THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Main Entrance-Design Rational
A ship's wall was created as the main feature of the entrance hall and at the same time to house all the secondary functions. The main hall would be a totally unencumbered space with a display office and control room at either end. Walls flanking the "ship" were made in the form of interlocking wave blocks from veneered ply whilst the solid body of the "ship" made to "float" on a highly reflective floor.

The reception desk, meant to be a part of the ship's side wall, was housed in a cut out within the body of the inclined aluminium wall animated with portholes, display cabinets, display monitors and a future aquarium.

Port Briefing Room - Design Rational
Sometimes referred to as the engine room, the 5.8m high ceiling space meant that a substantial axial feature could be created for effect, house air conditioning plant, a motorized projector, speakers etc, as well as give direction to the space bounded by the two AV presentation walls. This space shares the same central glass wall feature to the back of the reception, i.e a clear tempered glass wall etched with a "world map" pointing out the location of Pelepas Port. A single full height motorized blind allows this wall to be screened off or opened to allow through views from the main entrance, across its width, to the courtyard. Green tinted glass walls to two rooms on either side of this "world map" are meant to glow through into the port briefing room when their lights are on.

Level 5 Executive Floor - Design Rational
To create a single large volume space that unifies all its activities with solid walls stopping short of the ceiling thus allowing the slotted ceiling to sweep through from one end to another. A smaller version of the ship's wall is echoed here in timber. This geometrical wall that follow the main facade forms the backdrop to the double fronted offices and allow ancillary functions to be tucked into it, with cut-outs forming waiting areas and secretarial cubicles. Circulation is along this wall. It connects the two service cores of the building. Central to this floor is the executive reception designed to be a flexible multi space that can be screened off from the corridor. Suspended "kites" or "squids" carrying uplighters so called because its plan form resembles that of a squid, were designed to form a sculptural steel layer floating within the high ceiling space. Power is brought to these gantries through the 25 mm diameter circular steel rail that ties the ends of these gantries.

In the offices, glass is extensively used for maximum transparency for views within whilst 800mm wide service walls containing built in storage and shelving units form room dividers. An 800 x 800mm grid runs throughout the interior horizontally and vertically. An 800mm wide vertical metal totem cuts through the veneered cabinet wall to create visual focus in the room.The board-room is marked by a metal and timber dropped ceiling housing audio visual services and pin lights to illuminate the boardroom table. Sliding stainless steel doors conceal projection and writing surfaces. Extensive use of timber on this floor reflects the interiors of ocean going ships of a bygone era.