KEN YEANG

Ken Yeang is a Malaysian Architect. He is well-known for his green design and planning
Menara Mesiniaga was built in 1994 and located at Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia Designed by Ken Yeang for IBM It is a 15-storey building with high tech visual appearance Incorporates office building with sensitivity towards environmental issues

CONTEXT
To create an atmosphere suitable and comfortable for IBM employees Symbol for their high technological products Future option of expansion

Figure Ground
Located at corner site with high visibility

Mesiniaga Tower

Highway Lake Lush vegetation around the building Some residential complexes and townhouses Mostly shop houses -> low rise building The form is quite organic-> mixture of pattern

Grid pattern

Centralized pattern

Figure Ground
Sloping landscape base -> connects surrounding land + verticality of building Vegetation planted at the surface -> extension of land

Circulation

Aerial View
Approach to the building is oblique

Ground Floor Plan

It has centralized organization

Circulation
Entrance to the building is recessed

Perspective view of entrance

Each level of building can be accessed through elevators or stairs

Office Floor Plan

Orientation (East and West)

Service core located at hot side -> act as heat sink Uses extensive passive heating Windows located along elevator lobbies -> made orientation easier & provide natural light + ventilation Emergency stairs -> exposed to exterior

Emergency Stairs

Lift Lobbies

East Elevation

Orientation (North and South)

2 types of sun shade : - Aluminum fins -> block shallow light

- Panel of aluminum louvers -> for direct & far-reaching light

Feature : Window Walls -> Double glazed Allow expansive views, permit greater amount of daylight, expand space beyond physical boundaries

South West Elevation

Orientation (North and South)

Overhang roof

Overhang roof shade most of south faade from high angled afternoon sun

Solid Voids & Internal External

Subtraction of space -> create void at each office level Void = Recessed Balconies (Sky Court) in spiraling configuration Entrance almost facing t

Function : - Shade and ventilate building - Intro of vertical landscaping - Transitional space between interior (office space) and exterior - Provide visual relief for workers

Solid Voids & Internal External

Crown/Steel Trellis Faade -> strong structural expression Sieve-like instead of sealed skin -> allow building to breathe Formed in tri partite way : raised green base, spiraling planted body and crown

Sky court -> Feels organic and random-looking -> theres order Provide visual contrast

Spiraling planted body

Raised Green Base/Sloped berm

Solid Voids & Internal External

Circle the circumference of building -> insulate lowest 3 levels from sun Other open half -> shade entrance lobby & connect mezzanine level to surrounding land Berm -> sloped -> increase SA for planting -> channels & absorbs water

Programmatic Arrangement
Gymnasium and swimming pool

Balconies, skycourts, offices, auditorium, cafeteria

Main entrance, lobby, carpark

Spatial Hierarchy
Center :
- Full-height partitioned offices -> for upper management

Periphery :
- Access to windows and views -> for general offices

Toilet

Sky Court

Elevator Lobby

This arrangement is unusual -> normally space with view -> upper management Enclosed space at periphery -> blocking the sunlight

Spatial Hierarchy

From external view, the hierarchy seems to be the crown and the sloped berm as it has unique shape

Conclusion
1. In conclusion, I think that Ken Yeangs work focused on energy use and performance within tropical climate 2. Menara Mesiniaga is a building with urban environment integrated with its landscape 3. The orientation and placement of voids and shade is carefully thought out and this reduce long term maintenance costs by lowering energy use i.e. reduction of air conditioning use 4. The introduction of vertical landscaping enable plants to generate oxygen and cool down the building 5. The idea of integrating the building with the site by building artificial landscape is very innovative