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Architects: O2 Design Atelier
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Alvin Tan Photography
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Manufacturers: Grohe, Acor, Big Bath, Feruni, Toto
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Lead Architects: Edric Choo Poo Liang
Text description provided by the architects. A HOME MADE FOR 2 is located within a prominent residential neighbourhood in the northern part of Kuala Lumpur. The client has certain requirements in term of design and space and priority was placed on revamping the Interior spaces while maintaining most of the exterior facade features. We have work closely with the client who was also a designer for the house.
Spatial adaptability became the design parameters for the house layout. The design of the house is tailor-made for two users with one master bedroom and one multipurpose guest room. The guest room is designed to become a flexible communal space that also functions as a multi-purpose TV hall or study room.
The ground floor layout embodies the concept of fluid space. From the front, all the way to the back of the house, the internal spaces were arranged to form a continuous flow of space for maximum cross ventilation. When viewed from the car porch entrance gate, the internal space of the house is partially obscured due to the unique vertical wave pattern metal screen design. Upon entering the house, visitors will be greeted by the courtyard garden located next to the living room.
Natural light is introduced to the double-volume central space by removing the first floor existing toilet slab. Randomly placed roof tile skylights puncture through the roof ceiling, to animate light and shadow play onto the interior planes, invoking the poetic sense of the space.
This space acts as a focal point for the entire house, where all the rooms are pivoted and choreographed; bringing light and ventilation to the parts of the house that might otherwise be dark, gloomy and airless. The spacious and well-lit interior create an unexpected contrast from the house’s modest external impression.
For the rear façade treatment, we constructed new double-storeys brick masonry wall using vertically-laid stretcher bond to form an open courtyard with landscape that is open to the sky. The exposed brick wall consists of a clay and sand bricks mixture with small vertical slots for ventilation purposes.
The open concept bathroom at first floor with a full-height glass window, embrace the openness and intimacy while maintaining privacy. The amount of light penetrating the bathroom helps to reduce humidity, keeping the airiness and lightness of the space.
On the first floor, we bridge the gap between the front and back portion of the house using lightweight steel bridge. The perforated floor allows maximum daylight to permeate through, creating dappled light and casting shadows to the lower floor. The interior spaces of the house embody minimalist architectural design with simple yet elegant geometric forms.
The obsession of black and white colour palette (combination of dark and light hues) give pleasing contrast to the internal space, elements and textures but yet allows for a sense of intimacy and comfort. The material palette for the living room, courtyard and dining are kept to a minimum: using cement rendered counter top at the kitchen area whist private space such as master bedroom uses darker shades which exuberates monochromatic beauty that is timeless.
