Zenius Tech Academy

Project Type: Commercial Shop Lot
Site Condition: As left by previous tenant
Renovation Size: 1650 sqft
Location: Bukit Jelutong
Year of Completion: 2022

Previously a Montessori-concept kindergarten, our clients received this rental shop lot unit with basic yellowing white ceiling tiles, vinyl timber flooring covering the middle part of the unit and a basic partition wall covered with landscape mural, segregating the front area and what-used-to-be the open classroom previously. Although the partition wall appeared to be distressed and a little worn-out, the structure seemed to be sturdy and intact still. With clients’ limited budget, we had to reconfigure new space planning and plan the design aesthetics that suit the vision of their robotics center for children but at the same time, to minimize the change of existing elements. It was indeed a challenging project but doable.

From the get-go, our clients’ brief was simple and straightforward: They need a reception center to meet and greet prospects with seating area where the parents may wait for their children to finish their lessons, two classrooms with two different requirements for robotics lessons and an administration office that also act as a space to store their inventories.

In order to minimize change in the existing layout, we transformed the existing mural-covered partition wall into a new brand wall for Zenius Tech. The existing arched opening in the center of the wall is re-purposed into an arched window overlooking the inside of the main classroom. This particular wall is then painted crisp white with arch shapes in bright yellow, corresponding to the corporate identity color of Zenius Tech.

The yellow arch shapes on the wall creates repetitive element, similar to the new arched window so that it will not appear isolated. The arch edges also soften the entire look of the reception area, which is filled with a lot of square and rectangle elements of loose furniture items. We believe that the bright yellow tone is loud enough to send an invitation for passer-by to have a second glimpse of the business premise. The existing tile flooring of the reception area is covered with new SPC flooring in similar tone with the existing timber vinyl flooring of the classroom area.

Since there is already an existing long handwash basin made out of concrete pour at the reception, our clients, who are doctors by profession, would like to grab this chance to instill personal hygiene-care in the children. Hand-washing before and after handling the robotics equipment during lessons is indeed an importance for them post-Covid19 times. Therefore, we proposed a modern and minimalist-looking column basin to replace the rundown existing in-situ concrete basin.

We created another arched opening in the far left of the unit leading to a long hallway with glass doors to two new classrooms and to an existing door of the office at the back. The hallway wall, ceiling and existing door to the office are painted bright yellow as an echo from the yellow paint on the brand wall. It creates an exciting atmosphere for the children to go to their lessons.

We proposed glass door with a fixed glass panel set for the classroom to break the otherwise long narrow and solid hallway. This way, the children in the classrooms will feel less enclosed within 4 walls.

For a lot of interior designers, getting the license from clients to tear apart a used existing space and build an entirely new environment that is aligned with the designer's ideal aesthetics palette is undoubtedly a dream come true. However much of a golden ticket dream it is, that situation is not always practical from a client’s point of view and pocket. If interior designers are able to make good of the existing elements in a space and layer upon it to create something new and relevant, that will forever be a strong selling point.

Existing Site Photos

Site Progress Photos

Hana Suhaimi Interior Design

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