My Penang Site

Pulau Pinang

TODAY we went to our site for the first studio project. It is located opposite the Northam Hotel somewhere nearby Gurney. Before that Chin Keng, Choon Wah and I went to the Jabatan Ukur dan Pemetaan Malaysia in KOMTAR tower to get te Certified Plan (CP) of our site. This will make things easier for our site analysis and we don't have to take the trouble measuring the whole site.

Coincidencely, we met with one of our ex-senior, Sam in the office. He is currently working in a firm in Penang with a salary range from RM1000+ to RM2000. He didn't want to specify the exact figure.

Taking pics around

The landmark of Penang

Jalan Penang

At the front of our guest house we managed to get a mini-RapidPenang bus to KOMTAR and it was so cute. I normally see this kind of bus only in the Hong Kong dramas.

Cute Rapid

Inside it

KOMTAR is looks like an abandoned shopping mall to me. Something just not right there. I think a makeover is very much needed for the mall. I came here during my standard six school trip. And it still look the same, with only lesser people now.

We wanted go up to the scenic floor where we can view the whole Penang Island from the top of the tower but they are charging for RM15 per person. So no thanks! I will just see from the Google Earth and that will be enough already. =)

The mall in KOMTAR

Emptiness

Also, today we went to visit the Thai Buddhist Temple in Lorong Burna where there lies a huge Sleeping Buddha.

Before reaching the temple

Look, the temple is now behind me!

I have memories taking photos here when I was young

The Burmese temple at just the opposite

Finally, after miles of walking, and stopping by for breaks and meal, we've reached our site. It is basically an empty lot stragically located at the corner to the road. And one great thing about our site is that it is facing the sea.

For this project, we are required to design an international arts school with a medium-rise requirement. Many things have to be considered now. The building services, syntesis of the site, proposal to the surrounding environment etc. Only one design project for this semester. I guess it's not gonna be so easy.

This is the street

..of our site

The empty and vacant lot

At the back of it

Ken Yeang's building across the site

"See that?"

Chin Keng and Choon Wah

Doing some study

Having a small hokkien chat with local guy

Ujang and the rest joined in

Ryan and Balut at the seaside

This pakcik was trying to catch worms

Somebody left this?

After spending enough time under the hot sun, we've decided to head back to our hotel. We waited at the bus stop for so long and never appeared any buses therefore in the end we walked back. The 3.6km journey from Gurney back to Chulia street took about 30 mins. Super tired when reached back to room!!!

Some photos taken while on the way back:

The Wawasan Open University

An art deco-style house

A haunted school

Finally back to Chulia

An Odeon cinema is just right there

However, I can't jump onto the bed straight away as I had to meet with Pauline and Yuen Cheong later at night. I took a RapidPenang bus to Gurney drive where we met for dinner. And later on, I showed them to my territory in Chulia Street and we continued eating here. Haha. In Penang, everywhere is food. I'll post about it next, hopefully.

End of day 2.