ARMADA SUITES

HOTEL RENOVATION AND NEW RESIDENTIAL TOWER

Project Architects: Hseng Tai Ja Reng Lintner, Stefan Svedberg
Submitting Architect: NK Ngai Architects
Consultants: Macro Resources, SAM Planners
Client: Confidential
Type: Commission
Status: On hold
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Duration: October 2010 - October 2011

Project brief:
In 2010 we were invited by a property development firm to deliver a design concept for a new landmark residential tower. The site, located in the heart of Petaling Jaya, makes it a strategic player, amongst other undergoing developments, in the densification and urbanisation of the city centre. Currently, the site is severely under-used and is comprised of a hotel, a semi derelict shopping plaza and one level of underground parking. Our clients' objectives were to renovate the hotel, demolish the shopping plaza and replace it with a residential tower comprising of at least 400 units at an average size of around 80m2. As a result of the first presentation, we were commissioned to develop the project for planning permission over the course of the coming year.

Proposal:
Conceptually, the design proposal takes its morphonomy directly from its name. The design features geometries reminiscent of oceanic elements such as ocean waves, the sea bed and marine life. The relative positions of the buildings maximise the views from within the towers and a protected space on the backside of the site for outdoor tenant facilities is created through this site layout.

In order to have the best chance for planning permission to be granted, it was important that the proposal followed the municipality's building regulations as closely as possible. Achieving a balance between building regulations, client objectives and design intentions was the greatest challenge in the overall process and has been a major factor in all decisions relating to the project. The project itself has undergone many design phases and this portfolio only depicts the latest stage in the project's development.