000 6000 1000 3925 3925 400

7850 150

3347 8000

1200

150

1219

1

1050

250

1200

110

600

2660

150

4295

1200

4295

1000150 3776 3924 1501000

8000

3925 3925 400

7850 150

1350 5650

56501200

C C

C C

Unit 10

Unit 11Unit 11

Unit 13

Unit 12

Unit 15

Unit 14Unit 14

Unit 17

Unit 16

Open Courtyard

Open Courtyard

LEVEL 4 FLOOR PLAN - STREET ENTRY RL 50.2

WM WM

DNUP

sh

b

wc

fw sh

b

wc

fw

Unit 3Unit 5

Unit 4

Community RoomArea 35sqm

RL 50.20

WM WM

WMWM

UP

DN


3347 8000

1200

1219

1

1200

4295

1200

4295

1000150 1501000

8000

150

7850 150

6000

1050

1000 3643 150 3907

7850

105015015039241103666150

2100 8000 1000 4000

1200 150 120011033007103543

3347 8000

1200

1219

1

1200

4295

1200

4295

8000 7850

1050

9012

1050150150

8938

1000

5000

2050 150 2050

1200

1219

1

1200

4145

1500

4145

7850

1101501000 3300 710 2665

C C

C C

Unit 6Unit 8

Unit 7

Unit 9

Private Terrace

Private Terrace

Private Courtyard

Private Courtyard

DN

WM

WM


Yard

UP

DN

DN

DN

DN

WIL

LIS

STR

EE

T

WIL

LIS

LA

NE

WM

ROOF PLAN RL 56.2

3347 8000

1200

1219

1

1200

9791

1000

8000 7850 150

6000

1050

7850

1050150250

2100 8000 1000 4000

11040103543

1200

1219

1

1200

4295

1200

4295

1050 1050150150

1200

1219

1

1200

3994

7850

1501000 3827 110 3000 110 3140

3347 8000 8000 7850 7750 10350

1000

5000

1000

150

5645

C C

C C

Semi-public Terrace

Unit 2

AA

BB

28

53.75 Roof Ridge

53.11 Gutter Ridge

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y

EAST - WILLIS STREET ELEVATION

SOUTH ELEVATION

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y

NORTH ELEVATION

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y

47.58 Gutter Ridge

2

WEST - WILLIS LANE ELEVATION

3

39.60 Laneway Gutter Level

49.89 Street Level50.20 Level 4

47.20 Level 3

44.20 Level 2

41.20 Level 1

38.20 Basement

53.20 Level 5

56.20 Roof Level

AA

BB

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y



47.20 Level 3

44.20 Level 2

41.20 Level 1

38.20 Basement

53.20 Level 5

56.20 Roof Level

9.5m building height control




SECTION BB

3000 6190 3000

250 5690 2501200

SECTION AA


EXISTING FLOOR STRUCTURE TO BE RETAINED TENTATIVELY ; MAKE GOOD FOR NEW BUILDING STRUCTURE 39.60 Laneway Gutter Level


47.20 Level 3

44.20 Level 2

41.20 Level 1

38.20 Basement

53.20 Level 5

56.20 Roof Level

BB

AA

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y

INDICATIVE COLUMN AND BEAM SIZES TO FUTURE ENGINEER'S DETAILS

POSSIBLE NEW RETAINING WALL STRUCTURE AS BUTTRESS TO BUILDING STABILITY TO FUTURE ENGINEER'S DETAILS

SECTION CC

50.08 Gutter Ridge

53.75 Roof Ridge

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y

47.58 Gutter Ridge

Bou

ndar

y

Bou

ndar

y CC

CC



47.20 Level 3

44.20 Level 2

41.20 Level 1

38.20 Basement

53.20 Level 5

56.20 Roof Level

47.85 Rear Roof Level

44.85 Rear Level 1

41.85 Rear Ground Level

30

The site orientation, shape and dimensions present a very difficult situation on how to build a dwelling that suits the requirements of the clients to have a generous lounge room and outdoor terrace. The clients also wanted bed-rooms on the upper level that could accommodate current family members and have the capacity to cater to possibly more family members in the future and still maintain flex-ibility in the present usage. Another challenge inherent in the site was the low roof ridges in the streetscape, making it difficult to flexibly add functional spaces on upper levels. The proposal calls for excavation to about 1.6meters to accommodate a two storey dwelling with roof space, with the house form taking a long rectangular shape coherent with the site’s shape. Given the tight budget, the building was proposed to be naturally finished using the finishes in the chosen concrete blocks, this required extra care in arranging the blocks so that the craftsmanship would not look sloppy. As all walls and slabs are naturally finished, all power points, pipes and other services had to be planned ahead to reduce the exposure of any unwanted cover-up works. This project is expected to be completed in mid 2012.

Location: 3 Connecticut Ave, Five Dock 2046 NSWSite Area: 350m2

Project Cost: AUD 550,000.00Progress: Under ConstructionResponsibilities: Design development, DA drafting & documenting, DA package & submission, Consultant Coordination, Construction Certificate, Tender documentation, Builder selection & coordination, Construction drawings, Detail design

Burnett House

32

An adaptive reuse project that involves two heritage items on a site that is surrounded by predominantly residential flat buildings, warehouses and a few single dwelling terraces. The proposal calls for partial demolition of one of the heri-tage item which is not listed and remodelling the internal configuration of both items, addition of three town houses at the rear of the site and providing one car space for each dwelling in the proposed basement carpark. All dwellings will have acess through the central courtyard where pri-vate and semi-private areas will be drawn out by means of fencing. The use of opaque and semi-transparent yel-low and white glass is an attempt to respect the heritage aspect of the project, of which the yellow limestone walls at the front of both heritage items are of high regard. The challenge of the project lies in how to blend the new and old aspects of the development while also accommodat-ing the functional requirements of dwellings as well as the requirements of Council. Despite being compliant on all critical LEP and DCP requirements, City Council decided to refuse the application and the project is currently be-ing amended under an appeal in the Section 34 process.

Location: 13-15 Briggs Street, Camperdown 2050 NSWSite Area: 350m2

Project Cost: AUD 1,500,000.00Progress: Section 34Responsibilities: Concept & schematic design, Design development, Detail design, Consultant Coordination, DA package & submission Section 34 Coordination

Yellow Town Houses

NORTH WEST / BRIGGS STREET ELEVATION

NORTH EAST ELEVATION

SECTION AA

COURTYARD

0 0.5 1 2 3 5 m

SOUTH EAST / REAR ELEVATION

BO

UN

DA

RY

LIN

E

BO

UN

DA

RY

LIN

E

SOUTH WEST ELEVATION

COURTYARD

SECTION BB

BASEMENT CARPARK

COURTYARD

34

Winning entry for a closed competition organised by City of Sydney to remodel the main-street-front-ing-facade of one of the city’s oldest carparks.The proposal calls for Goulburn Street façade to be em-bellished with a thin layered structure which resembles the multicoloured, glittering cuts of a jewel as set within an ornamental brooch. The Brooch’ comprises of a series of asymmetrical, triangular windows which serve as an aes-thetic addition to the Goulburn Street facade and its metal and glass structural components seek to represent as an extension of street awnings. The multicoloured irregular sur-faces have been designed to contrast with surrounding office towers and will serve as a befitting addition to the street-scape. By designing the elevation such that no triangular piece faces the same angle, reflections and shadows cast from the new facade will be dynamic and interesting. The Brooch’ breaks the building’s monotony but retains a functional interface that represents the ex-isting functional requirements of the car park. The ex-isting lift tower will have the street-fronting facade fully covered with solar-tech collectors with a total of 10kw of electricity which would run the building services. The new facade will also feature a large interactive advertis-ing structure, displaying multiple forms of visual media while also being programmable for sight and sounds.

Location: Goulburn Street, Sydney 2000 NSWSite Area: unknownProject Cost: undisclosedProgress: OngoingResponsibilities: Concept & schematic design, Design development

Goulburn Street Carpark Remodelling

oselected few projects I was involved with outside the scope of my formal work...

The project brief calls for a rezoning of existing plantation land into resi-dential plot and the construction of 8 or 4 pairs of semi-detached houses or attached houses catered to the upper-medium class market. The con-cept was to position these houses amidst generous landscaping on the plot of land included in each divided plot, with front car-port parking, liv-ing spaces and kitchen on the ground floor and 3 bedrooms on the first floor level. This was later changed to 5 bedrooms over the first and sec-ond level. The mirroring pairs have similar ground and first floor level floor plans but the second levels are mirrored front-to-back, creating articulation in the street elevation. The selected finishes and façade treatment are re-flective of contemporary developments in the town and strives to increase the value of the project through incorporated design ideas and solutions.

Location: Ipoh, Perak, MalaysiaSite Area: ~ 2400m2Project Cost: ~ RM 4,800,000.00Progress: CompletedResponsibilities: Feasibility Study, Concept & schematic design, Design development

Ipoh Point 8 Semi-D

This experimental project brief calls for an iconic or celebrative type of building that serves the patients who arrive and depart from the hospital. Also included in the program are several administrative offices, public and private toilets, pantries and directive and waiting areas for patients prior to going to the specialist departments and other areas of the hospital. The challenge in this project lies in how to come up with a design that is reflective of the hospital’s image and philosophy while giving that ‘wow’ factor that satisfies the client’s taste. Upon finalizing the planning issues, the predominant scope of the job was to experiment with the façade options as well as testing its suit-ability against the existing built form and architectural language.

Location: 308 Macalister Road, 10450 Penang, MalaysiaSite Area: ~ 500m2Project Cost: ~ RM 1,000,000.00Progress: DiscontinuedResponsibilities: Feasibility Study, Concept & schematic design, Design development, Facade design

Island Hospital Arrival Hall & Office Building

Another experimental project located very near to a number of UNESCO Heritage buildings in Georgetown, Penang, as well as the bus transport hub directly opposite the site and the ferry terminal on another end of the road. The project brief calls for an external makeover and structural retention of an existing 5-storey shophouse-like building and an addition of another floor level on the existing roof level. The new building would serve as a medium to upmarket hotel catered to the people that come off the international ferries and busses at their respective transport hubs nearby. The functional-side of the two-fold brief is relatively easy to handle compared to creating an identity and icon for that street as proximity of the subject site to the sensitive heritage items and the transport hub creates a difficult situation and envelope to work with while striving to come up with a creative solutions and responses to the brief. The client’s acknowledged tastes for contemporary architecture around the world also proofed to be a challenge as total mimicry is not something they would refrain from. Hence the continued pro-cess in coming up with an architectural solution that defines the new and addresses the old while keeping up with the clients’ intentions is a challenge that is nowhere yet near the end…

Location: No 19, Pengkalan Weld, 10300 Georgetown, Penang, MalaysiaSite Area: ~ 2000m2Project Cost: ~ RM 2,000,000.00Progress: OngoingResponsibilities: Feasibility Study, Concept & schematic design, Design development, Facade design

No.19, Pengkalan Weld

44

A rare opportunity to develop an existing hardwood estate arises when the youngest son of a local timber tycoon decided that they will have to change the strategic direction of their company into property development. The commission includes a full range of architectural works from the very basic feasibility studies to concept design and development, urban design and even to the detail design of specific buildings on site. The new town were to incorporate a shopping complex, an education hub, residential apartment towers, commercial office towers and retail outlets, a central communal garden as well as boutique outlets scattered across the garden. The cli-ent initially bought the idea of an organic urban approach that responded to the macro and micro climate sensibly complete with iconic buildings that would establish a new identity for this satellite suburb some 10 minutes drive away from Ipoh town centre. Nevertheless, the client changed their minds halfway through the process and went for a very pragmatic and cost-sensitive and cost-effective proposal that went on to construction and cur-rently is on the right course to be fully completed by mid-2013. The biggest challenge of this project was to keep the initial urban design intent largely intact despite having to go down the road of a somewhat common and prag-matic design approach. The final design of specific buildings, namely the residential towers, boutique offices and shopping complex, was reflective of contemporary architectural styles and standards and it is believed that this project would still set a very high benchmark for upcoming develop-ments in surrounding area and even as far as back into the Ipoh city centre.

Location: Taman Tasek Indra, Bercham, 34100 Ipoh, Perak, MalaysiaSite Area: ~ 33 AcreProject Cost: ~ RM 2,000,000,000.00Progress: First phase completed, ongoingResponsibilities: Feasibility Study, Concept study & design, Schematic design, Design development, Detail design, Facade design, Coordinate design with project architects

Bercham Township Development

46

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Portfolio 2012

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