Construction Technology.

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SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING
AND DESIGN
BACHELOR OF QUANTITY SURVEYING
(HONOURS)
Construction Technology 1
(QSB 1514 / BLD60104)
Assignment 1
Venue: Mid Valley Megamall
Lecturer: Azrina Binti Md Yaakob
Group members
Koh Wen Qi 0323355
Kong Zhen Chung 0319528
Gan Xiao Ying 0322998
Lily Then 0313973
Aishath Hussain 0320429

2. 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction …………………………………………………………… pg 2-3
Part 1 ………………………………………………………........……… pg 4
Part 2
 Type of roofs ……………………………………….…... pg 5-6
 Type of windows ……………………………………….…... pg 7-12
 Type of doors …………………………………………… pg 13-17
 Type of stairs …………………………………………… pg 18-22
Part 3: Compare Table and Alternative recommended
 Roofs ……………………………………………….… pg 23-24
 Windows ……………………………………………….… pg 25-27
 Doors ……………………………………………….… pg 28
 Stairs ……………………………………………….… pg 29-30
Conclusion ……….…………………………………………….…… pg 31

3. 2
INTRODUCTION
This assignment is relevant to building elements. It mainly divided into three
parts. The first part of the assignment is to illustrate the type of building. After that,
identify and further explain the type of roofs, windows, doors and stairs of the
building. Lastly, compare with another type of these elements before recommend an
alternative for replacement.
After our discussion, the venue that we have chosen is Mid Valley Megamall,
Kuala Lumpur. It was opened in November 1999. Mid Valley Megamall is a complex
comprising shopping mall, an office tower block, 30 offices, and 2 hotels located in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The mall has 4.5 million square feet (420,000 m²) of total
floor area, out of which 1.7 million square feet (158,000 m²) is leasable space.
The main reason why we chose this place is because it is a huge shopping mall
and has many parts for us to penetrate into. Another reason is the suitability of public
transport, we can go Mid-Valley by bus or by KTM.

4. 3
MALL MAP

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PART 1
There are many types of building: agricultural buildings, commercial
buildings, residential buildings, educational buildings, government buildings,
industrial buildings, military buildings, parking structures and storage, religious
buildings, transport buildings, infrastructure, plants and others.
Shopping mall falls under commercial building.
A shopping mall is a modern, chiefly North American, term for a form of
shopping precinct or shopping centre, in which one or more buildings form a complex
of shops representing merchandisers with interconnecting walkways that enable
customers to walk from unit to unit.
As time goes by, many smaller arcades have been demolished, replaced with
large centres or "malls", often accessible by vehicle. Technical innovations such as
electric lighting and escalators were introduced from the late nineteenth century. From
the late twentieth century, entertainment venues such as movie theatres and
restaurants began to be added.

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PART 2
TYPES OF ROOF IN MIDVALLEY MEGAMALL
The roof of Mid valley megamall is the combination of different type of roofs such as
flat roof, transparent dome-shape roof octagonal on plan at the centre area of the mall.
Generally, the roof is constructed of flat roof and a certain area are covered with pitch
roof. A combination roof incorporates a design using various types of roofs on the
same structure for aesthetic and practical reasons.
1. FLAT ROOF
Flat roof, which is one of the combination of roof for this shopping mall appears to be
completely flat with no pitch. However, they do have a slight pitch to allow for water
run off and drainage. These roofs are generally used in industrial or commercial
buildings. However, they can also be found on houses in both high and low rainfall
areas.
Advantages
 Easier to climb up on and
inspect.
 More stability and horizontal
surface than sloped roofs.
 They are cheaper to re-coat and
install than sloped roofs.

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Disadvantages
 The larger the area that the roof is covering, the less stable it becomes.
 Have extreme difficulty bearing the weight of snow accumulation and heavy
rain.
 Lack of roofing material options. The vast majority of flat roofs use a type of
rolled roofing; rubber, EPDM, TPO, or bitumen.
2. TRANSPARENT DOME-SHAPED ROOF
For the transparent dome-shape roof which is shown in the pictures above, it is the
design of the mall which will make the mall look more attractive besides allowing
natural lighting into the mall.
3. SPENCER GLASS ROOF
Advantages
 Provides more light penetrate through the roof
 Perfectly sealed against rain and wind
 Remove cold and noise
 Can be recycled
Disadvantages
 Glass manufacturing release air pollutants

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***ADDITIONAL
WHAT IS WINDOW?
Window is a vented barrier secured in a wall opening, usually glazed or covered by
transparent or translucent materials which hold in place by frames. Window is give a
view of inside and outside of the building and most of the windows can be opened to
allow ventilation or closed to exclude inclement weather. In addition, Window often
have a latch or similar mechanism to lock the window shut and is comprised of two
parts that are window frame and sashes or shutter frame.
WINDOW PARTS AND TERMS
FUNCTIONS OF WINDOW
 to allow a view of the inside and outside of the building
 to allow the passage of air, light and sound.
 to allow ventilation or closed to exclude inclement weather.

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TYPES OF WINDOWS IN MIDVALLEY MEGAMALL
1. AWNING WINDOW
Awning Window are hinged at the top and open outward.
It is designed to provide ventilation without letting in rain.
Awning Window can be used alone or in vertical or horizontal groups in combination
with additional awning windows and other types of windows.

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Advantages of Awning Window
 easy to install
 increase living space
 low cost
 provide an attract and stylish look
 provide good air ventilation
 provide all weather protection
 provide a good secure opening
Disadvantages of Awning Window
 unsuitable for parts of the building where external walkway traffic is high.
 maintenance and cleaning maybe a challenge.
 escape may be difficult.
2. FIXED WINDOW
Fixed Window is a window that cannot be opened, whose function is limited to allow
light to enter.
This type of window is used in situations
where light or vision alone is needed as no
ventilation is possible through fixed window.
In this type, the glass pane is permanently
fixed in the opening of the wall.
The function is limited to allow light and or
permit vision in the building.
There are no rebates provided to the frame
and the shutters are fully glazed.

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Advantages of Fixed Window
 Attention-getter
 Let light in
 Keeps prying eyes out
Disadvantages of Fixed Window
 Obstruct views
 Prone to overkill (a little stained glass goes a long way)

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3. LOUVRE WINDOW
Louvre Windows are also known as Louvers,
Jalousie Windows and Shutters.
Louvre Windows is a window blind or
shutter comprised of a series of horizontal
pieces of wood, glass, aluminium or other
material fitted to the window frame.
The horizontal slats that are angles to admit
which may be adjusted to rest open to allow
light and breeze through, but to keep out
rain, direct sunshine and noise
Louvre Window are provided for the sole
function of ventilation and not for the vision
outside.
The louvre usually fixed at 45° inclination sloping downward to the outside to run-off
the rain water.
The louvre slats are generally adjusted, usually in blinds and window or fixed.
The windows provide light and ventilation even if closed.

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Advantages of Louvre Window
 can be left open in gentle rain
 easy to clean
 excellent for cross-ventilation
purposes
Disadvantages of Louvre Window
 offer relatively poor insulation and
may leak air
 significant security risk if installed
without extra measures

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TYPES OF DOORS IN MIDVALLEY MEGAMALL
1. SLIDING DOOR (ENTRANCE DOOR @ MID-VALLEY)
 Four operating options : fully automatic, half open, always open and always
locked.
 Suitable for both external and internal environments.
 Automatically reverse back if an obstruction is in the way of the automatic
sliding door opening or closing cycle.
 In case of power failure, all of the programmed parameters remain in the
computers memory, if the door is not locked the door can be open manually.

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Advantages
 Maximizes any natural light ensuring that
you can enjoy floodlit interiors throughout
the day
 Eco-friendly traits
 Easy to access to the outdoor areas
 Can be efficient insulators, ensuring that
your home stays warm in the winter and
cool in the summer
 Make it easy to bring the outdoors inside
by creating a seamless flow between
outdoor and indoor space
Disadvantages
 Don’t always slide as easy as you would
like them to
 Do not fully open

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2. PARTLY GAZED DOOR (KATH KIDSTON @ MID-VALLEY)
 This type of door is used in
residential and public buildings.
 They can be made fully glazed or
partly glazed.
 In case of partly glazed, the bottom
1/3 rd part is usually panelled and
upper 2/3 part is glazed.
 They supplement the natural
lighting provided by windows or to
make the interior of the room
visible from adjoining rooms.
Advantages
 Resistant to termites and insects
 Easy cleaning
 Do not swell from exposure to moisture
 Bring visual openness
 Cannot rust, peel, cone off or corrode
Disadvantages
 Easily broken compare to timber
 Need curtain to attain privacy

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3. BI-FOLD DOOR (MATCH UP @ MID-VALLEY)
 Providing an impressive feature.
 They bring the outside in and literally transform your property into a
functional and open space for living, working and entertaining.
 They are stylish, versatile and practical addition to any property.
 The main draw of this kind of door is that they create around a 90% clear
opening when all of the door panels have been open.

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***ADDITIONAL
WHAT IS STAIRS?
A stair is a series of steps, each elevated at a measured distance and leading means of
movement from one floor to another from a building. Staircases consist of number of
steps with landings at suitable intervals to provide comfort and safety for the users. In
addition they commonly have horizontal element called tread and a vertical element
called a riser and most common materials used for staircases are concrete, timber and
steel. Overall Staircases add dignity and charm to a structure.
STAIR PARTS AND TERMS
FUNCTIONS OF STAIRCASES
 Facilitate easy access between various levels within a building
 Acts as a means of easy and rapid escape in case of emergency

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TYPES OF STAIRS IN MIDVALLEY MEGAMALL
The most common type of stairs used in mid valley megamall is half-turn stair, Straight
flight stair with central landing and Quarter turn stair. All of the three types of stairs are
made of reinforced concrete (R.C.C). The reinforced concrete offers the possibility to
build better stairs in different solutions and it is widely used in almost all type of
buildings.
Advantages of using R.C.C stairs
 They are durable and strong
 Good fire resistant
 Can be easily molded
 Steps can be provided with suitable finishing materials such as marble, tile
 Pleasing in aesthetics

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1. HALF-TURN STAIR
Half-turn stairs is a stair turning
through right angle. It consists of
two straight flights running in
opposite directions. The two
flights connected by the landing
may be equal or unequal
depending on the desired
proportion of the stairway
opening. This landing helps to
reduce the number of steps and
hence is more flexible.
Half-turn stair may be of dog-legged type or open newel type. The spaces
between the upper and lower flights cause half land spacing to be loner. These
staircases are useful where the space for a staircase has a width greater than
twice the width of steps.
Advantages
 It is flexible
 The landings offers a resting point along the
steps
 Gives aesthetical appeals
 These types of stairs are easier to fit into an
architectural plan
 Landing provides a safe platform
Disadvantages
 Area occupied by the staircase is more
 Difficult to build

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2. STARIGHT FLIGHT STAIR WITH CENTRAL LANDING
A straight flight staircase is one of the oldest and most
common types of staircase found in buildings. It requires a
simple construction and consists of single straight flight of
stairs that behaves like simply supported slab leading from
one landing to another. Furthermore it is the simplest stair
arrangement where all the steps lead in one direction.
These types of stairs are used when space available for
staircase is long but narrow in width. In a straight flight stair
the width and the length of the landings should be equal.
Advantages
 Affordability – because the process is simple and less time consuming
 Uninterrupted view – can see the clear view of the flight
 Many design options are available
 Ease of construction – due to the simple design it is typically the easiest to
construct
Disadvantages
 Do not offer any privacy barrier between the floors
 Use up a fair amount of linear space
 Falls can be dangerous

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3. QUARTER TURN STAIR
A quarter turn stair also known as an L shape stair is a stair
containing a flight with a landing and a right angle turn to
left/right. The two flights connected by an intervening landing
may be equal or unequal, depending on the desired proportion
of the stairway opening. These stairs comes with either
winders or landings and the bending is normally close to the
bottom of the stairway.
A quarter turn staircase is often supported by one or two
walls,which means that railing is only needed on one side.
Advantages
 These stairs are visually interesting and adds privacy
 Helps sound transmission between floors when they are connected within
walls
 The landing provides a place for resting
 Can be located in a corner of a room
Disadvantages
 Difficult to build and a support is required for the landing
 Hand rails to these type of buildings require more skill and planning

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PART 3
COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH ONE OTHER TYPE OF ROOF
FLAT ROOF PITCH ROOF
Life span  If constructed properly,
can last between 20-50
years.
 If constructed properly, is almost
certain to offer a much longer
lifespan than a flat roof.
 The internal accommodation will
be more efficiently insulated and
will not suffer from the extremes
of temperature that tend to afflict
rooms under flat roofs.
Maintenance  Tends to have higher
maintenance cost due to
the possibility of water
ponding problem that
leads to leakage.
 Very often, flat roof can
be lifted up by strong
wind.
 Pitch roof have longer life span
than flat roof according to roofing
manufacturers’ specification and
with good workmanship.
Cost  More affordable because
involves considerably less
materials and labour than
a pitched roof.
 High expenses, as the more
complex design, additional
building materials and extra man-
hours cost significantly more than
a flat roof.
Material  Asphalt or three-ply
modified bitumen with a
thin layer of gravel to
protect the roof from the
harmful effects of UV
sunlight.
 A more recent design is
Ethylene Propylene Diene
Monomer (EPDM), a
3mm thick rubber
membrane which can be
applied seamlessly in one
piece.
 Mostly framed with pairs of
common rafters or prefabricated
wooden trusses fastened together
with truss connector plates.
 Sheathing is also one of the
material, usually plywood that is
installed directly onto the tops of
the rafters or trusses.
 If the house has a cathedral
ceiling, there will generally be 6-
inch batts of fibreglass insulation
installed between the rafters.
Design  Choice for smaller
structures, such as garages
and extensions.
 Flat roofing consists of a
horizontal base which is
fixed to the ceiling joists
underneath with a
waterproof membrane
applied on top.
 The roof's pitch is its vertical rise
divided by its horizontal span (or
"run"), what is called "slope" in
geometry and stair construction,
or the tangent function in
trigonometry

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RECOMMEND AN ALTERNATIVE TO REPLACE THE EXISTING TYPE
OF ROOF IN THE BUILDING
Pitch roof would be a good alternative for shopping malls as they have some
advantages over flat roof.
One of the most important advantages is that pitched roofs offer a longer
lifespan and the problems of water ponding can be eliminated, which means lower
maintenance cost. We can also use a more durable and weather resistant roof
coverings to enhance the life span of the roof.
Other than that, in the process of designing the roof, any planned usage of this
area can be incorporated into the design in the very early stage so this type of roof
offers an unmatched flexibility that a flat roof cannot.
Installing a pitched roof also means the building can be more effectively
blended into either the rest of the property or to neighbouring while also helping to
retain a sense of individuality and character as part of a unique architectural design.

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COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH ONE OTHER TYPE OF WINDOW
CASEMENT WINDOW
Casement Window is a window that is attached to
its frame by one or more hinges.
Casement Windows are hinged at the side and
they are used singly or in pairs within a common
frame, in which case they are hinged on the
outside.
Casement Window operates like a hinged door,
except that it opens and closes with a lever inside
the window.
The shutter consists of styles, top rail, bottom rail and intermediate rail.
Depending upon the design, the frame can have additional vertical and horizontal
members.
The panels may be either glazed, unglazed or partly glazed and are fixed in the
grooves made in rails and styles.
FIXED WINDOW CASEMENT WINDOW
 A window that cannot be opened.  A window that can be opened.
 The shutter cannot be opened or
closed.
 The shutter can be fully opened
and closed.
 The function is limited to
allowing light and permit vision
in the room.
 The function is allowing light, air
and permit vision in the room.
 No ventilation.  Offer the maximum amount of
ventilation.
 No rebates are provided to the
frame.
 Rebates are provided to the frame.
 The shutters are fully glazed.  The shutters are consists of styles,
top rail and intermediate rail.

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RECOMMEND AN ALTERNATIVE TO REPLACE THE EXISTING TYPE
OF WINDOW IN THE BUILDING
The existing type of window in the building can be replaced by Sliding
Window. A Sliding Window has two or more sashes that overlap slightly but slide
horizontally within the frame. There are suitable openings or grooves are left in the
frame or wall to accommodate the shutters when they are slide to open the window.
These windows are often large and used to brighten a room or frame a view, but there
are a ton of advantages to them beyond aesthetics.

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One of the advantages of a Sliding Window are they have less parts than
conventional windows so they are low-maintenance and less expensive for the
building.
The Sliding Window is very durable due to the fact that the springs and pulley
of traditional windows can fail over the long term, sliding windows have an advantage
because they don’t rely on these components for the opening and closing of the
window. The majority of sliding windows have added durability because they use
window glazing.
Besides that, Sliding Window is more energy efficient because of the window
glazing aspect, sliding window are very well insulated. Sliding Window is also easy
to use because sliding windows do not require much effort to open and close.
Furthermore, we can choose with a great degree of control the amount by
which the window is open. This in turn allows us to have control over the amount of
fresh air coming into the room, and the temperature too. Sliding replacement
windows open and close easily with minimal dexterity and effort. A good one will
open and close quite simply.

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COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH ONE OTHER TYPE OF DOOR
Bi-fold doors Hinged garage doors
 most commonly used as
external patio doors
 multi-leaved folding sliding
doors which open using a
concertina action
 available in timber and in
UPVC
 equipped with two
shoot bolt latches for
extra security and
weather seals
Advantages  easy to install
 flexible, without disrupting
the natural light
 wide range of designs
 ideal for new building
 safety first
 ease of use
 security matters
 tracks do not need to be
affixed to the floor to
allow the doors to
function
 can be swung open
 available light to get
into the house
 allow for access to the
entire wardrobe space
at once
Disadvantages  the casters and tracks receive
some or the other unusual
stresses right from the
closing and opening system
 usually the users normal
tendency is to pull the door
knobs outward, which
damages the door
 if excessive pushing or
pulling is done it can force
the casters to sneak out or
may be the track would bend
 can only be made to a
maximum width of 9
foot wide
 side hung doors are not
as secure as sectional or
roller doors
 more costly to make
automatic
RECOMMEND AN ALTERNATIVE TO REPLACE THE EXISTING TYPE
OF DOOR IN THE BUILDING
The existing type of door in Mid-Valley Megamall can be replaced by
revolving doors.
Revolving doors allow for better control of the interior environment when
compared to regular sliding or hinged doors. Opening a hinged or sliding door even
for a brief period will let out a tremendous amount of heat. With a revolving door, this
doesn’t happen as there is never a point where the air can flow freely between the
conditioned and unconditioned space.
This type of door is efficiency in the movement of people entering and exiting
a building. It also intuitive for use. Besides, some of them have safety sensors with
‘speed control’ which prevent people from spinning the doors too fast.

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COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH ONE OTHER TYPE OF STAIRCASE
SPIRAL STAIRS
A spiral stair is a type of stair which
follows a helical arc, usually is made very
compact and the treads radiate around a
central pole. Spiral staircases glamorize a
structure and add aesthetics to the building.
Moreover it fits into any small space
making it more reliable.
TURNING STAIRCASE SPIRAL STAIRCASE
 Are stairs with landings turning
through right angles.
 Are stairs which follow a helical
arc and steps radiate around a
central pole.
 Flights consist of landings.  Flights consist of winders.
 Constructed with reinforced
concrete, steel or timber.
 Constructed with cast iron, mild
steel or concrete.
 Structural design is simple and
easy to construct.
 Structural design and
construction is complicated.
 Simple formwork hence it is
affordable compared to spiral
staircase.
 Due to heavy steel reinforcement
and complicated formwork, the
spiral construction is expensive.
 Useful for large area as it takes
up more space.
 Useful where limited space is
available.
 Structural design is not so
appealing yet it provides privacy
between the floors.
 Attractive and have variations on
railing styles which gives a good
finish to the staircase.
 Uninterrupted view – can see the
clear view of the flight.
 Interrupted view – difficult to
see a clear view of the flight.
 Landings offer a resting point
along the steps.
 No resting points within the
stairs
 Simple movements turning
through right angles within the
staircase
 Circular movements within the
staircase
 Easy to navigate  Difficult to navigate
 Slab provides support to the
whole staircase.
 No extra support needed for the
structure as the central pole and
winders provides the structural
support.

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RECOMMEND AN ALTERNATIVE TO REPLACE THE EXISTING TYPE
OF STAIRCASE IN THE BUILDING
The existing type of stair case in the
building can be replaced by spiral stairs.
These stair cases are unique and
aesthetically pleasing giving a great bird’s
eye view. They occupy a minimal amount of
floor space and are supported by a central
post and they can be used as escape stairs or
accommodation stairs in a building.
Moreover the finishing is stunning as the
staircase can be done according to the latest trends in the market. There are also many
options for the railings as these gives completeness to the stairs.
These helical stairs can be built with or without intermediate landing
depending on the users, Furthermore they can be made of precast concrete which
gives a better quality control of the finished product. Even though spiral stairs are
complicated and expensive to build it gives a great structure and aesthetics, which
adds value to a building especially in a shopping mall.
“The road to success is always under construction.”
This is the world’s
largest spiral escalator
stairs at newly opened
shopping centre in
China. It’s an amazing
look and gives a great
view.

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CONCLUSION
In conclusion, there are ample of types of building elements. Each type of
building element has its own characteristics resulting in different suitability.
Therefore, it is crucial to consider suitability, pros and cons of the types of building
elements before a construction work begin. After the comparison, we can find out the
most suitable type for each building elements.
For example, a shopping mall entrance is better to have an automatic
revolving door than a normal panel door, pitch roof is more suitable for shopping mall
than flat roof which water has great tendency to puddle on it.
Material is also an important element besides the type. The main purpose of
choosing a material is stability and ability to handle the load laid on it. Both type and
material of building elements are significant to give out the best effect. Not only that,
the maintenance and cost can be greatly reduced.
During this assignment, we know the importance of teamwork. We distribute
work evenly among ourselves, discuss about each type of building elements, giving
ideas and point out the unsuitable parts in order to perform a better job in our
assignment. Although we met some obstacles in the progress, we never give up and
try our best to overcome them.
Our group members truly appreciate this opportunity of outdoor learning as
most of the time we were having our lecture indoor. This is a really great experience!