IN DESIGN

KDU Penang University College

KDU Penang University College (KDU Penang UC) has evolved since its inception in 1991. It is now a private tertiary education provider in the northern region—Malaysia’s Premier Island City Campus. Upgraded to University College status in October 2015, it will enhance students’ learning experience with a new Green campus by 2019.

The educational facility is currently located at Penang Island’s Anson Road. It will be expanded to a new site at Penang’s mainland, Batu Kawan. This greenfield development park was set up by Penang Development Corporation (PDC), which is a real estate and investment company of the Penang state government. The site was previously an oil palm plantation, with an internal topography comprising peat and overlying marine clay. In 2014, KDU’s parent company Paramount Corporation Berhad (PCB) purchased 44.15 acres of freehold land from PDC, with plans to build Penang’s first university utropolis. When completed, it will be the biggest purpose-built campus in Batu Kawan, with a capacity to accommodate up to 5,000 students.

KDU Penang UC aims to create a sense of openness based on the live-and-learn, work-and-play integrated lifestyle concept. It consists of a two-storey library, cafeteria, as well as computer and gaming labs. Designed to be a university in a park, the campus ground is surrounded with green hardscapes spaces that form the Plaza and Park Avenue.

CONNECTIVITY
The Plaza fronts onto the Persiaran Cassia Barat 3, addressing the road and corner connection that guides pedestrians to Paramount’s mixed-use development. On the ground floor, Park Avenue is a green boulevard that creates the central spine across the campus, connecting visitors and VIP vehicular drop-off from the Simpanan Jalan frontage and the student drop-off area on the western side.

BREAKOUT SPACES
There are several breakout places for students on the ground floor at Park Avenue, where the cafeteria is surrounded by a water concourse and herb and spice garden. The water concourse adds a cooling effect to the atmosphere. At the student drop-off area, the Galleria is a place for students to showcase their work. There is also an outdoor Sculpture Garden along Persiaran Cassia Barat 3 that can accommodate large sculptures and artwork. Park Windows offers open and elevated Green spaces within the building that provide a collaborative nucleus environment for the learning clusters. The shortened corridors allow for natural ventilation and daylight, adding another dimension to the space.

PROJECT DATA
Project Name: KDU Penang University College
Location: Batu Kawan, Penang, Malaysia
Status: Under construction (infra and substructure)
Expected Completion: 1Q 2019
Site Area: 10 acres
Number of Classrooms: 25
Building Height: 6 storeys
Client/Owner: KDU University College (PG) Sdn Bhd
Client Representative: Paramount Property (PW) Sdn Bhd
Principal Architect: BH Yew Architect
Design Architect & Interior Designer: CPG Consultants Pte Ltd
Civil & Structural Engineer: Perunding Kelana
Geotechnical Engineer: G&P Geotechnics Sdn Bhd
Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Perunding P.L.A.
Landscape Architect: Green Acres Studio Sdn Bhd
Green Building Consultant / Facilitator: aLM Green Sdn Bhd
Kitchen Consultant: DiSHES Sdn Bhd
Acoustic Consultant: Andy T. C. Chong (Architectural, ID & MEP Acoustics)
Traffic Consultant: Perunding Trafik Klasik (PTK) Sdn Bhd
Land Surveyor: Ukur Rentas
Quantity Surveyor: Unitech QS Consultancy Sdn Bhd
Main Contractor: Paramount Construction (PG) Sdn Bhd
Principal Subcontractor: LSH Global Enterprise Sdn
Images/Photos: CPG Consultants Pte Ltd