Villa Raja, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Villa Raja residence responds to the climate around it, employing effective open planning to create the experience of commuting with nature. The interior of the house is transparent – floor to ceiling high glass louvres replace conventional walls. The louvres can be opened to facilitate a natural breeze throughout the house and creates an illusion of a wall-less space in the courtyard garden. A floating roof system dominates the building’s exterior. It incorporates a double layer with a one-and-a-half metre gap that provides thermal insulation as the bottom isn’t directly exposed and the drafts of air in between keep things cool. Big, wide overhangs on the top layer protect it from heavy tropical rain.
The private inner courtyard includes a swimming pool that merges with the natural lake at the rear of the house, with a pristine water to water view via the use of a negative edge wall. The spa is designed as a lounge and built into the pool. Water bodies dominate the interior. A huge internal water garden servers to keep the house cool and works beautifully as a relaxing backdrop to the prayer pavilion.