Mr. James Lim Chin Wai is a lecturer
in UCSI University under Faculty of Engineering, Technology & Built
Environment. His has the following academic qualification: Postgraduate Diploma
Architecture in University of East London, United Kingdom (UK); Bachelor of
Architecture in Curtin University of Technology; Advanced Diploma Architecture
in LimKokWing University of Creative Technology. Professional body is a
graduate architect.
Purpose of this talk with Mr. James
Lim is to share his architecture design projects during his working experiences
in architect firm and in Singapore. He had been involving in design team to
brainstorm and come out with many sketches. He used lots of slot and natural
materials. He talk about his working experience from one firm to another firm.
These are
the few projects that he involved during his working time:
- Point 92, Malaysia
- Natura Gurney, Malaysia
- Lot 704 Development, Singapore
- Lot 2300 Development
- Emonique Café House
- Café Taman Desa
Point 92, Malaysia
This building is built by ZLG Design
and completed in 2012. The building named after the relatively small site
measuring 0.92 acres. It consists of a single 19-storey tower with 200,000
square feet of office space. This building is situated on a sloped site, look
down Damansara Perdana and its ribbons of roads. The architects use the
materials to play of environment through the incorporation of daylight. The façade
of this building created the awareness that people want to feel.
The
building has a break up area that full of about 500 trees give rise to the
feeling of thick vegetation around the main arrival floor. It gave a feeling to
people that the building is floating. This outdoor area allows visitors to
smoke and relax or have a look out the scenery. It provides precast concrete
benches that stimulate breathing while wooden lanterns with marine plywood
ceilings pull closely against a raw concrete under croft create a smoothing
canopy. Local materials were carefully design and crafted, combine to give a
feel that is natural. Off form white concrete and local marine plywood are the
main material in this building.
Natura Gurney, Malaysia
This building is design for
competition. The façade of the building also contains a lot of slot and more to
natural raw materials.
Lot 704 Development, Singapore
The building site is narrow and
long. It consists three towers and there is courtyard in the center of the towers.
The three towers are design with different height and position. The different
among the three towers allow the residents can see the view around the building
without any blocking. This also allowed them have a good aesthetic because the
wind also can flow into the towers.
Lot 2300 Development
This building is a hotel.
Emonique Café House
The counter table made of concrete. After
the table is completed, the feedback from customers is most of them think that
it looks like a bar. This is because they play with lighting from the ground,
it gave people having different kind of feeling. It also gave more functionality
for a space. The material used for floor is brick and also consist lots of
slot.
Café Taman Desa
The material used in this café is polycarbonate.
It similar to glass and look like mirror. People unable to see inside but can
only see the shadow.
Conclusion, Mr.
James’s talk let us know more about international architecture firm while
working with them. Besides that, he advised us to do more sketches because it
can give us more imagination and ideas.
Q & A sections:
Student 1: Novi
Question:
From all the design, is there any issue with the end user feedback?
Answer:
There are feedback received like it is too iconic even though it is not in a
big scale, but mostly, the main point of the feedback from the end user is they
liked it and enjoy using the space.
Student 2: Pang Shi Han
Question:
Comparing Malaysia and Singapore, do you think Singapore is a better platform for
architects to explore and be given more opportunities in terms of exposure and
experiences?
Answer: Yes, as Singapore is a small country, it becomes a
design hub where architects from Singapore will receive various projects from
other countries around south east Asia. Architect will be given more
exposure toward international projects and be able to work with people from all
around the world.
Student 3: Yap Yen Ling
Question: In your opinion, do you think the architect still following
the theories of architecture in terms of designing rather than just follow the
clients’ needs?
Answer: Of course we still follow those theories somehow but when
architects design also need to refer back to the client’s requirement and as I
mentioned just now the project Point 92, we do pursuit and try to educate them
with our typology and design sense. If you talk about theories in term of
philosophy kind, I think this seldom happen in Malaysia and it is too
individualism to practice in Malaysia too.
Student 4: Logesh
Question:
Your (Mr. James) designs speaks a lot about random openings and allow natural
phenomenon penetrate through building. What if the client likes the idea, but
with neat and less opening on the facade?
Answer: Convincing the client is hard but work smart with what you
can substitute with clients’ needs with a proposed cost.