internship report

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A R C 2 6 2 5 | I N T E R N S H I P R E P O R T

S E M 5.5

Supervising lecturer: Ar Sateerah Hassan

Student: Chen Ee Dong

Student ID: 0321181

Design firm: Archicentre Sdn. Bhd.

Supervisor: Ar Boon Zi Yang, Grace Wong

Project: Plot P, Cyberjaya

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P R O J E C T I N T R O D U C T I O N

Plot P @ Cyberjaya City Centre

Persiaran Apec, Cyberjaya.

Plot P is a plot of land to be developed into a hotel and convex convention hall hybrid

in the midst of the bustling city centre of up-and-coming Cyberjaya. The convex grounds

will serve as a venue for many social and artistic events for the greater Sepang

community, as the urban planning design emphasizes pedestrian boulevards, pathways

and open parks within Plot P and the adjacent precincts . The foyer area of the convex

also will play a major role in soft exhibitions that will be supportive of local Arts and the

performing arts scene.

Plot P is undergoing various stages and mainly the tendering process. For the whole term

of my internship, I have actively participated in the process of façade design, layout and

spatial amendments and the production of tender documents and drawings.

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F A Ç A D E D E S I G N

A render study produced using Lumion 5.

Sample render of the rear façade.

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In the midst of preparing tender documents for submission to the local authorities, week

1 and 2 of my internship was dedicated to produce alternative design options to the

façade of the hotel tower.

Initially, the proposed design was a façade of horizontal fins in a Zaha Hadid-inspired

organic form. However, it was not received well by the client who wanted a more

rectilinear design. The design of the hotel façade has an initial concept of waves to

suggest eye-catching wavy movements to stand out from the site. The challenge was to

treat the façade but retain its original concept – especially at the corners where a certain

design rhythm should be achieved. Hence, I produced a few design options for the client

to choose from, taking into consideration that the design was not arbitrary but rather

suggests some form of shading.

The horizontal fins/louvers are first designed in AutoCAD, and then imported into

SketchUp to fixate it upon the 3D model. To create a ‘wave-like’ expression, the edges

of the fins are shifted slightly in each consecutive fins, creating a torsion form.

Additionally, presentation slides were also prepared in a biweekly basis, which consists of

the latest progress on the façade design as well as precedent studies to demonstrate the

workability and practicality of the design.

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Option 1 for façade treatment.

Option 2 for façade treatment.

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L A Y O U T D E S I G N

As the the Plot P project is primarily a convex and convention space, most of the spaces

are catered to hold large crowds and events. Hence, halls and rooms should have a

flexible layout design to cater to different events and activities. I was tasked to produce

layout alternatives for the exhibition halls, banquet halls and breakout rooms to cater for

large-scale events of different genres, such as sit-down dinners, theatre layouts and

classroom/forum layouts. Referring to the UBBL and Neufert’s data guide, this task allows

me the opportunity to learn and practice building regulation by-laws.

Theatre layout for the banquet hall.

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Sit-down dinner for 10 pax per table for breakout rooms.

Sit-down dinner layout for exhibition hall in whole and partitioned formats.

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EXHIBITION HALL

Booth Layout Booth spacing Trench spacing Total booths

Layout 1

Whole 3000mm 9000mm 272

Partitioned Hall 1 3000mm 9000mm 135

Hall 2 3000mm 9000mm 127

Layout 2

Whole 2500mm 9000mm 291

Partitioned Hall 1 2500mm 9000mm 153

Hall 2 2500mm 9000mm 126

Banquet Layout Chair back-to-back spacing Total tables

Layout 1

Whole 750mm 360

Partitioned Hall 1 750mm 156

Hall 2 750mm 150

Layout 2

Whole 600mm 428


Hall 2 600mm 188

BANQUET HALL

Banquet Layout Chair back-to-back spacing Total tables

Layout 1

Whole 750mm 80


Hall 2 750mm 44

Layout 2

Whole 600mm 120


Hall 2 600mm 66

Theatre Layout Total seats

Whole 1344

Partitioned Hall 1 440

Hall 2 672

A sample of layout tabulation to assess the space for different functions.

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T E N D E R D R A W I N G S & D O C U M E N T A T I O N

Amendments to be made on the floor plans after review by Ar Boon.

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I was mostly involved with the setting out phase – producing detailed drawings for

individual spaces in the large building complex. These spaces include toilets, locker

rooms, prayer rooms, cafeteria, etc. As the convex and convention complex is a large

building, some details might not be captured in the overall floor plan – hence, individual

detailed drawings for each space is required to inform contractors of the specifics, for

example, tiling details, material specifications, position of W/C openings and hatches,

etc. Dimensions area added wherever appropriate.

A list of architectural specification schedule was provided to me from the beginning, and

my task was to ensure that the drawings were completed with appropriate material

hatching and dimensions.

Sample of toilet & locker room details for tender.

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Sample of lift lobby details for tender.

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G F A / N L A / A R E A T A B U L A T I O N

As Plot P is a large-scale multifunction complex, easier understanding on the type of

spaces within the building can be achieved by organizing them according to

type/function and calculating their floor area. One of my tasks during the last few weeks

of the internship programme is to calculate the gross floor area (GFA) and net lettable

area (NLA) of the respective spaces according to function.

First, spaces in Plot P are organized into categories of seven: Hotel sellable, Hotel services,

Convex sellable, Convex services, Common area, Carpark & ECS.

The NLA is tabulated to provide information on the ‘usable’ and sellable spaces of the

building where service spaces are omitted. After colour-coding the spaces in AutoCAD,

I proceed to measure the area and the results are tabulated in the Excel table below.

Sample of the GFA/NLA Excel tabulation I have prepared.

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S U B M I S S I O N F O R A U T H O R I T I E S / S T A K E H O L D E R S

Some of the tasks throughout the term of my internship include learning about the

formalities and the way of submission – often to different stakeholders of the project. Such

tasks include filing transmittal notes, dispatching drawings to contractors, plotting and

printing construction drawings to appropriate scale and sizes and subsequently folding

them for easy dispatch and delivery.

10 sets of drawings organized with transmittal

attached, ready to be dispatched.

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S I T E V I S I T A T I O N / M E E T I N G S

Throughout my internship I have also had the opportunity to participate in a site meeting

and client-consultant meeting. It was an eye-opening experience as I have visited

numerous places, including authority offices and construction sites.

I have paid a visit to Majlis Perbandaran Serdang with my supervisor to make

amendments for certain tender drawings submissions. As my supervisor explains it,

depending on where the project site is located at, drawings and miscellaneous

documentations have to be submitted to the municipal offices. Furthermore, I also had

the opportunity of attending a client-consultant meeting at MRCB’s office in Menara

Allianz Central, in which I have gained fresh insight and happenings in these events. I

have learned that numerous issues may be raised in the presence of Plot P’s stakeholders,

including but not limited to the architects, the client, engineers, contractors and quantity

surveyors.

Last but not least, I have the greatest opportunity to visit the actual site of the project

while attending a site meeting. Construction-wise, the future convention and hotel hybrid

has been constructed until the basement stage. During the site meeting I learned that

the construction has been delayed due to flooding issues and the ECS extension.

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Plot P undergoing construction

until the basement stage.

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R E F L E C T I O N

The unique louvered façade of Archicentre.

I am blessed and humbled by both my supervisors, who have been helpful and patient

with me throughout the term of my internship. I was not dismissed for the short window of

my stay at Archicentre with menial tasks but was rather given responsibility for a variety

of assignments for the same project. Upon embarking a new task, my supervisors gave

great guidance by patiently briefing and explaining the task. This was a great

arrangement as I am well-informed with the different stages of the project, providing me

an idea of the procedural formalities in the designing and planning responsibility of an

architect. I would like to express my utmost gratitude to Archicentre and Taylor’s University

for this wondrous opportunity and polishing my career aspirations.