easier to pronounce as UiTM Selayang, a dedicated campus for their faculty of medicine, i was honoured to be part of the design & build team, although just a small part.
my part was just to check the design that my senior did, and indeed it was tough! the moment i got involved, i was forced to learn the CSC Orion reinforced concrete analysis and design software from scratch, and then rectify my senior’s Orion model.
when i took over, all the structural components of the major buildings were already accomplished. after many months, the 152 million contract value project was finally completed.
with that, i take this opportunity to share with my dear readers the “scanned” copy of part of the coffee table book, which is now available at JKR headquarters. enjoy 
from Journal of the Malaysian Institute of Architects | Volume 22 Issue 2, by Architecture Malaysia (am) magazine:
architect’s statement
In early 2006, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) announced their plan to create a new typology of Medical Faculty Campus to achieve its primary aim of producing highly motivated and accomplished medical professionals practicing holistic medicine. The Medical Faculty swiftly embarked on a development programme to relocate the current Medical Faculty in Shah Alam to a newly government-acquired 11 acres of land next to the Hospital Selayang, Selangor. The number of students enrolled into Medicine in UiTM grows significantly every year and the existing facilities in Shah Alam were unable to cater to the needs of the school programme beyond 2009.
The university’s Development Department had appointed Public Works Department Malaysia (PWD) for project management and commisioned LKMD Architecture Sdn Bhd through Design and Build Contractor to design a new Medical Faculty Campus for more than 500 students. The 540,000 square foot Medical Campus was to house a mix of medical students and scientists, with studies and research ranging from treatment of asthma to the effect of gravity on the human body under the Angkasawan programme.
The Campus was generally broken into 3 major components, the Academic Block, the Specialist Clinic Block and the Residential Block, on a rectangular site bordering a sub-arterial road. It needed to include 36 fully equipped Consultation Suites, Clinical Trials Ward, Research Labs, Library and Medical Museum and other academic facilities – a fairly complex ‘party’. It also had to accommodate the latest Clinical and Communication Skills Lab, used by students and teaching staff in achieving its primary goal of excellence in Clinical studies.
Space planning that fostered collaboration was essential with future flexibility in mind. The campus was intended to be a new genre of medical school in Malaysia, which is traditionally formal in its setting and ‘reserved’. Informal teaching and learning were highly encouraged for the new campus to create a conducive and interactive environment to the students.
The design attempted to ‘redefine’ and ‘reinterpret’ campus planning and architecture through new planning solutions and space articulation. The architect realised the importance of knowledge as a powerful theme in creating a pragmatic medical campus. The master planning highlighted the significance of the medical library and museum as a point of reference for the students instead of placing the administrative building as the focal point of the site.
Closely knitted building blocks allow seamless connectivity and accessibility for students at all times. Medical students undergo different learning routines thus making sure to reach their respective classes on time is vital, and spaces were designed to facilitate and support these excessive and extended activities. A heavily used and shaded pedestrian spine that cuts through the site is also introduced.
The buildings are designed to surround the library and museum block with pockets of outdoor landscape, water features and cafes to complement the oval and irregular shape of the academic block. The front area of the academic block sits on pilotis, creating a 27-foot high shaded mini plaza where 100 pax functions can be held. Further stimulating this elevation is a nucleus-shaped restaurant and cafe with radial standing seam roofing where students can enjoy a nicely created garden space. Colours are chosen to uplift the spirit and enliven the surroundings within the facilities, rather than having a subdued and mundane setting.
The buildings were carefully sited to face north to reduce concern on solar penetration and address the street frontage. Recessed windows on the buildings are further shielded by vertical aluminium sunshades that help to reduce glare and heat gain but allow light to filter through the interior.
The interior overall was a mixture of play and colourful setting. Patterns, textures and fittings were specifically chosen for vibrancy and interactive feelings. Part of the library is designed with sofa and seating pods on a timber style vinyl flooring area to promote informal learning and make the students feel at home. Students are also encouraged to make full use of the learning themed medical museum where real anatomy specimens are displayed. Informal gathering and learning cubes were introduced in the museum to encourage interaction among the teaching staff and the students.
In general, the UiTM Selayang Campus project was a successful collaboration among the client, project manager, consultants and the contractor. Success of the project is attributed to close coordination works and commitment by the project team during the two-year long construction period to ensure all the details met strict requirements by the Faculty.
The campus is a successful fusion of form and function – and a great addition to UiTM.
All scanned images in this post are copyrights of JKR and UiTM.
