Knikno house by Fabian Tan Architect

Knikno house is a semi-detached house by Fabian Tan Architect that the house was rebuilt for a young family on a 60’ x 90’ piece of land in Malaysia.

Architect: Fabian Tan Architect
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Year: 2017
Photography: Ceavs Chua

From the architects: Laid out over two different levels, the lower section of the plot houses the car porch with a ramp and staircase, connecting it to the home which sits on the higher land area. The house consist of a single-storey open living space, which intersects perpendicularly to a 2-storey building with closed private rooms.

The dominant longitudinal upper floor from the front to the rear is a gabled form inspired by the client's request for a modern interpretation of a barn. Its façade is made from modular grey concrete blocks, which in contrast with the predominantly white ground floor accentuates weight.

Upon entry, a corridor takes you immediately into the house with a choice of going to specific areas without walking through other spaces. On the left is the open linear living areas which expresses continuity through its inverted gabled timber ceiling that seeks to add warmth. This voluminous space opens itself through the front garden that shields the road view and the rear with a black koi pond & lounge decking. To add to this, it is also visually connected to the first floor corridor that serves as the entryway to the bedrooms. This creates a tranquil, bright and an unobstructed cross ventilated space.

The plan is ‘T’ shaped and creates precise experiences with the exterior and interior through a series of spatial geometry and symmetry. It is difficult to describe this home in a simplistic sense as its parts seem to mesh with each other, giving multiple repeated descriptions of spaces but hopefully, it will speak for itself in clarity to the present listener.  

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