Architect : AR. JOHN KOH
An Ever-Evolving House
‘Wanaka The Bungalow’ is ever-changing; it has undergone various stages of re purposing in accordance with its inhabitants’ and their respective usage patterns. Its site profile allows Wanaka to double as an event space, catering to numerous weddings, product launches and community get-togethers over the years. In its current form, it is the Damansara Heights home of Streetwear Entrepreneur Hugh Koh of Pestle and Mortar. The 2 storey Bungalow with its 11,000 sqft compound started as a family residence in the 1970’s with entry at the first-floor level and living area focused on the garden at the lower ground level to address the hill slope terrain. The father-son team have made many changes to modernise the house for daily living while still maintaining the house’s original structure. The existing house have been extended into the front porch and garden to maximise living space. The other ecological architectural approach involves the repurposing of timber members ceiling slates, anodised glazed aluminium panels from another nearby project to adapt for the needs of these extensions. The plaster ceiling in the main living area had been removed to achieve a greater floor to ceiling height and volume of the living room to reveal the underside of the home’s original timber flooring and beams. Natural lighting and through ventilation are also prioritised. The overall form assumes a low-key, low-carbon footprint architecture from the outside to blend in with the surrounding low rise tropical bungalows of the 70’s. The new interior is enhanced by a unique collection of artwork and artifacts. The effect is a creative space conducive for work and home. The garden stretches from front of the property to the rear resulting in a multilayered expanse. ‘Wanaka’ embraces ‘Change as a Constant.’