Penang Turf Club Masterplan

Penang, Malaysia
Asymptote's design for the Penang Turf Club redevelopment generates a new precinct taking advantage of the beauty of the natural surrounding of mountainous landscapes. Intertwining the two creates a new model for a rich and dynamic urbanism.
Design Concept
The natural environment of Penang Hill mountains inspired a striated landscape approach. These striations become the organizing principle, for the masterplan creating various urban landscape typologies of programmatically differentiated strips that extend from the Hillside towards the city center of Penang.
Tectonics
The linear buildings that extend the landscape vary in height to integrate with the modulated topography of the site. Articulations along the length of these services to achieve an appropriate scale while maintaining urban density, provide workable building depths for natural light and ventilation, and define semi-private areas that are green transition spaces between the various private and public realms.
Space Programming
The distribution of the program and massing on the site operate in concert with the open space concepts. The more intimate scales of residential occupancy are located on the North and South sides of the site bordering adjacent low-scale neighborhoods and landscape areas. The center of the site accommodates a concentration of public urban functions, including cultural programs, a Convention Center, hotels, and commercial and office space. The zones between these are transitional in building mass and program, housing mainly mixed-use and residential occupancies.