Cover The living hall of this Penang penthouse shows the floating staircase, the Designheure Grand Nuage chandelier, and the open arrangement of dining and living areas beneath the angled timber ceiling
The living hall of this Penang penthouse shows the floating staircase, the Designheure Grand Nuage chandelier, and the open arrangement of dining and living areas beneath the angled timber ceiling
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Landart Interior transforms a bare-shell Penang penthouse into a home of quiet grandeur, natural materials and uninterrupted sea views
It was the sheer potential of this penthouse in Penang that made it stand out for the design team at Landart Interior. Wallace Chiam, the lead designer for the project, shares that the 7,119-square-foot site was delivered as a bare unit, thus ‘offering a blank canvas for a complete transformation’. Naturally, the penthouse’s generous sea views served as a central inspiration for the overall design. During early exploratory discussions with the clients, it became apparent that they had an affinity for international sophistication along with a preference for natural materials. Phua Chin Eng, founder and managing director of Landart, explains that a clear vision eventually emerged: ‘this would be a home shaped by natural light, thoughtful materiality, and a quiet dialogue between architecture, interiors, and the rhythms of daily life.’
Spatial continuity
Above Looking across the Calacatta marble floor, the dry kitchen island and red lacquered cabinet punctuate an otherwise open and luminous floor plan
Looking across the Calacatta marble floor, the dry kitchen island and red lacquered cabinet punctuate an otherwise open and luminous floor plan
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From the outset, the home’s double-height living space invited a design treatment that would focus on seamless spatial transitions. Broad expanses of glass allow for unimpeded panoramic views from every angle. The interior leads easily out onto the balcony, and then our gaze is drawn out even further beyond, towards the sea and the sky. Meanwhile, the interior’s open-plan layout allows natural light to flood all corners while also allowing for easy circulation throughout the space.
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Above The dining area’s glass-top table and black-framed chairs sit beneath the floating staircase
Above Against dark timber wall panelling, a reclaimed wooden sideboard displays objects gathered from the clients’ travels across Southeast Asia
The dining area’s glass-top table and black-framed chairs sit beneath the floating staircase
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Phua and Chiam actually think that the most rewarding moment in the design is the sequence that leads from the entrance to the main living area. The quieter, sheltered seclusion of the private foyer opens up smoothly onto the bright extroversion of the rest of the penthouse. The design team is especially proud of how the foyer functions as a microcosm that manages, with its understated elegance, ‘to communicate the entire home’s character or genius loci’.
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Above The double-height living hall, anchored by the Molteni&C sofa, opens out to panoramic sea views through floor-to-ceiling glazing
The double-height living hall, anchored by the Molteni&C sofa, opens out to panoramic sea views through floor-to-ceiling glazing
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The focus on refined cohesion is evident throughout. Careful attention was paid to defining edges, transitions, and terminations without drawing attention to themselves. Clean white built-ins offer functionality while avoiding unnecessarily bold gestures. Subtle relief detailing, delicately articulated surfaces, and precise joinery sustain the emphasis on meticulous craftsmanship.
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Above Lightly veined Calacatta marble walls and a timber-lined niche mark the transition between the living area and the private foyer beyond
Above A view from beside the internal courtyard into the ground-floor study
Lightly veined Calacatta marble walls and a timber-lined niche mark the transition between the living area and the private foyer beyond
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Material harmony
Above The dry kitchen features the Dada-designed customised island with Pedrali Ester barstools
The dry kitchen features the Dada-designed customised island with Pedrali Ester barstools
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Along with the cohesion of the space, the design team also made sure to curate a balanced selection of materials. Phua and Chiam explain that ‘a calm, tactile environment was created by blending different tones and surfaces, and by introducing layers of texture and finish’.
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Above The landscaped internal courtyard features layered planting and a water feature set on timber decking
The landscaped internal courtyard features layered planting and a water feature set on timber decking
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Walls and flooring of lightly-veined white Calacatta marble serve as a backdrop for the living area and project a sense of quiet grandeur without overwhelming the space. The light that streams through the glass plays a crucial part in bringing the materials to life. The gentle glow of the marble contrasts with the sharper metallic glint of the bannisters and with the austere black of the frames of the full-height window.
Above The balcony at dusk with sweeping views across Penang’s waterfront and coastline
The balcony at dusk with sweeping views across Penang’s waterfront and coastline
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Everyday practicality was not neglected, of course. Motorised roller shades by Hunter Douglas provide respite from the glare of the sun during the hottest parts of the day, while also adding colour and texture in the form of the grey-green fabric of the Halstatt line. Upstairs, in the entertainment room, anti-fingerprint laminates were applied to the built-ins to ensure durability and ease of maintenance.
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Above The entertainment hall accommodates a pool table, pinball machines, a TV wall unit with timber-lined niches
The entertainment hall accommodates a pool table, pinball machines, a TV wall unit with timber-lined niches
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Timber ceiling finishes were introduced to visually heighten various spaces while adding warmth and intimacy to the interiors. This nod towards the organic was carried over into the bamboo-textured wallpaper for the master en-suite, in this instance creating a resort-like atmosphere. In fact, nature itself finds a place within the structure, thanks to the landscaped internal courtyard. This section features trees, layered planting and a water feature and is visually connected to the upper level by a skylight. Here, greenery becomes yet another element in this project’s broad material palette.
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Mise en scene
Above Pedrali Gliss barstools line the upper-level counter overlooking the double-height living hall below
Pedrali Gliss barstools line the upper-level counter overlooking the double-height living hall below
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The overall restraint of the design allows for individual decorative pieces to hold their own without there being any risk of visual clutter. Dotted around the house are objects that were gathered during the clients’ extensive travels, particularly from around the Southeast Asian region.
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Above The master bedroom’s black-framed four-poster bed sits beneath clustered rattan pendants, with bamboo-textured wallpaper
The master bedroom’s black-framed four-poster bed sits beneath clustered rattan pendants, with bamboo-textured wallpaper
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The furnishings exude quiet luxury, but there is still enough flexibility to the design philosophy for there to be stronger, characterful moments. In the living room, the Molteni&C sofa takes pride of place, with its clean contemporary lines and sumptuously dense-woven fabric. Other seating options have a bit more whimsy, though. The pieces from Pedrali deserve special mention in that respect. In the dry kitchen, the Pedrali Ester barstools perch atop the cheeky flash of steel tube legs, and in the entertainment hall, the Pedrali Gliss chairs’ curved seats and triangular foot rests seem to invite a carefree bout of swivelling.
Read more: Hoshinoya Karuizawa: two decades of biophilic design in practice
Above Timber wall panelling and a leather-look upholstered headboard anchor the guest bedroom
Timber wall panelling and a leather-look upholstered headboard anchor the guest bedroom
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Similar to the furnishing, the lighting design combines subtler, understated options with statement pieces. The best example of the restrained approach is to be found in the son’s bedroom, where the Vibia Slim’s long, thin silhouettes strike a tone of refined minimalism. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Nuage chandelier in the living room. This sculptural piece has a playful hint of opulence due to its gold cables and cords, but there is also a stylish simplicity to the geometry of the shades and to their harmonious composition.
The entertainment room’s soft grey sectional sofa sits opposite a timber-lined niche
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Ultimately, just like the Nuage chandelier, the design of this penthouse succeeds in balancing the luxurious with the refined. The resultant seamless elegance thus means that the project has more than fulfilled its original potential.
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Photography: TWJPTO
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