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ARCHITECT The Boutique Hotel and KPJ hospital Sungai Penchala

June 2015

An interview with Ar. Chong Chee Keong

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•  The ZONE Architect 1-2

•  Introduction to Ar. Chong Chee Keong 3-4 •  2 Projects involved

5-6 •  Roles and Responsibilities 7-8

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THE ZONE ARCHITECT

Background & History

ZONE   Architect   is   an  interna0onal  architecture  and   design   consultancy  fi rm   tha t   has   been  established   for   27   years,  s i n c e   1 9 8 9 .   T h e i r  headquarter   is   located  at  Jalan  Ipoh,  Kuala  Lumpur,  Malaysia.   Besides   that,  they   also   have   other  branches   at   Ipoh,   Johor  Bahru  ,Myanmar  and  Abu  Dhabi.      .  

  They   have   successfully  delivered   projects   that   are  worth   more   than   RM3  billion   and   have   undertake  projects   in  Australia,  China,  Cambodia,  Indonesia,  India,  Malaysia   and   the   United  Arab   Emirates   (UAE) .  Currently  their  office  in  Abu  Dhabi   has   carried   out  projects   in   Dubai,   Abu  Dhabi,   Ras   Al   Khaimah,  Ajman   as   well   as   in   the  Sultanate  of  Oman.    1  

Company Structure

Principal and Associate Directors

Mid-Level Management Team

Design

Management

Construction

Contracts

Marketing

Our   team   is   made   up   of   50   personnel   at   KL   HQ,   who   are   all  rigorously  selected  and  trained  to  perform  at  peak  level.  We  ensure  the   team   members   are   part   of   a   con0nuous   training   and  development   program   to   keep   up   with   the   latest   building  techniques.  At  Myanmar,  the  branches  are  in  charge  by  others  SOC,  which  have  around  10  personnel  while  the  Abu  Dhabi  branch  is   in  collabora0on  with  the  Kuala  Lumpur  HQ.        

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INTRODUCTION to Ar. Chong Chee Keong  

Q1: What is your biggest challenge as an architect ? To interpret the brief and make it workable in the industry. Convince client on the design concept. Also, meet up the budget with less risky ideas. Dealing with the contractors (convince them that the design works). But mainly, dealing with the authority because after submitting and being compliant, more requirements are needed as if the authority is the client and the inability to offend them is a headache.    3  

                           Ar.  Chong  Chee  Kong  has  13  years  of  professional  experience   a^er   gradua0ng   from   University   Malaya,  including   his   2   years   in   ZONE   and   has   gained   strong  analy0cal   ski l ls   in   problem   iden0fica0on   and  implementa0on  of  effec0ve  solu0ons.  Besides,  he  is  well  versed   in   most   aspects   of   housing   and   commercial  developments;   and   building   regula0on   in   Malaysia.   He  strives   for   con0nued   excellence   and   advancement,   and  always  presents  himself  in  a  professional  manner.        

Ar.  CHONG  CHEE  KEONG,  Project  Director    

Q2.  How  do  you  describe  your   university   life   as   an  architecture  student?  Try to participate and mee t more peop le outside of the course instead of the same people in it because there is no end in architecture if you just keep perfecting your work causing you to be less sociable.

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Q3. Is becoming an architect your first ambition ? STPM did not prepare me for my ambition so I was just focusing on getting good grades. After that, architecture seemed great because I was qualified and thought it was fun and did not need to study much. Initially, I also thought that my drawing was good.

Q2.   How   important   is  y o u r   u n i v e r s i t y  educaGon   to   your  career  now  ?  University was a time to explore concepts and is less serious compared to actual work .

“ Architecture is actually very funny , you never have an end to the projects.”     - Ar. Chong Chee Kong

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Throughout  his  12  years  of  experience  as  a  project  architect,  Ar.  Chong  Chee  Keong  has  worked  from  preparing  schema0c  design,  developing   design,   preparing   tender   to   managing   and  administering   building   contract.   Among   the   projects   he   has  handled,   he   stated   that   the   challenging   ones   are   the   proposed  private  medical   center   for   KPJ   Hospital   in   Sungai   Penchala   and  proposed  3-­‐star  hotel,  Bou0que  Hotel  at  Jalan  Yap  Ah  Shak,  Kuala  Lumpur.      Regarding   the   Bou0que   Hotel,   Ar.   Chong   was   in   charge   of   the  preliminary   plan.   When   the   preliminary   plan   was   almost  completed,  and  he  was  wai0ng  for  the  submission  and  approval.  He  had  done   the   tender  drawings   already  and  he  was  ensuring  whether   it   was   construc0ble.   Ar.   Chong   said   that   when   they  wanted  to  call  upon  the  calling  tender,  the  client  wanted  them  to  redesign  it,  saying  that  they  wanted  a  different  typology.  He  then  had  to  redesign  the  whole  concept  by  star0ng  from  the  sketching  process.        

BOUTIQUE HOTEL , Kuala Lumpur By Ar. Chong Chee Keong

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For   the  hospital  project,  when  he  was   involved   in   it,   it  already   has   a   preliminary   layout.   A^er   the   hospital  operator  came  in,  he  and  his  team  have  to  redesign  the  whole   structure.   The   layout   has   to   be   approved   by   3  par0es.   Not   only   the   layout,   they   also   need   to  emphasise   the   cost   and   deal   with   the   Quan0ty  Surveyor.   A^er   finalising   the   layout,   they   have   to  complete  the  KN  submission.  Right  now  he  is  wai0ng  for  the  client’s   instruc0ons  as  they  are  s0ll  nego0a0ng  the  cost.    

Private Medical Center for KPJ Hospital , Sungai Penchala Proposed by Ar. Chong Chee Keong

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Ar.   Chong   designs   a   tender  drawing  that   is  construc0ble  star0ng  from  a  sketch.  When  the  client  wants  a  design  of  a  building,   they   will   brief   him  first   on   what   they   want.  T h en ,   t h e   h e   h a s   t o  inves0gate  the  site  and  then  designs   according   to   the  regula0ons   and   laws   of  planning   requirements.   He  has   to   communicate   with  the   council   to   update   them  on  the  design  informa0on.     whole  thing  will  be  sent  to  

the   KM.   Also,   he   has   to  choose   the   materials   for  the   building   construc0on  as  well.   If   the  client   is  not  c o n fi d e n t   w i t h   t h e  ma te r i a l s   chosen ,   a  discussion  will  be  held  and  a   proposal   will   then   be  sent  to  the  suppliers.  

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ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Of Ar. Chong Chee Keong for the pass 12 years

A^er  the  first  design,  he  will  then   have   to   present   it.   If  the   design   is   accepted,   he  can   then  proceed.  However,  before   construc0on   starts,  the  design  has   to  be  sent   to  a   quan0ty   surveyor   to  c a l c u l a t e   t h e   t o t a l  construc0on   costs.   A^er  that,   the   plan   and   eleva0on  has   to  be   sent   to   a   planner.  Finally,  the

BEFORE CONSTRUCTION

Hs job does not end directly after the completion of construction. He has to revisit the site to observe the views and know the location of access and the slope. He also need to assess the condition of the building to ensure that it is in good condition.  His  work  con0nues  un0l  a^er  the  building  work.  Part  of  the  payment  due   to   the  builder   –   the  reten0on   –   is   held   back   for   up   to  twelve  months  and  is  only  paid  out  on  the  architect’s  instruc0on,  a^er  any  defects  have  been  rec0fied  by  the   contractor.   Remember   that  the   architect ’s   Opinion   on  Compliance   with   Planning   and  Building   Regula0ons   is   subject   to  work   not   being   changed   during  construc0on.

DURING CONSTRUCTION

He has to go through the contract and ask the contractor to submit all the compliance materials. A sample model also has to be made for reference. Then,   he   will   be  involved   in   site   visits   and  mee0ng s ,   o ve r s ee i ng   t he  construc0on   and   signing   off   on  various  pieces  of  work.  He  will  be  nego0a0ng   with   contractors   and  dealing   with   and   resolving   any  problems  that  arise.  

AFTER CONSTRUCTION

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ABOUT US

Group Leader : Shum Li Sze Group Members : 1. Tan Jia San

2. Ng Ji Yann 3. Phares Phung 4. Ong Von Wan 5. Ngu Xian Le

Tutor : Pn. Hasmanirah Mokhtar 9  

FNBE MARCH INTAKE 2015