SPARK has completed the architectural and landscape design for Arte S, apartment towers containing 460 units. The two towers sit at the base of Bukit Gambir, a lush tropical mountain at the heart of Penang Island, and enjoy mid-distance sea views over the Straits of Malacca.
With the tallest tower is 180m, the buildings together comprise the tallest “twin tower” development on the island. The towers and the podium are articulated by the curvilinear movement of balconies, terraces and pools that echo the way man has occupied Penang’s mountainous terrain over time.
The taller tower has a sky garden at level 35 that incorporates two pebble-form recreational “resident club” pods. The larger pod accommodates up to 60 people for events, the smaller hanging pod houses a Jacuzzi. The design provides a 360-degrees view, variety of apartment types for buyers, with private lifts and separate service corridor, a provision uncommon in the mid-tier market.
The geometry of the two towers was generated by the extrusion of an elliptical floorplate, augmented by the addition of a waveform brise-soleil that is subtly rotated at each floor level, achieving a twisted appearance.
Designed for tropical living the units are orientated to bring in light and air without the need for air-conditioning. The lushly planted perimeter gardens and podium levels shroud the building’s carpark and takes advantage of the tropical climate to merge naturalistic tropical planting with the building’s geometry. This result is a layered, comfortable, shaded pool terraces supplemented by an organic form gymnasium pod.
SPARK have built a large number of award winning projects throughout Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Their work is influenced by the constant evolution of contemporary life and the influences upon it that require a fresh approach to urban thinking. To find out more, click here.
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