This house was to be built on a 1 acre plot of land in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan. The client requested for 5 bedrooms together with a dog house for their 2 dogs. The final Built-up area reached 7800 sq ft including outdoor terraces and a pool.
The site was on a gentle slope which looks unassuming from the road due to its funnel like shape however as one walks in it opens up to a vast landscape with existing mature durian trees.
This then became the cue to the design. The intention became one of an experience into the house from the front entry, the house was to slowly unravel itself and its vast garden beyond. The idea of a tunnel that draws the occupant into the house was proposed and the house opened up like a funnel towards the beckoning landscape.
The tunnel was deliberately designed with no windows except for a few light slots to increase the drama and play between light and shadow. This helped to create the idea of vastness when one reaches the end of the tunnel.
The living and dining spaces became the heart of the home in which all other ancillary spaces are connected to through a hidden geometry.
Being a single storey house the gently sloping site was taken advantage of. The house is just elevated about 1200mm above the ground as it slopes away from the house. This created a void below the house to keep the air flow going much like a Kampung house in stilts. The cool air below the house was drawn into the bedrooms and living spaces through a series of openable slots on the floor. The roof form which mimicked the idea of the funnel slants, opening up towards the garden to further exaggerate the coming out of the tunnel to experience the space with the living room with its double height space.
The elevation facing the garden was facing North-West and hence had a much reduced solar exposure and glazing was used extensively to create the connection between the house and garden with full height sliding panels that could be completely opened up to the exterior.
The house was conceived to be green from the onset and the Green initiatives were incorporated from the use of materials to use of solar roof panels and rain-water harvesting system.
The view of the house from the front of the street
The entry of the house with the large glass canopy roof
View of the house from the garden
The detail of the entry canopy
Living room facing pool and terrace with the garden beyond
Pool side terrace with the shaded timber trellis and glass canopy providing shade from the afternoon shade
Bathroom with a glass roof to allow for plenty of light and creates an open concept feel
Infinity edge lap pool and terrace
View of entry tunnel and main door from inside the house
Detail of the external brick facade
Night view of front of the house
Night view of the side of the house with garage
The raw concrete tunnel leading into the house
Night view of the dining and living room