Taugehology

The design is set to transform existing blocks in the Tin Alley into a community hub for vertical farming. The objective is to enhance financial independence of local retirees and the B40 (people belonging to the bottom 40 per cent income group), while contributing to overall food security.

KEY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
The adaptive reuse attempts to integrate five blocks, each characterised by a double-storey layout with a mezzanine floor. Two blocks will be dedicated to cultivating beansprouts—tauge in the Malay language—through a hydroponic system as other crops will be grown in stacked layers, to optimise the tight space. Energy-efficient LED grow lights are adopted indoors to overcome the limited natural lighting, helping to ensure a consistent harvest.

The remaining three blocks will house the ‘Lokal’ Market, where users could gather to enjoy the harvest and share knowledge of homegrown products, fostering a sense of community. The design of the exchange platform also incorporates a learning centre for planting workshops.

Other features proposed are the use of solar panels on the roof, passive ventilation systems and the recycling of plant waste into compost, which could then be used to enrich the soil for related gardening projects.

PROJECT DATA
Project Name
Taugehology
Location
Tin Alley Ipoh, Malaysia
Project Year
2024
Built-up Area
2,543 square metres
Building Height
11.8 metres (excluding the roof)
Number of Rooms
21
Clients
Sunway Xfarm; State Agricultural Development Corporation of Perak (SADC)
Student
Dinh Phuong Thao
School
Raffles College of Higher Education
Programme
Bachelor in Interior and Architecture Design
Supervisors
Lai Soo Shion; Norlina Elias
Images
Dinh Phuong Thao

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This is an excerpt. The original article is published in
Construction+ Q3 2024 Issue: Constructing Healthcare.
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