NWKA Architects Sdn Bhd

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography

BIG DUTCHMAN AGRICULTURE HEADQUARTERS & WAREHOUSE

Nwka Architects Sdn Bhd

LOCATION
Bandar Bukit Raja, Klang, Selangor, Malaysia

CATEGORY
Industrial Architecture

ARCHITECTURE FIRM
Nwka Architects Sdn Bhd

PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT
Ar. Ng Wai Keong

PRINCIPAL DESIGNER
Ms Ranko Kume

AREA
25507.0 m2

PROJECT YEAR
2017

GREEN BUILDING CONSULTANT
IEN Consultants Sdn Bhd

INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM
Mmoser Associates Sdn Bhd

MAIN CONTRACTOR
Nakano Construction Sdn Bhd

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Pentago Landscape Sdn Bhd

QUANTITY SERVEYOR
Stanley Chin Qs Consult Sdn Bhd

LIGHTING CONSULTANT EXIN LIGHTING
Sdn Bhd

INTERIOR FIT OUT CONTRACTOR
Jalex Sdn Bhd

CLIENT/OWNER/DEVELOPER
Big Dutchman Agriculture Sdn Bhd

CIVIL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Hss Integrated Sdn Bhd

MANUFACTURERS
Toto, Acor, Dover Lift, Guocera Tiles, SK Kaken, Swissma

MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Hss Integrated Sdn Bhd

Text description provided by architect.

Big Dutchman (BD) is a global livestock equipment company that operates on the international arena. It recently unveiled its regional head office and logistics centre for the Asia Pacific region in Klang, Malaysia.

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography

The 20-acre site lies in a high-density heavy industrial zone, surrounded by energy-intensive factories, which imposes visible infrastructural pressures on this area. This is a far cry from BD’s original operations in rural Europe, at Calveslage, Vechta near Bremen where industries co-exist in Green-sensitive environments.

The new Klang campus draws from its European origins by breaking the mould of industrial facilities with a lush green landscaped environment.

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography

It’s built on a low plinth ratio, adopts a human-scale approach to a large-scale warehouse operation, and maintains a low-carbon footprint in Green- friendly sustainable environment. Even the main gate’s green wall is a symbolic signature drawn from its European origins.

BRICK BY BRICK

The over burnt brick is used throughout the façade as an expression of durability and timelessness. It is architecturally rough, yet refined. It is also a symbol of a strong business foundation and an interpretation of the company’s commitment to grow its business on the bedrock of its brick-by-brick tradition in a sustainable and environmental manner.

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography

Practically, the bricks act as a robust and heat-insulating material requiring minimum maintenance.

Expressively, the iconic 3-metre-high floating brick wall maximizes openings to the edge of potential penetration, serving as an air funnel for cross ventilation to negate heat built-up and maximise air flow through the facility.

The idea is to lift a traditional brick form and allow it to float in mid-air. It is a twist and a contradiction – a twist as technology allows for the walls to be suspended unexpectedly and a contradiction to see a traditional heavy masonry element float on air.

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse

SUSTAINABILITY

Underlying it all, the fundamentals of good sustainable architecture are anchored by the building’s passive Green design.

The campus reduces dependency on fossil fuel energy by generating solar power as part of its clean energy programme through the photovoltaic cell technology.

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse

A 4000 M² solar panel has been installed on the warehouse’s roof to supply clean energy. Rainwater harvesting and recycling conserves water consumption. On-site surface water detention capacity acts as part of the area’s flood mitigation programme. Waste is managed through a structured disposal programme.

The architectural design adapted a second skin heat insulation concept for the external envelope of the building to lower the air-conditioning load demand by reducing direct heat gain, especially on the east and west facades.

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography

The sun sensors operable louvres allow the major glazing areas to be shaded – they follow the sun’s direction throughout the day to keep a constant ambient temperature at the workspaces, while allowing maximum visibility and light penetration.

The passive environmental design concept actively creates and encourages the use of comfortable external-internal spaces functioning on minimum energy needs. This approach means that the air-conditioning only needs to be sustained to 10 percent of the overall built-up space.

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography

Creating pleasant, healthy and attractive well-lit work and recreational spaces encourages increased use of the facility, resulting in less need to travel out during breaks, thereby reducing carbon emissions. Sustainability is not just a technical concept but a commitment to enable an environment where greenery is simply about living it. 

Big Dutchman Agriculture recognizes that its existence is an integral part of a sustainable environmental ecology. The realisation of this architectural design reflects BDA’s innovation in growing their business on high on bedrock of Brick-by-Brick tradition to elevate the promise of its potential future.

Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
© David Yeow Photography


Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Section 01
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
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Section 03
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Site Section
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Proposed Site
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Connection


Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Site Plan
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Elevation
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Diagram


Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Detail 01
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Detail 02
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Detail 03
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Detail 04
Big Dutchman Agriculture Headquarters & Warehouse
Air Flow

NWKA Architects Sdn Bhd
T +60 3 78311733 F +60 3 78316332
NWKA Architects Sdn Bhd
A-3A-09, Block A Oasis Ara Damansara, 2 Jalan PJU 1A/7A, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia