Eleena Jamil on sustainable design rooted in Asian context

What first drew you to architectural design?

I grew up in a family where both my parents ran a construction firm, and work was always discussed at home, hence, I was aware of what an architect does from a very young age. However, I never really aspired to be an architect until my father suggested I take up the course at university. I am glad he did, as I love architectural design with a passion. 

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How would you describe your personal design philosophy, and its distinction in aesthetic from others in the industry?

I strive to produce architecture that speaks about a place. This means creating designs that develop within the specific conditions of a local context: an approach in which climate, culture, materials, and community play a significant role in determining the shape, form and spaces.  

I am inspired by existing typologies, for example, the kampung houses for the direct response to climate, culture and materiality, the Chinese shophouses for clever use of courtyards in tight urban settings, and also colonial examples such as government offices and schools for their clever adaption to climate using masonry.

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This approach also includes a strong tendency to work with materials in their “as-found” state like they were in vernacular exemplars, which usually means as they are delivered, or in their early condition when first applied and before extra layers or coatings are added–for example, unclad steel structures, bare concrete, clay bricks, wood and bamboo. 

Rather than imposing a preconceived idea or unnatural appearance on materials, we prefer to work to their unwritten rules, allowing each substance to fully express its individuality and physicality. Few of these materials are available in off-the-shelf prefabricated forms, and working with them is therefore based on the craftsperson’s knowledge and dexterity, stemming from their usage in vernacular architecture.

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Tell us more about how sustainability plays in your design approach that balances functionality and aesthetics.

Sustainability plays a significant role in shaping my design approach. Embracing sustainability in design means trying to balance the functional needs of spaces with many different design factors. 

It is a play between the client’s space requirements, aspiring aesthetics and security with sustainable issues specific to the tropics, such as materiality, building orientation, shading, openness and density. Typically, a few concepts need to be explored, before arriving at the optimum design to strike the right balance.

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Which project are you most proud of and why?

I am very proud of the Bamboo Classroom in Camarines Sur, Philippines, in which the design won first prize in an open architectural competition. This is the first time where I began to learn using bamboo and recognising it as a sustainable and viable building material for the tropics, and it has encouraged me to go on to work on more bamboo projects in Malaysia.

In this project, I began my research into how to build using bamboo. For example, the right species to use, the treatment methods, the jointing techniques, and also the design techniques.

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What project(s) are you currently working on?

Apart from a few house remodelling projects, my practice is currently working on two rather interesting schemes–both very different and challenging: one is a retreat which uses local sustainable materials, and another is a scheme to redesign social spaces for a low-income housing development (PPR Housing).

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The retreat utilises a courtyard form to maximise cross ventilation and sustainable materials such as compressed earth blocks, bamboo and recycled plastics; whereas the PPR project looks at creating conducive play and social spaces for an existing community who has been deprived of high quality social spaces for a long time. 

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