This document provides a project report for the proposed Ekspresireka Art Training Centre to be built at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The project aims to bridge the gap between art skills/experiences and students in the area by providing exposure and educational programs in various art fields. It will serve as a venue for extracurricular activities, art exhibitions, and art residency programs. The site is currently vacant government land near educational institutes and art hubs like the Istana Budaya, but they are disconnected. The design will aim to complement the existing skyline and preserve views of landmarks while connecting programs and activating the area.

1. EKSPRESIREKA
ART TRAINING CENTRE
at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, KL
ARCHITECTURE DESIGN PROJECT REPORT
LIM JOE ONN 0318679
AR CHAN MUN INN

2. LIM JOE ONN 0318679
EKSPRESIREKA ART TRAINING CENTRE

3. 1.1 ABSTRACT
1.2 INTRODUCTION
1.3 PROJECT AIM AND OBJECTIVE
2.1 SITE INTRODUCTION
2.2 SITE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
2.3 SITE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
2.4 URBAN STUDIES
2.5 MACRO SITE ANALYSIS
3.1 MICRO SITE ANALYSIS
3.2 PRECEDENT STUDIES
3.3 DESIGN INTENTION
3.4 PROGRAMME BRIEF
3.5 SITE RESPONSE
3.6 SPATIAL PROGRAMMING
3.7 FORM STUDIES
4.1 SITE PLANNING STRATEGIES
4.2 ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES
4.3 SUSTAINABILITY CONCEPTS
4.4 STRUCTURAL CONCEPT
5.0 IMAGE SOURCES

4. 1.1 ABSTRACT
“The concept of lifelong learning is not only aimed at
increasing productivity and job opportunities but also to
enrich the soul and mind of our citizens through knowledge
to produce excellent, glorious and distinguished human
capital equipped with skills and contributive to society.” This
was mentioned by our former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun
Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi during the launch of the Ninth
Malaysia Plan.
To the students: What do you like doing? Do you like filming
videos? Do you like writing? Do you like arts and craft? Do
you want to be an installation artist? Do you want to have
the chance to busk in public? Discover and explore various
skills, Learn from pros and peers, Observe how they do it, Be
prepared for real life challenges in the future.

5. Governmental education is deemed to lack true training of students due to the
outdated focus on facts regurgitation. Graduates behave passively and do not
know how to think critically due to the fact that Malaysian governmental
education only teaches students to memorize facts and answer accordingly.
Kids are not encouraged to think out of the box and lack exposure to real life
skills that are required when they step into university life or society, depriving
preparation.
This initiated the government to fund a building and community program in
collaboration with the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry
of Tourism and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) on a site next to Jalan Tembeling
near Titiwangsa Lake. The approach to the design is conceived as a result of
the need to fit the theme of ‘Sustaining Humanities’, which aids in the nation’s
effort to overcome Challenge 9 in achieving Vision 2020: Establishing a
prosperous society with an economy that is fully competitive, dynamic, robust
and resilient by training holistic individuals contributive to society.
The project will be a social program where students have the opportunity to
tackle various fields of art in a fun way based on the aspiration of being trained
to perform better in society, facilitating learning as something fun rather than
something compulsory, advocating creative and critical thinking and develop
kids as well rounded individuals. It is a form of simulating university life,
preparing students for the future.
1.2 INTRODUCTION 1.3 PROJECT AIM AND OBJECTIVE
The main aim of the project is the bridge the gap between people of
various skills and experiences in the fields of a variety arts and the students
present in the area in response to abundance of education institutes. It has
the objective of nurturing students and unleash their potential talents via
exposure and educational programs. It aims to function as a venue for
various extra-curricular activities conducted by the schools nearby.
The building will also be a venue for art exhibitions, mini outdoor events
and art residency programs, serving as a link between the park extension,
the educational facilities and art amenities present on site.

6. 2.1 SITE INTRODUCTION
As of November 2017, the site is currently a vacant governmental land property which is overgrown
and yet to be cleared. The office of the Palace of Culture is to the site’s East; Titiwangsa Lake and
Jalan Tembeling is situated to the site’s North; The Palace of Culture to its South while a carpark is
located at its West. Various schools and institutes such as SK Jalan Kuantan 1 and SMK Puteri
Titiwangsa are situated within a 500 meter radius from the site’s vicinity. The site is now completely
sealed off from public to avoid any trespassers.
Image of the site with Palace of Culture (Istana Budaya) as its backdrop:
Plan drawing of the site:
2.2 SITE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Before the 1970s, Taman
Tasik Titiwangsa is an inland
location covering parts of
the city centre and its
suburbs, consisting a mix of
urban and rural zones. The
lake was formed by tin
mining activities earlier on.
In 1975, Beautification of
Taman Jalan Kuantan
(former name) was initiated.
Former Malaysian Prime
Minister Dato’ Tun Hussein
Onn declared Taman Tasik
Titiwangsa as the new name
for the park, aspiring to
make Kuala Lumpur a ‘City
within a Park’.
As Kuala Lumpur kept
expanding and urbanizing,
more high rise buildings are
built near the lake gardens
to accommodate more
people, thus creating a
denser context.

7. 2.3 SITE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
Despite the fact that educational
insitutes (etc SMK Puteri Titiwangsa,
SJKC Chiao Nan, Wesley Methodist
School and SK Jalan Kuantan 1) and the
art hubs consisting of the Istana Budaya
and National Visual Arts Gallery are
situated at close proximity, there is
barely any connection of usage
between them, wasting a huge
potential on how our younger
generation can benefit from the Art
hubs.
Image of Istana Budaya (part of Art hubs):
Image of SK Jalan Kuantan 2, an educational institute:
The clear disconnection is further
amplified due to the presence of a hard
edge that segregates Istana Budaya and
National Visual Arts Gallery from the
park’s vicinity, further disencouraging
both pedestrian and vehicular
accessibility between these two
programs.

8. 2.4 URBAN STUDIES
DISTRICT
The largest district
surrounding Tasik Titiwangsa
is mainly residential area
whereby the park mainly
accommodates the locals.
However, these residential
areas are surrounded by
disconnected framework of
streets.
EDGES
The located site is bounded
mainly by the hard edges of the
urban typology. The formation of
soft edges have also created a
sense of pedestrian barrier and
disconnection between the lake
and the public. In terms of
pedestrian walkability, very few
connections such as pedestrian
walkways puncture through the
main edges, which are highways
and main streets.
Although countless elements are
present, the edges form a
segregation between segments.
This causes inconvenience for
those without vehicles to access
the park.
PATHS AND PASSAGES
A network of buses are
available within a 1 km radius
from the site. However, it is
still inconvenient for public
transport users to reach the
park as the bus stations only
run along major roads.
Crowds are drawn towards
major gathering spots. These
nodes include schools and
eateries.
NODES AND LANDMARKS

9. 2.5 MACRO SITE ANALYSIS
USER GROUPS AND CORRELATED TIME
As seen in the diagrams, the potential users of the site mainly consists of residents
around the area and students from neighbouring schools. The lake garden is a
popular spot for people to carry out daily or weekly outdoor recreational activities.
Poor pedestrian walkability towards the park when arriving via public transport due
to pedestrian barriers have isolated and disconnected the street network. Due to a
strong hard edge which is a major highway between Hospital Kuala Lumpur and the
park, the amount of workers using the park is significantly lesser than the amount of
students present in the park.
Senior citizens tend to use the park very early in the morning while students became
a dominant demographic during weekday afternoons as they use the park for extra-
curricular activities.

10. SWOT ANALYSIS:
STRENGTHS
The site is at a close proximity to art related buildings and educational facilities,
justifying its position for a new performance training centre. Greenery is abundant,
making it a catalyst for high frequency of human activity, thus providing great future
development potential. It also has good access to public transportation network (new
MRT Station under construction).
WEAKNESSES
Traffic circulation is severely limited due to Jalan Tembeling’s one-way traffic. The site
is also prone to vandalism. Besides, the building to be built on site will have a strong
effect towards the resultant city skyline.
OPPORTUNITIES
It has a potential as a new landmark and tourist destination as well as the potential to
uncover the talents of young bloods in the field of arts by amplifying the healthy
existing site programmes.
THREATS
Illegal parking by motor vehicles may effect access to the site. Future development of
neighbouring lands are unrestricted.
3.1 MICRO SITE ANALYSIS
View from far:
Prominent nation-building forms are
present, making it a necessity to
design a building that complements
the existing skyline instead of
building something that is
contrasting and disruptive
aesthetically.
VISUAL PERMEABILITY
View to North from site:
View towards lake is flanked by tall
trees, obstructing the view towards
the lake. The trees will serve as a
buffer between the walkways in the
park and the building to be built on
site.
View to site from North:
Istana Budaya is a vital and eye-
catching monument always grabbing
the attention of viewers. For this
case, this feature should be
preserved as well as possible due to
the fact that Istana Budaya created
an important visual place-making
aspect. Hoarding bounding the site
will be removed to make way for the
new building.
The green buffer zone of the site creates a sense of tranquil privacy within, disengaging
it from active public realm interaction.
The site is very sensitive due to the potential huge impact of the resultant building on urban
morphology and city skyline. Strong alterations are undesirable. Thus, the design of the building
must not be provocative and with minimal influential effect.

11. 3.2 PRECEDENT STUDIES
SCHOOL WITHOUT WALLS IN SWEDEN BY RONAN BOSCH
Rosan Bosch Ltd creates project that question prevailing norms and conceptions, paving
the way for new ways of thinking and acting.
Their projects take their starting point in issues with an overall societal significance as for
example how to create a well-functioning workplace, how to make exercise a natural part
of the everyday or how to create room for individual, pedagogical development in schools
and educational institutions. For instance, offices with slides and room for play.
Flexible pop-up workstations and hammocks for individual contemplation or schools with
cave-like reading tubes and gigantic icebergs for sitting on as well as teaching in.
SHALINI GANENDRA FINE ARTS, PETALING JAYA
This building has an art residency program that accommodates living and work
spaces for artists and management who live in and maintain the building.
The interior galleries have Rio LED track lighting which more accurately shows the
artwork, creates an elegant atmosphere and is energy efficient. Garden lighting is a
mixture of LED and Solar, selected and placed to emphasize building design,
outdoor installations and landscaping features.

12. 3.4 PROGRAMME BRIEF
The centre’s design intention is to gather and nurture young minds where new ideas can
be sparked and shared with peers. It also provides flexible, versatile spaces for various
events such as art exhibitions and flea markets to be held and organized. The building
vibrant with bustling with activity on a site with high potential is able to attract a
substantial crowd.
Ekspresireka is divided into several major programme categories: Video, Art, Literature,
Music and Visitor Lodging.
VIDEO
Students are provided with video-making facilities and equipment to explore their talents
in film making. These amenities include a green screen studio, computer studio and stop-
motion studio. Small studios function as locations for group discussions, meetings and
tutelage by professionals on certain digital and storymaking skills, transferring valuable
knowledge to the young.
ART
Large studios provide ample space for exhibitions, art synthesis and collaboration work. A
stationery and printing shop is available for the users. Installation art and fine arts are
focused in the building program with educational events such as vocational workshops.
Events such as design competitions and idea pitching are supported by the gallery’s
spatial flexibility. Besides, art studios can be categorized into private and collaborative
studios to cater user preferences. An open artist studio with spaces segregated via
cubicles and furniture creates a conducive environment for art creation. Masterpieces
created by students are displayed at a public area for visitors and potential buyers to
glance upon.
LITERATURE
The literature section is divided into two: a noisier section closer to the outdoor garden
busking area and a more quiet, secluded section closer to the visitor lodging area. This
provides options for users who prefer creating literature with audio stimulus and users
who prefer to read and write in silence. Archives are provided to store books drawn and
written by students.
MUSIC
An outdoor busking area allows students to showcase their talents. Practice studios, an
instrument storeroom and music recording studio allows the younger generation to
experiment with a variety of sounds and software to be creative and produce music.
VISITOR LODGING
An art residency program is organized by the building committee, catering a unique form
of tourism. This program invites tourists to stay over in the building and engage in various
art activities, educating the local young students about their skills and experiences,
benefiting them in their development. The dorms are situated at the top floor and is
divided into two wings: one with a view towards Istana Budaya and the other towards the
lake to the North.
3.3 DESIGN INTENTION

13. According to The Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s legislation, the setback requirements for the
building on the site are as follow:
3.5 SITE RESPONSE
Water feature is placed at the Northern
side as a poetic response to the existing
lake as well as enhancement of built
environment pleasance. Valuable vantage
points to the Palace of Culture to the
South are to be considered in
Ekspresireka’s design.
In response to the one-way Jalan
Tembeling and the convenience of
motorists, a basement parking providing
20 parking bays and 2 disabled parking
bays can be accessed.
As a place to nurture young talents and
recreational purposes, the building
responses to the park by taking into
consideration its potential as an
extension of the lake garden. Cycling
tracks and ramps are provided within the
building itself.
The central walkway acts as a major axis
to pedestrian accessibility between the
park to its North and Istana Budaya to its
South. It responds to the site
requirement of cutting through the hard
edge, which enables interaction between
the user groups of both the Art hubs and
education institutes.

14. 3.6 SPATIAL PROGRAMMING
The design of the building is derived from bubble diagrams that arrange volumes into spaces
with specific functions, collaborative spaces and public spaces where exhibits created by users
are displayed to pedestrians. Private spaces are placed in higher elevations while public and
noisier spaces are located at a lower elevation near the main walkway.
Visual and physical interaction
between volumes of spaces are
encouraged to catalyze interaction
of different types of users as well as
engaging the park community to its
functions.
As shown in the bubble diagram, the
walkway that penetrates the
building, which also is currently a
hard edge that segregates the park
from Istana Budaya serves as a
linear reference for the many types
of spaces to follow.

15. 3.7 FORM STUDIES
Block elevated to create form for
welcoming entrance façade.
Depression allows access to
basement parking.
Form lowered and minimized to
reduce impact towards existing
skyline.
Noise created by music in busking
area attracts crowd from park,
adding vibrant ambience.
Play of prominent voids that
transcend spaces encourage visual
and physical interaction between
levels.
Stacking of levels define
functionality of volumes, allowing
vigorous human interaction.
Disintegration within structured
layout allows flexibility by forming
versatile spaces that fit various
functions according to the users.

16. 4.1 SITE PLANNING STRATEGIES
WIND ANALYSIS
The wind speed diagram shows that a larger amount of wind comes
from the Northeast heading to the South. The loose floor plan allows
wind to pass throughout the building, removing the building interior’s
tropical heat by allowing natural passive ventilation. The open area in
the middle of the building creates a wind tunnel effect, cooling down
the building vicinity.
The site is greatly affected by the Northeastern monsoon that occurs
from October to March and the Southwestern Monsoon from April to
September.
SOLAR ANALYSIS
As a building located in a hot tropical climate,
the building will receive plenty of sunshine
year round. Thus, strategies to shade the
building has to be implemented especially at
the Eastern and Western facades. The building
must be designed to minimize the heat
received from sunlight arriving from the West.

17. 4.2 ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES
A central courtyard gathers prevailing wind from the
Northeast, allowing hot air to be removed from the
site’s interior areas. The design is intended to make
more than 60% of the facades North-South oriented
while minimizing the amount of East-West facing
facades to less than 30%.
In response to the solar path, the building is
designed to decrease sunlight gain from the West.
The central courtyard is shaded from the strong
Western sun. Certain areas embrace the morning
sun.
A water feature is present in the courtyard, cooling
down the building as the evaporation process carries
heat away into the atmosphere.
As seen from the West elevation, the building’s West façade is almost entirely covered with vegetation
and louvers, minimizing heat gain from the strong afternoon sun. Evapotranspiration cools the air in
Malaysia’s tropical heat. The species of plants selected on this façade are those that grow better if
receiving afternoon light.
4.3 SUSTAINABILITY CONCEPTS
ENERGY CONSERVATION FEATURE: SOLAR PANELS
Solar panels Solar panels
Solar PV (photovoltaic) refers to an array of cells containing a solar photovoltaic
material that converts solar radiation into direct current electricity. Ekspresireka’s
roof is covered with solar panels to maximize conversion of solar energy into
electrical energy for the building’s lighting and ventilation purposes. It serves the
dual purpose of allowing the building to pursue a renewable energy agenda, while
simultaneously making optimum use of its abundant solar energy available in the
tropics.
The system is connected to an electricity grid so that electricity generated is
exported back to the grid. The utility company TNB then pays the university a fixed
premium rate per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity. A system under 4Kw can earn
RM 1.3708 per unit of electricity generated. Output is supposedly guaranteed for a
period of 21 years.

18. ENERGY CONSERVATION FEATURE: RAINWATER HARVESTING AND GREYWATER
REUSING
Sewer piping
Water
supply
Rainwater
Greywater
The harvesting of rainwater simply involves the collection of water from the solar panel
covered roof, and subsequently storing this water for later use, which includes irrigating
the green facades. It is low cost in maintenance and does not require purifying when used
for irrigation. To reduce water wastage, greywater in the toilets are directed via poly pipes
and are used for irrigation.
Simple diagram showing flow of water within the building:
Industrialized Building System (IBS) is utilized in this project. Compared to
conventional construction methods, it requires less construction time, saves cost,
saves labour and is environmental friendly by decreasing the usage of timber
formwork on construction as components are already prefabricated.
Walls are made of precast concrete while floors are covered with timber parquet on
top of concrete slabs.
Material layering for green roof:
MATERIAL AND RESOURCES

19. The building is largely open, which allows sound waves to traverse from various places to
another, emitting a lively and happening vibe. Spaces that require seclusion such as dorms
are arranged further away from places that produce sound such as busking areas and
music practice studios.
In some rooms like the enclosed music practice studio and recording studio, the volumes
are completely sealed off to prevent interference of foreign noises. This is achieved by
enveloping the rooms with diffuser panels. The diffusers consist of two elements which
comprise of the absorber and reflector layers that made up its sound diffusion effect. The
uneven spacing of dented surface diffuse the sound waves to different directions, reducing
sound intensity and preventing undesirable echoes.
ACOUSTIC CONSIDERATION
Asides from the East and West facades, green walls are present at the North façade too.
This is because vegetation are natural sound barriers that reduce noise level from traffic by
reflecting, refracting as well as absorbing energy.
INNOVATION: GREEN WALLS
Modular green walls are essentially a
living cladding system with its rich
biodiversity. Visitors are greeted by a
green lush verticality while savoring
the effects of the abundance of
foliage. Evapotranspiration cools the
air in Malaysia’s tropical heat. Via
evapotranspiration, the demands for
active mechanical ventilation is
decreased thanks to these walls.
They are also natural air-filters,
creating a cleaner, more invigorating
work environment that will lead to
better overall production. Air toxins
found in built environments such as
formaldehyde, carbon monoxide,
VOCs and benzene will experience a
decrease with the implementation of
these walls as they metabolize
harmful toxins while releasing
oxygen into the building.
Living green walls are a surefire way
to enhance a building’s visuals,
improve air quality as well as human
energy levels.

20. 4.4 STRUCTURAL CONCEPT
The building utilizes bubble decking precast concrete floor slabs. These slabs are lighter
and stronger by incorporating large, hollow plastic balls in a lattice of steel. They eliminate
up to 35% of concrete from suspended slabs, adding further savings from lighter
structures, improved productivity and reduced energy consumption.
This system does not require any formwork and beams, making it easier to construct due
to its simplicity. Off-site prefabricated, fewer vehicular movements and crane lifts together
with simple installation all combine to minimize operating risk. It is also environmentally
friendly as concrete usage is significantly reduced.
Bubble decking allows freedom of architectural design with much lesser frequency of
columns. As no beam support is required, it allows longer spans between supports. It also
enables reduced foundation sizes since the structural dead-weight us reduced by 50%.
Downstand beams, cross-bracing and intermediate supports are entirely eradicated.

21. Tberesford. (2016, February 22) Voided Slab. Retrieved 19 December, 2017 from http://www.nadaaa.com/blog/making-sausage-voided-slab/
Hosmer, K. (2012, February 8) Unconventional School Without Walls. Retrieved 19 December, 2017 from https://mymodernmet.com/rosan-bosch-school-without-walls/
Venuerific. (2015, n.d.) Shalini Ganendra Fine Art @ Gallery Residence. Retrieved 19 December, 2017 from http://www.venuerific.com/my/venues/shalini-ganendra-fine-art-gallery-residence
5.0 IMAGE SOURCES