The Northbank Club
The proposed private clubhouse is in the heart of an upmarket mixed development that includes Residential, Commercial, Educational and Medical components. The site, a long and narrow piece of land of about 1.7 acres, is located at the confluence of Sungai Niada and a proposed canal that has been incorporated into the development master plan. The key role of the clubhouse is to serve the recreational needs of present and future residents in the vicinity. The brief called for various F&B, recreational and sports facilities i.e. a 50 m lap pool, badminton courts and a multi court. The challenge was to fit an extensive programme into a very tight site with an irregular shape.
One of the design solutions was to lift the “space-heavy” facilities such as the multi court and badminton courts off the ground. This frees up Level 1 to be a series of free-flowing spaces in between recreational facilities and a series of staggered fair faced brick walls. Besides creating a sense of movement, the layout also defines vistas and blurs the distinction between the inside and outside. The orientation of the 50 m swimming pool, kids' pool & outdoor play areas take full advantage of the future linear park that runs along the eastern boundary as borrowed scenery. This helps to create the perception that the greenery goes beyond the boundary line.
The linear layout of the building allows for a clear demarcation of public and private zones. The staggered fair-faced brick walls of varying heights provide a tactile and solid public front to the main road and a backdrop to the facilities behind. They also act as a security barrier around the premises. The main entrance punctuates the front wall, leading to a double volume foyer that serves as a transitional space between the public and private zones.
The multi-court on Level 3 forms the roof over 2 floors of recreational, administrative and F&B facilities at the front block. A 12 m high rectilinear steel frame with drainage cell and versatile fencing infills wraps around the block and has the appearance of perching lightly on the fair faced brick walls below. The level of perforation of the screens varies between the various horizontal tiers. The screens for the middle tier constructed of steel versatile fencing provide a higher degree of visibility to highlight the sports activities behind. Nearby, a rectilinear block which houses the badminton courts echoes the form of this steel frame and completes the cubist architectural composition of the scheme.
PROJECT GALLERY
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Architect : SML Architects Sdn Bhd
Client : Ibraco Berhad
Area : 3,331.62 m2
Project Location : Kuching | Malaysia
Year : 2023 -
C&S Engineer: Jurutera Perunding Sedia
M&E Engineer: Perunding WES Sdn Bhd
Interior Designer : Motto Designs Sdn Bhd
Landscape Architect : Earthscape Inhabitant Sdn Bhd
Contractor : Ibraco Construction Sdn Bhd
Design Team : Leong Gian Wen | Arlene Chew | Mark Eng
Photography : Mark Eng | Sean Wee | Melvin Chan | Wong Qin Kae -
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