Home Tour: A multi-generational masterpiece in Ipoh, Malaysia

Initially, the clients envisioned a three-level mansion, but KYA managed to persuade them that a more restrained two-level dwelling might better fit the bill.

In Lim’s words, this approach would “balance spaciousness with practical elegance”. The result was a structure on a more sophisticated scale, with a built-up area of 18,500 sq ft.

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The site itself was ideal, looking out onto the broad green stretches of the Perak Turf Club and claiming a stunning mountain range as its backdrop. The building’s six-metre-high glass doors take full advantage of the views while also creating a sense of openness throughout the interior.

At the same time, this openness is balanced out by deliberate measures to carve out areas that would function as private sanctuaries within the larger residence. For instance, one section of the house acts as a barrier that shelters the courtyard and main living areas.

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The name of this project, 3-Juxta, derives from the three juxtaposed masses of the residence. A larger architectural composition emerges from the interplay of these abstract forms. The different heights and angles invite exploration and closer inspection.

These three main structural masses reflect the volumetric design principles that underpin the whole design. Lim explains that it was all about “a language of volumes, with each volume distinct yet interconnected, symbolising the unique needs and aspirations of its inhabitants”.

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Each meticulously-tailored volume has a distinct personality. There is the grandeur of the double-height living hall, which serves as a nexus linking the building’s two separate wings.

Up above, stretched out in elegant yet dramatic simplicity, is a bridge between the first-floor family halls. And then there is the serenity of the central void that lies at the heart of the residence. Here, natural light shifts throughout the day, filtering in softly through windows and skylights and grazing the stairs, walls and floors.

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Green initiatives informed many of the architectural choices. Passive design methodologies were implemented by responding to orientation, wind direction and other contextual cues.

Throughout the residence, wide hallways and strategic openings allow the space to breathe. One of the building’s main volumes was deliberately situated in such a way as to provide shade from the hot western sun. Another volume was elevated to disperse hot air and to allow cross-ventilation. 

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In terms of materials, juxtaposition was again the guiding aesthetic idea. Lim shares that, to “ensure a balance between tradition and modernity”, the design team counterpoised 126 wooden elements against glass, concrete, and steel. The contrasts bring the whole structure to life.

There is the welcoming glow of Nyatoh timber strips and Balau timber screens. And then, at the front façade, there is the coolness of the bare concrete fluted blocks with stainless-steel inlays. In the central void, fair-faced bricks laid out in a herringbone pattern introduce a buzz of dynamism with their zigzagging lines and reddish tinge. Elsewhere, ventilation blocks were painted white at random intervals to reflect light into the interior of the house. 

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Tastefully chosen details complete the composition. Chandeliers by Arihiro Miyake serve as statement pieces: the Nemo Drop9, with its minimalist tiered segments, takes pride of place over the dining table, while the Moebius loop of the Nemo Kepler seems to twist in the air above the lounge’s sofa.

Glittering mosaics by SICIS decorate the pool, overlooked by a Louis Vuitton park bench that sits discreetly nearby in the shade.

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The finishing and detailing all help to highlight the structure’s ingenious use of mass and void. It is no surprise that the 3-Juxta House was one of the recipients of the silver prize at the PAM Awards 2024.

Ultimately, though, the design was all about bringing family together. Lim reiterates that it was all about “creating a constantly evolving environment that responds to the presence and movement of people”.

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