Limkokwing University of Creative Technology student Choong Wei Li, 28, was crowned the champion of this year's PAM-Lafarge Architecture Student Competition 2013 with his winning idea dubbed “The 55.5% concept”.

LOW cost housing does not have to mean living in a boring, generic matchbox-sized flat that does little to encourage communal and green living.

That was the message and the challenge presented to the participants of the PAM-Lafarge Architecture Student Competition 2013 organised by the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and Lafarge Malaysia Berhad.

PAM president and competition judge Chan Seong Aun said he was impressed with the way the winning entries incorporated the design criteria innovatively into their work without compromising on the aesthetics of the building.

Limkokwing University of Creative Technology student Choong Wei Li, 28, was crowned champion with his winning idea dubbed “The 55.5% concept”.

“My idea is you build only 55.5% of the maximum size of the home. You add on to 100% as the years go by and you can expand your home,” he said.

“Basically, you buy what you can afford first.”

Wei Li went on to explain that a bachelor who is planning on purchasing his first home would look for something affordable and probably with just one room.

“As the years go by, he gets married and has children. Then, he can expand his unit by adding on more rooms,” he said.

Wei Li envisioned his housing project in Jelatek, Kuala Lumpur, and carried out site visits to determine what the residents wanted.

He said his design gave homeowners the flexibility to expand without creating nooks and crannies that were an eyesore.

Read the full article by The Star newspaper here.

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