As far as architectural aphorisms go, Mies van der Rohe's 'less is more' has come to succinctly define minimalism. Here's our pick of 5 minimalist homes in Malaysia that do far more with less.
Minimalism is about prioritising the essentials in design. Architects and designers realise this by reducing a home to its core function and using limited materials, neutral colours, simple forms, and avoiding unnecessary ornamentation.
While the final expression of a minimalist design might appear simple, achieving this kind of powerful simplicity is anything but. We choose five of our favourite Malaysian homes that embody this effortlessly.
See also: Top 5 Malaysian Home Tours of 2021
1. A kampung retreat in Janda Baik, Pahang
Located in Janda Baik, award-winning firm, Choo Gim Wah Architect was inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House in Illinois to create a hillside retreat affectionately known as Smolhaven.
The one-and-a-half storey, 1,600 sq ft cabin sports a modernist rectilinear form and is built on stilts like the iconic Farnsworth House and, coincidentally, a traditional Malay kampung house.