All smiles: (from left) Kong, Tay, Ch’ng and Lee beat nine other teams to win the grand prize for their entry.
AS climate change continues to be a hot topic, four Malaysian students show they have what it takes to contribute to a sustainable future in the field of their interest.
Currently pursuing the Master of Arts in Architecture programme at the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) in Germany, the 23-year-olds recently bagged the first prize at a competition for their outstanding work in sustainable construction.
Their entry entitled “A Productive Neighbourhood – Revitalisation of the Slaughterhouse Area in Halle (Saale)” beat nine other entries, making them the winner of the 1,000 euro (RM4,941) grand prize at the Students | Shaping | Future competition held on April 21 in BAU, the world’s leading trade fair for architecture, materials and systems in Munich. Their win marked the first time an international team had ever passed the preselection process conducted by building inspector BAKA Bundesverband Altbauerneuerung e.V., as well as won the competition.
The winning team comprising Erin Kong Shue Men, Sylvester Ch’ng Ying, Tay Win Shen and Lee Jia Yee, who had all completed their foundation and architecture degree studies at Taylor’s University in Malaysia, attributed their “special success” to their lecturer Prof Ralf Niebergall at AUAS.
Believing in the potential of their first semester Design Studio work, Prof Niebergall introduced them to the competition, and encouraged their participation in it.
“We would never have joined the competition in the first place, if it were not for him,” Kong told StarEdu.
Having dedicated much time to preparing additional information such as new visualisations and diagrams prior to their on-site presentation, the team proposed the introduction of a productive circular economy in procurement, manufacturing and waste management in a closed ecosystem.
Their aim was to revitalise the slaughterhouse area with the reusability principle, and to develop a model for production and a community that was as sustainable as it was efficient.
According to the team, their design was intended to preserve the historical value of the architectural heritage of the area, while opening up opportunities for innovation, education and social commitment.
With the end goal of creating “a productive neighbourhood”, their concept encompassed a variety of infrastructure, which included a technology hub, a hospitality collective, an upcycling hub, a fabrication laboratory, makerspaces, offices, production spaces, an event location in one of the old market halls and a brewery.
Their mapped-out infrastructure was strategically arranged in the area with extensive use and expansion of the historical value, while in the peripheral areas, existing green areas were preserved and upgraded. “This holistic approach to the redevelopment of the site aimed to unite the past, the present and the future, enabling a unique and sustainable development which respects the historical context of the site,” the team said.
In giving their feedback, the judges praised the team for “viewing sustainability in a broader sense and focusing on the big picture of future possibilities for the area’s development”.
Highlighting that construction is one of the most polluting industries in the world, the quartet, who are now in their second semester at AUAS, emphasised the need for sustainable construction.
“The Earth’s resources are depleting and climate change is everyone’s responsibility. To reduce the damage is to reduce the amount of ground-up constructions, which is by reusing existing buildings, similar to the concept of recycling materials,” the team said.
Asserting that architects do not work alone, Kong said the feasibility of implementing sustainable initiatives lies not only in the clients, investors and governing authorities, but also in the skillsets of construction workers and collaborations with different parties, such as engineers and contractors, to turn the architects’ ideas and proposals into reality.
For the four aspiring architects, architecture is more than just designing buildings, but is also a gateway to exploring different branches of the design realm.
“Architecture stands out as the pinnacle of the design industry, and pursuing a career in this field represents a continuation of our interest in spaces and design,” they said.
For students interested in pursuing architecture, the team’s advice is to develop a proper work structure to achieve work-life balance, as they said the field of study often demands long work hours.
“Architecture school is only as hard as you want it to be,” they concluded.
Li Lian, 18, a student in Kuala Lumpur, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. To join Star-NiE’s online youth community, go to facebook.com/niebrats.
