CANTING

City University Malaysia

Idea projektu

“Imprinting Identity Through Land, Craft, and Culture”. Situated in the tranquil seaside town of Merang, Terengganu, Canting – Batik Tourism Centre aims to be a vibrant cultural center that honors the craftsmanship of Malaysian batik via immersive experiences, knowledge sharing, and sustainable community involvement. The project is inspired by the traditional canting tool, a container employed to apply hot wax in fine, continuous lines, representing precision, patience, and narrative cultural expression. The structure and purpose of the architecture reflect this process: deliberate, multifaceted, and profoundly connected to context. Terengganu has historically been a key center for Malaysian batik culture. In contrast to the lively and freeform batik tulis of Kelantan, Terengganu batik is recognized for its delicate lines, application of the canting tool, and designs inspired by nature, including floral, marine, and organic patterns. These motifs represent the community's spiritual bond with land and sea, their cultural values, and their lifestyles. Batik here transcends mere fabric, it serves as a medium for identity, economy, and a legacy passed through generations. As the nation progresses, traditional crafts face the danger of being lost or commodified without proper context. The Canting Centre seeks to address this by grounding batik in its location, providing it with a structure and experience that fosters awareness, appreciation, and ongoing tradition. The project is located on a softly rolling coastal area in Merang, where the soil mainly consists of marine clay and sandy deposits, characteristic of Malaysia’s eastern coast. The landscape is somewhat uneven, providing a chance to work with the land rather than leveling it. This becomes emblematic, just as batik begins with a basic fabric that is layered, heated, and altered, the architecture ascends softly from the terrain, reacting to its shapes and creating terraces, openings, and pathways that reflect the rise and fall of tradition. The sandy-loam soil, though slightly loose, facilitates the use of lightweight designs, elevated walkways, and raised surfaces, drawing inspiration from classic rumah kampung and coastal architectural styles. This soil additionally sustains indigenous plants like coconut palms, casuarina trees, and coastal grasses, which are reintroduced into the site landscape to restore local ecology and improve the visitor experience.

Popis projektu

Canting, The Batik Tourism Centre. The term Canting was selected as a direct allusion to a highly recognizable instrument utilized in classic batik production. A canting is a tiny copper tool with a spout, utilized to apply hot wax onto fabric in detailed designs during the batik technique. This instrument carries significant symbolic and practical importance in the craft, it symbolizes accuracy, perseverance, and cultural creativity. is conceived as a cultural center aimed at safeguarding and advancing the heritage of batik artistry in Terengganu, especially highlighting the traditional canting method. As batik encounters the hurdles of modernity and waning public interest, this project aims to restore its cultural significance by creating a venue where locals and tourists alike can discover, value, and engage in the creation of this complex art form. By creating well-planned facilities and carefully crafted experiences, the centre intends to function as an educational and tourism-oriented platform that showcases the profound importance of batik in Terengganu's identity. An additional important goal of the project is to support local artisans and enhance the creative economy. The centre creates dedicated areas for production, exhibition, and retail, allowing batik makers to display their creations, host workshops, and participate in sustainable business ventures. Guests will be invited to view batik not merely as a completed item, but as a vibrant heritage, fostering greater understanding and possibilities for cultural conservation. The design of the centre's architecture is intended to sensitively address the natural surroundings, especially the coastal soil conditions and the hilly landscape of Merang, Terengganu. Highlighting a balanced connection between constructed spaces and nature, the design integrates passive methods like natural airflow, daylight access, and materials inspired by the local environment. The design also incorporates the cultural spatial reasoning of classic kampung communities, showcasing linked pathways, courtyards, and open communal areas. Ultimately, this initiative aspires to function not only as a tourist attraction but also as a community cornerstone that fosters artistic development, cultural preservation, and environmental awareness. Canting aims to motivate future generations to appreciate and preserve the heritage of batik through an engaging, interactive, and genuinely Terengganu experience.

Technické informace

The development of the Canting, Batik Tourism Centre is meticulously designed to align with the site's natural features and Terengganu's cultural setting. Considering the coastal soil conditions commonly found in Merang, characterized by sandy loam with moderate drainage, lightweight and elevated structural systems were emphasized to reduce ground disruption and guarantee long-term stability. A raised platform structure, influenced by the traditional Malay stilt houses (rumah panggung), is utilized throughout the site, facilitating natural water movement, minimizing flood risk, and enhancing airflow from underneath. The structural framework mainly employs a mix of reinforced concrete for foundational cores and structural steel for the upper structure. Steel enables greater spans and design flexibility, particularly for bridging components and open workshop spaces, while remaining quick and efficient to assemble on location. Utilizing prefabricated parts likewise shortens construction duration and minimizes environmental effects, in line with the project's sustainable strategy. Choosing materials is essential for anchoring the design in local identity, all while maintaining comfort and durability. Timber sourced locally is utilized for cladding, shading features, and interior finishes, offering warmth and a tactile link to nature. Natural stone and terracotta tiles are incorporated in communal areas for their texture, cultural significance, and adaptability to climate. In more exposed areas, perforated metal panels and woven rattan screens are utilized as modern interpretations of traditional craftsmanship, serving as sun-shading elements that improve ventilation and visual appeal. Passive design techniques are incorporated into the building method, featuring extensive overhangs, louvered walls, and cross-ventilation configurations. The primary roof designs are intended to enhance stack ventilation and facilitate rainwater harvesting, minimizing dependence on mechanical cooling and fostering resource efficiency. The combination of indoor and outdoor areas during construction facilitates smooth transitions between constructed and natural settings, thereby enhancing the user experience and promoting the narrative of batik as a practice deeply rooted in tradition yet receptive to its surroundings. The construction approach embodies the project's fundamental principle, sustainability, cultural awareness, and experiential design, ensuring that the constructed space harmonizes with the physical landscape and the intangible heritage it aims to safeguard.