Student’s Profile
Zoological School + Animal Health Facility Due to the wide range of veterinary topics, veterinary schools in Malaysia do not have the facilities and capability of including extensive coverage of exotic, wildlife and zoo animal medicine, which lead to a shortage of zoological professionals in Malaysia that we have to rely on foreign professionals on wildlife conservation and management. Besides, it also causes difficulties among Malaysian graduate veterinarians in treating and handling wildlife and zoo animals. This phenomenon has lead to a very low public awareness on animal welfare, and low efficiency in conservation and preservation of wildlife animals in Malaysia.
Yeap Sze Min- Born in Taiping, Perak. In 2009, she has graduated from UKM (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) and obtained her B SC Arch part 1 and has 6 months working experience in YHSA Architect during the year of 2010. Currently, pursuing her b Arch UM, working on a thesis of Zoological Teaching Hospital in Hulu Kelang.
Advisor’s Profile
Emeritus Prof. Ezrin Bin Arbi, a studio coordinator in the Department of Architecture, is a very experienced lecturer especially in the field of heritage architecture conservation. He has more than 40 years experience in the academic field in University of Melbourne (1960-1962), Kementerian Perindustrian Indonesia (1962-1969), Universiti Teknologi Mara –UITM (19691981), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (1985), and University of Malaya (1995). He is a specialist in Building Conservation, Urban Planning and Design, Vernacular Architecture and Muslim Architecture Heritage.
The objective of the design thesis proposal is to find out how far architecture and context can help to create a new facility that resolve the above issues by involving real life learning experience to the users which include the professionals as well as the public. The key of the scheme is the choice of site which is near to the National Zoo, where students and professionals can experience real life hands on learning environment. The challenge is to create a ‘zoological hub’ by incorporating a new institutional facility as the zoo main supporting structure in the aspect of recreation, conservation, training, educational and research with both facilities (inistitutional facility and the zoo) contributing to each other. It also aims to improve the poor maintenance of outdated educational and research facilities, and incomplete/inadequate self-supporting system for conservation breeding programs (which include the education centre, library, kitchen for animal food preparation, and zoo veterinary hospital, research laboratories and facilities, thus contributes to the welfare of zoo and wildlife animals in Malaysia. Typically this building typology calls for a special study on safety of animals and users (humans). To narrow the scope further down, a study of spaces based on animal architecture, exhibition architecture, institutional architecture and service architecture. Animal architecture including animal confinement zone which resembles their natural habitat, as well as the quarantine area. Exhibition architecture including the viewing area which has to be friendly to animals as well as viewers. Institutional architecture including the learning and research areas for students and professionals. Service architecture including spaces for animal health facilities and management. E.g. surgical suites, food preparation area, zoo clinics etc.