joan of arch

The objective of this project is to propose a design scheme which response to the site, functional programme and users' experience. The VIC needs to be 2-storeys within 450sqm, including internal and external spaces. There are 2 main purposes of this VIC. First purpose is to provide accommodation to display relevant and interpretive materials for public access and information. Second purpose is to to provide a point of reference that keeps alive the history/culture/memory of that site.

 

Below is the brief introduction of the Pulau Besar Island and the design scheme of my VIC:

 

Pulau Besar is an island off the coast of Malacca, Malaysia, and is located approximately 13km from the mainland. Well known of its legends and mysteries, the island appears like a pregnant lady lying on her back. The locals around Pulau Besar revere the island and attribute it to many legends. It has also become a place of pilgrimage to a large number of Indian Muslims in Malaysia.

 

The main concept of my visitor interpretive centre is Contradiction. The idea was derived from the two contradicting histories related to Pulau Besar, one that is written and one that is unwritten and verbally passed down. For the unwritten, it refers to the stories, legends, and myths with different versions overlaying each other yet comes together to form the island's history. The written history speaks of the birth of the islamic religion, leading the island to be depicted as an egg. The form of the design was a result of combining the idea and the sketch, initially being a contrast of materials, though slowly developed with a combination of solid and void form.