Award-winning Malaysian home doubles as an artist's gallery and workspace

The Canvas Hill Residence is nestled amidst the Janda Baik forests in Pahang. Photos: Lawrence Choo/Pixelaw Photography

To live in the Canvas Hill Residence is to dwell in serene surroundings, with crisp air and lush greenery – the perfect ambience to inspire artistic pursuits.

And that was precisely one of the key features that the owner, an established local artist, wanted to incorporate into his home.

Nestled in the forests of Janda Baik in Pahang, the three-storey residence, designed by Choo Gim Wah Architect, sits atop the crest of a 7m-high knoll.

The main multi-storey structure stands out for its flying roof (a sloped roof consisting of a single flat surface) and timber decks on the ground and first floors.

The view from the driveway leading up to the residence.

Completed mid-Jan 2019, the project won the Silver Award (single residential category) at the 2021 PAM Awards.

“The residence sits on a site with a gentle gradient that has an existing platform which requires minimal cut and fill. The gentle platform is designed into a courtyard where it becomes the compass for the main blocks to be built around.

“This was the one factor we took advantage of by working around this terrain to integrate the architectural components harmoniously into the land and slope,” explained the project’s lead architect Choo Gim Wah.

The aim, he added, is to celebrate the existing topography and build a home as site-specific and as unintrusive to the terrain as possible.

“The circulation of spaces and the orientation of the house is moulded to emphasise the view of the horizon and a glimpse of Genting Highlands.

“Through strategic orientation, the house benefits from sufficient sun-shading and comfortable air quality, as per the owner’s preference.

The courtyard and moongate are flanked by the different buildings of Canvas Hill Residence.

Thanks to such considerations, outdoor activities are greatly enjoyed in comparison with houses in an urban context,” said Choo.

Sprawled over 4,985sq m of land, with a 1,031sq m build-up, the residence’s ground floor accommodates the living and dining areas, which are gallery-like in their open-plan layout and have direct access to the courtyard and the 2.1m-wide cantilever timber deck.

A bespoke steel staircase connects the ground floor to the family area and four bedrooms on the first floor, which also comes with a timber deck that surrounds the entire floor and offers a great view.

The owner’s workspace is housed in an outdoor patio at the main building’s northern end on the lower ground floor.

A bespoke steel staircase connects the ground floor to the family area and four bedrooms on the first floor.

There, daylight floods the space, thanks to a 3m-high ceiling, ideal for producing artwork yet remains sufficiently protected from harsh weather by the generous overhangs.

Adjoining the work area is the art gallery that accommodates both the artist’s works and his private collection.

Open periodically for viewing, the gallery represents Canvas Hill’s public programme, with a dedicated entryway and guest parking at the hill’s lower platform level.

“The owner envisioned a homely residence for him, his wife and two children, not only as a dwelling but also a private workspace and a venue to display his art.

“Following this brief, we grouped the spaces into three main blocks – a public block consisting of a gallery and workshop on the lower ground floor, a semi-private block consisting of a pair of guest rooms on the southwest wing, and a private block consisting of the living and dining areas plus bedrooms on the southeast wing,” said Choo.

The artist’s workspace on the lower ground floor. Adjoining the work area is the art gallery that exhibits the artist’s works and his private collection.

He added that the two wings share a common wet kitchen and foyer.

“The reason for this configuration is the consideration that the owner travels frequently and occupants of the guest rooms can enjoy the shared wet kitchen and infinity pool without entering the private spaces.

“Hence, the private spaces remain exclusive to the owner,” said Choo.

The infinity pool and courtyard, with the buildings and the western slope’s lush foliage, frame a green horizon seen through the house’s entrance called yueliangmen, or moon gate, added Choo.

Passive design

The infinity pool and timber decks at the residence.

Through orientation, the main building welcomes the morning sun, the full-height glazing of its façades allowing light to enter deep into the interior.

Despite the abundance of sunlight, indoor temperatures remain comfortable, thanks to Janda Baik’s elevated location.

High louvres, similar to those in traditional kampung houses, keep the building well ventilated even when doors and windows are closed.

During hot days, the decks and flying roof provide the necessary shade and cooling by cutting out high-angle sun and heat gain on the façades.

“The eclectic palette employed at Canvas Hill embodies the Malaysian nueva vernácula, the new vernacular style of recent years characterised by clean lines, rawness of finish and use of local materials.

“Where off-form concrete and clay brickwork are de facto elements seen in the pavilions, the inclusion of steel construction facilitates the introduction of timber as a synergistic material; extensively used in the decking is cengal, the hardwood that lends warmth, durability and colour to the residence’s most distinctive features,” said Choo.

The view from the first floor deck, which goes around the entire floor.

Additionally, vertical strips of merbau integrated into steel columns add warmth to the private quarters, complementing the redness of bricks and greenery of the landscape.

Visitors to the space will witness precious antique pieces dotting the living spaces while various artworks decorate both inner and outer walls.

In other words, the “architecture has become its own canvas, a befitting three-dimensional medium of the owner’s creative exploration and expression”.

“The Canvas Hill Residence is a modern interpretation of vernacular elements in a tropical climate used for full-time dwelling.

“Just like a piece of canvas, the site serves as the base for the architectural creation,” said Choo in conclusion.