MOON MISSION : Realising urban resilience through art and design installations

COVID-19 has affected the lives of many people around the world. We are now two to three years after the pandemic, the question now is what's next for our city? Should urban development follow the path it took before the pandemic hit? I really think our city should be allowed to freely re-imagine possible futures and experiment with more sustainable and creative ways of life. At the very least, local communities, creative and cultural organizations should be encouraged - designers, architects and artists should be allowed to create spaces  that inspire the creativity of the city's dwellers.

To this end, PAMSC's World Architecture Day (WAD) celebrations have become a 'testing ground' for promoting creativity, and for re-imagining our future cities. In the past, INTODESIGN Lab has taken the opportunity to work closely with PAMSC to organize events such as Cardboard City, the 'Walking City' and other installations involved in efforts to foster creativity and sustainability within local communities, particularly among the young generations.

In conjunction with this year's WAD 2022 celebration - The temporary installation of Moon Pavilion has been set-up in the public park at the Palmerium, MBKS (Majlis Bandaraya Kuching Selatan). This place-making project also aims to promote cultural event through celebration of Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival), promote communities engagement and celebrate endemic. We foresaw that it could serves as a backdrop for lectures, mini concert and night movie screenings in the park. Aside from PAMSC, the event was a combined effort of MBKS, SCACA (Sarawak Creative Art and Culture Association) and FECCA (Free & Easy Chinese Calligraphy Association).

The concept of the Moon Pavilion was derives from the poems of Song Dynasty:

At Lantern Festival - Tune: Song of Hawthorn by Ouyang Xiu (欧阳修): <生查子·元夕> 之 ‘月上柳梢头，人约黄昏后’ - ‘When the moon hung behind the willows, young people went out on dates under them’. This verse aims to illustrate the artistic conception of Moon Pavilion during the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

The design process for the Moon Pavilion was also inspired by the Serpentine Gallery by OMA - We envision the Moon Pavilion to be simply a white spherical object floating in the park. It would be translucent in the day with shadows cast from the internal frames, and illuminated at night. It can be seen from the main road or within the park, intentionally creating interest for the public. Some children claim it is a Star Wars spaceship ready to take off, a Kongming lantern, big eggs, a lantern that you can hide in, etc. . . it can be interpreted in any way. Most importantly, to connect architecture, art installations, and creativity to the local community.

In terms of building materials, the structure is made of bamboo, just like traditional lanterns. Bamboo was harvested and cured earlier in August by the skillful Bidayuh community from Puncak Borneo. It took a month from harvesting to installation in the park.

There is a one-day university students event held at MBKS Auditorium and Palmerium Park in the midst of the Moon Pavilion construction - ‘PAMSC WAD 2022 : The Moon Pavilion Installation & Students Workshop’. The event consisted of a bamboo crafting workshop, bamboo design lectures led by Dr. Bambang Karsono and Cr. Wadel Boyod, site visit and installation of the Moon Pavilion. This event was participated by 110 students across five universities in Sarawak (UNIMAS, Swinburne University, UITM from Kuching, Kolej Laila Taib and UTS from Sibu).

Kuching has a rich and diverse culture and community. Our heritage is made up of the tangible, the intangible and the natural. Ultimately, we might consider what we could do next to ensure that the city's development allows organic intervention in creative, cultural and community spaces. We could also re-imagine what our city needs in the near future. With that in mind, it is hoped that the Moon Pavilion will continue its mission to inspire.

A Metaphor for Collaboration

This year, in honor of World Architecture Day and as part of the PAMSC Design Festival (PDF2023), we are delighted to present the urban installation of Cloud Pavilion. Rooted in the concept of collaboration, this installation symbolizes progress towards a brighter future through collaborations.

Crafted entirely from bamboo, harvested and cured in September 2023, this installation is the result of a month-long endeavor skillfully executed by the Bidayuh community from Puncak Borneo. The use of bamboo not only adds sustainable touch but also highlights the community's traditional craftsmanship. To enhance the concept of a 'cloud,' the structure is partially veiled and weaved with agricultural netting, creating a soft aesthetic. Additionally, this netting serves a dual purpose by maintaining breathable internal space, providing shelter, and forming a new habitat for birds and insects. Throughout the entire process, from design to construction, the project demonstrate the significance of collaboration through the integration of traditional techniques with contemporary vision. This installation marks a continuous evolution from our previous Moon Pavilion project (same site, 2022). It showcases our commitment to fostering public engagement, cultivating community space, as well as promoting urban resilience through art and urban installations.

Kuching has a rich and diverse culture and community; however, our cityscape lacks the presence of creative spaces, particularly in the form of urban installations. We passionately advocate for our city to embrace the freedom to re-imagine potential futures and experiment with more sustainable and creative ways of life. We aim to elevate the overall urban experience with more dynamic and innovative cityscape by two approaches:

+ Inspiring local communities and fostering partnerships with creative and cultural organizations, as well as authorities

+ Granting architects, designers, or artists the opportunity to shape spaces that ignite the city's creativity

Collaboration is a vital aspect of innovation, efficiency, and adaptability. It brings together diverse perspectives, optimizes resources, and promotes continuous learning, and effective communication. By combining the strengths of individuals to achieve collective goals, collaboration builds a foundation for long-term success in our dynamic and interconnected world. Taking inspiration from nature, the metaphor of clouds underscores the interconnected and decentralized nature of collaboration, highlighting its flexibility and scalability. In the digital era, it illustrates how technology facilitates seamless collaboration, bridging distances like water molecules forming clouds in the sky. With this vision, we hope that the Cloud Pavilion will continue to contribute and inspire.

Installation of 'Walking City' during World Architecture Day, Cardboard City Challenge, Oct 2017. The diagram demonstrates the assembly methods of the cardboard Walking City, documented from Cardboard City, Oct 2017. The connection and relationship between its components reflect the kit-of-parts concept nature of the ‘real’ Walking City by Archigram in 1964.

The screen envelope seamlessly weaves together repetitive lines, intricate patterns, geometry, and a vibrant color palette. While fulfilling its sun screening purpose, this composition further establishes a unique and memorable identity for the new hotel block, creating a lively and inviting atmosphere, especially at the slightly less noticeable corner of the city.

The kindergarten features an open learning concept, utilizing compartmental shelving to create more space for interactive play and learning. This design allows for the easy creation of learning zones, while maintaining a connection to the outdoor playground.

An inspirational space that children will gush into it once entering the library, like honey bee swarming; library of self discovery and endless exploration. The layout design intended to hide the rows of existing columns within the enclosed zone, giving the common area a continuity flow of movement.

A kindergarten is a place to learn through play whereas a daycare centre cares for young children for the duration of an adult’s work-day. Many of us remember our first experience of early childhood education as a less than enjoyable one, for some it was a fearful departure from the familiar and ‘safe’ environment of home.

This was our main design objective when we were commisioned to renovate the former international school in Bintulu. We aimed to ‘rescue’ the children from this situation by creating a scheme that is able to leave a positive lasting impression for the children. In child psychology, good impressions help to develop relationships to a place - a positive first impression often leads to cohesion, which grows into familiarity that eventually becomes a sense of security in the child.

We drew inspiration from the activities of the town and people, and extracted many elements from this industrial oil and gas town and adapted their forms as playscape in the courtyard. So that the kindergarten will bear impressions of Bintulu. Similarly, Sarawak’s lush forests and natural environment were reflected in the interior spaces - to modulate the learning environment, to calm their minds and spirits and hopefully leave a good memory for their future.

The school's design is highly compact, maximizing space efficiency while ingeniously transforming circulation areas into dynamic learning and communication spaces. The use of bold colors and striking patterns creates an engaging environment, fostering visual interest and stimulating creativity. This thoughtful integration of aesthetics and functionality ensures that every corner of the school contributes to an inspiring and interactive educational experience.

Children are much more creative, imaginative, and inquisitive than we are willing to acknowledge. In this ‘Sarawak Children's Festival 2019’, the Monster Cloud act as an iconic, festive, memorable and interactive sculpture for this event. This is an interactive sculpture that children can touch and sense, to develop their creativity and curiosity. Moreover, the Monster Cloud is to introduce the idea of recycle, reuse, reduce, and repurpose. This is to raise awareness on the amount of plastic cups wasted and also finding ways to reuse the plastic cups. All used cups are provided by Chun Yang Tea 春陽茶事 - Kuching. Structure sponsored by Global Eden.

As we all know, cleanliness is important within the school compound, aside from common areas like the classrooms, canteen, corridor and etc, the toilets with high usage are equally important. In our numerous visit to the urban schools, as we observed, there are common problems with the toilets, which are due to a lack of cleanliness, maintenance problems, and vandalism committed by students.

Averagely, students spend around one third of their time at school and they need to use the toilet rather frequently. A hygienic toilets provide healthy environment by minimizing transmissible diseases, encouraging good attitude and cultivating sense of responsibility to the students. On the contrary, dirty toilets will cause sickness, disgust and a bad impression or memory for young children. This is because school is the first public space they step into away from home. A clean and well designed toilet can cultivate good habits and social responsibilities since young age.

I came across an interesting news in China Daily News where students at a primary school in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian province, were reportedly required to take the responsibility to clean the school toilets to help them nurture healthy habits. Some parents opposed the idea, but others believed that the kids who were instructed to clean the school toilets would thank the school later for instilling the spirit of rules and teamwork in them. In recent local news, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim believes that getting students to clean the toilets they use at school would help instil values in them too.

In this little toilet project at SJK Chung Hua Primary School No.1, Kuching, I took a chance to redefine the toilet cubicles at a local primary school with natural ventilation, brighten the interior spaces with natural lighting, and utilize rainwater collection for cleaning, gardening, and outdoor activities. Contrasting to most toilet in urban schools, the toilet corners are fillet to create a softer form. There is certain playful manner in the space planning, thus resulted in a non ordinary appearance. I choose to use the pastel blue color as a tribute to the school’s color theme. Since its completion, it has drawn attention to the teachers and parents, students are happy to gather there as a pick up point after school.

We hope this Little Blue Project will inspire other schools to promote healthy toilets and encourage students to develop healthy habits. For me, even a small voluntary project is worth attempting to make it as impactful as possible.

This is an extension to a detached house in Kenyalang Park – built in the mid-1980s’, with a linear plan due to its elongated site. The existing house is located on the middle of the land and was originally the site of their seafood business until a few years ago when the business moved to larger premises. With the back yard vacated, the original owners (the grandparents) wanted the house extended for three generations to live together.
The architect used two strategies to design the new house; the first was to maximize the build-up area without sacrificing natural lighting, ventilation and comfort. A planted courtyard garden and pool provided the relief space between new and existing – defining the link where the new house is ‘plugged in’ to the original house. The second aim was to synchronize the overall form of the old and new house. The extended house was designed in the manner of a modest steel shed with metal roofing material in the memory of the original cold storage sheds in the backyard.

The Lending Library, though compact, has been ingeniously designed with an additional mezzanine floor, effectively creating extra space for learning and exploration. This innovative use of vertical space not only maximizes the library's capacity but also fosters a more dynamic and engaging environment for its users. By thoughtfully integrating the mezzanine, we've transformed the library into a multi-functional space that supports a variety of educational activities.

Another ‘large-scale toy’ was installed during the 2nd edition of Cardboard City Challenge in 2018, themed ‘Re-imagining the Future’. The installation was inspired by the International Space Station (ISS). Apart of spatial experience generated by the ‘large-scaled toy’ installation, we have incorporated live telecast of astronauts work station at the actual space laboratory with the ISS Apps online. Cikgu Suwiti of SK. St. Mary – volunteering sharing session about ‘Journey To Space’ at the ISS installation. She self-initiated to participate in experiencing the astronaut training program at NASA for her life learning and career exposure in 2016. Since then she volunteers to share her experience to all primary school children during free time in the event with an aim to inspire and answering questions by curious children about the space and human exploration outside the earth. She engaged students in creative teaching as personal responsibility. Furthermore, the Star Wars theme opening music and lighting enhanced the spaceship effect. 

'A hotel in Sarawak seeks to distinguish itself with an architectural approach that is influenced by unique geometrical patterns found in the beaded accessories of Sarawak's local tribes.'

(Architecture Malaysia Vol 25 issue 3 2013)

A façade-oriented design, this 6-storey business hotel was planned efficiently to house 155 guest rooms at a less than optimal site. The ground floor consists of a lobby, cafe, business centre and conference rooms. From the first to fifth floors are the guest rooms. By adopting the hotel’s corporate identity, the architects transformed the hotel’s two-dimensional logo into a threedimensional envelope, through the anatomy of facade components that were placed in layers to create a distinctive look.
The site features a lower platform, behind rows of commercial blocks, and faces a major hightraffic road. The design approach employs a vibrant ‘pattern’ and ‘graphical’ effect with repetitive multi-faceted elements applied to the flat facade, which serves to create an attractive visual impact through the gaps and the alleyways between the commercial blocks. The design and composition of the facade components were developed and inspired by the Dayak tribe’s Manik (beads) artwork, alongside the hotel’s corporate identity. The indigenous people of Sarawak (Borneo) have used beads as part of their dress and artwork for hundreds of years, adding vibrancy and colour to formal occasions. Such craftwork employs the primary motif and secondary motif in contrasting bright colours, set within a dark or black background. All motifs are then repetitively composed to form the complete artwork. This technique was similarly adopted to develop the design of the facade. The exterior continuously extends into the ground floor lobby area, wrapping the ceiling and interior wall like a band that loops outside in. Interior touches such as floor tiles patterns, bench and ceilings in the cafe are derived from the process of composing shattered pieces of shapes into a directional distortion that forms the space. The outcome is a visually unique building that illustrates the culture of Sarawak through its architecture, making 56 Hotel a unique landmark that welcomes the visitors with its ‘cultured’ corporate identity.

'Skillful use of architectural elements, exciting spatial experience and vibrant colours demonstrate the approach and notion that learning can be accommodated anywhere and anytime on campus.'

PAM Awards 2017
Education Category - Silver Award

'A dynamic, flowing spiral loop ties together inspiring learning experience for the students of Eaton International School.'

(Architecture Malaysia Vol 29 issue 5 2017)

Eaton International School is located in Jade Hills, Kajang. The School’s built-up area is 138,685 sq ft (Phase 1) and consists of classrooms, academic and non-academic administrative wing, and main facilities such as a library, canteen, multi-purpose hall and black box performance centre. The three programs of the School are pre-school, primary and secondary education. The building was completed in time for the School’s new semester in September 2016. Phases 2 & 3 is targeted to be completed in 5 years’ time, and will increase the building’s total built-up area to 205,600 sq ft.  

The architecture captures the Spirit and Vision of the School, with spaces that are inspiring, stimulating and enjoyable. The dynamic and continuous ‘spiral loop’ building form reflects that learning is a continuous, never-end process. The ‘spiral loop’ wraps around 3 courtyard spaces and embraces the external within the internal. This blurring of the boundaries of the learning environment expresses the School’s philosophy that learning can happen anywhere and at any time, whether in the classroom or outdoors.

The Main Concourse is the ‘spine’ that connects the three programs of the School. The Main Concourse forms the activity hub of the School. The academic and non-academic administrative wing and main facilities such as a library, canteen, multi-purpose hall and black box performance centre are all located along the Main Concourse. A flight of steps cascades down from the Main Concourse to the Central Courtyard and opens out to the future sport facilities, which will be constructed under Phase 2

The architecture also adopts green environmental design strategies. The building is designed with single-loaded corridors that allow for natural cross ventilation through the internal spaces. Classrooms and library have large openable glazed openings that are shaded with colourful feature hoods. These shading devices filter the penetration of natural daylight and reduces glare and heat built-up, creating comfortable a learning environment. Open corridors wrapping around the courtyards are well-shaded with perforated metal sun-screens that provide screening against rain and  external weather.

The design of an inner-suburban Chung Hua primary school explores innovative ideas by transforming typical external circulation areas into a central, internal space. This reimagined space serves as a vibrant hub where students and teachers can interact, learn, and greet one another. By bringing circulation indoors, we've created a cohesive and engaging environment that fosters community, enhances communication, and provides ample opportunities for informal learning and social interaction.

This comprehensive initiative by the Museum Department, encompassing five forts from the Brookes era, provides abundant opportunities for learning and contributing to the curation of its historical, architectural, and cultural aspects. We look forward to exploring the profound impact of fortification on the region's history and heritage. Stay tuned for more updates!

The Film Documentation

(Sypnosis from the Producer)

Battling the march of modernity, an ancient tribal community in Borneo works to retain its identity and traditions by calling back the dead to reassert the orderly relationship between their world, the human world, and the surrounding jungle. As one of the various ethnic groups in Borneo, the island's Iban have their own language, values and a rich cultural heritage that has been compared to legendary Greek mythology. They are known as a feared jungle tribe hunting heads to display courage and exact revenge on enemies as they fought to claim a tropical jungle territory they could call home. The orderly relationship between the human world, the world of the dead, and Borneo's jungle lies at the core of Iban existence. But as generations now drift into modern city life, the Jabu family is returning to their communal longhouse to reassert a revered tradition - a three day festival of homage to call the dead back and reaffirm their relationship with the living. Gawai Antu will involve a year of planning and draw tribal members in their thousands to the Iban's remote jungle homeland to recall the spirits of the dead in a ritual so complex and powerful most will experience it only once in a lifetime. In a modern world, Gawai Antu-"The Festival of the Ghosts" is a rare affirmation of ancient tribal identity and unity, as the spirits of the ancestors are called to defy the modern erosion of tribal identity and once more bind new generations behind the Iban mind and spirit.

The Exhibition

This exhibition, hosted at the Borneo Cultures Museum, is a collaborative effort prompted by an invitation from the Jabu Family in August last year. The exhibition seeks to introduce visitors in the immersive world of Gawai Antu Film Documentation—a comprehensive documentary by  the Jabu Family and Image Farm Productions Sdn. Bhd. over the course of a year.

Spread over three vibrant days at the Borneo Cultures Museum, this exhibition serves as a lively celebration of the year-long cinematic journey. The exhibition's design is carefully curated to encapsulate the essence of the film documentary. It goes beyond mere artifact display, creating an immersive narrative that breathes life into the story itself. The design of the exhibition is predominantly centered around bamboo, a material of profound spiritual significance in the Gawai Antu ceremony. Bamboo is used for a wide range of purposes, from preparing Tuak and weaving to crafting, praying, chanting, food preparation, and offerings.The exhibition space is thoughtfully composed using bamboo screens, creating distinct themed areas in sequence:

1. "The Ngempi" - This section focuses on the making of Tuak Indai Billai, where glutinous rice and Ragi are fermented and transformed into Ai Tuak Indai Billai under the guidance of experienced individuals.

2. "Garong Basket" - In this area, miniature woven baskets symbolize the status of the deceased, skillfully crafted by accomplished women weavers.

3. "Rugan" - A bamboo structure that signifies the beginning of the Gawai Antu celebration and is erected at the Ruai.

4. "Miniature Weaving" - This section displays small, everyday items that are also offered to the departed.

5. "Tombstone" - All the items woven during Gawai Antu are hung under the Sungkup, which is the shed protecting the tomb from the weather.

The exhibition comprises a series of interconnected rooms of the above, with bamboo walls playing a crucial role in connecting the spaces and mirroring the ambiance of an Iban longhouse. The atmosphere of the Gawai Antu celebration is further enriched by the resonating chants and prayers, accompanying the visual presentation of the film in each room. Overall, the Gawai Antu exhibition acts as a bridge between the past and present, offering insight into the traditions of Gawai Antu and emphasizing the ongoing importance of cultural preservation. It leaves visitors with a deeper understanding of this unique tradition through film and exhibition design.

The cardboard furniture set - 'Octable' and 'Trapezools' were developed for the 21st Century Classroom teaching and learning purposes. 

In 2018, 15 primary schools with a total of 350 children participated in the ‘Cardboard City Challenge’ installation. A further 150 students from local colleges and universities volunteered for the event. It was a collective effort of 500 students working together to design an ‘Imaginary Future City’ from recycled cardboard with an approximate 600 m2 footprint. The event was a success with 4,000 people from the public turning up during the last two days of ‘Cardboard City Play Day’. Architecture plays an important role in inspiring everybody, especially the younger generation. Thus, we aim to seek creative designs from the public through this interactive family event. In addition, the event had also included competition to design Cardboard Pavilion to house creative learning activities for children and inspire them through architectural spatial experience.

Robot sculpture installation with composition of recycled cardboard furniture and other recycled materials for Sarawak Children Festival 2018.

This is an on-going charity project by INTODESIGN Lab and IKA Picture Story House for the primary school students and suburban youth community with the aim of promoting:

1. Flexibility & Mobility
2. Outdoor learning experience
3. De-centralize and Complexity
4. To instill the habit of reading from an early age, to encourage the sharing of books among the community and to learn to enjoy reading.

This is a development of the first model. This model explores the combination of bookshelves and planter box; the color scheme was adopted from the traditional fishing boat at Bintawa.

This is a development of the second model of our CSR work for the Mobile Library series. This model explores the combination of bookshelves with terrarium planter boxes; 360º, front and back access with indoor and outdoor usage. This aims to get away from the rectilinear configuration of shelves while maintaining compactness and ease of assembly.

A community project initiated by INTODESIGN Lab and IKA Picture Story House, both from Kuching since January 2016. It aims to benefit the small scale local primary school and under privilege community. This project is inspired by the “Little Free Library” introducing the concept of “borrow a book, return a book”, with objective to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide and build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations. 

A playscape that imitating the concrete jungle, space for children to conquer, to hide and seek, and to re-imagine a little city which they can roam within this apartment development.

PAM Sarawak Chapter and INTODESIGN Lab conducted a ‘building’ workshop for primary school children titled ‘The Cardboard City Challenge’. The ‘construction’ of the City started on the 3rd to the 6th of October, at BORNEO 744. 240 primary school students from 12 local schools took part in crafting and building cities of their own imagination. They were guided by the 30 local student volunteers. The final ‘Cardboard City’ was more than 400 sq.m. in area. Over the weekends after the official opening, it was recorded 1,200 people have visited the event. Generally, we hope to inspire young minds through spatial experience; we hope that they gain satisfaction in building with their hands and we hope they take away lessons about recycling, team work, problem solving, and become better creative thinkers and doers.

The coffee kiosk functions as a mobile urban intervention onto the surrounding landscape. By installing the kiosk around trees, coffee waste generated could nurture the plants in return for shade. The kiosk could be moved from tree to tree throughout the site to give back to nature.

This mural aims to expose the students to artwork with basic principle of geometry, mathematic, physic and 3D visual effect. With this, students can think creatively and critically. It could be a
representation of urban skyscrapers; a system of structure with possibility of expansion and extension or their own imagination of playground with ample of fun…etc. it is up to the individual
perception and imagination.

五塔

壁画的主要目的是让同学们接触到艺术作品中的几何、数学、物理和3D视觉效果所衍生的基本原则与构思；借此激发同学们思维上的创新、批判和创造性。壁画可以是象征繁华的都市景象、或是数理系统结构的扩展和延伸、或是充满乐趣的游乐场......这些，都可透过不同角度的观点和思维来诠释。而壁画背后蕴含着更深层的意义 — 就是莘莘学子寻求知识、找寻出路的决心。

The existing house is a typical corner lot semi-D with plenty of open compound. The client has purchased the empty lot behind, planned for alteration and extension to the existing house and fully utilised the compound. Most outdoor compounds were under-utilised due to tropical climate condition and owner disliked heavy maintenance to landscape. He is quite keen to extend the house for family of 2 adults, 3 grown up kids and a maid, yet maintaining a reasonable size for his wife to take care.

Spaces required include a clubhouse for leisure facilities for occasional gathering and party with friends, separate access and additional car parking for guests without interrupting private living of the family and an additional 1 room on the 1st floor and all rooms with detached bathroom. The client also requested that the house would look like a detached house. With his strong-will to remain staying in the neighbourhood yet own an identical house among the typical housing architecture, the project is attempted to challenge the typical Semi-D prototype. Also is about making a statement or milestone for the client’s discovery of life and taste from a “Kampung boy” to a successful businessman who gained lots of exposure by travelling.

This overall building form mimicry the Gunung Serapi, a well known geographical landmark which can be seen from most area in Kuching. Adopting the same approach, this house is intentionally designed as a landmark with an injection of nature element along the streetscape.

The roof design has been carried out through a process of testing and combining different roof profiles exist in the neighbourhood from 80’s to 90’s. The roof is oriented with visual angle directed towards the traffic approach from the main road. With that, it is all about attempting to give the community with some reminder or imagination about the mountain intentionally and unintentionally.

The side elevation is treated to enhance the visibility and attention significantly while the north and south entrance to the house have been treated carefully for not overwhelming the side facade facing the main road. On the 1st floor, more unexpected perspective angles will be previewed and the massing is appeared as a floating object with distorted effect from scenic drive through experience from two directions along the main road.

Most spaces and circulation was designed to adhere to the existing living style and familiarity without much adverse impact, and the total built-up area is kept within 15 percent increase. On the ground level, a double volume space is introduced to improve natural lighting in living room. On the 1st level, ceiling follows the roof profile with pockets of high windows all round to lighten up the hallway.

Interactive semi outdoor areas are extended onto the compound, linking with pool on the west and teahouse on the north end. These leisure spaces tend to improve visual connectivity and spatial relationship between indoor and outdoor yet separating the family zone and the guest zone.

Colours were chosen to highlight the plasticity of the components, continuity of layers and surfaces; black linear strips on facade and black window frames as primary elements of the facade, that reminds the facade treatment of the black and white house mansion.

We envisioned the house that is free from association with the typical Semi-D along the streetscape. sThe facades are components of volumes purposely extruded from, and seen as gliding past one another. This enabled the provision of balconies and pocket window.

PAM Awards 2012
Showroom Category - Shortlisted

'This office building is inspired by the parts and components of automobiles, reflecting the owner's nature of business.'

(Architecture Malaysia Vol 26 issue 1 2014)

The building, Hiap Ho Paints Centre, is a privately owned 3-storey showroom-office building that serves as the client’s headquarters to showcase automobile painting products, materials, paint mixing processes, as well as to provide for ample storage space. The building represents the fulfillment of the client’s dream to own their own building for the expanding family business. The ground floor of the building comprises of a customer service foyer and pantry, which can be converted into an event showroom at the front facing facade, leaving the back of the ground floor as storage space. The operation office, director rooms, mixing and toner rooms occupy the entire first floor. The second floor is dedicated to the meeting room, seminar room and auxiliary storage spaces. The building also incorporates a roof garden that allows for panoramic views of its surroundings. The site is surrounded by low-rise residential housing and 3 churches that have become well-known landmarks within the area. As such, the building was developed from the context of ‘Churches as landmarks’ and designed to continue as an additional landmark along the streetscape. Architecturally, this Paints Centre contributes to its surroundings as a ‘Cathedral of Colour’ of sorts, either by its colour scheme or built form, which is meant to enliven the streetscape. Sited on higher land in comparison to its surroundings, the building has stood out outstandingly as a landmark from afar, within its humble and quiet surroundings. Additionally, the building was intentionally designed to be an ‘advertisement piece’ by itself, enhancing the commercial value for the client. The form, inspired by parts and components of automobiles, reflect the client’s nature of the business. This is achieved with angled glaze openings and the continuation of the building’s silhouette by using 2 dimensional super-graphic inputs to enhance 3 dimensional visual effects from 360 degrees. The second floor space is visualized as a floating object, creating a distorted effect for onlookers as they drive by. The left and right facades are mainly solid, to highlight the
lightness of the front facade. In addition to the different gradients of natural day lighting externally, the building emerges as a combined piece of art, architecture and product. Working within budget constraints, construction materials and methods are typically conventional, with a reinforced concrete structural frame and brick wall construction. However, these restrictions did not limit the design of this project in terms of architectural exploration and expression. The client’s brief requested for the built-up area to be maximized. The design also sought to reduce the building’s heat gain, with the second floor’s deep overhang shading the ground floor from sun and rain. The first floor has been further recessed from the envelope of the building, leaving a double volume space for more airy and welcoming foyer. Lastly, the interior was designed with unique details such as the specially detailed pivoted two-face panels, which serve as a giant colour chart to suit to the nature of the business. These panels can act as advertisement panels or as solid partitions for privacy, and is used to change the mood and colour of the ground floor foyer easily.

DIY Hut
Rabbit playhouse assembled with simple planar parts, which derived from 4'×8' plywood panels, cost saving and handy for DIY assembly.

DIY Cart
There are tons of ways to let a child be imaginative and creative, the love of books is the best of all. We did This book cart for MBKS library, for the staff members to donate their preloved books. It will be mass-produced and will be open to the public in the future. Let’s extend our knowledge by sharing our books!

A modern and affordable housing design that intended to break through from typical local single storey terrace and semi-detached housing typology by providing potentially expandable space based on the needs of owners and offering sense of individuality. The houses feature a modern frontage, spacious entry and high ceiling throughout that give the houses the proportion of a double storey home. A uniquely design that practically keeps its function and promote modern lifestyle in suburban of Kuching. (Under Construction)

The exclusive 10 units of 3-storey semi-detached housing feature formal and contemporary design. It sets directly beside the neighbourhood of modern residential and commercial area at the Airport Road, and within the close proximity to the Kuching International Airport, offering a clear and panorama view of the adjacent airport and neighbourhood.

Small addition of rooftop workshop on 3-storey automobile paints showroom, which consists of a mini paint spraying booth, demo area and a viewing terrace.