Cover The three-storey pink concrete house shows the clear material distinction between the pink concrete third floor and the white-rendered lower levels
The three-storey pink concrete house shows the clear material distinction between the pink concrete third floor and the white-rendered lower levels
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Fabian Tan Architect merged two end-lot terrace houses mid-construction to create a sprawling pink concrete house for a family of six in Kuala Lumpur, with exposed structural beams and a central courtyard
On an end-lot terrace in Kuala Lumpur, a residential project took an unusual turn. Fabian Tan, founder of Fabian Tan Architect, was nearing completion on a newly built three-storey house when his clients identified a water leak from the neighbouring property. Two weeks after reporting the issue, they returned with their fix: they had purchased the adjoining unit.
“The client jokingly told us he had ‘solved’ the issue,” says Tan, who was then tasked with combining both terrace plots into a single 5,000-square-foot residence for a family of six. The home spans two 54-by-85-foot lots, totalling approximately 4,600 square feet of land.
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Above An aerial view shows solar panels on the rooftop, timber decking, and pink concrete fruit tree planters
An aerial view shows solar panels on the rooftop, timber decking, and pink concrete fruit tree planters
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The original unit had been designed with a clear vertical hierarchy, organised around the inclusion of a lift. The main living spaces occupy the top floor, bedrooms are on the first floor, and utility areas are on the ground floor. The second unit expanded this arrangement horizontally, introducing a study, entertainment area, gym, and additional bedrooms. At the centre of the enlarged plan sits a courtyard that brings daylight and ventilation into what would otherwise be deep interior spaces.
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The living room features the exposed column-and-beam expression inspired by ancient structures like Stonehenge
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The architect made minimal openings through the former party wall between the two units, allowing the old and new rooms to connect while maintaining the integrity of each structure. This constraint shaped the final design. “I believe the house would have been quite different if it had been designed as a single unit from the beginning,” Tan notes. “Nevertheless, I am satisfied with the narrative of the house and its outcome.”
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The pink concrete third floor is visible from street level, sitting above the white-rendered lower floors
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The architectural language of the pink concrete house draws from a straightforward structural concept: the deliberate exposure of columns and beams, an expression more commonly associated with ancient buildings than contemporary residential construction. In the original unit, deep beams run perpendicular to the house’s side, protruding outward like structural spines. In the extended unit, these beams rotate 90 degrees, piercing the courtyard area lengthwise from front to rear. The shift creates a visual conversation between both parts of the combined home.
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Above In the extended unit, the structural beams rotate 90 degrees to run lengthwise from front to rear
Above The central courtyard brings daylight and ventilation into the combined residenc
In the extended unit, the structural beams rotate 90 degrees to run lengthwise from front to rear
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Above The third-floor dining area features exposed pink concrete beams running perpendicular to the side of the house
Above The third-floor living and dining area beneath the exposed pink concrete beam structure frames views across the treetops to the Kuala Lumpur skyline
The third-floor dining area features exposed pink concrete beams running perpendicular to the side of the house
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For the third-floor structure housing the living spaces, Tan selected coloured concrete in a soft pink rather than the standard grey. “I imagined making it distinct from the rest of the house, like an imaginary ‘monolithic castle in the sky’ sitting at the top,” he explains. The pink concrete, which Tan describes as a one-of-a-kind expression in the country, gives the house an earthy quality that weathers naturally over time.
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The kitchen occupies the third floor beneath the exposed pink concrete structure, where a horizontal window provides views
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The decision to elevate the main living areas to the third floor was driven by practical considerations and the client’s requirements. With the ground floor reserved mainly for car parking and the family’s insistence on installing a lift, placing the living spaces at the top allows views of mature trees in the adjacent community park and the city skyline beyond. The rooftop deck, accessible via the lift, is where the family plants fruit trees and hosts evening gatherings.
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A first-floor roomopens onto the central courtyard, with views through to the community park and city beyond
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Dense planting wraps the perimeter of the pink concrete house, providing privacy and reducing heat gain. The clients actively maintain edible plants as part of this landscape strategy. Sustainable systems, including solar panels, rainwater-harvesting tanks, and automated irrigation, support the home’s ecological performance. The planters surrounding the house, positioned on the rooftop, contribute to passive cooling while accommodating the family’s interest in growing herbs and fruit.
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Above The rooftop deck, accessible via lift, provides panoramic views of the city and the surrounding neighbourhood
The rooftop deck, accessible via lift, provides panoramic views of the city and the surrounding neighbourhood
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At night, the exposed beams and ceiling planes of the pink concrete house receive soft illumination, making the structural expression visible from street level. This remains Tan’s preferred architectural feature of the project. “While the living room remains perpetually private from street level, the beams are visible from the street as a structural expression, especially when illuminated at night,” he says. “This was intentional.”
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Looking up through the central courtyard, the pink concrete structure frames views of the sky
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The architectural reference for this beam expression goes back to Stonehenge and other ancient structures, where the relationship between column and beam remains clearly legible. Most modern construction conceals these elements behind finishes, but Tan chose to exaggerate the expression, creating a rhythmic sequence that extends from interior to exterior and expands the ceiling plane.
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Above The central courtyard contains trees that bring natural light deep into the floor plan
Above The stairwell connects the three floors with terrazzo steps and white-rendered walls
The central courtyard contains trees that bring natural light deep into the floor plan
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Above The central courtyard viewed from below shows how the beams in the extended unit pierce lengthwise through the space, creating a visual dialogue with the perpendicular beams in the original unit
Above Trees in the central courtyard rise through the white-rendered first and second floors toward the pink concret
The central courtyard viewed from below shows how the beams in the extended unit pierce lengthwise through the space, creating a visual dialogue with the perpendicular beams in the original unit
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The courtyard has proven essential to the residents, who appreciate the airiness and ventilation it provides. The space brings natural light deep into the floor plan while offering a break in the vertical circulation between levels.
The unusual circumstance of combining two terrace houses mid-construction created design constraints that required multiple iterations. The rotation of the beam expression from sectional to longitudinal when the second unit was introduced presented particular challenges. Yet this limitation also produced one of the home’s defining features: two different structural rhythms working together in a single residence overlooking the treetops of Kuala Lumpur.
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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.
