Ketitir House

BuiltMalaysiaSarawak
Written By Borneo Architecture Journal

Ketitir House is both a home and a space for cultivating edible gardens, reflecting the area's agricultural heritage

The Ketitir House, located on the outskirts of the city in a farm-like environment, serves as both a home and a space for cultivating edible gardens that reflect the area’s agricultural heritage. Designed with a focus on sustainability and community involvement, the project fosters collaboration between the client, architect, and contractor. This relatively small budget became a driving force for creative and practical solutions, with the client actively participating in the design process, including decisions on construction, interior fittings, and landscaping.

Edible garden used as landscaping

Angular profiled metal louvre screens double as a security feature and a sun-shading device to reduce glare and prevent direct sunlight from heating the internal spaces

This house challenges traditional ideas of what a home should be by encouraging the occupants to question socio-cultural norms and embrace sustainable living. The design is optimised for cross ventilation, with the building’s long sides oriented towards the northeast and southeast. The layout is simple, featuring a linear, single-storey plan that is adaptable to future changes. The house sits on a raised 7m x 18m platform, with bedrooms at either end and a central open-plan living space that includes the kitchen and dining areas.

Raised ground floor not only allows for better airflow to keep the building cool during the day but also acts as a flood mitigation mechanism

Threshold space between the car porch (left) and living area (right)

The roof design incorporates wide eaves for weather protection and angular metal louvre screens to allow for continuous natural ventilation, even in unfavourable weather conditions. Rainwater runoff from the metal roof is collected in earthen jars via rain chains, and this harvested water is used for the edible garden that the client maintains as part of the landscape design.

Natural lighting permeates throughout the house, creating a play of light and shadows

A central open-plan living and dining space, filled with natural ventilation and light

Inspired by traditional chicken coops, the house is constructed with locally available materials, embracing the use of natural resources such as light and wind. The overall approach is low-maintenance, cost-effective, and sustainable. By integrating these elements, the design not only provides a functional living space but also encourages the inhabitants to rethink their way of life in relation to both their environment and future sustainability.

Text by the architect

 

PROJECT GALLERY

 

  • Architectural Designer : Arkitek JFN
    Client : Voon Ah Moi
    Area : 126 m²
    Project Location : Kuching | Sarawak
    Year : 2019

  • Contractor : Bintang Interior Construction
    Design Team : Mike Boon | Joan Lau | Goh Tze Hui | David Boon
    Photography : David Boon (Arkitek JFN)

  • —

Author Profile Wrapper

Share this project

Borneo Architecture Journal
Previous

Boyan Heights
Next

LWP Law Firm Office Design