Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 18, 2021 - October 24, 2021

For Michael Ching, founder and director of CH&I Architecture Sdn Bhd, his journey to becoming an architect started when a kind-hearted lecturer gave him words of encouragement that have stayed with him until today.

Initially, Ching started studying engineering but found that it did not suit him. He then moved on to a twinning architecture degree with Deakin University, where he completed part of the course in Malaysia before heading to Australia. 

He recalls how he struggled in his first semester, as he came from the science stream in school and was not very good at designing. He credits his lecturer Tony Liew as the person who helped him overcome his struggles and set his heart on his chosen profession.

Ching recalls, “What he told me changed everything. He said, ‘Whatever you present, you make references. That means that you read, which means you have interest. Even though you say you are struggling with the design, the output is there. I am really surprised that you tell me you are struggling. From what I see, you’re doing great!’ Then I realised I had put too much expectation on myself.”

In Australia, Ching found inspiration and influence from Glenn Murcutt, a famous local architect known for his practical designs that embrace the environment the building is located in. He was also inspired by Datuk Ken Yeang, known for his sustainable approach to design.

Ching was unable to complete his architecture degree in Australia because of the 1997/98 Asian financial crisis. He returned home with only a Bachelor of Arts (Architecture) degree as the course in Australia gave students a first degree after three years and a degree in architecture two years later. 

Ching: Architecture is like fashion – it has to be comfortable and practical (Photo by CH&I Architecture)

Ching completed this degree at the University of Malaya (UM) in 2000. Incidentally, he met his future business partners Ivan Mah and T H Lim at UM, where they were course mates. After graduation, he worked at several firms in Malaysia and Singapore, before starting CH&I Architecture in 2010.

Design philosophy

The practice focuses on designing homes that follow fundamental principles. “Architecture is like fashion — it has to be comfortable and practical,” says Ching.

The fundamental principles include orientation, shading, insulation, daylit and ventilation, with an additional design principle called “integrated space”.

The orientation of the house is important because, if it is wrong, you have to do a lot more to regain what is lost, such as comfort and the money spent on air conditioning to cool the house. 

Orientation that is not ideal leads to the second principle — shading. Owners of homes facing west or east may need to consider using shading devices such as a blind or an awning to reduce the heat entering the house. 

“A basic tip for shading devices is that if it is less than one-third of your window height, it won’t work. So, if your window is 10ft, then the shading must be 3½ft,” says Ching. 

Next is insulation, which he says is uncommon in Malaysia but something that can enhance the comfort level in a home. Besides mineral wool insulation, materials such as soil, water and even air can be used for insulation. He recommends that homes have double roofs, if possible.

“For double roofs, there has to be ventilation between the first and second roofs, to move the hot air out,” says Ching. For a condo, he adds, walls should be insulated to reduce heat entering the home and for cool air to escape. Insulation is also a good sound dampener, along with being fire-resistant.

Next is daylit, or allowing daylight to enter the house. “If you look at our designs, most of them are very slim because, for daylight, the rule of thumb is that it can penetrate a home only up to six metres,” says Ching. He explains that the ratio is 1:2 and that the deeper a home is, a skylight or airwell may be required.

Then, there is ventilation. “We always design a room with two windows to cross-ventilate. This is very important because you need air to move inside to cool the building, provided that the outside is cooler. That is why outside, we have to reduce the eternal micro-climate with plants, landscaping, water features and so on. And we want the ‘foul’ air in the room to be flushed out,” he says.

Lastly, which Ching says is not really a fundamental design philosophy but something that he and his team believe is a valuable add-on, is “integrated space”. 

“We need a space that has dual functionality ... more so during the pandemic. We wanted to create a multi-function space, one that can change the mood of the setting and be used for other purposes,” he says.

The integrated space, which can be converted into an open space or private dining or yoga space (Photo by CH&I Architecture)

Hydroponic House 

A project in which Ching was able to incorporate most of these design principles was a bungalow in Petaling Jaya’s SS3, fondly called Hydroponic House, owing to a customised hydroponic system that takes pride of place on the west side of the property. 

Extensions to the house, which was completed in 2020, were made to increase the built-up area from 4,000 sq ft to 6,000 sq ft. It gave the owners a larger master bedroom, an internal courtyard and additional space for the family to use.

The hydroponic system allows the owners to grow vegetables and fruits. So far, Ching says, they have been producing so much that they give it away to their neighbours.

Initially, that side of the house was to be a green wall, until the owner wondered whether it would be possible to plant fruits and vegetables rather than the standard plants, since the maintenance would be the same but the former would at least produce something beneficial for the family. After doing some research, Ching came up with the current system, which has borne much fruit — and vegetables — since. 

The water and nutrients are pumped to the plants using mechanical pumps, which are powered by the sun, thanks to the photovoltaic panels on the roof. The nutrients are mixed and stored in an underground pit covered with a wooden deck. There is a discharge opening for water so that the pit does not become a pond.

In front of the wooden deck is an integrated space linked to the dining area and a small gym. Ching says it has a low-emissivity (Low-E) and tampered glass ceiling, letting in plenty of daylight (Low-E coating on glass minimises the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that can pass through glass). A sliding barn door transforms the use of this space. When the door is opened, the space connects to the outdoors and can be used for social settings. When it is closed, the area can be an intimate dining area or used for yoga. 

Within the house, Ching points to the slim spaces he designed with skylights that allow more daylight into the house and its internal courtyard. Moreover, in the walk-in wardrobe, there is a window and a skylight to allow natural light into the space.

A corridor that is lit by natural light (Photo by CH&I Architecture)

Nara, Gamuda Gardens

Another project that Ching has worked on is Nara, a precinct of terraced houses with a unique façade. It is located in Gamuda Gardens in Kundang, Selangor, and was completed in 2020. 

“The [developer] wanted a lifestyle resort-like design that offers a sense of excitement and a back-to-nature concept,” says Ching, adding that the company did not want a monotonous façade. 

On a row of 10 houses, there can be six different designs. For instance, the pitched roof differs from one house to the next, giving an illusion that the houses are semi-detached.

Adding to the design is the use of high-grade red exposed bricks that give the house a warm, homely feel, he says.

Also, the roofs of the houses are metal and not tiles. The developer agreed to this idea and the concern that the houses would look industrial never materialised, Ching says with a smile. The roofs have been insulated using bulk insulation to reduce thermal heat transfer and dampen the sound of the rain hitting the roof. 

Nara houses in Gamuda Gardens offer different façades, giving the illusion that the linkhouses are semidees. The exposed red bricks offer a homely feel. (Photo by CH&I Architecture)

Design from the heart

Apart from houses and projects with developers, CH&I Architecture has upcoming projects such as a 49-storey condominium called 10 Stonor in KLCC and a 4-storey, 112,000 sq ft space for food and beverage, as well as retail, outlets called PJ Box in Petaling Jaya. 

Ching offers sage advice for future architects: “All the new architects that join us are highly aesthetic-minded; they copy what they see [in magazines]. Their design may end up being a monumental building, but the soul is not there, the comfort is not there.

“We usually tell youngsters, ‘What you see is good. Now, close the book, pick up your pen and design. Design by what inspires you, what you have learnt, what you have felt, and you create a design from there. That is architecture. Not being a copycat.’”

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