Cover The living room of this Bukit Jalil bungalow showing the full-height figured stone feature wall, kitchen island, and a view through to the dining area and car lounge beyond
The living room of this Bukit Jalil bungalow showing the full-height figured stone feature wall, kitchen island, and a view through to the dining area and car lounge beyond
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NDC Design transformed two corner plots into a travertine-clad Bukit Jalil bungalow complete with a supercar lounge, a bronze spiral staircase, and a half basketball court
Pale travertine cladding, strong horizontal planes, wide glazed openings organised around an outdoor axis — the residential architecture of Malibu has accumulated a recognisable set of characteristics. It was these that Malaysian investor and content creator William K, better known to his two million-odd social media followers as Rich Dad William, had in mind when he acquired two corner plots at Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Resort in Kuala Lumpur. He brought the references to NDC Design co-founder Tan Kay Neth, who went to look at the site.
The car lounge, glazed on the driveway side, with the travertine entrance tower and pivot door to the right
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The two merged plots sat on elevated ground with a wide frontage unusual among Kuala Lumpur bungalows, which are typically narrow or enclosed on all four sides. Dense vegetation covered the land. “We knew it had potential,” says Tan. “It sits on higher ground and is very long and wide. That gave us the opportunity to plan a very long rectangular layout with the frontage on the widest front, which is quite rare.”
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Above The car lounge showing the bronze spiral staircase, curved velvet sofa, display shelving, and parquet flooring
Above The car lounge interior, with an orange Porsche 911 visible through the glass partition and the base of the spiral staircase
The car lounge showing the bronze spiral staircase, curved velvet sofa, display shelving, and parquet flooring
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Above View from the spiral staircase looking down into the car lounge, with the display shelving, rust-orange velvet sofa, and parquet flooring below; a Ferrari is visible through the glass partition to the right
View from the spiral staircase looking down into the car lounge, with the display shelving, rust-orange velvet sofa, and parquet flooring below; a Ferrari is visible through the glass partition to the right
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Built from the ground up at 10,000 square feet, the house is home to the Williams’ young family and an elderly mother. The brief included a dedicated lounge for his supercar collection and a half basketball court within the compound.
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Above William K and his wife in the car lounge
Above Detail of the bronze stringer and stone treads inside the spiral staircase, with the handrail profile visible above
William K and his wife in the car lounge
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Above The car lounge, with the bronze spiral staircase rising to a circular ceiling recess, a rust-orange velvet sofa, and parquet flooring
Above The bronze spiral staircase in the car lounge, seen from below with the circular atrium opening above
The car lounge, with the bronze spiral staircase rising to a circular ceiling recess, a rust-orange velvet sofa, and parquet flooring
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A feng shui requirement for an L-shaped plan suited the site. Tan positioned the dining and living areas within the L, arranged around a central courtyard, with full-height sliding glass doors opening onto the lawn. The configuration means the main living spaces look inward onto a protected outdoor area as well as outward toward the lawn, an organisation that the Malibu houses William referenced also relies on, though there the courtyard mediates between the interior and a dry, bright landscape.
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The dining area, with a dark stone table and white upholstered chairs; the kitchen island, timber staircase, and a glimpse of the spiral staircase are visible beyond
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In Kuala Lumpur, where the sun is more direct and rain is more frequent, the same logic applies, albeit under different pressures. The five-metre cantilevered roof plane running along the front elevation provides a deep overhang on both sides and gives the façade its most prominent horizontal line. The basketball court sits on the land behind. Viewed from the lawn, the cantilever repeats in the L-shaped wing.
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The living room, with the stone kitchen island in the background, leather armchairs, and full-height glazing opening to the courtyard and garden beyond
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Travertine stone covers the façade throughout, its subtle veining visible across the largely horizontal surface. The main entrance is carved into the stone as a curved recess, a deliberate counterpoint to the rectilinear composition, framing a 3.2-metre-tall, 2.2-metre-wide door in solid timber with bronze detailing, hung on a FritsJurgens pivot hinge. Black aluminium appears in the wall cladding, adjustable louvres, and the custom-designed main gate, which carries the same curved geometry at a wider horizontal scale. The bronze detailing of the entrance door establishes a material thread that runs through the interior.
Detail of the upper storey black aluminium louvres and full-height glazing, with the living room and feature marble wall visible below
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Inside, stone flooring runs across the ground floor alongside feature marble walls. Furniture and interior fit-outs were handled by Mieux Design, with pieces sourced through Avante Design. At the centre of the ground-floor plan sits the car lounge, designed to display William’s collection and entertain guests. It is the space around which the spiral staircase was conceived, and the two are inseparable as elements. The staircase does not merely connect floors; it also opens onto the lounge below, framing views of the cars and serving as a focal point for the room.
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Above The main staircase corridor, with the glass sphere pendant cluster descending alongside the timber slat wall and backlit cream fluted panels lining the opposite side
Above The main staircase corridor, with the glass sphere pendant cluster descending alongside the timber slat wall and backlit cream fluted panels lining the opposite side
The main staircase corridor, with the glass sphere pendant cluster descending alongside the timber slat wall and backlit cream fluted panels lining the opposite side
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Above Detail of the stone treads, recessed step lighting, and the junction between the cream fluted panels and timber slat wall
Above The pendant cluster from below, showing its full drop against the contrasting cream fluted and timber slat walls of the staircase volume.
Looking straight down through the bronze spiral staircase from the upper level, showing the full geometry of the stone treads winding to the
Detail of the stone treads, recessed step lighting, and the junction between the cream fluted panels and timber slat wall
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The bronze spiral staircase took close to a year to complete. The handrail was drawn at full 1:1 scale and physically modelled before fabrication to test its profile and constructability; its curvature and turning points were calibrated to frame specific views within the space. The ribbon-like form extends upward without interruption into a circular atrium, where it meets a membrane ceiling that diffuses natural light down through the full height of the volume. The staircase, atrium, and the light from above were designed as a single spatial sequence.
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The master bedroom, with an upholstered bed, a lounge chair, and sheer curtains opening to the balcony
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The project was designed almost entirely during the pandemic, with site meetings replaced by FaceTime calls, making the precision of the finished staircase a considerable achievement. “It was envisioned not merely as a circulation element, but as a sculptural centrepiece that embodies a sense of luxury,” says Tan. “Almost like a trophy within the space.”
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Jennifer Choo is Regional Managing Editor of Tatler Homes, covering architecture, interior design, and art across Asia. Based in Malaysia, she oversees regional content on luxury residential design and contemporary art collections. Legally trained but choosing to pursue her passion for design, she previously led notable design publications and worked as an interior stylist and art consultant for property developers, design firms, and private clients.
