BY SHERRY KOH
sherrykoh@thestar.com.my
PHOTOS BY FIRST PHOTOGRAPHY

A unique three-storey bungalow sits at 6 Jalan Girdle, and its design was masterfully constructed to work with nature.

The shape and form of the building adjust and conform to the natural contours of the land, which descends between 8m and 10m from the road’s level.

EXCLUSIVE addresses are prized assets and the Boustead Group has one that is located in an affluent part of Kuala Lumpur. The property is simply known as 6 Jalan Girdle, but there’s certainly nothing simple or typical about how the uneven landscape is now host to a structure that unites creativity with practicality.

Choo Gim Wah (CGW) Architect was tasked to redevelop this piece of land to feature a bungalow that reflects the needs of a contemporary household. The land descends between 8m (26.24ft) and 10m (32.80ft) from the road’s level. Immediately, this posed as a challenge, and as in the line that is often uttered by Barney Stinson (from the TV series How I Met Your Mother), it was a “challenge accepted” by the architect.

The elegance of the dining area and dry kitchen is created through a clean-cut linear 'Manhattan' style counter top and a generous ceiling height of approximately 5m (16ft).

The design process began with the idea of having a building that engages with its existing terrain, slope and level. CGW saw this as the perfect platform to showcase their expertise in spatial programming.

Choo Gim Wah explains, “6 Jalan Girdle is a structure that emerges from the land. Its intention is not to compete with the land, but to complement it. With that in mind, the main challenge during the design stages naturally became the shape and slope of the site. The goal was to harmoniously integrate this three-storey building into the terrain, complementing its beautiful and natural surroundings.”

Thus, the bungalow was built to sit snugly within the “basin” of the terrain. The ground floor is the “public” space, with living and dining areas for all to congregate, while “private” spaces such as the family room and most bedrooms are located on the level beneath it.

The lowest floor features the infinity pool, pool deck, terrace and two very private guest rooms. The large covered terrace opens up to the pool deck and infinity pool, with no barriers separating these areas. CGW Architect’s decorative scheme embraces tropical greens, while composing an arrangement that blurs the boundary between interior and exterior. It is truly a harmonious setting that is both inspiring and restful.

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