Meet the winners of the Tatler Homes Design Awards 2025 - Malaysia

The design extends walls beyond conventional sight lines, a technique that expands perceived space and eliminates sharp transitions between rooms and exterior areas.

This approach creates circulation patterns that allow for flexible movement rather than directing occupants along predetermined paths. This approach was praised by fellow judge Bill Bensley, founder of Bensley, who noted the “great sense of space, dramatic elevations, and lovely feel of indoor vs. outdoor.“

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In Shah Alam, Malaysia, Seshan Design replaced a bungalow with a 5,700-sq-ft house organised into two blocks—one for public functions, another for private quarters—connected by overlapping planes.

The architects employed twin-pitched roofs for insulation against heat gain and utilised glass slats to regulate natural light and ventilation. The master bedroom features clerestory windows and walnut flooring, with direct pool access and an adjoining powder room that doubles as a pool shower.

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Judge Bee Eu Tan, founder, BETA Architects, notes: “Clever integration of passive design strategies results in interiors that are breezy, naturally lit, and honest in their material expression.”

Lai Siew Hong, co-founder of Blu Water, adds: “This sustainable home design blurs the line between indoors and outdoors, with every room extending into the surrounding landscape. The residence opens entirely to nature, integrating passive design strategies and native vegetation to enhance comfort and reduce environmental impact, resulting in a tranquil, immersive living experience rooted in simplicity and ecological sensitivity.”

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In Bukit Damansara, OTCQ Architects worked with an entrepreneur to renovate a split-level house, using colour as both a climate strategy and a design element.

The west-facing facade features a red perforated screen that filters light and reduces heat while providing privacy. This double facade addresses Malaysia’s climate conditions while establishing the building’s visual identity.

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The architects retained the original 5,000-square-foot structure and reorganised the interior layout around a four-storey vertical volume with skylights. This space houses an indoor climbing wall and a red sculptural staircase that connects the split levels.

Judge Lillian Tay, Group vice president, Veritas Group, notes: “The bold, intricate red staircase creates a cheerful surprise element at the heart of the house. Certainly memorable if unexpected.” Tan adds: “The skillful merging of bold and neutral tones reflects a confident design sensibility, achieving cohesion between the facade and interior palette.”

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Avaland’s Aetas Seputeh show unit in Kuala Lumpur’s Seputeh enclave is a 3,531 sq ft unit that showcases contemporary urban living through practical planning.

The unit features three en-suite bedrooms, an adaptable fourth bedroom, private lift lobbies, and dual kitchens. Hackable walls allow for future reconfiguration, while wide corridors and flush transitions accommodate multi-generational living. The communal areas combine living, dining, and kitchen spaces using dark tropical hardwood and sand tones.

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Bensley notes the project’s “great use of space.” Judge Omar Khan, founder of Omar Khan Rugs, explains the unit’s effectiveness: “When I visit a show unit, I want to feel that tug in my heart, that element of the aspirational, that longing to live in a place like this. What struck me about Aetas Seputeh was its essence of quiet luxury, not just in its finishes, but in its overall ambience. The spatial design is intuitive and refined, with a harmonious balance of textures and tones that feel both elevated and deeply livable. Extra consideration was also placed on the lighting design, which is so key. It brings warmth, depth, and softness to the space, making it feel truly like home.”

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In Batang Kali, IDent_3’s English-inspired mansion is a majestic space where traditional English elements appear alongside contemporary details.

The interior was developed through a collaboration between designer Nik Ida Juliana and client Bonda Rozita, a balance of Rozita’s preference for ornate details and Ida’s focus on simplified forms. Marble textures and wall sculptures accentuate white interiors, while custom lighting features geometric forms and pared-down chandeliers.

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Material choices addressed both visual and practical concerns. Timber veneers replaced solid wood to manage costs while maintaining appearance. The mountain topography influenced the layout, creating multi-level spaces with varying ceiling heights that establish transitions between rooms.

Tay observes: “An inventive design between classical and geometric - the interior exudes a grand and elegant feel but with enjoyable, playful moments.” Bensley opines: “Drama, drama, drama and real beauty.”

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S/LAB10, founded by Jason Sim and Hao Wang, operates from Malaysia, with offices in Sydney, Taiwan, and Singapore. The company is notable for developing project-specific solutions rather than adopting a consistent aesthetic approach.

The firm treats each commission as an individual problem-solving exercise, focusing on client needs and site conditions. This method requires understanding programmatic requirements before developing architectural responses.

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Tan notes: “Design flair is evident in the controlled restraint applied to the play of form, line, colour, lighting, and texture—consistently executed with finesse across the projects.”

Lai Siew Hong adds: “S/LAB10’s design philosophy explores new ways to integrate concept with function, embracing experimentation with materials, textures, and juxtapositions. Their work reimagines conventional techniques through abstract and often arbitrary approaches, inspired by everyday objects.”

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MJ Kanny Architect’s VanaVasa eco-resort in Pahang, Malaysia, is a 30-key resort that addresses steep slopes and forest preservation through careful site planning.

The project organises accommodation into a main building with 10 rooms, a restaurant, and a pool, plus 20 additional rooms in separate pod-like chalets. The chalets are positioned between existing trees to preserve natural vegetation and maintain forest views toward the Genting Highlands.

The resort achieved Gold Certification with Green-RE through the implementation of natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting, and LED lighting systems. Construction faced delays due to Covid-19 and challenging terrain, requiring materials that were selected for both sustainability and cost management.

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Bensley notes the environmental approach: “Minimises environmental impact - looks like something I’d design myself.” Lai adds: “This eco-resort blends bold, contemporary architecture with sustainable principles, offering luxury without harming nature. Built into the hillside to preserve views and avoid overdevelopment, its pod-like chalets are carefully placed between trees, keeping most of the site’s flora intact. The design minimises environmental impact while maximising comfort, proving that modern aesthetics and ecological responsibility can coexist beautifully in a thoughtfully integrated natural setting.”

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