Pusat Kebajikan Datuk Amar Hajah Juma'ani
Pusat Kebajikan Datuk Amar Hajah Juma’ani is the centre for the Pertubuhan Pemulihan dalam Komuniti (PDK) Sri Satok; a training centre for persons with disabilities (OKU). It was established in July 2015 and aimed to provide the best service and utilities for the community with special needs.
Located next to a hectic petrol station, the space available for the building became very limited after complying to the by-laws
We were commissioned by a pre-cast concrete contractor who required the project to be completed within 4 months and with a very tight budget. The 0.35-acre site is located under the Satok Bridge, facing the scenic Sarawak River and adjacent to a very busy petrol filling station. The space available for the building was very limited after complying with statutory requirements such as building setbacks, etc.
By removing some of the walls, natural breezes can flow through while capturing unobstructed views of the river at the same time
The design of the building is based on several design strategies:
Instead of framing the river views with specially designed windows in the building’s enclosure, we removed some of the walls to allow breezes while capturing views of the river.
Limiting the depths of all rooms to 4 m for optimal cross ventilation and day light.
Energy efficiency - Internal rooms are equipped with ceiling fans for mechanical cooling. Air-conditioning is available for occasional use only, aimed at minimizing the running costs of the Centre.
In line of this thinking, we opted for a ramp instead of a lift to get to the second storey. The ramp is used as a exhibition space for this NGO, and sends the correct message in terms of sufficiency and consumption.
The Centre also uses the ramp as a space for exercise and physiotherapy.
Multi-use spaces - the interiors are mostly open-plan with simple finishes, so that the children can occupy and articulate the spaces as they wish. The only rooms are ones with specific functions requiring special equipment, finishes, security or privacy. The car park doubles as an event space when tents are erected to accommodate more people.
The ramp is used as a exhibition space for this NGO, sending the correct message in terms of sufficiency and consumption
The short construction period of three months, during the monsoon season, resulted in the use of prefabricated structural components. This meant that some of our intended details had to be changed and simplified. There were other details which we had to sacrifice, such as the welded steel roof structure for a bolted steel frame which was constructed off-site. All in all, it was still a rewarding experience that equipped us for future projects.
Text by the architect
PROJECT GALLERY