T1 Bundusan

BuiltMalaysiaSabahAwardsPAM AwardsPAM Sabah Awards
Written By Borneo Architecture Journal

T1 Bundusan is a vibrant commercial hub in Kota Kinabalu, revitalising the area with diverse spaces for retail, dining, and social activities

Located on a 1.93-acre site in Kota Kinabalu, T1 Bundusan is a medium-scale commercial development designed to revitalise its vicinity as a hub for commercial and social activities. This development consists of a five-storey shop-office block adjoining a seven-storey hotel block, both positioned above a podium, with a semi-basement car park beneath. To improve accessibility, a link bridge on the fifth level connects the hotel block to the shop-office block, allowing seamless movement for hotel guests and visitors alike.

It features a five-storey shop-office and a seven-storey hotel connected by a fifth-level link bridge, set above a podium with a semi-basement car park below

Link bridge connecting the shop-office and hotel blocks

Side elevation

A key innovation of the shop-office building is its unique cluster typology, which redefines the conventional notion of shop-office developments. Unlike the traditional terrace arrangement, where movement is often linear and restrictive, this design arranges four units side-by-side and back-to-back, creating a cluster in which each unit enjoys the advantages of a 'corner unit'. This layout not only maximises frontage and accessibility but also enhances circulation within the building. By reducing the length of the mall space between shops, the design promotes better air circulation, fostering a more comfortable and inviting environment for visitors.

Cluster typology redefines conventional shop-office layouts by grouping four units side-by-side and back-to-back, offering each the advantages of a 'corner unit'—better accessibility and improved air circulation

In traditional terrace arrangement, movement is often linear and restrictive

Adding to the vibrancy of the shop-office building is its top level, known as the 'Sky Terrace', features a dramatic 6.6 m cantilevered double-volume space designed for F&B outlets. This bold overhang serves as the project's key architectural statement, defining its distinctive appeal. Beyond providing extra floor space for alfresco dining, the top level sets itself apart from the other floors, creating a striking visual effect that resembles a hanging lantern suspended in the air when illuminated at night. Enhancing this experience, each shopfront includes an outdoor terrace, while the impressive double-volume height expands the visual scope. This not only allows visitors to take in the surrounding streetscape from a unique perspective but also enriches their dining experience with a sense of openness and grandeur.

The exposed truss system, partially clad with bamboo screens, supports the cantilevered structure, blending functionality with sustainable, cost-effective sun-shading

Each shopfront includes an outdoor terrace, with the double-volume height enhancing the visual scope

Section showing the 6.6 m cantilevered double-volume space, achieved through a floor-to-ceiling height truss system that is intentionally exposed and partially covered with bamboo screens

The massive span of the cantilever necessitates a specially designed floor-to-ceiling height truss system to suspend the floor slab and support the expansive canopy roof above. To enhance both function and aesthetics, these trusses are intentionally exposed and partially covered with bamboo screens, offering a visually appealing, sustainable, cost-effective, and durable sun-shading solution. This intricate truss system, combined with its strategic cladding, reinterprets the classical archway in a contemporary manner, creating a striking visual continuity that extends seamlessly from one end of the building to the other.

The truss system and its strategic infills offer a contemporary take on the classical archway, creating smooth visual continuity across the building

Natural light filters through the skylights, casting dynamic patterns on the faux timber cladding, creating a warm, refined atmosphere

Beyond its structural significance, the massive span of cantilever also serves a functional purpose as a roof overhang, shielding the clusters below from the intense tropical sun. Further enriching the clusters experience, the interplay of intersecting volumes and strategically placed skylights in the canopy roof creates a dynamic play of light and shadow, producing a distinctive atmosphere in every interior space.

T1 Bundusan stands as a local landmark, with its cantilevered 'Sky Terrace' resembling a lantern suspended in the night sky, revitalising the area

This development employs faux timber cladding as a primary façade material, imparting a warm yet refined character to the building. To achieve this effect, the cladding comprises fibre cement panels with a timber-textured finish in a natural wood tone, mimicking the appearance of natural wood while providing a more cost-effective and durable alternative to genuine timber.

Text by the architect

 

PROJECT GALLERY

 

  • Architect : Mak Arkitek Konsult
    Client : TBMC Development Sdn Bhd
    Area : 27,709 m²
    Project Location : Kota Kinabalu | Sabah
    Year : 2018

  • C&S Engineer : Wang Haron and Goh Sdn Bhd
    M&E Engineer : Jurutera Perunding M&E NTM (S) Sdn Bhd
    Quantity Surveyor : Prokosman Konsultant
    Landscape Architect : Landspec
    Contractor : Pembinaan Suria Wang Sdn Bhd
    Photography : Mak Arkitek Konsult

  • Floor | Floor Finishes
    • Tile : Niro | Feruni
    Wall | Wall Finishes
    • Brick : Starken AAC blocks | Besta ALC panels
    Roofing Systems : CityTop Colourcoil Lok Deck | City Deck polycarbonate skylight
    Aluminium and Glazing : AMB Trading Sdn Bhd
    Facade Systems : Prima Plank & Alucodrand aluminium composite panels
    Paint Systems : Nippon Paint
    Ceiling | Ceiling Systems : CityTop Kristalmatt linear ceiling
    Sanitary Fittings | Systems : Johnson Suisse

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