Design Team
Tay
Kheng Soon
Design
Data
Builder - Kamal (Orang Asli)
Text
Tay Kheng Soon, extract from an interview by Athanasios Tsakonas, 14 April 2003
LINKS
An Interview with Tay Kheng Soon
AKI-CAMP 3, 31 Aug - 6 Sep at Kem Eco Mawai, Johore, Malaysia
Kem Eco is situated over a riverside flood plain, profuse with various flowering and fragrant shrubs and fringed by pandanus and wild mangosteen, which provide food for monkeys and hornbills. Not a single mature tree was felled in its development, ensuring an intact natural habitat. Previously, according to old maps, there was a sprinkling of a rubber plantation, replaced later with oil palm. These, we removed and trunks allowed to naturally decompose when we built the farm. The natural watercourses were all left intact, with the main river fronting the site, ebbing and flowing in a leisurely manner as it did over the eons.
We are inspired by the descriptions of the area by botanist E.J.H Corner in his book "Swamp Forests of Singapore and South Johore" which records his research and visits to Mawai between 1929 and 1956. "Corner's" fig tree still stands on the opposite bank of the river where he took off on his river expeditions. The other day I saw a family of river-otters squealing and chirping, happily together, foraging for prawn and fish trapped in pools and undergrowth. They came to the very edge of the kitchen and longhouse totally confident and unafraid of our presence. I felt privileged to be their witness.
The camp utilises sustainable and recycled material wherever possible. The structural system is harvested small-diameter green wood found in the swamp forest nearby, and extracted through considered selective-cutting. This in turn induces rapid renewal as sunlight is now able to penetrate to the forest floor where the trees once stood. Quantity is kept to a minimum. Floor boards are salvaged planks obtained from a nearby timber yard. All organic waste is recycled as animal feed and earthworm culture have been introduced. Plastics containers are recycled to germinate seeds for reforestation. Wastewater is bio-digested in aerobic and anaerobic tanks and the effluent cycled into ponds where water plants take up the nutrient-rich water before release into the Sedili river. Socially, there is an ongoing move to involve the local community into the camp's activities, such as the cook, several helpers, and the boat man. A local farmer sells fruits to the camp and uses the farm for prawn and fish rearing which we ourselves have ceased.
The present structure was a total re-building of the original erected 5 years earlier. The original thatch roofing, made from the long leaves of the "attap" palm (nipah ruticans) bent over 1200mm lengths of "pinang" palm (areca catechu) ribs, and stitched together with slit rattan skin, are normally spaced 100mm apart, for longevity and water tightness. In economising, the attap panels were installed at 150mm spacing and the laying of fish net over the thatch to prevent up-lift was omitted. This proved disastrous as the thatch leaves began tearing due to wind action and leaks developed. Over time, water penetrated the end-grain of the tiang and rot set in. The tiang had also not been oiled with used gear-oil to suppress carpenter bee borings and dry rot fungal attack. Within 24 months, with rapid deterioration, the original structure was uninhabitable and total rebuilding necessary. Looking back, the Asli's notion of permanence differs significantly from ours. Basically nomadic, they built only for immediate use.
Rebuilding commenced early 2002, with an entirely new structure built over the existing, progressively utilising what remained as staging. The original recycled "kempas" (koompassia malaccensis) floorboards withstood the punishment of the past and were recycled with replacement of only a few rotted planks.
Similarly, the kitchen
and toilet blocks were rebuilt. Instead of attap thatch, the roofing was
changed to green "onjulin", a flexible, corrugated, bituminous,
fibre reinforced sheeting, which though proving economical and waterproof,
was hot. To deal with the roof's emanating heat, high-level ventilator
openings were incorporated along with the spraying of a fine mist of water
over the rooftop when temperatures climbed. Aside from the small electrical
pump to facilitate the spraying, and the refrigeration to the kitchen,
no other electrical system was involved. All illumination was by way of
kerosene, gas or carbide lamps, adding to the nature ambience. Everyone
learns to appreciate the darkness, and the more subtle aspects of light
and shadow. The mystery of the night is preserved, not dispelled by too
much light made unconscious by the urbanity of our lives.
The relationship between the camp and its visitors is constantly developing, with numerous ecological programs available. Kem Eco is now a feature on the education calendar of many Singapore schools as well as hosting Malaysian youth groups.
