Location
- Malaysia
City
- Bentong | Pahang
Duration
- 2021 – 2023
Client
- Undisclosed
Surface
- Site area
- : 6.33 acres
- Building area
- : 187.67 m2
- Building height
- : 6.3 m | 2 storeys
Status
- Completed
Project Type
- Residential
Themes
- Single Residential | Rainforest | Retreat House
Janda Baik Getaway is a weekend home tucked away in the wilderness of Janda Baik, Bentong, Pahang. Resting half-way up a sloping 6.33-acre site, the house was designed to embrace the surrounding tropical jungle.
Our client’s brief was for a simple and small ‘kampung’ house to escape to and a place where they could relax and connect with family, friends, pets, and nature.
The whole land is on a hill slope with a flat clearing mid-way up and at the very top. As the top was used for our client’s senior rescue dog shelter, the lower clearing was naturally chosen for siting the house. Responding to the shape of the existing clearing and keeping with the intention of not disturbing the slopes or existing trees, a linear form was therefore adopted.
Facing south-west on its front facade, the house overlooks a panorama of tree canopies and distant mountain ranges as the front terrain slopes away. Access to the property is through a narrow bending driveway from the main road below.
On the upper floor, the 2-storey house shares an open-plan living and dining area with a master bedroom suite. Full height sliding doors and openable windows form the exterior skin, allowing one to fully appreciate the natural light, fresh air, and breathtaking views.
Deep balconies, protected by deep roof overhangs, extend from the internal spaces, forming generous covered terraces where our client would relax, dine, and socialise. These cantilevered decks in turn shade the lower floor, especially the garden walkways outside the guest bedrooms below.
The upper level is primarily constructed in steel and glass with a large single-pitched roof lightly hovering over the whole structure. This light box sits on a more solid volume that hosted the guest wing. The palette of materials used was locally sourced, while the method of building considered the need for ease of construction due to existing site constraints.
Team Credits
Architect
- SML Architects
Engineer
- C & S : CJ Consult
Contractor
- GEM Engineering & Construction Sdn Bhd
Design Team
- Arlene Chew
- Mark Eng
Photography
- Arlene Chew
- Mark Eng
- Sean Wee
Publications
Share our project
