House Over A House

Our first completed project in Malaysia reimagines the ubiquitous terrace house by introducing a new roof structure that transforms the existing dwelling into a layered spatial experience. The intervention creates internal double-volume courtyards and light wells, carving vertical voids that bring natural light deep into the home while fostering ventilation and openness—addressing a common spatial challenge when expanding intermediate terrace houses.

This architectural gesture is both pragmatic and poetic: the roof acts as a protective canopy while orchestrating a sequence of luminous spaces that blur the boundary between inside and outside. The internal courtyards become breathing chambers for the home, offering moments of retreat, vertical space, and sky views within the dense urban fabric.

Rather than erasing the past, the design honors the memory of the site. The original structures especially the facade of the house is preserved, now recontextualized to overlook the new internal courtyard. Below, the home's history is uncovered and celebrated through the reinstallation of its original, fragmented Ipoh marble flooring.

Materiality throughout the project celebrates humble everyday elements and bespoke craft. Common bricks are laid with staggered openings to filter light and ventilation, while the main gate, grilles, and railings are composed through a subtle overlapping of standard metal profiles. In the bathrooms, terracotta tiles echo the warmth and clay materiality of the brickwork, complemented by specially designed, custom concrete light fixtures.

By layering a house "over" the house, the design celebrates continuity and renewal—preserving the familiar typology while elevating it into a contemporary spatial narrative. The project embodies our ethos of adaptive transformation, where modest interventions yield profound shifts in atmosphere, livability, and identity.