Firm calls on varsity students to design large single LED facade

Eye-catching display: The Liverpool Insurgentes Department Store in Mexico City – which is among the competition design examples – has a centralised control system that changes the scene and dims the entire facade.

University students have a chance to see their creative designs materialise in a new mixed-development project by investment holding company i-Berhad.

This is the first time i-Berhad is reaching out to Malaysian students to be part of the development of i-City under the i-Design Facade Design competition.

The competition challenges students to come up with creative and innovative design ideas for a facade to the project on the Western part of i-City, which comprises seven tower blocks for residential and office use, two retail podium and six-levels of car park.

The competition was launched on Oct 10 by Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan.

It is open to Malaysian students studying in the country or overseas with a passion for arts and design.

They need not be studying in that particular field.

It will be based on the theme “Pulse of Selangor” and/or “City of Digital Lights” and the design entry must incorporate a Malaysian element.

Designs submitted must also be timeless, practical and functional from its design to cost.

It should also be easy to maintain and be able to incorporate LED lights, among other conditions.

The large single LED facade, based on the winning idea, will be placed in front of the multi-level car park.

Henry Butcher Retail managing director Tan Hai Hsin said the facade must have continuous and moving LED lights, incorporating 10 units of tenants’ logos.

To guide participants before submission, Tan listed some facade design examples.

Among them is Mall Taman Anggrek, in West Jakarta, Indonesia – which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the largest media facade.

The Confederation of Danish Industry headquarters located in Copenhagen, Denmark, has an LED structure that is in diagonal form with light plug-ins that can be tweaked and modified with parameters like speed, colours and direction of lights.

One other exciting facade highlighted is the Liverpool Insurgentes Department Store in Mexico City, Mexico.

The winning design will receive RM10,000 cash.

Registration ends at the end of the month.

Submissions begin on Nov 1 to 30 and the winner or winners will be announced by the end of December to early January.

For more information and to register, go to www.i-city.my. - By Kathleen Michael (The Star)