Interview Miguel Llona, with Mel Patrick Kasingsing
Images Mlkk Studio
Glorious Plaza Jewelry Flagship Store
Completed: 2019
Area: 226 sqm
Location: Xian, China
Scope: Concept, design development, tender drawings, construction administration
Project description
Edited for brevity
The building complex is an open-lane shopping center, within which three building templates are set up as part of the master planning guidelines to identify the development. Each template has its own pre-set materiality, building height, and color scheme. Every tenant is required to follow its designated template’s color and materiality so that the entire commercial streetscape could maintain a cohesive and harmonious identity.
To establish uniqueness for our site, we opted to reinvent the standardized template and create something with character, while still working harmoniously, and sustainably, with the existing urban plan.
Our design not only takes the prescribed template’s materiality and color as our basis but recovers and reuses about 42% of existing façade panels into our new façade. It helps to lower the building’s construction cost, reduces landfill waste, and lowers initial embodied energy.
With 42% of the reused facade, we were able to strategize zones of opening and transparency, to fit the needs of interior display and privacy and also create a spectacle for pedestrians. The reused panels are designed to cater to unique sightlines from each of the three major foot-traffic approaches. Its varying openings and transparency engage dynamically with the pedestrian as they are approaching the site. Such design consideration informs a unique façade design that is specific to our site.
With the restriction of size and shape from the salvaged steel panels, one challenge was how to create a dynamic visual spectacle within such limitations. Our design solution is by pixelating the façade into a grid that is derived from the sizes of the existing panels. Along the pixelated grid, three gradients of openings are created through how the panels are rotated. The degree of panel rotation is standardized into six angle modules, resulting in a simplified construction process and cost savings. This design gesture aims to gracefully reveal the retail activities inside, creating a visual dialogue between the retailers and the pedestrians.
On top of the panels, existing facade anchors are also reused with the addition of one horizontal RHS. No extra anchor point is added; hence, it minimized structural alteration to the primary building structure. The innermost façade layer is the existing full-height glazed envelope inherited from its previous tenancy.
Contrasting with the man-made materiality, we have introduced a vertical green wall system on two prominent façade corners. The plant types are local, non-invasive species sourced from the local nursery, minimizing transportation. The climber plants selected are VOC-absorbing, contributing to improving local air quality in an urban context. The vegetated façade walls also serve as a natural shading device to reduce summer solar heat gain while bringing a touch of nature to the built-up neighborhood.
Most modern city planning has adopted a top-down design approach, where the government or developer predefines sets of standardized design regulations. This top-down design approach often brings out polarized extremes. Some will blindly conform to pre-set guidelines, resulting in a bunch of architectural chameleons that lack character. Streets become sterilized with repetitive, unremarkable buildings. On the other end of the spectrum is a group of design rebels trying to stand out yet often out of context. Streets end up being architecturally vandalized in what was envisioned to be a harmoniously-designed neighborhood.
To manage the balance in such a dilemma, a sympathetic, critical thinking approach is needed, which involves putting ourselves in the rule makers’ place. This reminds us to identify which design rules are constitutional―which means challenging those will unwisely alter the big picture and should be avoided. Likewise, the same approach reveals rules that are merely dependent on the framework, meaning, it allows room for suggestions and flexibility for modification. The resulting design can interpret these guidelines to converse with the local context and its many ingredients: views, sunlight, circulation, etc. This approach, we feel, often leads to a win-win situation, because it shows both respect for the streetscape while acknowledging the need to stand out in a competitive landscape. This also results in a one-of-a-kind design solution, as the reinterpretations are drawn from site-specific requirements. We often find that even with the subtlest of twists to given rules and templates, the resulting impact can be significant and unique.
The interview
Please expound further on the materiality and color of the building templates that you were required to follow and wanted to be consistent with. How much did you deviate from these requirements, if you deviated from them at all?
The requirement is that the new façade should have a similar materiality scheme. The façade template we mentioned is the façade that is being put up by the landlord as the dummy designs to showcase the harmonious streetscape they are envisioning. The landlord was expecting the dummy façade to be demolished and the new designs from the tenants would maintain the look and feel. The three “look and feel” templates are a porous white metallic finish, copper and blackened steel with a rustic metallic finish, and a see-through white mesh-like finish. Our design deviated from the idea of abandoning the existing façade entirely, but we adhered to the aesthetic goal of the landlord. Instead of building a completely new façade, we reused the material of white perforated panels in our project but installed them differently.
In the project writeup, one of the main objectives seems to be to create a building with “character,” which is a very abstract concept to grasp. What is your idea of a building with “character,” and how were you able to apply it to this project?
For us, character refers to the inspired narratives driven by the project context or related individuals resulting in distinctive qualities in design. These ideas are not superimposed concepts that are distant from the surroundings, but something people can connect to.
For this project, the character is directed by several related stories. First, we hope the design can reflect the history and intention of the original overall development. At the same time, it should demonstrate an environmentally responsible approach to answering the landlord’s requirements. Lastly, the design also manifests the unique tension between the client and the Landlord’s requirements. On the one hand, the design should respect the surroundings and fit into the streetscape; on the other hand, we sympathize with the brand’s need to have a distinctive image unique to their shop. The question for us is how to find a way to resonate with the streetscape while presenting the remarkable quality that can represent the brand. All these inspirations led to the current design, which is a reinterpretation of the pre-existing templates.
What were the factors you had to consider when it came to creating the “zones of opening and transparency” for the new design of the building?
The zoning decision is a programmatic one. Opening and transparency are created to respond to the street’s interior programs and viewing angles. The areas requiring less privacy and welcome daylighting, such as seminar and event spaces, are opened up, while the view to the back of house and private meeting space are blocked off the street.
When coming up with the design for the building, was the tenant consulted on what they hoped the design could be? Some stores and businesses prefer maximum visibility from the outside to attract customers to their shops, but this building only provides limited visibility inside to pedestrians. How difficult was it to strike a balance between creating visibility for the interiors and shielding them from the elements?
This design negotiates the tensions between the landlord’s requirements and the client’s ambition. The landlord’s building template provides 0% visibility except on the ground floor shopfront, while the client, as expected, would prefer maximum visibility as possible. We have worked with the Client closely from the beginning to understand their real needs and intentions. From the brand’s point of view, they would prefer an outstanding façade for their image. Additionally, they are concerned with potential wastage from tearing down the existing dummy façade, which we empathize with. This design provides a solution for both parties in which visibility is provided in a strategic location and seamlessly emerges with the overall façade design while responding to the internal layout and programmatic arrangement.
Based on the elevation drawings, the reused aluminum panels from the old building are not part of the operable sections of the façade. Why is this so? Would these reused panels be able to withstand more wear-and-tear over the years, or were they modified for more durability?
First, we want to clarify that all façade panels are not operable, and only part of the inner glazing windows can be opened. The existing aluminum panels are large square panels bent into shape. The reused panels are not used on the opening side because they are not in the same section profiles as the existing panel. Further cutting or bending on these existing removed aluminum panels is not advised as it will impair their structural integrity. Besides, it will introduce additional reprocessing processes, including transportation back and to the factory, testing, and refinishing, which will outweigh the effect of reclaiming extra panels.
All the façade metal panels are protected with pre-finished coatings. Before reclaiming the panels, the engineer examined the panel to ensure its durability if reused. The current façade, for its flat part, is designed to directly adopt and use the exact sizes of the original panels; the good thing is that there is no cutting and trimming required for the portion where original panels are reused. No resizing means that the original protective coating could be preserved and remain intact; no refinishing is required. It will help the project avoid unnecessary additional work and save cost and material.
Were there any challenges in the installation of the new façade structure? Based on the diagrams, the new façade is connected to existing structural members. Are these existing structural members durable enough to handle the load of the new façade? What is the weight of the newly installed façade?
Designing to fit is the challenge. During design development, we discussed with the client whether it was more cost-effective to rebuild a new façade framing than to adapt to the existing one. Keeping the current frame means design, engineering, and construction challenges but results in much less demolition and construction waste. We were keen to develop in this direction as it reinforces the sustainability concept of the entire project. We did multiple iterations with the engineer to arrive at the current model. The overall designed façade weight was less than the original façade as it was 100% covered. We took this as our advantage to allow room to shift the design geometry of the opening to minimize the impact of the current structure, enabling us to reuse all the existing façade anchoring points which connect to the existing structural members.
Taking on this path introduced another challenge: communicating to the builder and reassuring the client that this unusual approach was practical. This method was out of the builder’s comfort zone and atypical of their work program or sequencing. We addressed these through several hands-on engagement workshops with the client and the builder team. For example, we delivered an extra “material recovery study” workshop with the owner’s construction management team to demonstrate ways to keep materials without compromising structural stability and the construction program.
How can the new façade structure be maintained? Will it be difficult to clean, or repair in case of damage?
Metal cladding is a relatively low-maintenance solution compared to stone, ceramic, and concrete finishes. Prefabricated aluminum panels are pre-coated in the factory for corrosion resistance. The cladding is installed, and care is taken not to damage the protective layer.
The ground floor façade cladding could be prone to impact damage. The client’s management team has set up a routine maintenance program to clean and identify any significant damages. This checking ensures early action before deep corrosion develops. Extra panels are also reserved for future replacements if needed.
What are the species of climber plants used for the vegetated façade? Have you conducted studies or researched their effectiveness in improving local air quality? Have there been other applications of these climber plants that prove their effectiveness, which served as your inspiration for this project?
Locality, level of air purification, and visual benefit are some factors crucial to our considerations. We conducted multiple workshops with the local professional gardener to thoroughly understand the available options. We picked the ivy tree (Schefflera actinophylla) and Heuchera micrantha. Ivy tree fits the weather, and it is VOC-absorbing, contributing to improving local air quality in an urban context (based on a research paper titled, “Does plant species selection in functional active green walls influence VOC phytoremediation efficiency?”). Heuchera micrantha not only fits the climate, but it will also change its color based on the seasons. This unique character will help give the façade different looks throughout the year.
How can the vegetation façade be maintained or watered? Is there a built-in hydroponic system for it?
For maintenance, there is a routine maintenance program established by the client’s local team and gardener to check up on and maintain the conditions of the greenery.
For watering, in this big-scale green wall, a regulated self-irrigation is essential. There is a built-in modular drip-irrigation system that self-irrigates the vertical greenery with a preset timer. Dripping trays are located at the bottom to collect any excess water.
What were the sustainability goals that you set when you took on this project? Were you able to meet those goals?
The main sustainability goal is minimizing unnecessary demolition waste reduction and maximizing the reuse of recycled material. Over 40% of façade panels are reused and recladded onto the current facade, which will otherwise be demolished. Therefore, we consider this a success as without our design intervention, the entire facade system from its surface panel, the subframe, and the structural anchor will all become construction waste.
What are the valuable insights or lessons learned from this project? Were you able to garner insights on how commercial projects could be designed more sustainably?
Bottom-up, collaborative, and empathetic communication in the early phase is crucial.
We spent the first week in Xian, walking through the neighborhood and workshopping with the owner. The mock-up and engagement workshops allowed both us and the brand founder to open up and share hesitation about trashing the intact façade. That was the moment that sparked the idea of repurposing the dummy façade.
Take a humanistic approach in dealing with design rules.
This enables us as architects to step in the shoes of those guidelines or rule-makers and empathize with the underlying intention of their design requirements. It can avoid us blindly following the rules, and it also allows us to reinterpret possibilities that can retain the same design rules creatively.
Find balance among tensions.
Similar to our BAMS project and other social projects, the goals are finding ways to maximize the benefits for all parties (client, landlord, community, and environment) even though it means going against the typical rules or methods. This approach always results in more challenges, such as more engineering effort to calibrate design and more communication effort to explain to the landlord and the builder. We believe these extra efforts are indispensable to achieving a design that can be environmentally, culturally, and economically sustainable. •
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