The Sepang House in Malaysia has been Designed Utilizing Three Conventional Materials

Tropical Tactility

The Sepang House in Malaysia has been designed utilizing three conventional materials in a manner that sensitively emphasizes and distills the essence and character of each material.

Raw exposed concrete make up the main walls of the exterior

Ground floor staircase that lead up to the first floor

The Sepang House is a single-family house with a built-up area of 450 sqm,and set within a 920 sqm piece of flat land. The design brief called for a moderately sized de- tached house with an outdoor pool. The owners also wanted a large and sheltered outdoor space to enjoy the pool and garden. Another-criteria had been the inclusion of a roof ter- race that would be high enough from which to view a nearby lake.

The resulting design is defined by a large sheltering roof with deep overhangs, shaded terraces and bal- conies along its edges. Raw concrete, bricks and wood are the primary materials used to develop a material language that echoes and seeks con- nection to its tropical settings. 

Steel staircase on the first floor that lead up to the attic-like space on the  second floor

Different materials are used to distinguish different elements of the house. For example, raw exposed concrete is used for all external walls, bricks for the spine walls that runs along the centre of the house, and timber for roof structures, ceil- ings and the floor. All other surfaces are plastered and painted white. This approach to materiality creates a richness of texture in the house – which serve as an interesting back- drop to contemporary family life. 

Ground Floor

First Floor

Second Floor

The design of the house was also driven by the desire for the main living areas to face the cool and shaded north direction and garden. In order to achieve this, spaces are organised along a pair of central brick spine walls that runs east and west. Staircases are placed between these walls. Main spaces such as the living, dining, guest and master bed- rooms are organized to the north of the spine walls, whereas the kitchen and other bedrooms are placed to the south. 

Sections

Openings in the spine walls and multiple double height volumes create opportunities for visual and acoustic connections within the house and outdoors, making the house feel more intimate, and warm. The top-most floor is a large attic-like space that is dominated by the low sloping roof and is a space that be be used as a gym or an office. From this point in the house, views to a nearby lake is possible. 

The main living areas on the ground floor are directly connected to a large outdoor terrace that canti- levers over the pool. The master and attic bedrooms are also connected to terraces. They mediate between the inside and outside spaces, providing the occupants with shaded cool spaces outdoors, a necessity in the hot humid climate of the tropics. Where possible, windows are placed at opposing ends in a room or space to encourage cross ventilation. 

Project Information

Project Name: Sepang House

Location: Selangor, Malaysia

Principal Use: Single Family House

Architect Firm: Eleena Jamil Architect 

Floor Area: 450 Sqm

Main Materials: Exposed Concrete, Bricks, Timber

Photography:  Marc Tey