the Nook 。 落角
the Nook 。 落角
project
Remodelling of a two and a half-storey private semi detached residence in Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam, Malaysia.
design philosophy
The home is part of another typical local developer’s housing scheme built in the year of 1999, in a suburb green residential area in Kota Kemuning, 40 minutes away from the city of KL. One great essence of the original house was its location being at one end of a cul-de-sac neighbourhood with its sizeable East facing private garden set on a small hill elevated from next surrounding neighbourhood homes. With this trees hugging site, the Client’s initial brief was to turn this old home into a contemporary living space leading his family towards a new living around the garden.
The brief was taken literaly as the fundamental design approach by stripping off all walls on east facade of the original house and replacing with full height glazing doors and windows. This honest approach was further exaggerated by introducing 2 new high level flat roof extensions creating new intermediate or transitional spaces under between the indoor and the outdoor, the Serambi. The newly created double height Serambi space becomes the focus point and core activity area to the whole living.
The internal walls within the house were stripped off to the minimal allowing outdoor environment to filter in to most parts of the house. On the other side, in responding to the glass openings on East facade, a skylight was introduced above the newly configured stairwell on the west side of the house, allowing daylight to wash down the double height brick clad parti wall, as like an artwork canvas responding to the greeneries around the house.
design statement
“Less is More” a phrase adopted in 1947 by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as a precept for Minimalist design and Architecture.
In remodelling this aged home, the philosophy was again adopted and further adapted to the context of our local Malaysian environment, social and culture in coherence and harmony. And the result again reflects that there is so much can be gained here.
Photographs © Idzwan Junaidi of G.i Photoshoot
completion
Nov 2015