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SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING & DESIGN Centre for Modern Architecture Studies in Southeast Asia

(MASSA) Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Architecture)

THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM (ARC2224)

Project: Theorizing Architecture

NAME: NAROKA CAROLINE ID: 1001C74796

LECTURER: NOR HAYATI JUNE 2014

 

 

 

MARKS  &  GRADES  

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THE  WOODEN  HUT  

One   of   Architect   Wooi’s   hill   top   residences,   allegedly   known   as,   ‘the   Wooden  

Hut’,   a  well-­‐known  project   that   is   awarded  by  PAM  2004   for   excellence   in   the  

construction  of  an  energy  efficient  and  environmentally  friendly  bungalow.  The  

house   design  was   said   to   have   been   based   on   a   traditional  Malaysian   cultural  

house,   the   Kampong   house.   The   whole   idea   was   critically   thought   of   and  

analyzed   during   his   travels   that   deeply   surveyed   wooden   houses   on   stilts,   all  

accompanied  by  his  childhood  experience  as  a  Kampung  boy.  Architect  Wooi   ‘s  

childhood   puts   him   in   an   advantageous   position   to   be   one   of   the   greatest  

architects   in  Malaysia.  Due   to   this,   he   got   to   experience   things  during  his   time  

and   age   that   helped   him   in   understanding   Malaysian   culture   at   its   purest   of  

forms   thus   his   creativity   gets   to   be   at   peak   during   present   time   considering  

technology  growth  which  simplifies  things.  The  Architect  considers  the  Kampong  

house  as,  “a  most  natural  way  to  live  comfortably  in  a  humid  tropical  country  like  

Malaysia.”  The  following  are  some  of  the  proudly  applied  design  characteristics  

and  other  supporting  theories  that  relate  to  his  design,  ‘the  wooden  hut’  (Wooi’s  

current  residence):  -­‐    

 

 

   ‘The  Wooden  Hut’-­‐  Ar.Wooi  Lok  Kuang’s  Residency  

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   Kampung  House  Setup  

 

The  wooden  hut  is  said  to  be  a  3storey  family  home  (with  a  lower  ground  floor)  

of  which  responds  quite  well  to  the  climatic  conditions  of  Malaysia  (sun,  rain  and  

wind   fully   appreciated)   as   it   is   a   vocal   representation   of   sustainability   to   the  

sense  of  adhering  to  site  context  via  vernacular  architectural  ideas  such  as  large  

roof  overhangs,   low  wide  windows  and  so  on  so  forth.  One  of  Ar.  Wooi’s  house  

traits  is,  it’s  conduction  of  cross  ventilation  effectively  to  the  point  of  not  needing  

ACs  around  the  house  as  most  of  modern  houses  do  in  such  hot  humid  climates.  

This  was  achieved  through  excessive  openings  to  almost  every  inch  of  the  house  

giving   the   interior   space  a   free   flow  of   air   and/or  wind   to  perform   the  cooling  

and  carry  out  warm  humid  air.  One  would   think  what  about   the  privacy  of   the  

residents?  Well,  the  openness  was  designed  to  perform  two  things  in  a  role,  that  

is,   create   the   boundlessness   to   nature   (open   spacious   spaces)   and   privacy  

through  wooden  designed  vertical  blinds  that  still  allow  the  free  flow  of  air.  

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   Excessive    and  masive    openinings  

 

Another  climatic  conscious  trait  of  Ar.  Wooi’s  residence  design  includes  the  large  

overhangs   from   the   roof.     These   are   basically   a   necessity   to   the   traditional  

Kampong  Malay  house.  The   large  overhangs  help  with   the  generation  of   shade  

around  the  house  for  a  cooler  environment.  The  whole  theory  is  made  possible  

due   to   the   fact   that,   the   shade   created   by   the   overhangs   generates   a   cooler  

ground  depending  on  the  sun’s  casting  position.  This   in   turn  contributes   to   the  

cool  air  being  swept  into  the  residence  and  the  warm  air  out  in  the  opposite  side  

depending   on   the   direction   of   the   winds.   Another   great   factor   of   large   roof  

overhangs   include   the   ability   to   keep   the   building   envelop   away   from   direct  

sun’s   rays   thus   heat   absorbed   or   transmitted   by   the  materials   composing   the  

envelop  is  minimized.  

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   Long  Overhangs  able  to  provide  shade  and  cool  breeze  to  the  house  

 

The   house   design   fits   in   respect   of   the   postmodernist   theory   of   architecture.  

Post-­‐modernist  theory  came  to  rise  during  the  modernist  time  of  movement  but  

has  proved  to  be  different  from  it  in  terms  of  ideas.  One  of  the  features  being,  the  

juxtaposition  of  styles,  which  includes  the  blend  of  traditional  contemporary  and  

newly  inverted  forums  with  exaggerated  traditional  detailing.  The  same  applies  

to  the  wooden  hut,  due  to  the  architect’s  childhood  and  place  of  growth,  he  had  

much  knowledge  about  the  kampong  types  of  houses  making   it  easy  to  use  the  

theory   behind   the  making   and   the  mechanical   functioning   of   the   house   to   his  

advantage  when  designing  for  his  own  house.  The  architect  also  considers  a  chic  

modern  day  house  in  the  hilltop  suburbia  kind  of  houses  in  order  to  produce  the  

new  design  fitted  to  his  liking  and  environment  at  large.  

 

Another   feature   of   Post  modernism,   a   sense  of   anything   goes   thus   forms   filled  

with  humor  irony  ambiguity  and  contradiction.  Taking  a  look  at  the  Wooden  hut  

from  two  different  directions,  the  house  looks  totally  like  they  are  not  part  of  the  

same  design/   element.   The  Architect   plays  with   different   forms   to   achieve   the  

spaciousness,   rhythm   and   boundlessness   journey   between   the   inside   and   the  

outside.  As  said  houses   falling  under   this   theory  always  comes  out  as  startling,  

surprising  and  sometimes  even  amusing.  The  wooden  hut  at   first  glance  comes  

out   as   an   amazing   design   that   is   not   like   any   of   the   houses   nearby   in   the  

neighborhood.  It  has  this  long  central  pillar  (tiang  seri)  anchoring  the  geometry  

of   the   house   attached   to   the   roof   (16m   high).   To   a   normal   non-­‐Malay   person,  

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they  would  not  understand  it  but  in  actual  fact  it  is  a  symbol  used  when  erecting  

a  new  house  in  a  new  community  letting  them  know  that  a  new  family  is  moving  

into   the   community.   This   shows   that,   this   manner   of   architecture   deals   with  

familiar  shapes  and  details  used  in  unexpected  ways  making  the  products  from  it  

always  unique.      

Tiang  Seri    

The  wooden  hut  is  not  just  a  house  to  Ar.  Wooi  but  one  of  his  greatest  statements  

portraying  idealistic  portrait  through  the  epitomes  of  phenomenology  (poetics  in  

spaces)   through  his   tropical  haven,  which   is   the  structure.   In  many  other  ways  

the   house   doesn’t   just   sit   on   the   site   context   but   rather   merge   into   it.   The  

experience  approaching   the  house  creates  a   rhythm  within   the  home  setting,  a  

journey  sensed  to  unravel  in  distinctive  layers,  speaks  Ar.  Lok  Wooi.    

 

The  Architect  makes  use  of   sustainable  material  elements  as  part  of  his  design  

technique   to   represent   the   spirit   of   journey   through   the   regeneration   of  

vernacular   architecture   into   current   contemporary   context,   intertwining   of  

spaces  to  create  harmony  through  open  plans,  modernistic  concepts  and  clever  

use  of  large  openings  to  link  interior  and  exterior  spaces  all  as  a  part  of  rhythmic  

symbolism  (the  workability  of  elements  together).  He  favors  these  materials  due  

there   unfailing   nature   of   bring   up   a   more   natural   authentic   look   and   feel   to  

spaces.   Throughout   the   house,   Ar.   Wooi   levels   the   rigidity   of   wood   and  

concrete  with  soft   fabrics  and  textiles.   In  the  bedrooms,  the  design  captures  

the  epitome  of   tropical   romance,   amongst  which,   four-­‐poster  beds  veiled   in  

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white   muslin   that   looks   so   dreamy   (Even   Ar.   Woois’   three   young   children  

have   this   set   up.   Whereas,   his   further   exploration   with   wood   lands   him  

breath-­‐taking  staircases  drawn  with  an  admiring  gasps  for  its  floating  effect.  

Every  step  is  built  from  a  single  plank  of  Chengal  wood,  with  united  ends  held  

steadily  to  the  wall  with  10cm  bolts.    

     Bedroom’s  Setup           Staircase  

 

His  dining  hall  is  enclosed  almost  entirely  by  glass  and  unapproachable  from  

the   outside   due   to   its   height   on   the   slope   of   the   hill   outside.   A   clever  

technique   to   elevate   the   floor   levels   while   still   enjoying   the   view   without  

worrying  about  robbers  breaking   into   the  residence  as   the   level   is  high  and  

the   lower  floor  fully  secure  as  the  dogs  have  free  reign  over  the  entire   floor  

and  garden.  There   is  only  one  access   into  the   living  room  level  built  of  solid  

wood  held  by  a  latch  from  the  interior.  Further  more,  he  successfully  manages  

to   embed   geometrics   to   design   illustrates   thus   the   dire   need   for   importance  

detailing.    

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    Dinning  Room                 Entrance              

 

The  Architect  pays  a  closer  attention  to  the  details  of  his  creation  with  the  use  of  

local  wood  like  Chengal  to  bring  out  the  authenticity  of  the  design.  He  converts  

wood  to  Blinds   in  his  study  to  avoid  the  need  or  use  of  glass,  which  is  turn  the  

whole  space  functions  has  one  but  with  partitions  for  privacy.  He  goes  ahead  to  

making  use  of   vertical  wooden   components   as   shedders   to   some  of   the   spaces  

facing   the   sun’s   direction.   This   creates   a   very   unique   façade   and   a   distinctive  

technique  (using  wood)  that  defines  his  personality  as  a  designer  of  building.    

 

   (A)  Wooden  Blinds  as  Partitions                                                    (B)  Wooded  Vertical  Component  and  (C)  Wooden  panels  for  Shades  

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 Upon  discovery  of  a  million  things  one  can  do  with  wood,  Ar.  Wooi  decides  to  get  

creative  and  make  his  own  foot  steps  for  others  to  tail  when  he  came  back  from  

Australia  to  discover  plaster  ceilings  were  all  rage  in  Malaysia,  ‘  No  false  ceiling’  

he  says  emphasizing  on  the  need  to  finish  archetype  alteration.    With  proper  use  

of  geometry  to  the  Living  room  and  the  use  of  decent  wood  (Chengal),  he  designs  

one  of  a  kind  ceiling  that  exposes  all   the  members  of  the  making,  continuing  to  

mark   the  rhythmic   inspiration  derived   from  the   floor  plans.  This   style  helps   to  

exaggerate  the  space  (appear  bigger)  and  support  of  free  flow  of  air.  The  choice  

of  materials,  stresses  on  innovative  modernist  way  of  material  use.  

 

     Living  Room  Ceiling-­‐  inspiring  rhythm                Ceiling  design  of  rhythm  

 

In  a  deduction,  it  is  possible  to  assume  that  any  style  of  architecture  without  any  

natural  and  personal  elements  added  into  it   for  the  defining  of  the  character  of  

the  resident  of  the  building,  does  not  make  sense  as  one  of  the  expression  goes,  ‘a  

man’s   home   is   his   castle.’   Ar.   Wooi   Lok   Kuang   put   all   the   factors   (mentioned  

above)  such  as  his  technique  of  using  wooden  elements  to  obtain  authenticity  of  

the  design,  his  sense  of  geometry  in  postmodernism  architecture  and  last  but  not  

least  his  childhood  experiences  to  analyze  kampong  house  and  re-­‐apply  all   into  

one  impressive  design  that  reflects  and  defines  him.  

 

 

 Words  1700  

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REFERENCE  

Yoon,  Chin.  M,  2006.  Airy,  Not  Fairy.  StarMag  -­‐  Spaces,  [Online].  N.A,  N.A.  Available  at:http://wooiarchitect.com/article1.php  [Accessed  22  June  2014].      Ar.  Wah,  L.  C,  2004.  Wooi  Residence.  Architecture  ASIA,  [Online].  4,  N.A.  Available  at:http://wooiarchitect.com/article3.php  [Accessed  23  June  2014].    Ling,  C.  A  ,  2011.  House  Proud.  Surface  Asia  Magazine,  [Online].  N.A,  N.A.  Available  at:http://www.surfaceasiamag.com/read-­‐news-­‐3-­‐0-­‐404-­‐house-­‐proud.surfaceasia.magz#.U7pHb42SwrU[Accessed  23  June  2014].    Zainal,  S,  2004.  Wooden  Hut.  Interview  with  Malaysian  Timber  Board,  [Online].  N.A,  N.A.  Available  at:http://wooiarchitect.com/article3.php  [Accessed  24  June  2014].    Yoong,  Y,  2005.  Wooi's  Wow  Factor.  New  Straits  Times,  [Online].  N.A,  N.A.  Available  at:http://wooiarchitect.com/article2.php  [Accessed  25  June  2014].    YOON,  C.  M,  2006.  Airy,  Not  Fairy.  The  Star  Online,  [Online].  N.A,  N.A.  Available  at:http://www.thestar.com.my/story.aspx/?file=%2f2006%2f2%2f5%2flifeliving%2f13247997&sec=lifeliving  [Accessed  26  June  2014].    N.A,  Administrator,  2008.  Wooden  Hut.  MTC,  [Online].  N.A,  N.A.  Available  at:http://www.mtc.com.my/info/index.php?option=com_content&id=22:wooden-­‐hut&Itemid=34  [Accessed  26  June  2014].