Work from Home

The Quality of Life Survey 1998 measured the satisfaction level of Kuala Lumpur’s residents with respect to a number of specific facilities and services. More than 40 percent of Kuala Lumpur residents faced difficulty in getting to their work place on time owing to traffic congestion.


A more recent perception survey carried out by the Economic Planning Unit confirmed the above findings. It further revealed a high level of dissatisfaction in respect of accessibility to cultural and recreational facility.

(Source: DBKL)

 Figure 1: Visualization of workplace connecting to garden room

(Source: Author)

Based on the finding above, we proposed the idea of ''working from home'' to save fuel consumption on private transportation and time in urban lifestyle. For example, the number of day spent in the employer office would be reduced and replaced by ''working from home''. This idea is further strengthened by current trend in Malaysia. Few years before, private sectors reduced 6 working days (Monday - Saturday) to 5 days (Monday - Friday). We believe, in the future, the working days at office would be lesser than current working days.

Besides that, we also propose the workplace in Zone.Zone House to be connected to recreational facility, we call it the ''garden room''. 

The workplace is located in the Core as adults would be spending their time in this place to do their work. While, ''garden room'' functions as Buffer zone with planting box (heat barrier) to provide heat protection to the work place. Natural daylighting is important to a working environment, thus, fenestration is introduced on north-facing facade of the workplace. 

In addition, the greenery in garden room provides pleasant visual in the workplace, creating good working environment. The family can conduct their recreational activity in garden room. 

Core & Buffer Zones

Figure 1a: Diagram showing buffer zones protect core spaces from eastern and western sunlight
(Source: Author)

Figure 1b:Diagram showing spatial configuration based on Core & Buffer Zones System
(Source: Author)

Figure 1c: Sectional digram showing arrangement of Families spaces based on Core & Buffer Zones System
(Source: Author)

Cross Ventilation & Stack Effect in Core Spaces

In an urban environment, wind velocity is very low due to the presence of tall buildings around the site. Stack effect would only work with optimum performance in tall building, with at least 10-floors height. 

How to induce wind and promote natural ventilation within the dwelling in the urban environment? The answer is stack effect with DC exhaust fan (as mentioned in previous post, Pushing the Green Boundary). 

Figure 2a: Sectional diagram showing stack effect induced by DC exhaust fan powered by solar panels.

(Source: Author)

Figure 2b: Sectional diagram showing cross-ventilation and stacking effect driven by DC exhaust fan located at the top of the Core.

(Source: Author)

A narrow plan is developed to encourage cross ventilation. Ventilation is important as air movement causes high evaporation rate of sweat on our body skin surface, producing cooling effect in the hot-humid climate in Malaysia. Each bedroom is incorporated with two windows, placed adjacent to each other to bring in wind-flow. Casement windows are used to catch wind flowing through the dwelling.  

Figure 3: Narrow plan to encourage cross ventilation

(Source: Author)

Core as Community Spaces

Core spaces are the spaces where the family spend most of their time in and protected by buffer zones to achieve thermal comfort. 

Figure 4a: Core spaces for visual interaction between buffer zones to promote community sense in the house

(Source: Author)

 Figure 4b: Mezzanine floors allow visual interaction of family spaces in the core while preserving the sense of privacy between both families.

(Source: Author)

 Figure 4b: Greenery such as tree and plants on heat barrier are always present in sight to promote good indoor environmental quality

(Source: Author)

Pushing the Green Boundary

Figure 1: Bubble diagram is used to explore ideas from GBI

(Source: Author)

Green Building Index as starting point. Mind mapping was created as a guideline on how to achieve a sustainable design.

Rain Water Harvesting System 

Figure 2: Diagram showing the usage of water collected from rainwater harvesting system

(Source: Author)

In order to reduce water usage from the water supply company, rainwater harvesting is one of the best solution. The diagram above shows a straight forward rainwater harvesting, while our team is trying to design a less mechanical-dependent system so that less energy is used. For example, a non mechanical pump filtration system can be included and only depends on gravitational force to flow the water. With these, more energy can be conserved for other usage.

Solar Chimney

Figure 3: Diagram showing components in solar chimney design

(Source: Author)

The roof of a building is the part where the most solar radiation hits and most heat gain is transferred into the building. Putting a solar chimney into the design can promote internal ventilation of the dwelling. A conventional solar chimney is good enough to reduce humidity and encourage thermal comfort for the internal space of a building, but our team thinks that the potential boundary of solar chimney doesn't stops here. Solar chimney can be combined with semi transparent photo voltaic panel for powering DC exhaust fan and producing renewable energy, this hybrid concept is just one of the approach our team is looking into it.

Heat Barrier

Figure 1: Sketches showing different details and mechanism to be incorporated into heat barrier design

(source: Author)

Heat barrier is the first protective layer against heat. Not only does it minimizes the heat gained by buffer spaces, it also functions as fenestration to allow natural ventilation as the Zone.Zone House focuses on passive solar design.

Figure 2: Sketches showing planting box as heat barrier

(Source: Author)

Why not incorporate plants into the heat barrier design? Plants absorb light and carry out photosynthesis, providing oxygen for the internal living environment, while shading the buffer zones from direct sunlight. Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) can be improved at the same time, as these plants are present in sight at every inch within the Zone.Zone House. They filter  air flowing into the internal living spaces and reduce noise produced by the street in urban environment.The idea of vertical farming on heat barrier is being explored as well. Furthermore, by taking advantage of the proposed site located at the end lot, this ''plant-filled'' heat barrier on the facade promote green building design to the public or passer-by at Jalan Raja Chulan.  

Figure 3: Sketches showing facade design with shading device and vertical farming planting boxes.

(Source: Author)

Proposed Site

Figure 1: Location map showing proposed site (marked red) in the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur.

(Source: Google Map)

The proposed site is located in an urban environment, within the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur. It sits at a dormant site beside the busy road of Jalan Raja Chulan. Located closely to Dang Wangi LRT station and Bukit Nanas Monorail station, the residents would only require 8 minutes of walk to the nearest public transport station, thus indirectly reducing the usage of personal transportation which increases carbon footprint in the city. In addition, the nearest town bus station is located at a 5 minutes walking distance from the site. This would promote a neighborhood with pedestrian-scale.

Economy

Due to the location (Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur), the cost of land is very high and not affordable to our target community - the middle-range working class who work in the city - as the property prices in Kuala Lumpur has reach unsustainable levels. 

Table 1: Increase in property prices, reaching unsustainable levels

(Source: http://www.nst.com.my/red/property-bubble-fact-or-fantasy-1.143376)

In the next 20 or 30 years, Kuala Lumpur might be experiencing property bubble similar to our neighboring country, Singapore. Now, A new home loan is introduced in Singapore that allows home owner to stretch his home mortgage to 50 years, as requested by the people. This means if a couple, say, marries at 30 years old, they will be servicing their housing loan until the age of 80.

On the other hand, in Japan, the only way to afford a home with sky-high prices is to apply for two generation loan.

(Source: http://therealsingapore.com/content/half-century-property-loan-–-financial-irresponsibility-and-disaster)

(Source: http://www.gvpedia.com)

Therefore, we propose the idea of a dwelling shared by two families (or two generations) to reduce the financial burden of each family. Indirectly, this would create a small community within a house and foster the bond between families.

  

Concept & Idea Development - Zone.Zone House

The design of ''Zone.Zone House'' is inspired by Malay traditional houses and traditional shophouses.

Based on these two Malaysian dwelling designs, both share the similar spatial configuration, in which the core spaces are always protected from intense heat by buffer space. For example, both dwellings have a veranda area that shades and protects internal spaces where the families spend most of their time. 

Figure 1: Veranda protecting the Rumah Ibu in Malay traditional house.

(Source: http://whassan.blogspot.com/2010/07/warisan-resort-kuala-berang-terengganu.html)

Figure 2: A five-foot way protecting internal spaces in traditional shophouses.
(source: http://davidderrick.wordpress.com/2007/07/04/loggia-arcade-and-shophouse/)

The Concept

Then, a concept of ''Core & Buffer'' is developed. It is a simple, but efficient way to protect living spaces from intense heat in hot-humid climate, in which the buffer spaces with heat barrier protect the core spaces. Basically, the heat would need to penetrate two protective layers before it reaches the core.

Diagram showing ''Core & Buffer'' concept.

(source: Author)

Characteristics

Heat Barrier

• Lightweight
• Permeable - allow natural ventilation & daylighting
• Provide shade to buffer spaces

Buffer spaces

• Prevent excessive heat from penetrating into core spaces
• Private spaces: Bedroom, toilet, services, utility
• Less frequently used by the family
• Similar function with veranda in traditional dwelling design.

Core spaces

• Spaces with thermal comfort
• Has high thermal mass (act as heat sink) - absorb heat that penetrate through buffer spaces
• Social spaces: Living room, dining room, common area
• Used frequently by the family

Conception