SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN

Centre for Modern Architecture Studies in Southeast Asia (MASSA)

Bachelor of Science ( Honours) ( Architecture)

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC2224)

Project : Theorizing Architecture

Name : Bernard Ling Ching Chiong

Student I.D. : 0301892

Lecturer : Ms Ida Marlina

JUNE 2014

Table of Contents Page

1.0 Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

2.0 Analysis

2.1 Climate ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4-5

2.2 Architecture Theory --------------------------------------------------------------- 6-8

2.3 Materials ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9-10

3.0 Discussion and Conclusion ---------------------------------------------------------------- 11

4.0 Final Diagram ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

5.0 References ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13

1.0 Introduction

This project tries to carry out an understanding of architect’s architectural theory through a direct observation and analysis of their buildings. The purpose of this essay is to explain about the contributing factors towards the architectural design of Ar. Koh Sheh-Ren. The factors include the architect’s self and experience, external factors such as climate, architectural theory and building materials.

Ar. Koh Sheh-Ren is born on the 13 January 1975. Both her parents were teachers who helped her in her studies. Her father somehow influences her of loving into art and design. She admired art but wasn’t talented at it. She took up science stream in her upper secondary and followed by form 6.She applied architecture as a first choice whereas dentistry as a second choice. She was approved to study in University Malaya as the 1st batch in architecture during 1994. During her time in University Malaya, she favors one of her lecturer Heng Jee Seng as a mentor. Heng Jee Seng studies from AA University in UK. Her mentor influences her on how to approach in designing the building and guide her in improving herself. In 2000, she did her final thesis project designing a church in her own hometown in Banting.

In 2001, she started her career working in the architecture field. She worked in C’arch firm for about thirteen years since graduate from university of Malaya. C’arch working goal that she had learnt was ‘design cannot be our own’. She was involved in conservation research and also in depth thinking is important to achieve clarity of design. She worked hard and she became the director of C’arch in 2006. Her design inspiration throughout her working experience came from the site itself and also the design constraints because it helps to create creative solutions.

The building designed by Ar. Koh Sheh-Ren that I am studying is Iringan Hijau, located just off Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur. Iringan Hijau is a 3-storey, low density luxury condominium landscapes of 26 units comprising seven different arrangements. It was completed in May 2013 by the developer Dawntree Properties and was designed by C-arch architect Sdn Bhd. Iringan Hijau includes of a collection of 26 large duplex and triplex residences in Kuala Lumpur.

2.0 Analysis2.1 External factor – Climate

Iringan Hijau is located in Malaysia which is a tropical country with hot and humid weather. In Malaysia many architects are trying to solve the issue on how to reduce the heat from entering the building and also how to overcome the humidity of the weather with design and technologies. Nowadays architects are trying to design the façade and form of the building to bring in natural wind ventilation into the building. Architects also solves problem like how to overcome direct sunlight and dealing with heavy rains with new technologies and materials. Besides, different location in Malaysia have different wind patterns which and also orientation of the building also helps to determines which side of the building receives more sunlight and wind flow.

Ar. Koh Sheh-Ren designed Iringan Hijau with depth thinking about how to overcome the climate and obstacles around it. The building is design in a way that wind can goes throughout the building by using the step effect. Besides, the building layout and the way the building is orientated has been considered into site context during the design. The longest side of the façade is facing north and south whereas the shortest façade is facing south and east. This allows having minimal direct sunlight shining on the building. Tall atriums are created which link and interact with spaces at different levels whilst encouraging natural ventilation using the stack effect. Design strategies such as using voids and skylights helps to regulate wind flow direction and also allow sunlight into the building. Overall, fenestration, tall atriums, and voids are good combination in achieving a good wind circulation thought out the building and also help to achieved thermal comfort of the building.

Besides, Landscape around Iringan Hijau is also designed in a way that greenery is placed in the middle of the boundary to create buffer zone that helps t reduce heat from entering the condominium. A new feature is added to the underground car park where as void is created and trees are planted directly at the void in the car park which bring nature into the car park. The void also provides naturally lit sunlight into the space which makes the space does feel dull and empty.

2.2 External factor- Architecture Theory

The architecture theory applied to Iringan Hijau is modernism. Modern architecture is a term applied to a period in architectural history during the 20th century, with its precise meaning. Modernism in architecture is broadly characterized by simplification of form and subtraction of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. Modernism has many characteristics on how the building is designed. “Form follows function”, meaning that design should be derive directly from its purpose. Simplicity and clarity of forms and removal of unnecessary detail is also part of modernism theory.

The two important architects who started the idea of modernism architecture is Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. Le Corbusier invented the five points of architecture which are the pilotis, the roof terrace, and the long strips of ribbon windows, the free façade and the free plan. Le Corbusier’s theory of form follows function says that the building form should be formed by the functions, not merely just ornamentation. He argued that the form of a building should not be fashioned to the building traditions instead it should follow the purpose of the building. Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe instead proposed the idea of “less is more”.

In the design og Iringan Hijau, modernist theories are applied to the buildings. The forms of the buildings are not overly exaggerated. Instead, it has a simple form of geometry with exposed raw materials. The plan is designed according to apartment units. Each unit is laid side by side to each other. The plan adopts the idea of modernism by having a simple open plan.

Iringan Hijau has a functional rood, serving as a skylight and ventilation, allowing wind to flow through the building and allow sunlight into the building. There are also support of ground – level pilotis , elevating the building from the earth and allowing an extended continuity of the garden beneath . The floor plan is relieved of load-bearing walls, allowing walls to be placed freely aestically needed. The long horizontal windows used also adopted the theory of modernism architecture. It follows the five points of architecture from Le Corbusier. The long horizontal windows provide illumination and ventilation. The freely- designed facades, serving only as a skin of the wall and windows and unconstrained by any load- bearing considerations .

2.3 External factor- Materials

Ar. Koh Sheh - Ren also took into consideration about the building materials used while designing the building. The external frame of the walls and structures are constructed using reinforced concrete with the used of high quality conventional formwork to ensure the accuracy of the alignments. Infill panels of walls are clay brickworks with sand cement mortar. Sand cement are rendered to the walls using steel beading at the corners to ensure a higher quality and more durable construction.

The roof structure used for Iringan Hijau is a pitched roof. The roof is supported by a continuous deck and steel trusses. An imported pre-coated standing seam aluminum metal roof is also installed to the roof structure. Below the pitched roof, a reinforced concrete slab is placed to provide additional security to the roof structure and the building. Besides that, Iringan Hijau is equipped with skylights. The skylights are placed over the spaces of the second floor. Type B, D, F and G apartments are also designed with skylights. The purpose of the skylights is to provide a soft natural light ambience within those spaces.

Furthermore, other building materials that are incorporated in this building include the fair-faced concrete. High quality fair-faced concrete is used to construct the lower half of the external frame. High quality formwork is also used to enable high quality control of the concrete finish as well as the joint details between the wall, beam and columns. The flat roof sections and gutters are used with a single layer high quality waterproof material.

As for the construction of the windows, the building material used for the windows and external sills are pre-finished aluminum frames incorporating weather seals. Lamimated glass is used at the living areas and bedrooms to minimize acoustics noises and disturbance from the traffic as these areas are facing Jalan Ampang Tengah and Jalan Ampang Hilir. The glass doors are also laminated to provide extra safety. Imported paved stones are used for the external staircases which is the staircase to the garden. This staircase also leads to the apartment types C, D and G. Stainless steel wall panels are used for the service lifts in block D. This lift is a common lift that serves one apartment per floor. The flooring material used for the lift is stone flooring. Other than the common service lifts, there are also private domestic lifts installed in Iringan Hijau’s apartment types B and F

3.0 Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a lot of factors that affect the design of Iringan Hijau. The factors include the experience of self, which is Ar. Koh Sheh- Ren as well as the external factors which are climatic influence, architectural theory influence as well as the building material choices influence. All these factors contribute to the outcome of the design of Iringan Hijau. Ar. Koh Sheh- Ren chose to adopt the architectural theory of modernism as this is one of the most common architectural theory widely used in the buildings in Malaysia. It focuses the theory of form follow function which is suitable for an apartment building as it is the most practical design to achieve a high performance building. The simplicity of plan and building form as well as the exposed raw materials are evidence of modernism being applied in this building. Other than architectural theory, the hot and humid climate in Malaysia as well as the building material choices also contributes to the design considerations.

4.0 Final Diagram

Name: Ar. Koh Sheh-Ren

Gender: Female

Born: 1975 (Age 39)

Place of Birth: Banting, Selangor

EXTERNAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

THEORY ON ARCHITECTURE

Modernism

-Modern architecture is a term applied to a period in architectural history during the 20th century, with its precise meaning. Modernism in architecture is broadly characterized by simplification of form and subtraction of ornament from the structure and theme of the building.

- Functional roof

-free floor plan

-long horizontal window

-elevating the building

Childhood:

-Walked to school as the distance is nearby and safe-Safe neighbouring area which allow her to social with different kind of people- Both parents are teacher which help her during her education -Having freedom in making friends throughout her childhood life-Admire art but wasn’t talented at it-Passionate in learning new thingsEducation:

- SJK Methodist English primary School TelokDatokBanting-SMK Methodist English Secondary School TelokDatokBanting- Upper secondary – studied science steam- Passionate in art but not really good at it- Studied Form 6- Applied architecture as a first choice, dentistry as a second choice- Approved to study in University Malaya 1st batch in architecture 1994- Favourite mentor and lecturerHengJeeSeng from AA University in UK- Done her final thesis project on 2000 designing a church in Banting- 2001 she started her career work in architecture field

Working Experience:

- Working in C’arch for 13 years since graduate- Become director in 2006- Also involved in conservation research- Working goal “design cannot be our own”- In depth thinking to achieve clarity of design- Design inspiration comes from the site- Design constraints are not bad all the time, it helps to create creative solutions

Climate

- Iringan Hijau encourages natural ventilation by using the stack effect. - Iringan Hijau also encourages natural lighting. Void is used in the middle of building to allow natural lighting to shine in the spaces of the building.

- The building layout and orientatiuon is designed to the site context.

Materials

-The materials used of Iringan hijau is well planned before it is construction with its durability and high quality.

-Materials used in this building is raw material without any finishes because the materials used are well constructed and to be able to show out without any thing covering them.

5.0 References

Frampton, Kenneth (1980 (1992)). Modern Architecture: A Critical History (3rd Edition ed.). Thames and Hudson. pp. 210–218.

properties, D. (2011). Iringan Hijau. Retrieved June 20, 2014, from http://www.iringanhijau.com/

Thomas C. Jester, ed. (1995). Twentieth-Century Building Materials. McGraw-Hill.

Trust, N. (n.d.). Modernism. Retrieved from http://www.preservationnation.org/