SITE DESCRIPTION
The site is located at the meeting point of Jalan Imbi and Jalan Sultan Ismail. It is within a walking distance for several shopping malls surrounding the site.
The site is the combination of 3 lots, 2 existing buildings (Imbi Plaza, Wisma SPS) and a private parking lot.
IMBI PLAZA
Plaza IMBI can be found at Jalan IMBI in the Bukit Bintang area in Kuala Lumpur city center. Plaza IMBI is not a classy and luxurious mall; it is an IT mall, where visitors can find anything related to computers. It is a low-budget shopping mall. It used to be the biggest computer mall in Malaysia. Nowadays it is overshadowed by the very popular and neighboring IT/Gadget mall Plaza Low Yat. The owners of IMBI failed to provide the necessary upkeep; the mall is rundown and visitors are only there to find bargains on (often pirated) Blu-ray movies, software and music.
WISMA SPS
Wisma SPS located at Jalan Imbi in the Bukit Bintang area in Kuala Lumpur city center. Wisma SPS is located just beside Plaza Imbi. Although the building is located within a vibrant area, Wisma SPS is overshadowed by neighboring shopping mall. Half of the building is vacant and unable to rent out. Rental price dropped to RM8.50 per sq ft in order to attract possible rental. There is no reason public would visit Wisma SPS unless they are working inside the building.
SITE PHOTO
SWOT ANALYSIS
Strength
Strategic location of the site
Tourist hotspot: located within the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur City Centre.
Highly accessible to public transport: Taxi, monorail, bus
Weakness
Congested traffic condition at site
Noise pollution
Uncomfortable and unhygienic pedestrian access
Opportunity
Propose reconnect all elevated walkway creating a seamless connection between malls
Improve the condition of pedestrian walkway
Limiting vehicular access into city centre and encouraging visitors come by public transport
Threat/ Challenge
Different ownership of land may lead to different opinions regarding the development of site
Part of the site surrender for Mrt construction and Monorail track column placement
The project proposal begins with the intention of reviving dying malls and plaza located along Jalan Imbi. The proposed site consists of Imbi Plaza, Wisma SPS and parking lots which are 1.88 acres in total. The site itself have strong advantages due to its location is within the Kuala Lumpur Golden Triangle, equipped with adequate public transport facilities, and well developed pedestrian walkway. However, it is a waste that Imbi Plaza and Wisma SPS unable to attract public towards them anymore.
The site was surrounded by several shopping complexes and these malls are facing fierce competition among each other which dispersing visitors to smaller sanction. Meanwhile, the site is located in between all these malls and it has a huge opportunity to provide a good linkage between them. Hence, the site is reintroduced as a place to reconnect all the malls surrounding the site as a whole, where the site itself functions as a centre point among them. The site will be a place functions to celebrate several events and as a entertainment hub to provide breather for the community and visitors.
The building will be treated as Arena to celebrate game culture, foster understanding and engagement in the games as a catalyst of social change, and to give professional gamers in Malaysia the opportunity to work together on introducing gaming to public. The Arena is an attraction point within the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur. The Arena will support gaming arts, teaching public various gaming strategies and etc. The Arena will include gallery and museum which open to public to learn and experience the evolution and advancement of games. Included in the Arena are also galleries, battle ground, multipurpose hall, themed hotel and commercial spaces. The name of the proposed building would be Bukit Bintang Games Arena (BBGA), a breather space among the city and space for gathering and celebration. BBGA would be a place to holding events such as Blizz-Con, Comic-Con, Anime Fiesta and etc.
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION
PRECEDENT STUDIES
 Nu-Sentral-KL-Sentral |  ncsoft_new_hq_plan |
|---|---|
 Gundam.Front.Tokyo.original.6051 |  Dongdaemun_Design_Plaza_(DDP)_at_Night,_Seoul |
 1111_Lincoln_Road_010 |
This section focused on the study of the practicality of the proposed program and building. The study would be based on five case study of famous public building relating to gaming.
NCsoft is one of Korea's biggest game companies and the developer of Blade & Soul, Aion, Lineage series, WildStar etc. The building has 12 floors on the ground and 5 floors underground and it can hold over 3000 staff with an 8 anti-seismic grade design. Facilities: women-only lounge, kid's room, fitness centre, spa, canteen, indoor stadium, gallery, R & D, event hall, children playground
The Dongdaemun Design Park Plaza has been designed as a cultural hub at the centre of Dongdaemun, an historic district of Seoul that is now renowned for its 24 hour shopping and cafes. DDP is a place for people of all ages; a catalyst for the instigation and exchange of ideas and for new technologies and media to be explored. The variety of public spaces within DDP open 24 hours a day; enables DDP to present the widest diversity of exhibition and events that feed the cultural vitality of the city. Gundam Front Tokyo is museum within shopping mall designed with the theme of creating a "theatrical city space." It is home to the world's only full-size 18 meter height Gundam statue.
1111 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach comprises 4 different parcels within the building. A car park is a public facility, like a train station or an airport, where people change from one mode of transportation to another. 1111 is a new place for people to leave their cars so they can hang out on Lincoln Road Mall, go for movie or have a swim in ocean.
Located between KL Sentral LRT station at the edge of commercial area of Brickfields and Kuala Lumpur Sentral transport hub, the Nu Sentral building becomes the pedestrian link between the two. The lower ground, ground and first floor and the typical remaining floors had, respectively, distinct circulation patterns depending on their relationship with the street level, the LRT, the adjacent office and hotel buildings, and the Sentral Station. The tower becomes a strong reference feature from anywhere in the mall and because it is so conspicuous, it becomes an effective multi-level audio visual information device when combined with the latest digital technology.
From the study, it could also observe that most of buildings are located within the city to allow easy access to the public. All of them are highly visible from the main road and are well connected to various public transports like the light rail transit, tram or bus. Some of the spaces which are incorporated at all of the building include the auditorium, permanent and seasonal gallery, café, souvenir store and achieve. Spaces which can incorporate in only some particular place include restaurant, rentable gallery, public library, cinema, outdoor gallery and souvenir store.
