Teak and Coconut Grove
Teak and Coconut Grove Bedroom Chalet
- Accommodation
More content coming soon. - Local Historic Site
More content coming soon.
Project Description
Situated in the city of Georgetown, on the island of Penang, off the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, this project is an extension to an existing Pre-War timber framed bungalow. It is the architect’s Ancestral family home on a 36,000 sf of flat land. The brief called for a series of “mini self-contained Chalets” to be built for each of the architect’s siblings and their respective families. The existing building would be maintained for the Patriarch of the family and common activities such as dining and entertaining.
The site was complex and numerous considerations with regards to the surrounding built environment (modern apartment blocks, heavily trafficked road and office buildings adjacent), the existing natural environment (mature fig trees of about 100 years old and about 150 feet tall; another tropical fruit tree of the cherry family, about 100 years old, called locally the “kerian” tree; numerous coconut trees over 30 years old and a large open garden with numerous other trees and historical sentimental value to the family), and naturally, the existing residence that had been the home for 3 generations of the family.
What has resulted are 3 small interconnected units tucked onto the Western boundary. Raised 1 floor above the existing ground level, it takes full advantage of the natural prevailing breezes through the site and screens the existing home from harsh Western sunlight. Each unit has space for 1 family of 4 with either 2 or 3 bedrooms and an adjoining bath/shower.
Each unit is interconnected by either open showers and timber walkways, or a large communal timber deck. By raising the floor 1 story above the ground, a large sheltered multi purpose open space has been created below. This now serves as an outdoor studio for painting and general outdoor relaxation. Otherwise it is the entertainment space.
The original porte-cochere had been converted with a raised platform for outdoor dining while the main entrance has had a large raised patio that leads down into the new car porch. With large roof overhangs, the entrance has developed into the perfect casual outdoor meeting area for the family to sit and relax.
As the name implies, Teak trees were introduced to the site. Over 45 Teak tree saplings were purchased from the Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and planted on the site prior to construction commencing on 1st April 1999. They are now officially the fastest growing Teak trees in the country far outpacing the growth of those in FRIM.
Zero energy Materials, Structure and Construction
This building is unique in that it was built almost entirely of recycled timber materials to strife for an architecture using ‘zero’ energy. Apart from the concrete footings and granite piers, the rest, – from timber structure to roof and finishes are recycled! Even the sinks were from an old bungalow that had been torn down.
It was also unique in that the architect spent most of the construction period living on site and personally overseeing the entire construction process and in constant communication with the construction team.
Prior to commencement of works, only the basic layouts and location of footings for the oversized granite-stone columns were confirmed. All detail design was deliberately left unconfirmed so as to allow for the improvisation for recycled and ‘zero’ energy materials. Just prior to and during the construction process the architect personally sourced old doors, windows, tiles, timber for construction, vintage ceiling fans etc…
As such the design was very much an improvisation. If likened to music it could be compared to an improvised Jazz piece where the musician is not confined to a set piece but can change to further express his desires. It was therefore imperative that the architect was on site on a constant basis to ensure that utilization of these elements was always deliberate and in line with the design philosophy.
All floors throughout the building were of timber strips with gaps and openings at strategic locations to allow for natural ventilation through while still maintaining the user’s privacy. Voids were located at staircases to further enhance the natural ventilation while virtually 60% of the façade were of louvered timber windows that could be opened and closed as required.
Dividing walls between bathrooms and outdoor areas were either completely omitted or in some cases built from old green beer bottles. It was determined that privacy from the sky was not an issue that would concern the users.
The pitched roof structure entirely of timber, were designed to complement and follow the same pitches of the existing building. Natural antique clay roof Roman tiles laid with concrete mortar, over a metal deck ensured that no insulation was required as in tropical downpours, the Roman roof tiles would retain water that cooled the building during evaporation.
Project Significance and Impact
Conservation awareness
This project is highly significant in many ways especially when taken in the context of where Penang as a historic city, is heading. Georgetown Penang is one of the most historically significant parts of Malaysia. Along with Malacca, it is applying to be listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Besides the tail end of the IT industry it, currently relies heavily on the Tourist dollar.
Unfortunately in the last 15 years, Penang has lost many of their buildings and historically significant sites due to a rapid rate of development. Many family estates that previously numbered in their hundreds have made way for multi storey office complexes and apartment blocks and are now few and far between. While development is inevitable, Penang has not seen any alternatives to developing a lifestyle that takes advantage of their heritage, environment and architecture. Instead many choose a so called “modern” lifestyle – that which is in fact a poor copy by locals of a “western” lifestyle. Multi storey, glass clad, air conditioned apartment blocks have sprouted up all over the island. The fact is that 60% of them remain empty.
Noticing this decline, it was the intention of the architect and his family to set an example and illustrate that, an alternative lifestyle that provides all the modern amenities for living, and still maintain one’s own culturaland historical identity without compromise was possible. As such the estate was recently opened to the public for visits, overnight stays and school tours. This has proven to be overwhelmingly popular with visits by many local dignitaries.
It is also an example of adaptive reuse taken to another level where the recycling of and using of ‘zero’ energy materials has resulted in a unique design that takes advantage of the fact that the materials are not new. The fact is that recycled materials have many advantages, some of which are that cost of materials is significantly reduced as is the construction period. This is one very attractive aspect of this building. When people hear of the costs incurred, they are often amazed at how little it costs.
It is also considered by many locals that one cannot do without air-conditioning in the tropics. This building is an example where there is absolutely no air-conditioning required at any time. All spaces are naturally ventilated and in the event of a tropical downpour can still maintain excellent cross ventilation without having to close off windows and openings. This naturally reduces the load on the environment with regards to energy cost.
In a multi racial country like Malaysia, it has often been asked that with a country as young as ours, where does one look for a cultural and historical identity in its architecture. Historically it was the British colonials who first brought their colonial influences from the colonies. In modern times, it can be said that Malaysians have looked to the West for their inspiration.
The bane of modern developing countries especially post Colonial communities, still portray a sense of inferiority and harbour the notion that anything from the West is “best” and anything that is “white” is Right. In the final analysis this project has tried to demonstrate that creativity need not be to regurgitate familiar tested icons. It can be a putting together of many differing ideas subscribing towards a common programme. This project embodies many elements from traditional architecture, simple timber window-stops, traditional timber door-latches and related cultural elements,
coconut shells for lamps, timber off-cuts as sill-boards, bamboo wine making sieve for lampshade, reflect the single minded-ness of its intent. Using canvas as an alternative to glass, for operable windows, introduces a different dimension to the architecture when viewed externally at night. The architecture becomes a lighted lantern.
This is as example of one architect’s honest response and solution to this question. It responds to the built and natural environment and establishes a dialogue between old and new, historical and modern, people and architecture. This is the architect’s statement about living in Malaysia today.