City&Country: Cover Story-- 2011 PAM Awards - Recognising design excellence

Contemporary designs and green and sustainable architecture proved to be winning elements at the 2011 Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) Awards. A number of the projects submitted were designed to adapt to their surroundings and featured energy-efficient buildings. For the 2011 PAM Awards, recognition was given to 38 architectural firms in 16 categories for their work.

This year also saw renowned architect Datuk Dr Kenneth Yeang bestowed the prestigious Gold Medal, which had only been awarded to five architects since it was instituted in 1988. It is the highest honour awarded by PAM to recognise the lifetime achievements of Malaysian architects.
The annual PAM Awards honours architects, clients/owners and builders/contractors for architectural design excellence and advancement of quality built environment.

“It is an award where the judging eschews the promotional glitz and hype and cuts through superfluous copywriting in its dissertation as the juries dissect the entries for the brawn behind the brag,” says Boon Che Wee, president of PAM.

The jury for the 2011 PAM Awards comprised Boon, Ling Fah Shing (Fahshing Architect), Sathirut Nui Tandanand (vice-chairman, ARCASIA Zone B), Dr Chalay Kunawong (ARCASIA Zone B), Prof Dr Wong Yunn Chii (head of the Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore) and Datuk Prof Dr Ahmad Zainuddin (chairman of Malaysia Design Council). Lee Chor Wah and Alvin Lim Hai Seah were convenor and co-convenor respectively.

The presentation ceremony was held on July 23.

SINGLE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
RT+Q Architects Pte Ltd triumphed in this category with its House at Damansara in Damansara Heights. The winning tropical architecture concept was an extension of the old house on site. The jurors described House at Damansara as “a very clean style of architectural character and form with dramatic spatial and visual links to the existing house”.

The Silver Award went to ArchiCentre Sdn Bhd for its S11 bungalow house in Petaling Jaya. The house is Malaysia’s first GBI Platinum tropical house and is notable for its green features and sustainability.

Bungalow at Bukit Tunku by B-Lee Architect and Tropical Minimalism by CS Loo Architect and Delta Nil Design & Consult Sdn Bhd received commendations.

MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL (LOW-RISE)
There was no Gold Award. The Silver Award went to Chan Sau Yan Associates for 20Trees in Melawati, Kuala Lumpur. Jurors loved the daring interplay of simple rectilinear geometrical expression that captures the calm of the hilly environment.

Masyerin M N Architect’s Residential Blocks for Cempaka International Ladies College in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, was commended for “a new look for a residential block which protects and liberates the women occupants”.

MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL (HIGH-RISE)
Centrio by YTL Design Group and Tan Eng Keong Architect in Pantai Hillpark won in this category. Featuring an innovative SoHo concept combining living and work spaces, it was noted for its interesting display of variety and sculptural quality within a disciplined rectilinear geometry.

DP Architects Sdn Bhd’s Ken Bangsar received the Silver Award for innovatively transforming a commercial building into a green residential tower with naturally ventilated public spaces.

C’Arch Architecture & Design Sdn Bhd’s The Domain Serviced Apartment in Cyberjaya and RSP Architects Sdn Bhd’s Panorama Serviced Apartment in Kuala Lumpur city centre received commendations.

PUBLIC AND INSTITUTIONAL
There was no gold winner. The Silver Award went to Tensegrity Inc for RC Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Puchong, described as “sculptural forms working with dramatic lighting effects for solemnity and calm that befit a religious building.”

NBL Architects Sdn Bhd’s Islamic Information Centre in Kuching and ATSA Architects Sdn Bhd’s Islamic Museum Annex Building Kuala Lumpur earned commendations.

EDUCATION
NWKA Architects Sdn Bhd clinched the Gold Award for Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus in Bandar Sunway. The development, described as a state-of-the-art modern-tropical university campus, was called a “masterful integration of the lake with the campus building — an inspiring place for learning”.

ARC Partnership received a commendation for its work on Kolej Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Cyber Centre, Master Planning and Infrastructure Study.

INDUSTRIAL
Only a commendation was given out in this category, to T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd for Digi Technology Operation Centre.

ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS
Again, there was no gold winner. Two Silvers were awarded — to Design Collective Architects and Essential Design Integrated Sdn Bhd for J-House in Subang Jaya, and DRTAN LM Architect for Suen Galleries in Bangsar.

Desa House by Building Bloc Architects won a commendation.

CONSERVATION
Design Network Architects Sdn Bhd came out on top for its work on the historical Sibu Municipal Council Building , renamed Sibu Heritage Centre by n the historical. It was noted as an exquisite effort in conserving a heritage building while enhancing cultural amenities and public space.

ADAPTIVE RE-USE
A Mariadass Architect and YTL Design Group won top honours for the YTL Communications Centre in Sentul Park. It was recognised for its innovative adaptive reuse that injected a new lease of life into an otherwise disused railway workshop where the old construction is clearly celebrated with the new.

Hijjas Kasturi Associates Sdn Bhd took the Silver Award for Hotel Penaga in George Town, Penang.

OVERSEAS BUILDING
T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd and CPG Consultants Pte Ltd came out on top for its Green Mark Platinum Solaris in Singapore. Jurors called it “an atriumed office of green walls and planters shaking in and around the building among many other green features”.

RT+Q Architects Pte Ltd bagged the Silver Award for House at Watten in Singapore. Its work was praised for the interesting concept of bringing light into the inner sanctum of a terraced house by “peeling” away one side of the roof.

Commendations were given to Tokio Marine Centre in Singapore by Chan Sau Yan Associates and House at Kebayoran Bahru in Jakarta  by RT+Q Architects Pte Ltd.

INTERIOR DESIGN
Building Bloc Architects won the Gold Award for its Office for Tujuan Gemilang at the PJ Trade Centre in Damansara Perdana. Jurors said the office was designed with a strong conceptual basis: clear, clean-lined, modern and tropical.

Yelill Architect and Juteras Design Workshop Sdn Bhd clinched the Silver Award for their Corporate Office for Emkay Group. Jurors noted the courageous reinvention of the modern office space with spatial quality and honest expression of simple materials devoid of decorations.

COMMERCIAL BUILDING
Hailed as a bold and dramatic design by the jurors, PJ Trade Centre in Damansara Perdana by Yelill Architect Juteras Design Workshop Sdn Bhd won top honours.

Both HMSK Architecture Sdn Bhd and cgnA Consultancy Sdn Bhd’s SStwo Mall in Petaling Jaya, and RT+Q Architects Pte Ltd and YTL Design Group’s D7 received silver awards.

SHOWROOM
Design Networks Architects Sdn Bhd took home the gold for Showroom at Rock Road Kuching, which was noted for its departure from the typical showroom and impact on the streetscape.

The Silver Award went to Hijjas Kasturi Associates Sdn Bhd and Studio Nicoletti Associati for The POD at Petaling Jaya Commercial City’s on-site sales office and showroom gallery.

T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd received a commendation for its Ganendra Art House in Kuala Lumpur.

SPORTS & RECREATION
In this category, only a commendation was given to GSD Architect for its Jade Hills Resort Club. It was praised for being a well-executed and controlled rectilinear design that broke away from the norm for an unusual clubhouse.

SPECIAL CATEGORY
Earning the gold was Razin Architect’s Surau Nusa Idaman in Nusajaya Johor — a public Muslim prayer hall built entirely on public donations and probably the first of its kind to have solar-powered LED light fittings.

Rohaidzad Rashid Architect with Linear Vista Sdn Bhd and AECOM (Singapore) Pte Ltd with Goldgreen Associates Sdn Bhd received the silver award for Taman Dusun Bandar in Kuala Lumpur.

A commendation was given to Building Bloc Architects’ Scrap Metal Projects for its aesthetics and creative reuse of scrap metal.

This article appeared in City & Country, the property pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 868, July 25-July 31, 2011