IBM tower, is a bio-climatic tower

Designed by the architect Kenneth Yeang, he has incorporated his 10 years research of bioclimatic designs to create a low-energy building sustainable for Malaysia’s tropical climate

Located in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Menara Mesiniaga was a precursorof “green buildings” today.

An approach to architecture that strives to counter the

placelessness and lack of meaning in Modern Architecture

by using contextual forces to give a sense of place and meaning.

Emphasis should be on topography, climate, light, tectonic form and tactile

sense

tries to achieve a one-to-one correspondence with vernacular architecture in conscious way without consciously partaking in the universal.

conservation and resorts to blind use of vernacular.

The sophisticated urban insertions of many contemporary Spanish architects (including Rafael Moneo), or the austere concrete forms of the Japanese master Tadao Ando.

All point to a design method that is assuredly modern but relies on the organic unity of local material, climatic and cultural characteristics to lend coherence to the finished work. The result is an architecture suited light and touch.

National Museum of Roman Art, Rafael Moneo

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The Southern California work of RichardNeutra in the 1930s, for example, or thebrilliant projects designed by the Barcelonaarchitect J.A Coderch, demonstrate a varietyof ingenious adaptations of local forms andmethods to the requirements of modernfunctionality. The results are formally andconceptually divorced from received notionsof style, as in the case of Coderch’scelebrated ISM apartment block (1951),which represents a modern brick veneermediated by carefully realized interpolationsof traditional elements such as full-heightwood shutters and thin overhangingcornices.

ISM Apartment Block 1951

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Menara Mesiniaga, (Ken Yeang) | Menara Dayabumi, (Nik Mohammed) | Petronas Twin Tower, (Cesar Pelli)

Rokko Housing I, II and III are three separate development projects for different clients taken upon by Tadao Ando. It commands admiration as all three buildings were built on different sites and carried out at different times yet all three have the touch of a harmonious townscape.

For Rokko Housing I, Tadao Ando was first required to design a 20-unit apartment on a south-facing hillside with a 60-degree slope in the foothills of the Rokko Mountains in Kobe. Instead of constructing a typical, box-like high-rise, Tadao Ando took on the challenge offered by the site to design a building that steps back against the hillside, using roofs of lower levels as terraces, which resulted in a cluster of independent units. For RokkoHousing II, the building which sits next to the first complex was design through the vertical overlapping of square grids. This again goes against the generic high-rise typology and instead caters to the topography, climate and context of the site. Hence, this is a fine example of Critical Regionalism, as the building does not sit on the site without meaning.Rokko Housing I, II & III (1978-1999)

Kobe, Japan

by Tadao Ando

Golden Mile Complex (1973) Singapore

by DP Architects

Golden Mile Complex is a high-rise commercial and residential building located in Kallang, Singapore. It is one of the early pioneers of integrating multiple operations into a single mixed-use development in the country. The structure contains 411 shops and 500 parking bays.

At first glance, one can observe that the building does not conform to the common high-rise typology. DP Architects designed the building based on:i) the slopping terrace typology to reduce class segregation

and to promote expansiveness of each floor. It also helps reduces noise pollution from a certain direction.

ii) Linear urban development to complement the linear typology of its surrounding context.

iii) The tectonics of the Singaporean tradition, as observed through its building typology, spatial layout and structure application.

iv) Climate and orientation, to introduce shade and promote natural ventilation.

Bedok Court Condominium (1982-1985) Singapore

by Cheng Jian Finn

Bedok Court is a residential condominium development in Singapore, comprising of 3 linear medium to high-rise blocks arranged around a central space. The building in total has 280 apartment units, each having access to a double volume garden space where the entrance of each apartment is from this garden space.

The architect plays with the relationship between the interior and exterior spaces by finding relieve in high density housing through the influence of a Malay vernacular house (kampong), where streets are translated into vertically-stacked walkways and common corridors, while garden compounds are translated into staggered private open terraces and courtyards.

In addition, climate control was also taken into consideration in hopes of maximizing ventilation, providing shade, ultimately achieving thermal comfort. Climatic analysis was conducted by the architect beforehand in order to successfully apply the bio-climatic approach into a high-rise, high-density residential building which includes all the features of a Critical Regionalist design.

used to describe structures built by people whose design decisions are influenced by

traditions in their culture

climate in particular acted as a primary

instigator

a “traditional” design solution that is climatically appropriate,

culturally relevant and aesthetically pleasing

keeping the inhabitants comfortable and sustainable the social lives in and around

the built environment

traditional Malay house is one of the richest

components of Malaysia’s cultural heritage

well designed to suit the warm and humid

Malaysian climate and for the multifunctional use of

space

near-perfect houseform which is appropriate to local climatic

conditions and expresses the way of life of its inhabitants

flexible as it caters to the widely different needs of the users and it has an addition

system

allow adequate ventilation for cooling and reduction of

humidity

control direct solar radiation

use building materials with low thermal capacity so that little heat is transmitted into

the house

control glare from the open skies and surroundings

protect against rain

Traditional Malay House Design

Building Layout Shading and Natural Lighting

Ventilation Strategies

- Walls and Openings- Raised Floor- Roof Elements

Traditional Malay House

• There is a clear definition of

architectural elements and can be

categorized into three main zones. The

top zone, which covers the ventilated

roof element, the middle zone for

ventilated walls and windows, and the

bottom zone which is the raised floor.

• Consists of three parts, the top zone,

which consists of the ventilated roof

structure, the middle zone, which

covers the ventilated walls and

windows as well as the terrace gardens

as well as the bottom zone, which

covers the sloped landscaped base that

houses the main lobby.

Menara Mesiniaga

• The traditional Malay house

implements a floor plan layout with a

core space (Rumah Ibu) in the centre

flanked by its service and open spaces.

• The plan of the Menara Mesiniaga

adopts the layout of the Malay house

with its core space (offices) left free in

the centre while its service and open

spaces are adjoined to it.

Menara MesiniagaTraditional Malay House

• Windows are plentiful in the Malay

house and since the body level is the

most vital area for ventilation.

• Full-length fully openable windows are

used.

• The carved wooden panels and wooden

grilles in the house are also effective

ventilation devices.

• Besides ensuring adequate ventilation

in the interior of the house, winds from

the exterior are also encouraged to flow

through the house.

• The landscaped terraces that appear on

every office level allow for full height

sliding glass doors that let in fresh air.

• The external fins and louvers shade the

office and the uppermost floor houses

recreational areas, a swimming pool

and sun roof.

• The permeable external walls of the

building provide cross-ventilation even

in air-conditioned spaces.

Menara MesiniagaTraditional Malay House

• Solar radiation is effectively controlled

by the large thatched Malay house roof

with large overhangs.

• East-West orientation of the house

reduces the exposure of the house to

direct solar radiation.

• For the West half of the Menara

Mesiniaga building, external solar

shades are installed. The South West

and North West are protected by

aluminium fins offset from the building

face.

• Instead of an internal service core, the

concrete core of the building faces the

exterior and is located on the East side

of the tower. The lift lobbies at all floors

are also naturally ventilated and are

sun-lit with views to the outside.

Menara MesiniagaTraditional Malay House

Implies a standard skyscraper template existsA misnomer?

Identical form no matter the region

Similar globally

Monolithic, glass curtain wall, box

Public perception

The “generic skyscraper”

International style

Monolithic, glass curtain wall, box

Public perception

The “generic skyscraper”

International styleTypically cuboidal massing

Basic form

Structure may be expressedNo ornaments

Basic shapes emphasizedPlanar surfaces

Glass and steelMaterials

Due to skin and bonesOpen interior spaces

Cylindrical massingBasic form

Structure expressedNo ornaments

Basic shapes emphasizedPlanar surfaces

Glass, steel and concreteMaterials

Due to skin and bonesOpen interior spaces

Aluminium louvres + tinted glassEmphasis on shading

Glass facades mostly hiddenSmall glass facades

Rejects flat roof typical of IS buildings.Overhanging roofs

Breaks up otherwise uniform massGreen spaces

Focused on creating a climatically

responsive solution instead of ease of

manufacturing

Environmentally focused

Aluminium louvres + tinted glassEmphasis on shading

Glass facades mostly hiddenSmall glass facades

Rejects flat roof typical of IS buildings.Overhanging roofs

Breaks up otherwise uniform massGreen spaces

Focused on creating a climatically

responsive solution instead of ease of

manufacturing

Environmentally focused

Mesiniaga’s site climatic conditions

require as little solar gain as possible

International style skyscrapers place

emphasis on allowing as much sun

to heat interior spaces

Glass facades will result in huge

operating costs due to solar gain

Uniform facades + light and heating

elements in IS skyscrapers

Green spaces function as cooling +

allows wind to ventilate the building

Airtight approach limits amount of

external environmental elements

permeating into skyscraper interior

Required to minimize tropical sun

penetration into building. + Rain

Climate of origin does not require

large sunshading or rain protection.

Sun + wind + rain + temperature +

humidity

Climate

Malaysian working ethic + Malaysian

attitudes towards skyscrapers +

Malaysian attitudes toward climate

Culture

with designs and spaces which provide

passive low energy benefits

can be achieved by taking into account of the local

climate, aimed at providing thermal and visual comfort

Exposed Columns and Beams

Sloped Berm and Open Mezzanine Floors

Concrete Core Terraces with Planting

[ reflects sunlight ] [ encourages air movement underneath the

building ]

[ shade the building from direct sun rays from the

East ]

[ enhances the shade and increases the oxygen

supply into the building ]

Aluminium Fins and Louvers

Overhang Curvilinear Roof

Rooftop Trellis Rooftop Pool

[ provide sun shading for the interior spaces ]

[‘greens’ the rooftop by insulating and reflecting

the overhead sun ]

[ support solar panels to obtain maximum amount

of direct sunlight ]

[ enhances the shade and increases the oxygen

supply into the building ]

Balfour, A., Richards, I., & Yeang, K. (2000). Bioclimatic skyscrapers. London: Ellipsis.- The book also presents the theoretical framework for Yeang's design work, and looks to the future, to explorationsof wind energy and new environmentally-friendly or reactive materials.

Hart, S. & Littlefield, D. (2011). Ecoarchitecture. Chichester [England]: Wiley.- This book marks the first definitive overview of Yeang’s works. It features over 30 projects by Ken Yeang drawnfrom over three decades of practice. Featuring 22 of Yeang’s most significant projects, this book explains KenYeang’s innovative ideas to incorporate bioclimatic features in a high-density building type.

Lee, H. (1998). The kampong house: Architecture and culture of the Malay vernacular in Peninsular Malaysia. HongKong: University of Hong Kong.- This book is about the different types of Malay vernacular kampong house in Peninsular Malaysia, in terms offeatures and structural elements.

Malaysia, B. W., & Gurstein, P. (1985). Malaysian architectural heritage survey: A handbook. Dewan PerniagaanMelayu Malaysia.- A handbook based on Malaysia’s, specifically Malay settlements such as the traditional kampong houses andcultural spaces.

Yeang, K. & Richards, I. (1998). Eco skyscrapers. Mulgrave: Images Publishing.- This book presents Ken Yeang's work on the design of ecologically responsive skyscrapers, and includes his essayon applying greendesign principles to the skyscraper typology, as well as a preface by Steve Featherstone, anintroduction by David Scott (Chairman of The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat) and a critique by ProfessorIvor Richards.