thought is a form of action…a necessary precursor to beauty
Entrance View of Climbing Centre, Challenge Park
The Climbing Centre at Putrajaya is slowly nearing completion, most of the materials have been installed, including the climbing facilities. Stretchmarks Asia will probably be looking at operations, traiing and also events management for the council, we are pleased tha tthe final touches to the interior will also be completing soon.
Point 92 sketch here show some of the deliberations on the schematic design, with development on the direction for the lobby and also some issues with respect to the facade and how the building stand to being an iconic workplace.
The new proposal suggest a green experience, for a corridor now deemed to be a lounge, cum outdoor terraced eatery, perhaps beckoning more visitors to enjoy the urban room, in the words of Louis Kahn. There is opportunity to invest in outdoor art, streetscape and even exhibitions to accompany food and beverage. Reading should be also a pleasant activity for this place.
This was a project that had all the elements of a scheme that would celebrate nature, utilising the most common materials but exploring the new way of assembling the parts. The Aqualive Project examined the experience of the visitor through sounds of water, and also of the ambiance derived from sheer delight in walking past vast expanse of water and natural light emanating from the very open concept. This is a view of the approach to the showroom, to be located in Kuala Lumpur.
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Image of Astro new look office, designed to promote Astro’s philosophy of work, of solidarity, symbolic in the way the facade shows two building materials coming together, one transparent, and the other more solid. A concept that drives the plan form as well as the section, two spaces meeting in the centre where the courtyard breaks into a garden, with many natural elements. The dark cement and the planar glazing on the facade locks into each other as a clasping hand, the interlocking floors give each level a view of the the next one either above or from below. A humane and completely intimate internal environment that encourages external awareness and as a sense of connection to light and landscape.
There’s never a sure way to decide if the shape of this building is right, until we we have developed the entire interior plan for this 30000 sqm textile and warehousing retail project. The towers enjoy a separate identity whereas the facade continues to exude a sense of fabrication, and knitting of the skin, complex but composed at the same time, made from the most basic building materials.
Study models of the AAR centre demonstrated a resolved geometry for the roof and the articulation for the ground. We wanted air circulation for the entire length of the building and a truthful relationship between the angled walls and the slopes in the surrounding site features.
Our take on the design for AAR is about all these things and more. We will introduce an intricately-woven scheme, immersed with the landscape, and one that boasts breakout areas for an intimate working environment for the staff. An interactive styled building, both responsive and evolved over user requirements yet specific to the immediate needs of the Client.
Shaped for the future but sustainable in the use of building materials, extraordinary but simple at the same time, elegant yet affordable, all features of what we feel is the modern building with potential to take modifications over time as well as demonstrating a personality borrowed from how it is used and expanded with time. The 3-storey structure is at once about views into the custom designed landscaped courtyards, and also about preserving the open space and minimising the footprint of the building. This approach promises a proportionate relationship between the built form and open space, a feature that immediately suggests that the externality and outdoor designs of this project warrants careful consideration of its parts. Totally conceived to be integrated with the landscape, this is in line and is consistent with the Client’s ideal for a themed or resort office. The interior embrace the exterior ad vice versa, essentially one can work on the terraces as well within the confines of the spaces inside the building. In terms of energy and conservation, we have made provisions for the use of natural ventilation, hence the centre courtyard to stack effect the flow of warm air, and also to encourage the chimney effect to pull in fresh air from the outside. The depth of the building is kept to the minimum levels to reduce glare, which ultimately reduces the need for internal lighting for most parts of the interior. Sustainable materials and energy consumption strategies will ensure a meaningful building design, and a solid investment on the part of the Client. Materials used for this purpose will have met criteria for sustainability, with low life cycle costs.
Towards the end of this year we can see the evolution of a new art direction for a project that has both the Parcel 4 aesthetics combined with the honesty and legitimate natural tendencies of the BOH Visitor Centre. As with the early philosophy for the IBM Cosham building designed by Lord Foster, the architects proposed that external awareness is of great importance to one’s productivity. So came about open plan office designs, but today, we know comfortable interiors and proper lighting, amongst many other aspects of good design finally contribute to a workable office plan that is timeless and durable.
The Zhongtai Project in Shanghai was a collaborative effort between zlgdesign as executive architects and Kuma Associates as Concept Architect. Interior design details and furnishing was by zlgdesign, including many of the details, such as these guest rooms on the top floor of this 5-storey office.
Latest photos show the restaurant finally opening to the public, receiving guests for breakfast and dinner serving probably the best coffees in Malaysia. Here we see the planting adding character to the music infused ambiance of the very sophisticated dining rooms of the Heritage Boat Club.
Detail of floorboards at BOH Visitor centre’s cantilevered balcony, overlooking the Tea Estate of Cameron Highlands Malaysia contrasted to the more rudimentary look of the external wall, altogether striking a balanced use of natural materials in both traditional as well as the unconventional forms.
These recent photos of the atrium of avenueK show the very sparsely decorated interior of the shopping mall, akin to a museum ambiance. Never has shopping experience been more culturally relevant and so spacious, as expressed by the creamy white terrazzo floor, laid homogeneously across the entire mall throughout the entire development. It remains as one of kuala lumpur’s most curious project, attaining status not in terms of retail experience but more for its bold and unique position as a lifestyle destination, confusing many albeit with charming surprises, as a museum of sorts, considering the events held there seasonally to promote awareness of the arts.
Sketch of the duyong restaurant was prepared immediately upon receiving details of the site and the context took precedence almost without hesitation. The curvilinear shape of the partition and screens derive the inspiration from the boat building culture of the local villagers. Above everything else we wanted something that echoes the quiet but sophisticated traditions of wood carving and boat building still prevalent in this part of Malaysia.
A very interesting project is under development, the view here shows the preliminary designs for a perforated skin dressed over a 5-storey building capped with a custom japanese-designed grass roof. Car park facilities on the upper levels and retail on the lower floors make this a challenging brief for a concept building set to become an icon.
KResidence is part of the mixed commercial development more popularly known as avenueK, seen here is the serviced apartment tower slowly taking shape. You’re looking at the rising tower almost to the top, with faceted stainless steel framed balusters and aluminium glass facades built exactly as we have designed them, distributed in relatively random pattern across the perimeter of the floor slabs. We’d like to think the white glazing can eventually pick up external lighting we have coordinated with Vortexlighting to place on the roof levels of the Retail podium you can just see on the far right photograph. [see also avenueK]
The site progress shows remarkable resemblance of the character of the building to its original modelled shape. Slabs and walls from reinforced concrete and finishes are deemed to be kept as is basis with no embellishments of stone or tiling work as far as is practicable.
Kiss towers are an exploration work on giving forms to tall structures, that in terms of architecturally sound buildings, deviate from the mainstream ’structure-centric’ solutions. We are excited by the opportunities through this stance in creating iconic designs that are either very visually engaging or technically interesting. “An icon..once seen never forgotten–a child of eight can draw this thing on the back of a postcard..”: huatlim.
Screen and Partition details of the Duyong restaurant [located in Terrenganu, East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia] show a wooden structure forming a dividing wall between active zones and private rooms.
“We were inspired by the local village fishermen’s boat building art, partly because of the way they work with the wood, and partly because of the extraordinary precision found inside the curved forms of the ribs. We wanted the restaurant to reconnect to something from the region, so that the design has elements belonging very much to the genius loci of the village, not something we could simply pluck from the air; we didn’t want anything to just suddenly come out of the woods…” huatlim.
Some 24 different breakout areas have been designated for this vast office interior for Digi Telecommunications Headquarters Offices located in Shah Alam. More than 1 200 office workers enjoy informal areas that were designed and conceptualised around zen and forest/nature themes. Ceilings ‘longkangs’ [malay for channels] are kept as dark recesses in our signature RAL 7038 grey, remaining clean throughout the entire project, with bell lights mounted within this zone over general circulation active zones. The original inspiration for this office building and internal space, with informality as a concept would be the Telenor Centre in Oslo. We went to see this amazing facility, which took the office typology and turned it on its head, and then made it to be the new living room for workers, with art thrown around just about every corner, the site is fantastic [used to be the old airport strip], and the food and catering is beyond hotel standard. You can see Douglas Gordon’s work there amongst many generative artist.
We are extremely grateful and happy to have the cooperation of the Client under the direction of Ms Khor Choo Lin.
Project completed in early 2006.
Key to this master-plan has necessarily been the firm setting down of a uncompromising conceptual design framework that says that all public realm should be accessible directly from every apartment and office space within walking distance. Set against a 70-acre development this parcel boasts a forested internal courtyard the size of a football field, elevated to reach up to four levels above ground. The basements receive light from the deck through clever openings in the plaza.
Similarly set up as avenueK for the design collaboration, we see current involvement and input from Mark Mahan of Site Concepts [Singapore], Kuma Associates of Japan, Benoy and WDA of Hongkong. We shall be expecting input from Dr Lei Fu from Shanghai in the coming months.
This residential project permitted us to use natural materials in simple and uncompcated ways, very much in line with our intents to make this a totally ‘zen’ and minimalist open concept with visually strong connections to the outdoors. Windows for this project have been made to let a lot of light into the deeper parts of the house, with most openings kept totally frame-less.
One of the key projects we are pursuing is the Challenge Park comprising the climbing centre and the skate park games centre, both located in the new government precinct of Putrajaya, Malaysia’s new administrative capital. Currently both projects are on the ground, piling works are at an advanced stage, and we contemplate completion in late 2008.
We don’t suppose this Project was anything substantial, but the challenge was good enough. The old building was pretty much in a dire state, with crumbling brick walls and disused radiator pipes everywhere, it was a eyesore and a complete and utter mess when we started out. Today it is Zhongtai’s main offices for their showroom and lighting business tied in with their new look and feel, launched together with their sister offices in Shanghai which we also helped design and execute. This project was mooted and supported entirely with the assistance and guidance of Dr. Lei Fu of Leox Design Partnership, who remains a steadfast colleague in all our projects.
This image has been the most powerful of many, simply because one sees the sheer length of the facade, about 140m total. And there is the view overlooking the valley which is breathtaking.
This is the most recently completed Project from zlgdesign’s portfolio in recent years, we find this project very satisfying and truthfully, we enjoyed every moment of its creation from site marking days to its delivery with the opening day seeing increased visitor traffic up 300%. Boh Visitor Centre was a commission from the Russell family based in Kuala Lumpur, and has won several but humble awards, private commendations and now being reviewed for a possible privately funded publication. This facility is located in the fascinating Tea Estate of Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, no more than 2 1/2 hours to drive up from the city centre to reach the foothills.
View of exclusive apartment building conceptualised for David Lee, located in Kuala Lumpur, overlooking a hillside slope, towards the Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia. Curious green wall option with metallic mini balconies poke out on the facade catches light at night from the pool deck below. Many other variations are under study for the new year 2007.
Concept Chalet designs for the Maldives: A new paradigm shift? Located off on one of the seven islands currently developed for the new government, this resort chalet design is quite simply a brave departure from the typical Balinese architecture seen sprouting everywhere in this part of the world. Sharp and somewhat aggressively edgy design lines on the outside architecture belie the soft and comfortable and luxurious interior of this building. Associated wooden link bridges which connect a cluster of up to six units at a maximum ensure hotel guests ultimate and exclusive privacy throughout their entire stay.
We have seen so many Balinese chalets and have loved them all, but we really don’t see ourselves designing any of them, let alone try replicate the style of it or glorify it, nor attempt to imitate or copy it however simple or difficult. We simply think its best left to the experts and better architects, whilst we go about doing our own thing.
zlgdesign recently completed design for a mixed retail mall is located along Jalan Amppang, across from Petronas TwinTowers, in Kuala Lumpur. AvenueK and the associated K Residence, a 42-storey serviced apartment project in Kuala Lumpur, runs into its third year of construction, since opening and sees the completion of Tower A sometime in 2008.
Tower B will soon come to be built around a boutique hotel and a possible residential brief, with hotel-managed apartments rising to at least 30-storeys. This project has seen the input of Anne Militello [of VortexLighting], Christian Liagre, Glamorous Ltd for the ID work, with zlgdesign taking the lead as Design Architect with the Owner to take the Project to its final completion.
This is now the new offices for Bang Olufsen Malaysia, located in Kuala Lumpur, originally created for a private Client. The interior has been conceived by Susanne ZEIDLER, and has been designed to exude a high-key residential look, but yet domesticated feel to what would otherwise be mainstream office space. Unsightly door openings have been concealed by careful design and detailing of the wall and partitions.
 | zlgdesign on climbing centre |
 | bathroomsuites on bathrooms |
| zlgdesign » Bl… on partners | |
| zlgdesign on barbara cappochin award |
| zlgdesign on boh visitor centre [4] |
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