Cover The courtyard pool connects the two wings of this concrete house, with dining and lounge areas visible beyond
The courtyard pool connects the two wings of this concrete house, with dining and lounge areas visible beyond
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In KY Architects’ n-House, a concrete house in Shah Alam, Selangor, disciplined geometry comes alive in the interplay between structure, weather, material and inhabitation
Dubbed the n-House, this striking concrete house in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, was never meant to be a static, ‘finished’ product. Instead, a spirit of responsiveness was built into every aspect: from the structure’s interactions with the shifting daylight to the way the spaces unfold according to the movement of its occupants.
Lim Ken Yee, principal of KY Architects, points out that a restrained design approach emerged naturally from this attention to subtle changes. “The intention was never to create a singular iconic moment, but to compose a sequence of everyday experiences that evolve throughout the day.” The house’s dimensions do tend towards the monumental, with an approximate built-up area of 18,000 square feet and 10 bedrooms. However, the design allows for a finely judged balance between intimacy and grandeur, enclosure and openness, and structure and landscape.
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Above An aerial view shows the n-House’s curved upper volume and the waffle slab over the car porch, with a bonsai planted on its edge and a backdrop of trees and hills beyond
An aerial view shows the n-House’s curved upper volume and the waffle slab over the car porch, with a bonsai planted on its edge and a backdrop of trees and hills beyond
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Line of beauty
Above The building’s curved white volume swells outward at its upper storey, a bonsai planted along its edge, echoing the greenery below
Above A waffle-patterned concrete ceiling with randomised skylights filters daylight into the courtyard below
The building’s curved white volume swells outward at its upper storey, a bonsai planted along its edge, echoing the greenery below
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The project owes its name, ‘the n-House’, to the concept of ‘n’ as an open variable. In this algebraic reading, ‘n’ becomes the stand-in for any of the different elements that animate the bare architectural form. The structure of this concrete house remains constant, but it is continually transformed by the shifting values of ‘n’, whether that be light, wind, furniture, or inhabitant. As such, Lim explains, “The design privileges relationships over objects.”
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Above The house’s rear elevation, clad in terracotta-toned panels, overlooks the pool that threads through the site
Above A dining area opens onto a covered walkway running the length of the pool
The house’s rear elevation, clad in terracotta-toned panels, overlooks the pool that threads through the site
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Furthermore, the mathematical formulation of ‘n’ is consistent with the residence’s disciplined geometry. The architecture is organised around a one-point perspective, where elements converge on a single vanishing point. Lim elaborates: “Aligned planes, framed courtyards and receding slabs establish a clear spatial order.” It is precisely this strict underlying framework that allows for the other variables to interact in harmonious fashion.
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Above Seen from the kitchen island, the open-plan dining and living spaces lead to folding glass doors that open onto the pool deck beneath the waffle slab
Seen from the kitchen island, the open-plan dining and living spaces lead to folding glass doors that open onto the pool deck beneath the waffle slab
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The first spatial experience that is encountered upon entry is the swimming pool. Rather than functioning merely as an incidental amenity, this body of water becomes a defining feature. It guides the eye along the sequential unfolding of the one-point perspective while also connecting the two main wings of the house. At the same time, the shaded void above the pool allows air to pass over the water, moderating the microclimate through evaporation and by encouraging cross-ventilation. This passive environmental design is reinforced by generous overhangs, skylights and carefully positioned openings which reduce heat gain while maximising natural light.
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Above Folding glass doors connect the living and dining spaces to a timber deck
Folding glass doors connect the living and dining spaces to a timber deck
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Above In the living room, cream sofas and a leather armchair are arranged around a low timber coffee table, with floor-to-ceiling sheers and drapes softening the light from the garden
Above A circular water feature and a bonsai tree soften the concrete palette at ground level
In the living room, cream sofas and a leather armchair are arranged around a low timber coffee table, with floor-to-ceiling sheers and drapes softening the light from the garden
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If the pool draws us along the x-axis, the staircase dominates the y-axis. Formed in concrete and wrapped in solid oak, this sculptural element rises through a triple-volume void below a domed skylight. Variation is introduced by the organic curve of the staircase itself, by the fabric-like metal plate railings, and by the glazed openings that frame changing views of the landscape. Lim explains: “The staircase is not simply a means of circulation; it becomes an architectural promenade where movement itself shapes the experience of space.”
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Above A covered timber walkway runs alongside the pool towards the glazed rear elevation
A covered timber walkway runs alongside the pool towards the glazed rear elevation
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Concrete harmony
Above The staircase’s timber-lined base sits beneath a suspended glass pendant fixture, while the black-clad exterior volume cantilevers above the arrival court
The staircase’s timber-lined base sits beneath a suspended glass pendant fixture, while the black-clad exterior volume cantilevers above the arrival court
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A similarly disciplined approach to variation is to be found in the material expression of this concrete house. Concrete predominates throughout, but there is a constant exploration of this material’s different potentialities. Thus, four different cast-in-situ concrete finishes were developed for this project: curved grooved concrete walls, grid-patterned concrete, tie-rod concrete panels and vertical board-formed concrete with stainless-steel inserts. “Together,” Lim says, “they celebrate concrete not as a finish but as an architectural language.”
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Above Seen from above, the oak-clad staircase curves around a cluster of suspended glass pendants, with a textured concrete wall along one side
Seen from above, the oak-clad staircase curves around a cluster of suspended glass pendants, with a textured concrete wall along one side
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The most distinctive use of the material in this concrete house would have to be the waffle slab that spans the arrival court and courtyard. This was one of the greatest challenges of the whole construction process, as the slab would eventually serve multiple functions. There were randomised skylights that would filter daylight onto the pool deck and car porch below; portions of the waffle slab would double as elevated planter boxes; and the slab would have to establish a memorable identity for the whole structure.
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Above The domed skylight above the staircase repeats the oval motif, with a glass pendant fixture suspended over the timber-clad landing
The domed skylight above the staircase repeats the oval motif, with a glass pendant fixture suspended over the timber-clad landing
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Above The staircase rises through a triple-volume void beneath a domed skylight, its oak treads and fabric-like metal railings catching the light
Above A concrete stairwell corridor is patterned with raking light and shadow, its timber-slatted ceiling visible above
The staircase rises through a triple-volume void beneath a domed skylight, its oak treads and fabric-like metal railings catching the light
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The other materials complement the concrete while also creating different spatial experiences. Vertical balau timber screens filter sunlight and maintain privacy at the upper levels, while aluminium-framed glass doors and curved glass panels maintain visual connection to landscape elements. Glass blocks diffuse daylight into the interior, and terracotta accents soften the palette with warmth and tactility.
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Above A corridor lined in terracotta-toned panels runs alongside glazed openings that frame views of the courtyard below
Above A row of angle black cladding fins, interspersed with timber screens, animates the building’s upper facade
A corridor lined in terracotta-toned panels runs alongside glazed openings that frame views of the courtyard below
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Above In a bathroom, a freestanding bathtub stands against terracotta-toned tiles and a black-framed window screened by vertical fins, with a glass block wall to one side
In a bathroom, a freestanding bathtub stands against terracotta-toned tiles and a black-framed window screened by vertical fins, with a glass block wall to one side
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Ultimately, the most rewarding part of this project for Lim has been to see how the clients have made the concrete house their own by integrating their lives into its various spaces and corners. “The architecture becomes alive,” he shares, “and I’ve always believed that architecture is completed by its occupants.”
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