DESIGN STATEMENT
PLAYHOUSES, BUKIT TUNKU
The play houses’ design was inspired by my childhood bird house constructed as a shelter for uninvited guests that visited rice harvesting season- the pigeons.
Client’s initial brief asked for tree houses that served as playground for his kids at their back garden, as design evolved, we realised the importance of reinforce experience of play and hence, some of the adventure game components were incorporated to bring more fun to the end users.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

The design motive of the playhouse is to develop children’s gaming skills and courage through play. Kids would be crawling on a nylon net to access playhouses. Platform at playhouses that set at different heights would provide semi-open spaces that cater for kids’ self-arranged activities. A flying fox made of mild steel and tensile cable links one of the playhouses with the structure for swings and deliver kids from the playhouse back to the ground.

The character of the playhouses is rooted in local vernacular architecture of Malaysia, i.e. post-and- beam structures raised on pillars and with gabled roofs, but in contrary to the convention, the end result seeks to create modern looking structures through the adoption of a simple building form that rest on tree-branches liked pole supports.

Choice of materials is derived in parallel with the same thought of merging convention and new, hence chengal wood and concrete base are integrated with painted finished m.s. frame and nylon net.

Design Team:
Lead designer: Ar. Ooi Yin Mau
Playground Adviser: Brandon Chee
Contractor & Photographer: Tukang Brothers

游戏屋乐园
吉隆坡武吉东姑

游戏屋的设计灵感来自于我儿时的鸟屋，当初鸟屋是建给那些水稻收割季节时主动飞来找吃的不速之客——鸽子们的，以提供牠们长久的庇护所。

屋主最初的要求是在他家后花园建造树屋作为他孩子们的游乐场，随着设计的发展，我们意识到加强游戏体验的重要性，因此就加入了一些冒险游戏元素，为最终设计成品带来更多乐趣于用户。

“我们不会因为变老而停止玩耍；我们因为停止玩耍而变老。” 〜萧伯纳

游戏屋的设计动机是想通过玩耍来开发孩子们的游戏技能与勇气。小孩子们像婴儿般在尼龙网上爬行进入游戏屋。两个不同高度的游戏屋内的平台提供了两个半开放的空间，以方便孩子们自行安排活动。想要进入最高的游戏屋，必须通过大约45度的攀岩墙。一根由低碳钢和拉伸电缆制成的“飞狐”将其中一个游戏屋与秋千的结构连接起来，并将孩子们从游戏屋微斜吊着带回地面。

游戏屋的设计特点植根于马来西亚当地的乡土建筑，比如在柱子上建立柱梁结构和山墙屋顶，但同时与传统惯例相反的是，最终设计结果旨在努力创造现代外观的结构- 简单的屋子外形，建筑骑在像树枝般的柱子上。

建筑材料的选择延续了以上将“传统与新事物”相融合的思路，因此，Chengal 木材，混凝土，涂漆低碳钢和尼龙网相互结合而融为一体。