Home tour: A biodiversity-inspired Malaysian home seamlessly blending nature and architecture

It was essential that the design of the house should interact with the surrounding environment.

The thinking went along the following lines: rather than conceive of the building as stretching outwards, why not reverse the relationship by bringing the outdoors into the structure itself? In Chan’s words, “the design was to extend nature inwards”.

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Thus, the built-up area is smaller and more restrained. While the whole plot amounts to 3,300 sq m, “the house sits lightly on a footprint of 500 sq m and takes up only about 20 per cent of the land area.”

The remaining space is devoted to courtyards, lush gardens, and burbling water features.

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As for the house proper, the distinction between outside and inside has been deliberately attenuated. The whole structure is itself centred on a triple-volume void that adds even more of an airy and open atmosphere; the empty central column acts as a cooling tower with a stack effect.

Chan points out how “this void is allowed to flow outwards, expanding the reach horizontally and breaking the formal mass of the house.”

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Tall windows and sliding glass doors give plenty of access to the view, while deep verandahs encircle the main building, carving out welcoming open-air areas that are still sheltered from the elements.

The layout of the interior was kept deliberately open and simple. Bedrooms, and living spaces were placed along the outer edges of the building in order to encourage cross ventilation and profit from the natural daylight that filters in through the foliage.

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Besides the generous spaciousness, there is also a real sense of movement with the whole design. The building itself may be static, but its layout makes the most of the comings and goings of people.

Thus, residents might wend their way around the interior, from floor to floor, and from room to room. Or they might choose to explore different routes through the different garden areas and the different elevations.

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It is clear that the design team paid special attention to connectivity. An important conceptual tool in this regard, according to Chan, was that of nodes.

The network of pathways is not just a random arrangement, but a thoughtful design that leads to specific gathering points. The verandahs, ramps, and bridges then harmoniously facilitate movement between the gardens and the house, striking a perfect balance between pragmatism and elegance.

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The stairs emerge as an aesthetic feature that transcends their connective function. A dynamic visual effect is created by the clean zigzagging of the bannisters and steps in the interior.

Outdoors and the stairs also add some drama in guiding the eyes up to the main building.

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Of course, the central focus of this residence has to be its “extended family” of birds, fish, and humans. This is where the theme of bio-diversity truly comes into its own.

It is by design that the areas that serve as the main gathering nodes are also the areas where interactions between different species occur.

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Thus, the study is just next to the fluttering and squawking of the macaws in the triple-volume aviary; a wall-to-wall see-through aquarium surrounds the guest lounge; the kitchen overlooks the calm stretch of the koi pond; and the living room leads directly out into a bird park. Domestic routines and animal activities thus intersect and enliven each other.

The thoughtful interplay with nature gives this project a truly distinctive identity. At the same time, the residence also maintains a welcoming, comfortable practicality. This a place to come home to—as Chan sums it up, it is “a home amongst courtyards and gardens, ponds and lakes, people and nature.”

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