Two teams of Architecture students from UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) won the second prize and third prize respectively for the champion category at the recent Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ASEAN Nations Design and Construction Competition 2020 – International Stage  (2020粤港澳大湾区·东盟国际高校营造大赛). The competition was held on 19 December 2020.

Themed ‘Waterfront Bird-Watching Pavilion’, the competition aimed to encourage students to experience designing real construction rather than the usual ‘computer modelling’. It also aimed to enhance the academic exchanges among different schools of architecture while providing an academic feast between South China and the ASEAN region. The venue for the building competition was Nan Sha Bird Park, Guangzhou, China, a place that homes many different species of birds but mostly waterfowls. Located in the southern-most tip of Guangzhou, Nan Sha Bird Park is known as a great place to escape the city and embrace nature.

For the Champion category, the project “The Gesture" won second prize with cash prize worth RMB5,000, trophy and certificate. The team also won several other categories such as first place for Comprehensive Expression category (RMB2,000), second place for Prize of Architectural Design category (RMB1,500), and second place for Prize of Engineering and Structural Design category (RMB1,500). The team members were Chin Mann Yuin, Ng Tze Way, Ow Kar Yong, Jonathan See Yu Hoong and Rachel Lee Thung Yan. They were supervised by LKC FES Department of Architecture and Sustainable Design (DASD) Specialist I Ar Loh Khang Yong.

“The Gesture” (瞭望之手) concept refers to the basic of bird watching using hand motions. It showcases ‘elegant’, ‘concise’, and ‘connect’ gestures. The first site selection was selected using the “Framing Hand Gesture” which included framing map, framing the scene and no boundaries gesture. The second step involved form-making using “Distant View Gesture” which included the seamless form (hand motion of observing birds from far distance) and touch the river lightly (light, sleek and suspended). The third step was the Function which included “Binocular View Gesture”. It highlighted the focus of the tunnel vision, meditation swing and habitats for people. The fourth step involved structure and material, which is known as “Anatomy of Gesture”. The “Anatomy of Gesture” shows the sketch using the primary structure of the finger skeleton into the second layer. It then develops into the final version which is the surface material.

The “RE:Union Bliss on the Lotus Blossom” bird-watching project won third prize in Champion category with cash prize worth RMB3,000, trophy and certificate. Besides, they also won the third place for Prize of Comprehensive Expression category (RMB1,000). The team members were Lim Chen Hee, Anderson Ting Guo Shen, Chong Zhen Hao, Chor Zhao Gen and Lau Chi Ying. They were supervised by DASD Specialist I Abd Muluk bin Abd Manan.

“RE:Union Bliss on the Lotus Blossom” (莲熙亭) was inspired by a blossoming lotus. The lotus flower is projected upward, representing an intense passion and gritty determination to rise above, while maintaining a blissful and elegant composition. The aim of the overall form was to create an ultimate lightness, embodied sturdily with a well-defined performance edge that celebrates the reunion of waterfowl. The profile and the levelling of the roofs created a visual dynamic architecture and beauty undulating of waterfowls’ imprint. The parametric roof structure expressed the spirit of persistence and consistency which is influenced by the ecology of lotus flowers.

Besides UTAR, the competition saw the participation of nine other international universities, namely South China University of Technology (SCUT), City University of Hong Kong (CityU), South China Agricultural University (SCAU), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Rangsit University, Thailand (RSU), Universitas Tanjungpura, Indonesia (UNTAN), Shenzhen University (SZU) and Universitas Teknologi Yogyakarta, Indonesia (UTY).

The competition Honorary Chairman of the Jury was Chinese Academy of Engineering Academicians He Jingtang while the Chairman of the Jury was SCUT Dean of School of Architecture Sun Yimin. The other juries were SCUT Vice Dean of School of Architecture Xiao Yiqiang, Tianghua Vice Chief Architect and Member of International Associate AIA Zhu Zhengtao, SZU School of Architecture and Urban Planning Dean Fan Yue, Chairman of Yangcheng Design Alliance Sheng YuHong, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art Architecture and Environment Art Design Assoc Prof Yang Yiding, Central Academy of Fine Art Head of Department of Urban Design and Planning Yu Dapeng, CityU Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering Prof Charlie Qiuli Xue, USJ Faculty of Arts and Humanities Prof Nuno Soares, Chiang Mai University School of Architecture Associate Dean for Academics Pandin Ounchanum, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Deputy Vice Chancellor Aldrin bin Abdullah, Warmadewa University, Indonesia Faculty of Engineering and Planning Dean I Wayan Runa, and UTAR LKC FES DASD Head of Department Ts Tan Kok Hong.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Great Bay Area - ASEAN Nations International Colleges Design and Construction Competition 2020 was an academic competition jointly sponsored by the School of Architecture, South China University of Technology (SCUT) and Guangzhou Nan Sha Bird Park. The competition aimed to build an international platform for innovation and creativity with global influence. Through the combination of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao greater bay area and the high-end creative talents of ASEAN international universities, the competition explored a new mode of innovative collaboration, attracting all universities to exhibit the same platform, at the same time understanding the in-depth cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao and the international integration and exchange of ASEAN “One Belt and One Road” initiative. For more information, please click here.