THE SKYWALKER HOUSE in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by S.PIN ARCHITECT

Article source: S.PIN ARCHITECT

Malaysia is a South-east Asian country which consists of multi-cultural society (Malay, Chinese & others). The tropical climate here is warm and humid all year long, the heat island phenomenon is very common in urban and suburban areas. Individual houses in urban area are mostly fully air-conditioned and sealed from the external environment.

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

• Architects: S.PIN ARCHITECT
• Project: THE SKYWALKER HOUSE
• Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Lead Architect: Tan Sih Pin
• C&S Engineer: C. S. & S. Konsultant
• M&E Engineer: Jurutera Perunding Gen Sdn. Bhd.
• Builder: NYB Builders Sdn. Bhd.
• Foundation Specialist Builder: Geohan Sdn. Bhd.
• Site Area: 0.1 acre
• Photography: S.Pin Architect

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

THE SITE & BRIEF
The house, for a medium size family, is located at Bangsar, a hilly posh suburb near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital city. Bangsar also known as ‘Beverly Hill’ of Malaysia. The site is at the least developed section of the suburb surrounded by green. The brief called for a 3-level modern house which has to sit comfortably on a steep 0.2 acre site overlooking the skyline of Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur’s satellite city. The only access is from the slope toe, 19 meter lower than the rear boundary. The gentle profile at the hilltop is only 15% of the site area. This has prompted the architect to seek a new prototype design for this challenging condition.

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

CONCEPT
Borrowing idea from the local Malay vernacular architecture with building on stilts (to avoid wild animal & flood water), the house was lifted off the ground to minimise impact on the existing terrain & trees. Quarter of it has also been cantilevered to minimise the stilts intrusion, with only retaining wall at the slope toe to house car park.

Lift connects the car park to the building. The challenge was to aesthetically tie the 18 meter high lift core onto the facade.

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

SPACE PROGRAMME
One makes a dramatic arrival at the elevated entrance porch at Level 2 via lift from the car park at the slope toe. When ascending to the entrance level, the outdoor glass jacuzzi greets one midway thru, heightens one’s anticipation of what to come next. At the end, the lift door open to a panoramic skyline on one side & an elevated pool courtyard on the other side.
The common spaces are concentrated at Level 2 with the elevated pool courtyard as the centre feature. All these indoor spaces are interwoven with semi-enclosed family social spaces.

Steps were also created along the slope to link the car park to the top of the slope.

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

FORM, ELEVATED COURTYARD & WIND CHANNEL
The house basic geometric form enables efficient floor plan. It helps to save enough space to enable the ‘missing’ flat garden land to be brought up to the elevated building via an elevated pool courtyard.

The form also enables efficient structure design and help to cut the steel & concrete usage.

Deriving idea from local old Straits Chinese courtyard home, the linear courtyard was designed to form wind channel punching thru patio and out at the rear garden. The Binnoli Effect of narrowing wind path increases the wind velocity when the house captures the high level wind from the front, creating cool microclimate around the house (Kindly refer Level 2 plan).

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

STRUCTURE & CAISSON FOUNDATION
The core of the building is reinforced concrete frame. The manually built Caisson foundation system was selected to eliminate the need to flatten the slope to mobilise pile rigs & equipment.

The absent of extensive retaining walls to support the earth & building has substantially reduced the use of concrete.

MATERIALS, STRUCTURE & CONST
The main materials for the house are brick wall, tiles, marble, granite, pebble wash, steel, glass, metal, plaster & paint.

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

EXPERIMENTAL PASSIVE VENTILATION DESIGN
1. Ventilation pits on wall for ceiling ventilation creates cool air pocket in the ceiling space (Kindly refer Panel 3/8). The idea was derived from ‘Hong Kang’ (Wind Hole), ventilation openings above windows found in local traditional Straits Chinese home that vent out warm air at high level

2. Louvre Wall & Skylight: The traditional local Malay house shutter window with louvres was remodeled and romanticised into extensive louvre wall to create a unique breezy but still private shower environment at top floor (Kindly refer Panel 3/8)

3. Inspired by the traditional Straits Chinese house air well, bath suite of this house opens to a mini courtyard, a design that encourage warm and cool air exchange (Kindly refer Panel 3/8)

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

PROJECT SIGNIFICANCE
Taking advantage of Malaysia rich multi-racial heritage, the architect drew inspiration from the local ethnics’ vernacular architecture to address the challenges posted by the site and by the warm & humid tropical weather via modern language (Kindly refer panel 2/8 & 3/8):

1. Borrowing environmental-friendly strategy from the Malay vernacular architecture with house on stilts, the project explored new prototype for Malaysian houses on slope. It may set a new development model for future buildings around the Bangsar hilly area which is currently bulldozed by houses’ extensive retaining walls and ramps (Kindly refer panel 4/8). Like the Malay house, the on-stilts feature provides additional privacy and security.

2. Translating idea from local traditional Straits Chinese courtyard home, various natural ventilation inducer designs have been introduced in this house (Kindly refer Panel 2/8 & 3/8). Together with the greenery surrounds the building, these features enable substantial part of the house to be fully naturally ventilated, a rarity in this highly urbanised area. The air at the elevated level is cooler at night and the family sleeps with open windows without operating air-conditioner or fan.

3. Within the context of the modern suburb, traditional tropical architecture language: orientation, internal planning, ventilation & shading has been subtlely and unpretentiously incorporated in modern architecture thru this project with the aspiration to bridge the traditional architectural value and modern design language, creating a springboard for future development in Malaysia hilly area.

The house has become head-turner since the construction started due to its unconventional approach. The house has also been shortlisted for Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia Awards in 2011.

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

Image Courtesy © S.Pin Architect

Tags: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Categories: House, Residential

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