alterations & new additions
gasing house
bukit gasing, petaling jaya, malaysia
living + work space within an old bungalow adjacent to forest reserve for an architect
single layered brick wall, metal awning, precast concrete roof with metal columns, solid timber bi fold + swing door, metal swing door with glass louvers, metal globe knob, brass rain shower head, stainless steel counter
12,000 sqft land area
2,400 sqft build up area
you understand the context better by living in it. it would be a lovely ground for mock-ups and testing of design ideas
bukit gasing is an interesting place. the houses here were built around 40-50 years ago.
every corner in this area is different because it was designed following the contours.
so there are many lovely surprises if you move around the area.
if you look at the google earth image, the greens from the hill are extending out like a finger in-between the houses at the foot of the hill.
if you look closely, there are the drain reserves for water from the hill, designed and build decades ago.
now trees, shrubs and grass grow on both sides of these reserves with animals roaming around.
it's a very useful layout and also ingeniously beautiful at the same time.
the studio is at a plot located right next to these reserve. it's a lovely place to live and work.
we started with the three existing old tree within the lot.
they are murraya trees, a species normally found as shrub.
after many years, it turn to become lush and beautiful trees bloomed with white flowers sometimes.
the tree are perfectly located, two of them shielding the hall and the room directly from the hot evening sun.
the other one screens off the garden from the road.
so the approach to the building is carefully planned around these trees.
the building is an existing structure. it was reconfigured into 3 sections - the studio, the house ad the garden, with interconnecting spaces.
the design is constantly on-going. there will be alterations, new additions as the time goes. instead of an instantly new structure.
i believe the studio should evolve organically as the needs change. you understand the context better by living in it.
it would be a lovely ground for mock-ups and testing of design ideas for experimenting. like peter zumthor's house and studio, built slowly over many years.
