The Eco Learning Market Center is designed as a dynamic, sustainable hub that harmonizes with its environmental context to create a productive and inviting space. The building’s form is meticulously crafted to respond to and benefit from the surrounding environmental conditions, thus minimizing site disruption while maximizing ecological integration.
Drawing inspiration from the traditional fishing villages, the Eco Learning Market Center embodies the spirit of communal life, resourcefulness, and harmony with nature. The architecture reflects the simplicity and functionality of these villages, where structures are built to withstand and embrace the natural elements. The design integrates materials and forms that evoke the aesthetics and sustainable practices of these communities, creating a center that resonates with their timeless values and environmental stewardship.
The market plaza serves as the central axis of the Eco Learning Market Center, seamlessly linking the market and learning centers within a covered, vibrant space. Visitors are visually guided towards the riverfront through thoughtfully designed openings in the buildings, creating a compelling journey from the plaza to the water’s edge. The plaza itself is an adaptable space, with multiple entry points that can be rotated to expand the lobby area, thereby blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces and promoting natural ventilation.
The design is rooted in fostering collaboration and innovation. The connected network of pavilions and pathways creates an inviting street plaza, encouraging visitors to explore and engage with the site in unique ways. This approach ensures each visitor experiences the center authentically, while the circular form fosters a sense of community and storytelling. This design philosophy extends to a global stage, facilitating idea sharing and collaboration across diverse communities.
Situated along the Pontian Kechil river, the Eco Learning Market Center integrates seamlessly with its natural surroundings, creating an eco-reserve of small town fragments or “islands” within a landscape of cultivated vegetation. This design leverages advanced sustainability technologies while embracing the poetic nature of the riverfront.
Celebrating the river horizon, the terraces are sculpted from local materials, providing a public observation platform with a panoramic view of the river. The circular geometry of the upper platforms contrasts with the vibrant activity below, where restaurants and social spaces bustle with life. Variations in platform height allow natural, gravity-fed elements to connect each level, and ramps provide accessible pathways to the waterfront and market level. The overall curved construction achieves a syncopated rhythm of platforms, enhancing the site’s visual and functional harmony.
