Inside a modern Malaysian house with a "floating" floor

A remarkable renovation transformed a dilapidated single-storey house in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, into one with multiple purposes

They say necessity is the mother of invention, but in the case of this remarkable transformation, necessity was indeethe catalyst of innovation. For young architecture firm NDC Design, the limitations of renovating a dilapidated house to fit the client's requirements presented an opportunity for radical thinking.

The house in question was located in a hilly mature neighbourhood surrounded by detached houses built more than 40 years ago. The original house had always been tenanted out and was in terrible condition.

Terrace house transformation in Petaling Jaya

Photo 1 of 2 A view from the road

Photo 2 of 2 The orange steel front door

"The owner approached us with only one objective, to rebuild the dilapidated house so that he could tenant the house into a dual-key unit via two separate access within the same place," recalls Tan Kay Neth, one of the founders of NDC Design.

"We were also given a relatively low budget for the project, hence the design of a small footprint that was just enough to cater for a small family."

Photo 1 of 2 Dynamic profile

Photo 2 of 2 Access to the upstairs

With these challenges in mind and knowing the potential of the site being situated on higher ground, Tan and his co-founder, Ng Dick Son, came up with an unconventional design approach.

"To fulfil the client's requirements, we designed a dual unit house with the upper and lower floors facing the opposite orientation. As a result, the upper floor plate is skewed away towards the rear where it has a 180-degree unobstructed view of the city skyline while the floor below faces the side lawn," says Tan.

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Photo 1 of 3 The cantilevered profile

Photo 2 of 3 Columns provide graphic interest

Photo 3 of 3 Social interaction beneath the overhangs

To avoid the harsh western sun, the upper floor rotation was strategically positioned to face away without compromising the framed view of the city skyline.

The result is a house with a dynamic form on the upper floor that appears to be floating. This form is not merely arresting; it creates pockets of balconies on the upper floor, while the cantilevered structure gives shade to the patio of the space below.

Photo 1 of 2 The downstairs is now a design studio

Photo 2 of 2 Large doors overlook the garden

Any adornment of the front facade was deliberately kept to a minimum to stay within the stipulated budget, giving the expression of a monolithic structure floating lightly above the ground plinth.

In addition, a 'screen' of ventilation blocks was chosen on the ground for their cost effectiveness and appearance as a strong solid base for the cantilevered floor above.

Photo 1 of 3 The skylight lets in natural light

Photo 2 of 3 Stairs to the upper floor

Photo 3 of 3 The skylight

Arranged in ascending order towards the steel main door steel door, the grey of the ventilation blocks provides a pleasing contrast to the eye-catching orange door.

However, the primary intention of placing it there is to offer an extra layer of privacy to the occupants below, as both floors share the same access.

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Photo 1 of 3 The upstairs residence

Photo 2 of 3 A concrete bench was included

Photo 3 of 3 Simple white finishes for the kitchen

The dynamic form of this scheme is further exemplified by a series of carefully placed slanting steel columns.

This unique feature of the house gives the house a distinctive character, and beneath these columns is also where most social interaction takes place, as the generous overhangs it supports provide respite from the sun.

Photo 1 of 4 The balcony has a framed view of the skyline

Photo 2 of 4 High ceilings make the home feel lofty and bright

Photo 3 of 4 The home features clean lines throughout the interior

Photo 4 of 4 The bedroom has an enviable view

An unconventional brief calls for an unconventional design, and the original site has now been given a new breath of life with a dual purpose: a residence and a home studio.

Indeed today, the clients use the upstairs as their home while renting out the ground floor to a design studio. Thanks to NDC Design's innovative design solution, both occupants can co-exist and interact while maintaining their privacy.

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Credits

Photography

Lawrence Choo

Topics

Designinspo Renovation Home Tour Terrace Transformation Terrace Renovation Malaysian House Tropical Architecture Modern Tropical Home

Tatler Asia

Home tour: A modern Malaysian home with a ‘floating’ floor