If behind every successful businessman is a woman, then it might be said that behind every brilliant building is a talented architect.
One architect in demand at the moment is the cool, calm and collected Luke Yeung, a Hong Kong-born Canadian with a special interest in researching Thai building materials.
The 40-year-old’s designs stand out in that he makes use of innovative tools that are sensitively applied to local materials and construction techniques to come up with original works of art.
One of his recent works has been the transformation of Hard Rock Cafe Siam Square from run-of-the-mill to eye-catching, with its new attractive shimmering black façade often attracting the gaze of those who pass by.
Yeung, who works for design studio Architectkidd, says a renovation project such as the Hard Rock was different from building from scratch as other architects came in to refurbish the main building frame by adding new structures, finishes and materials to it, which presented a new set of challenges.
“Technically, renovations can be more complicated than building a new structure because you have to survey all the existing conditions, before you design around something that already exists. That in itself can be complicated.”
The building culture in Bangkok reflects how the city has developed through the years, Yeung believes, so people are increasingly valuing renovations as an alternative to new constructions. Yeung adds that when designing buildings, it is pivotal to keep in mind how it will connect, both aesthetically and functionally, to the material of adjoining buildings.
As many old buildings are permanent structures and fixtures to the city’s history and culture, he encourages its preservation. The new generation of architects build designs to fit the surroundings, (termed adaptive reuse policy), something that has become increasingly popular of late, he said.
“In coming up with the new Hard Rock Cafe look, we had to design sensitively, keeping in mind how the new design would fit in with the existing surroundings,” said Yeung, who did his training in Canada and US.
“The curves represent sound waves, which obviously goes with the Hard Rock Cafe theme. We wanted to communicate the idea of music as a vibrant, dynamic force. So all the aspects of the building such as the interiors, lighting, design feature
and graffiti all express this.”
Yeung said architects always start a project by thinking of the raw material, which according to the veteran, can pose as both a limitation and possibility to do something new. His team studied the structural properties of a handful of materials before settling for Shera ply, a newly innovated fibre-cement composite panel. Approximately 2,000 pieces of hi-gloss façade tiles were used for the Hard Rock Cafe.
“On the exterior, and in the façade, we interpreted sounds into physical forms and materials. Then we made models and mock-ups to communicate the design intentions, as well as developing the necessary details that went with it. We had our structural engineer help generate the curved structure that was designed to be cantilevered from the existing building.”
Yeung draws much of his inspiration from his daily experiences in Bangkok, a city he has called his second home for a number of years. While it may not be the prettiest capital city in the world from an architect’s perspective, Yeung says it is certainly inspirational.
Working with a small design studio like Architectkidd, has given him the opportunity to think outside the box. “We begin our projects by considering the practical concerns, functions and client needs. While we address each of these issues in a pragmatic manner, we might use unconventional methods to reach the final outcome.”
Yeung also lectures at a local university and said that the experience of teaching has helped him gain a new prospective
on designing buildings, as each generation of architects brings something fresh to the table.
It also helped Yeung remain passionate and optimistic about social and environmental issues, and confident about building a new generation of architects.
A generation that he believes will fair well in the Asean region in the future, as long as they “go outside [their] boundaries and also take creative risks. If ones’ goal in architecture is to strive to realise bold and challenging ideas, then you will need to be prepared for challenges and setbacks along the way. You view setbacks as part of the learning process.”
With the rainy season due very soon, attention turns to how Bangkokians may prepare for the inevitable floods, “I think the flood situation has resulted from a lot of issues, many outside the control of the individual home owners.
“Within the boundaries of one’s house, I think people can benefit from thinking about adaptability in design. A good building can serve present functions and also have the ability to anticipate for future changes.
“It is important to look to the future, beyond your current needs. This doesn’t mean architecture has to be futuristic in its construction or technology, sometimes it’s about incorporating elements from the past as well that can benefit you. Houses on stilts is one such example.”
