The Sanctuary LAE PNG

Designing a community within a foreign country requires local understanding – our travel to Papua New Guinea was an eye-opener, revealing local life, culture and way of life first hand.

The master-plan was conceived as a holistic complex, with a trailing list of on-site amenities and facilities. Flanking Markham Road (main road) are ‘shop-houses’, retail shops, café, restaurant and convention centre – a ‘soft’ buffer between the main street interface. A landscape ‘oasis’ is created as the ‘heartbeat’ centre of the development, with health and fitness facilities reflecting the project scheme’s aspiration to create a ‘communal’ village.

Timber being the most abundantly available building material locally, the project seeks to implement as much locally available building material as possible within the design. The townhouses within the project seeks to vary itself from its stereotype with existence of minimal repeat elements sufficient to establish subtle definition between units and integration of various cladding elements in achieving a holistic ‘block’ façade. Central to these cladding elements is the timber planter screens – an attempt to continue the landscape vertically within the townhouse façade. The main street facades, flanking both Markham Road and Airways Avenue – designated as the ‘communal’ commercial activity centre for the development and the local community at-large, are respectful of the existing streetscape and overall urban fabric. It continues the structural order with large, repetitive, exposed columns dominating its façade with connecting timber screens and large canopy roof – reminiscent of Lae’s industrial background and aspirations. Subtle design elements are incorporated amongst the rigid and orderly façade – amongst all a ‘dynamic’ single façade combining residences, shops, restaurant/café and convention centre within. The project attempts to respond to recent conundrums questioning the relevance of a ‘communal’ village at this age and time. With the advantage of a common presence (being a local community within a foreign environment), the communal living tag is further advanced with integrated facilities to nurture a community.