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INTERIOR

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BUILDING SERVICES

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Lighting

In any type of building, lighting is important for two factors. First of all, lighting offers proper illumination of one space to ensure users get enough visibility when conditions get gloomy or dark.

Next, lighting is also used for esthetical reasons. When lighting is placed strategically on and around a building, it can be used to highlight special features or unique architecture. This is done by focusing light on a desired feature i.e. façade of a building, thus attracting people to look at the stand out feature of that building.

In the context of the Kuching General Post Office, functional lighting is utilized mainly to light up interior space that is very dark. To effectively provide adequate lighting in the main hall, fluorescent lights are the main source of lighting.

For the exterior space, spot lights are placed on walls, columns and on the grounds around the building to illuminate the building at night. The façade of the post office receives the most light in order to draw passers-by to the beautiful portico and the six pairs of roman columns.

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Exterior floor spotlight that illuminates the left side walkway.

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Spotlight facing up.

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Front walkway lighting.

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DRAINAGE

Drainage is an important part of a building. Drainage helps to transport rain water from the roof away from the building, thus avoiding flooding, excess moisture and damage to materials.

The General Post Office has drains all around its perimeter. All rain gutters and downpipes direct water into the drain and the water is then transported to the municipal storm drain that serves the whole area.

The perimeter drains are covered using decorative concrete drain covers to avoid any debris to fall into it. Metal grates are also utilized for the same purpose.

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Concrete drain cover with ornate carvings.

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Perimeter drain.

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VENTILATION

Proper ventilation of a building is essential towards the comfort of the users. Ventilation allows fresh air to circulate in and out of a space in a building. This process in turn cools the air temperature down by letting cool fresh air in and warm used air out.

There are two main types of ventilation systems utilized in the Post Office. Those systems are active and passive ventilation. But the primary system used is the active system.

Active ventilation means a way of ventilating air by utilizing machines to provide air flow in a space. At the Post Office, air conditioning units are the main source of ventilation. The main hall and officer’s office are totally enclosed to make sure no conditioned air escapes the space. Air conditioning provides a cooler temperature inside the main hall to provide a comfortable setting for both users and employees. Air conditioning is mainly used in the lower floors of the building.

The secondary type of ventilation is passive ventilation. This system uses natural wind flows to bring in fresh air and expel used air. This is done by placing windows and ventilation holes in the walls. Windows are the main source of fresh air and hot air in the space is vented out through the vent holes. This system is mainly used at the mail sorting room and the first floor.

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Sealed window with wall air conditioning unit.

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Outdoor unit of wall mounted air conditioners placed outside the respective rooms.

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Openings at the top of the wall that vents out warm air out of the building.

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SECURITY

Security is the detection and prevention of a building from unwanted access and

damage. With the aid of both active and passive systems, this objective can be

achieved.

Passive security is a security system that is designed to prevent entry by blocking

windows and doors. Examples of this system are window grates, door grills and

security locks which deny access of unwanted people to enter and may cause

damage.

Active security is a system usually comprised of electronic detection devices such as

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), alarms and motion detectors. These devices cast

an electronic net over the entire building to identify threats.

At the Post Office, both systems are utilized. Windows on the ground floor are fitted

with Wrought Iron security grates with a net-like pattern to prevent and break-ins.

Doors are fitted with locks, dead bolts and security grill.

CCTVs are placed mainly in the main hall to detect any unwanted activity inside the

Post Office. Alarms are also used at the Post Office to warn off any intruders and to

also notify the authorities in an event of an intrusion.

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Alarm fitted to the exterior wall

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Wrought Iron grates of front window

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Doors fitted with security grills

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BUILDING MATERIAL

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The design is based on Neo Classical archiecture[Greek and Roman architecture]. Dum

Spiro Spero means ‘while I breathe I hope’ in Latin and is generally attributed to Cicero.

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The design of the building also is more on floral design other then Neo Classical design.

One of example of floral design [ concrete cover for Ushape drain

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This building have two type of window,the first window is old style top hung glass

window and combined with two sided open glass window which situated at the first

floor level. But unfortunately, some of the part of the window is already broke. The

advantages of this window is the glass allow the sunlight going inside the building.

The total of this window is 5 which situated at west elevation and east elevation, while

infront of the building,there is a 23 window. For safety of the building,the Architect of

this building also insert a window grill.

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This design is based on British 19th-century Queen Anne style.

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This is a classic gutter [rain water down pipe] during British Colonial era. This

gutter[RWDP] only situated at the back of the building/rear elevation.

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This is a old emergency door which was situated at west elevation. Emergency door/back door is made by steel. The speciality of this door is very hard to crack or open, amd steel also is a fire resistance.

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This is a old entrance door which situated at infront of the building. Old entrance door

is made by wood. The height of the door is about 2 meter and the width is about 1200

meter. The disadvantages of this door is easily been attacked by moisture.

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BUILDING ELEMENTS

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CORINTHIAN COLUMNS

By 400 BC, the Greeks had added a third type of column to the

old Doric and Ionic styles. This was called the Corinthian column, after the city of

Corinth. The Greeks never actually used the Corinthian column that much, but

the Romans used it a lot.The Corinthian style is fancier and heavier than the Ionic. In

Corinthian temples, the columns have a fancier base to stand on. At the top of the

columns, on the capital, there's a stone carving of acanthus leaves, under the

architrave (ARR-kuh-trayv). On the architrave, as in Ionic temples, there is a

continuous frieze where the triglyphs and metopes would be on a Doric temple. The

Corinthian style is more complex and elaborate than the earlier Doric and Ionic styles.

The capital, or top, of a Corinthian column has lavish ornaments carved to resemble

leaves and flowers.

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The last of the three columns in the Greek order is the Corinthian column.

Similarities arise between the Ionic and Corinthian; however the distinguishing

difference lies in the capital. The capital of the Corinthian structure is intricately

carved with acanthus leaves, foliage, or different flowers. Unlike the Ionic the

Corinthian capital flows upward to enhance the height of the column. The Corinthian

column displays numerous rows of acanthus leaves and often time’s different foliage

and flowers. The capital is a nice bell-shaped topping to a very beautiful column

The Corinthian column, historically known as the Corinthian order, is seen on

many different structural buildings as well as distinguished homes. This building was

constructed in the later part of the nineteenth century, by civil engineers. During the

time of Theodore Roosevelt, Greek architecture was in high demand. The slimmest

and most intricate column of the three classic column orders is nothing but genuine in

attitude and defining in style. Not only can the Corinthian column complement any

outdoor setting, it also makes a mark inside the home. Fireplace mantels are

immediately upgraded when a stain grade column is installed. Pilasters and

architectural pillars enrich a room to its full elegance. The Corinthian column is highly

recommended when looking for the perfect upgrade or perfect design to represent a

highly sophisticated home.

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PEDIMENT

A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular

section found above the horizontal structure (entablature), typically supported

by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice molding.

The tympanum, or triangular area within the pediment, was often decorated

with sculptures and reliefs demonstrating scenes of Greek and Roman mythology or

allegorical figures. A pediment is a gently inclined erosion surface carved

into bedrock. It is thinly covered with fluvial gravel that has developed at the foot of

mountains. It develops when running water erodes most of the mass of the mountain.

It is typically a concave surface gently s pediment is an ornamental triangle formed by

a typically low-pitched gabled roof, used to adorn a building's main entrance. The

triangular area may be plain, but is often filled with design detail and even sculpture.

Pediments are traditionally considered exterior building features, but also have been

used inside. Pediments are typically considered a feature of classical architecture.

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In architecture, triangular gable crowning a portice (area, with a roof supported

by columns, leading to the entrance of a building); or a similar form used decoratively

over a doorway or window. The pediment was the crowning feature of the Greek

temple front. The Romans adapted the pediment as a purely decorative form to finish

doors, windows, and especially niches. Pediment slopes appear to be at their

straightest and most gentle in areas of extreme aridity. Many are concave in

longitudinal profile. Usually there is a clear break of slope between the gently sloping

pediment and the steeper regions of the slope above it. Pediments vary in area from

tens of square meters to hundreds of square kilometers.

Some geomorphologists see pediments as erosion features left behind by the

recession of the scarp above; others stress the work of sheet wash and migrating

stream channels; others widen the term to include depositional features. It seems

likely that any one pediment may have resulted from a combination of past and

present processes; these landforms are the subject of considerable controversy. The

coalescence of neighboring pediments is thought to be the cause

of pediplain formation.

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QUOINS

Quoins are the cornerstones of brick or stone walls. Quoins may be either

structural or decorative. Architects and builders use quoins to give the impression of

strength and firmness to the outline of a building. Rough-finished

or rusticated masonry is also frequently used for foundation layers of buildings to give

the same impression.Quoining can be carried out in stone on a stone building, with

stone on a predominantly brick building, or by laying brick masonry to give the

appearance of blocks at the corner. If structural, quoins are usually part of load-

bearing walls; if decorative, they may be made of a variety of materials

including brick, stone and wood. The most common form of decorative use for quoins

uses an alternative pattern of rectangles that wrap around the wall, mimicking the

pattern of stone blocks or brick as they would wrap around a corner and thus join the

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two walls. In Georgian architecture, wooden quoins were most often part of an overall

theme to imply stone, and thus permanence.

Architects charged with constructing such buildings frequently achieved corner

support with the use of a quoin. A quoin is a block, usually of stone or brick, that is

placed on the corner junction between load-bearing walls. Quoins typically jut out

from the corner but can also be inlaid, and in any event give a variegated, almost

striped appearance to a building’s corner. Quoins had a very important role to play in

traditional architecture. They diverted and distributed weight, relieving pressure on the

stone walls they sat between. Without them, the walls would have been unlikely to

have been structurally sound, and many would have collapsed before construction

was even complete.

The result was also aesthetically pleasing, as they created a unique visual

diversion and a sense of depth and interest. The use of quoin rock and quoin stones

quickly became synonymous with the nobility and wealth. Most of the homes

occupied by peasants and commoners were too small to require quoin support, and

architectural services were never cheap.A decorative brick quoin or limestone quoin

is inlaid into the original structure or façade and it would be as a structural support,

but usually not to the depth or extent of a functional quoin.Quoins are highlighted by

the use of bricks or stones in a color that contrasts with the rest of the wall.

Even uniformly-colored quoins impart a unique and noticeable look,

however. Stucco quoins are an example of quoins that are almost always the same

color as the rest of the structure. Stucco quoins are usually affixed to the exterior of

an already-finished corner, but are typically anticipated by prepared grooves and

inlets introduced during construction. Stucco quoins can sometimes be added to

buildings that were not designed with quoins in mind, but this is not usually

recommended.

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ARCHITRAVE

The architrave is part of the entablature, which rests above the capital of a

column. Originally it was a beam (Latin trabs, whence -trave) running from support to

support. The architrave is the lowest of the three parts of the entablature. Architraves

are a type of molding that can be found around doors and windows. They add an

excellent decorative finishing touch and they also serve the purpose of hiding

unsightly gaps.  Architrave moldings are generally installed after the window and door

framing is. This assists in creating the best finished effect. n Classical architecture,

the architrave is lowest part of an entablature. Resting directly on the capitals (tops)

of the columns, the architrave supports Frieze and the Cornice.The structure of a

Classical architrave is determined by the Classical Orders of Architecture.

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The word is derived from

the Greek and Latin words arched and trabs combined together to mean "main

beam". The architrave is different in the different orders. In the Tuscan, it only

consists of a plain face, crowned with a fillet, and is half a module in height. In

the Doric and composite, it has two faces, or fasciae; and three in the Ionic and

Corinthian, in which it is 10/12 of a module high, though but half a module in the rest.

The ornamental moldings around the faces of the jambs and lintel of a doorway or

other opening; an antepagment. It is the molding that surrounds a door frame or any

other rectangular opening. There are different types of this molding. In different eras

and in different parts of the world they were called different things and had very

different looks to them. The looks really kept with the culture whether it was Greek or

Italian for instance.

(The keystone is the center piece which holds up both sides of the arch)

Beavers have a similar role because their dams create habitat which are used by

other wildlife. The keystone is the topmost stone in the arch. The one in the

illustration on the right is exaggerated in size from what a normal keystone would be.

The keystone helped to distribute the weight down the side supporting blocks

(voussoir blocks) of the columns.

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KEYSTONE

A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone piece at the apex of a

masonry vault or arch, which is the final piece placed during construction and locks all

the stones into position, allowing the arch to bear weight. This makes a keystone very

important structurally. Although a masonry arch or vault cannot be self-supporting

until the keystone is placed, the keystone experiences the least stress of any of

the voussoirs, due to its position at the apex. Old keystones can decay due to

vibration, a condition known as bald arch.

In a rib-vaulted ceiling, keystones may mark the intersections of two or more

arched ribs. For aesthetic purposes, the keystone is sometimes larger than the

other voussoirs, or embellished with a boss. Mannerist architects of the 16th century

often designed arches with enlarged and slightly dropped keystones, as in the

"church house" entrance portal at Colditz Castle . Numerous examples are found in

the work of SebastianoSerlio, a 16th century Italian Mannerist architect. The

Keystone is the stone at the top of the arch. When the keystone is in place, the arch

stands. When the keystone is removed, the arch falls.  The keystone is the most

important stone in an arch bridge, without this stone the arch would collapse. The

keystone holds the arch together.

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STONE FLOOR TEXTURE

Terrazzo is composed of marble and cement, and it can be treated as one

would treat a marble floor. Linoleum is back in style, and many facilities are installing

more of it. While linoleum might look like a vinyl floor, it is made mostly of wood resin,

so it requires a different maintenance system than vinyl. Using the same products and

maintenance as vinyl can damage the linoleum. Stone floors are among the most

challenging of all flooring types to maintain. What might be the general practice for

maintaining resilient floors might not work for stone floors. Natural flooring has it own

unique properties based on the stone itself.

Most hard-floor experts agree that stone floors need a sealer generally, a

silicone-based impregnator — due to their porosity. Some experts recommend using

water-based sealers because silicone can attract dirt. An impregnator protects the

floor from stains and allows it to breathe. It does not produce a gloss but instead is

applied for protection, and it leaves the floor looking almost natural.

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Most stone floors are hydroxides, or natural alkalis, and using an acid cleaner

on these surfaces will damage them. Using an alkaline cleaner stronger than the

stone’s pH also damages them. A stone floor’s texture also will help in determine its

care and maintenance needs. Textured stone floors absorb more moisture and liquids

than other types, and they stain more easily, so any spills on these floors require

immediate attention. Polished stone requires more dust mopping to protect it from

sand and grit, which can scratch it easily. Even water can discolor polished stone.

Dust mopping or vacuuming of these floors should be done several times a

day if possible. Managers should be sure that housekeeping workers use an

untreated dust mop because using a treated mop might leave a residue that the stone

will soak up.

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REINFORCED CONCRETE PILLAR

A reinforced concrete column is a structural members designed to

carry compressive loads, composed of concrete with an embedded steel frame to

provide reinforcement. For design purposes, the columns are separated into two

categories: short columns and slender columns.A column is a slender, vertical

member that   carries   a   superimposed   load.   Concrete columns, especially those

subjected to bending stresses, must always are reinforced with steel. APIER  or

PEDESTAL  is  a  compressive  member that is short (usually the height is less than

three times the least lateral dimension) in relation to its cross - sectional  area  and

carries  no  bending  stress.

In concrete columns, vertical reinforcement is the principal reinforcement.

However, a loaded column shortens vertically and expands laterally; hence, lateral

reinforcements in the form of lateral ties are used to restrain the expansion.

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HUMAN ACTIVITIES

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The Post office is one of the frequently visited institutions by citizens in any society.

Yet little is known about it; its operation, multiple functions, difficulties and limitations

as well as the different interactions between postal employee and customers are

aspects often unfamiliar to the general public. It is the aim of this paper therefore to

highlight these aspects with the general public in mind. In particular it attempts to

a. Inform the public what it is that the Post Office is supposed to do; after all it is

the people who are the basis and raison d’etre of postal service.

b. Explain why things go wrong

c. Tell the public what they can do to get better service. This is to bring about the

sociological principle of “knowing better to act better”/

Services

The Post Office is a public service industry whose vocation is to fulfil the

communication needs of the public and the country it serves. It is therefore an

essential factor in the economics, social and cultural development and is part of the

fundamental infrastructure of society in the same way as roads, rails and

communications.

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The Post Office performs three kinds of service, namely:-

a. Agency services: acting as branch offices for the National Savings Bank,

renewing radio and television licences for RTM and accepting payments of

utility bills on behalf of government departments and local authorities. All in all,

post offices provide 10 types of agency services for which they charge a

cheap rate of commission for the service rendered. In this way, post offices

should help to facilitate each collections and payments on behalf of client

organisations which otherwise will find these services uneconomical if they

were undertake them by themselves.

b. Remittance services: for transmitting small sums of money through Money and

Postal Orders service for which post offices charge a small service fee. This

service is also provided outside Malaysia on reciprocal basis. Presently,

money can remitted from Sarawak/Malaysia through Money Orders service to

foreign countries and vice-versa.

c. Mail service: the Post’s main service, and by itself a mammoth and daunting

task.

The post offices in Sarawak handle about 300,000 items of mail every working

day; and all these have to be collected, sorted, bagged and despatched or

delivered with optimum speed, regularity and security. Thus, your time is not

your own and you have to be on your toes all the time to cope-up with the

work. Despite the heavy demands on their time and energy, the mail staff will

always do the best they can under the circumstances (Nyambau,1987).

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PHOTOS

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REFERENCES

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Hilary Nyambau (1987) 'General Post Office'. Sarawak Gazette. n.d., p.

n.k.

ABOUT.COM GUIDE, 1997, N.S GILL, VIEWED 22 APRIL 2012,

http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/greekarchitecture/g/031408architrav.htm

CONJECTURE CORPORATION, 2003-2012, C. MITCHELL, VIEWED 22

APRIL 2012, http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-quoin.htm

CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION/ SHARE- ALIKE LISENCE, 2007,

KEYSTONE ARCHITECTURE, VIEWED 22 APRIL 2012,

http://www.answers.com/topic/keystone

CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION/ SHARE- ALIKE LISENCE, 1999,

THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA, VIEWED 22 APRIL 2012,

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SCHULMAN, VIEWED 22 APRIL 2012,

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THE WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION.INC, 1989, THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA,

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THE POTTERIES, ORG, 1821, PEDIMENT-ARCHITECTURE OF STOKE-

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2012,http://www.thepotteries.org/architecture/pediment.htm

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