The site is situated in Johor Bahru; part of a matured residential estate, away from the newer residential areas of Iskandar. The corner-terrace site is set amidst a mixed-landed area. From the front of the site, it slopes upwards to the rear, ending at the peripheral “green” compounds belonging to the Sultan of Johor.
Owing to the site profile, the house is terraced with 2 staggered ground planes. Ground plan at the house’s frontage is aligned with the road. At the rear, another ground plane, a courtyard garden with a pool, at the second storey is created.
The spaces of living, dining and open kitchen, i.e. the “public” spaces, are terraced and staggered along the length of the site. A singular pitched roof unifies the spaces as a part of a singular double-volume space. The boundaries between exterior and interior are blurred, appropriating the outdoor space into the indoors. At the front, instead of a carporch as a appendage to the house, the car porch is transformed into a verandah-like space, as part of a singular, unified communal space of living, dining and kitchen, expressed with deep overhangs. This singular communal space extends even beyond the front site boundary, particularly during festive and family gatherings, with the kitchen and dining being the heart of the communal space.
The staggered arrangement of spaces according to the site profile follows the wind path, creating a wind tunnel for this western-facing site. Due to the openness of the rear and the low-lying frontage, wind is drawn into the main communal spaces which are not air-conditioned. The deep overhangs shields from the rain and provide sunshade, while at the same time provides natural ventilation for the spaces. At the rear, a vertical layer of motorized louvers hangs over the living space.
