Executive Development Centre, Universiti Utara Malaysia

ELEGANT INTERVENTION. The project comprises of an executive development centre, which includes an 84-room, 3-star hotel and a multipurpose conference building. The site sits partially along a slope and is located on part of an 81-acre land recently acquired by the university. The development was intended to cater for a shortage in staff housing in the campus and a lack of public amenities in the area.

The hotel was designed to alleviate the shortage of rooms in the vicinity and accommodate visiting post-graduates and visitors at the annual convocations. It also complements the university’s hotel and catering course. The hotel is located at the end of the main boulevard that acts as the ‘spine’ for the whole development. It is located prominently on the corner junction beside the entrance to the university.

The architecture was kept austere to maintain the efficiency of space planning and material use in line with the limited resources available. This resulted in a simple but elegant series of white volumes that enhance the hilly backdrop of the lush tropical rainforest.