Prepared By : Kamarul Azizi Kamarul Azhan
JOHOR BAHRU, 4 May — Kamarul Azizi Kamarul Azhan’s entry ‘Koreusi’ from Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) was shortlisted as the ‘Best Submission by Student’ in the MRT Putrajaya Line Underground Stations Bench Design Competition.
This design competition was organized by MRT Corp with the Majlis Rekabentuk Malaysia (MRM) as the Collaborator, and the Persatuan Pereka Perindustrian Malaysia (PEREKA) as the Supporter.
The Competition grants participants the golden opportunity to put their creative abilities to good use where the winning design will be seen and enjoyed by thousands of commuters of the MRT Putrajaya Line when the underground stations open in January 2023.
The MRT station design leverages on the concept of the ‘Serambi’; the foyer area of a Malay traditional house for meeting and socialising.
This concept allows the station to showcase more efficient use of space with a focus on inspiring interaction and communication within the communal transit circulation. In addition, each underground station design reflects a local identity through the selection of colours of its interior architectural design and finishes.
The design strives to provide a sense of locality to the commuters as they travel through different neighborhoods along the line. Whereas the bench design was made to complement each station’s themes. The bench design is judged based on four main criterias; Concept and Design Innovation, Design Functionality, Vandalism Prevention Ideas, and Cost Effectiveness.
Kamarul Azizi Kamarul Azhan’s entry ‘Koreusi’ was shortlisted as the ‘Best Submission by Student’, with a Special prize of RM5,000, is a seating bench designed specifically for the Chan Sow Lin Underground MRT Station.
With the theme ‘Molding Forms’, Koreusi derives from various contextual elements that compliments Chan Sow Lin’s history of tin mining.
“ I drew inspiration from the contribution of tin within the economical, social and urban development of Kuala Lumpur as the main philosophy behind Koreusi’s form derivation.”
The design consists of two main structures that make its sitting form, the Earth Concrete Stump and the Polished Stainless Steel Seat Frames. The Earth Concrete Stump is made out of laterite concrete mix shaped into a geometrical form that portrays the element of tin ore as the bedrock of Kuala Lumpur (and Malaysia)’s main drive for urban progress.
The laterite mixed into concrete provides a smooth and textured finish with a reddish orange colouration. Whereas the Polished Stainless Steel Seat Frames mimic the ore’s gleam, perpetuating an idea of technological advancement and modernity.
The form was derived from the ergonomic proportions of a sitting train user, in addition to the overhanging configuration that strikes as contemporary, simple yet rooted to the idea of Malaysia as an economic powerhouse within South East Asia.
The details of the winning can be obtained from KOREUSI: MRT Transeat Design for Chan Sow Lin Station on Behance