Client: See Hoy Chan
Location: Damansara Uptown
Project: the Starling
Description: To design the overall look and feel of a “mall in a park” and bring its identity together with the existing architectural design.
Achievement: Silver Winner for Retail & Exhibition, MIID REKA Awards 2017
Our role: Lead designer, wayfinding and signage designer, collaborative ‘Starling Birds’ hanging sculpture
The aim was to achieve a community feel, catering to a professional working crowd during the weekdays and young families during the weekends. Taking inspiration from the Starling bird, this community mall is a real addition to the thriving neighbourhood that it lives in. The defining theme is 'the mall in a park' which features landscaping, a meandering brook, bird bath and retail space. Using a selection of rustic and unusual materials strengthened the natural concept.
This is the first mall in Damansara Uptown and is situated at the centre of a well-loved neighbourhood. Creating a destination with an approachable feel for the community, was of upmost importance to the client and design team. Our aim was to allow visitors to relax in a familiar environment, connecting the community outside to a new indoor park setting.
The design scope covers the overall concept, space planning, product positioning and branding, lift lobbies, concierge, common areas, loose seating, wayfinding and signage, different washroom design concepts on each floor, mother’s nursing rooms and the ‘Starling Birds’ hanging sculpture.
The sculpture features 365 individually crafted birds, representing each day of the year. they take flight and are suspended in a murmuration, (a swooping acrobatic movement which starling flocks are well known for). Their colours within this spectacular formation change as they fly higher, symbolic of the different mall floor levels. A special 366th bird was made, signifying the leap year that the mall was constructed in.