Roots & Rituals
CULTURAL EXPLORATION HUB • JALAN HORLEY , IPOH , MALAYSIA
Year: 2022
Project: Degree Semester 6
Technologies: Sketchup, Lumion, Photoshop
This project highlights the cultural decline in Ipoh, where many generational shops have closed due to technological challenges. Despite some resilient shops struggling during the pandemic, there is a concern about losing traditional techniques and cultural knowledge, especially as the elderly contributors face isolation in modern times.
The proposed solution is to provide a cultural exploration hub program in the center of Ipoh to preserve dying crafts, pass down generational techniques, and foster appreciation, aiming to revive and sustain the local cultural heritage.
Culture, vital to a vibrant society, is expressed through storytelling, celebrations, remembrance, entertainment, and envisioning the future. Ipoh, once enriched by tin mining and a hub for diverse goods, witnessed rapid development, attracting Chinese migrants. However, economic shifts led to stagnation, with many youngsters leaving for urban opportunities.
Presently, Ipoh is predominantly elderly, benefiting from tranquility but facing the decline of traditional crafts due to a lack of appreciation and challenges in competing with modern technology. While some strive to preserve cultural heritage, others remain indifferent. Ipoh is becoming a preferred retirement destination, cherished for its nostalgic qualities.
The concern remains about the potential loss of cultural practices and identity if the intergenerational transmission of techniques is disrupted.
The building designed is inspired by Ipoh's renowned mountains, which hold cultural significance as the origin of the local heritage. Utilizing rattan and wood materials in the structure not only reflects the traditional arts and crafts but also highlights exceptional craftsmanship and handmade skills. The design takes cues from the tin mining monument and its scaffolding, abstracting them into the initial puzzle and infrastructure of Ipoh's golden age of tin mining.
Aging techniques are employed in materials to evoke the collective memory of the local community. The extensive use of wood connects to the resources of the mountain forest, serving as an homage to a time when human needs were met with wood before the advent of steel and concrete.
walk into the mountain of culture
The building serves as a hub for families and the neighborhood to come together, fostering a close-knit community. The design incorporates urban lungs by providing indoor and outdoor recreational spaces, creating green areas within the city.
entrance
This serves as the entrance statement emanating from the vehicle drop-off area, designed to evoke a sense of intrigue and anticipation. Users are intentionally greeted with a somewhat confined ambiance, akin to entering a rabbit hole, creating a unique and impactful first impression.
Subsequently, as they proceed, they are welcomed by a grand entrance featuring LED lights mimicking water droplets cascading from the upper floor. This captivating display surrounds the key monument of the exhibition, setting the stage for the showcase within the building.
multipurpose rooftop
It introduces the enchantment of theatre and performing arts as a means to narrate stories, folklore, and provide inspiration, all while addressing the recreational needs of the community.
Additionally, users able to engage with architectural elements, allowing guests to observe exhibitions beneath them by excavating or displacing sand, simulating the experience of tin mining activities.
exhibition platform
To encourages multi-generational collaboration in traditional arts and promotes community unity through the shared language of food.
section(s)
The central lung, encased in layers of programs, serves as the focal point for cultural exploration within the building.
From the ground floors, users witness aspects of the working process, directly aligning with the building's cultural exploration purpose.
At the heart of this central space, an Ipoh tree is planted, surrounded by a water curtain that pays homage to the tin mining typology, symbolizing the origin of Ipoh's golden age. Below the tree, a LED light curtain mimics the roots, representing the cultural origin – lifestyle.
The branching structure mirrors the growth of Ipoh, symbolizing the development and evolution of cultural resemblance. At the tip of the trunk, where the tree spreads its leaves, signifies the flourishing of Ipoh culture, marking the time for harvest and celebration.