PJTC // Kevin Mark Low
Guest Hall with huge opening which encourage cross ventilation for a more pleasant stay in the space.
Perhaps we might not be the most sensible humans on earth. Although we Malaysian does not appreciate much about sensible spaces, just yet, these beautiful places do exist in this beautiful piece of land. Or perhaps of climatic reasons that, those poetic glass box design were never comes to our mind. Instead, we always trying to come out with our own ideas within our own context. PJTC are one of those great example that expressed who we can be standing on this land. The 3 blocks of office building built by bricks are a trade center buildings with a gigantic plain ventilation block wall. Winds are able to breeze through the building at any level. If saying achieving 5 senses would left people's amazing experience, this building would do a pretty equilibrium standard, especially sights and touch.
Buffer space where separate noise and the building, are also a great cigarette spot that distract people to smoke in public.
When you entered the building through the main entrance, you'll see trees' shadows are dancing around to welcomes you, or just the winds blows from the back of the building. They are soft and not intimating. When you walk passed the trees you discover the huge scenery framing of concrete jungles surrounding it. By only sights, disregarding the constant car whooshing you would not believe that this place are surrounded by highways and skyscrapers. Later entering a buffer spaces between main building and highways, the screening/ facades are entirely built with ventilation blocks creating this wonderful breezy spaces without any exposure to the busy highway. Besides, the building filtered the busy noises and formed it's own alice of wonderland.
elevated floor and framing buildings at surrounding gives you a ceaseless enjoyment.
Touch in this building is another wonderful experience that would not easily being seen in this city. The trees that is well took cared of, not just placed simply in the middle of the roads. Beside, the raw porous materials that is so well made that giving the exceptional touch. The chill and smooth surface of the concrete are just more natural to touch than the artificial paint. The raw bricks are bonded so well that it does not need any make up on it. It's the very primitive earthy touch that a normal low craftmanship material wouldnt possessed. Compare to the other senses i think the sense of touch is undervalued compared to the other sense. We were never interested in feeling the temperature of the wall or the dampness of a pond. In this building, it's reminds me of how important we shouldn't lose our sensibility of our hands.
honest material representations and variations which foster our sensation in the spaces.
Experiencing spaces are essentially important to exist in a city, especially a city where greenery and public spaces are seriously in scarce. We need to readapt our sense toward our built environment. It is not just us that should learn to appreciate the world we lived in but, as a built environment designer, we should always use our way to educate the public or influence the people with our own way.
-fin-
