In the Klang Valley, if you have the wherewithal and the right architect, it’s still possible to live in a home among lush greenery, with the convenience of the city at your doorstep.
Country Heights Damansara Bungalow
Country Heights Damansara is a neighbourhood offering the best of both worlds, and Melvyn Kanny, founder and principal of MJ Kanny Architect, was in the unique position to design not just one, but two homes in this desirable neighbourhood.
Events unfolded rather serendipitously; after Melvyn finished work on a bungalow in the area, the result was so impressive that the neighbour of his previous client approached him to work on their new house. He happily agreed to take on the project, being well versed with the site.
It also gave him the opportunity to design the new house to complement his existing client’s house, whilst respecting its privacy.
The lap pool extends along the living and dining rooms, framed by the surrounding view of forested hills and a canopy of trees.
Country Heights Damansara
During the brief with the designer, the homeowners requested a three-bedroom house for themselves, their two teenage children, and their elderly parents.
As Melvyn was familiar with the terrain, he looked to the site to inspire the ultimate design of the house. Perched on top of a hill in Country Heights Damansara, the site commands an amazing view of undulating hills, and glimpses of Mont Kiara and Desa Park City in the distance.
Near NKVE Highway
“This became the inspiration behind the overall concept – the capturing of views.
Almost like a camera capturing certain angles, a series of portals were created, focusing the views from a certain space and cutting off unwanted sights or noise, for example, from the nearby New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) highway.
The natural slope of the site also inspired the building form, which steps down from the road level. These steps were subtly emphasised in the cascading roof form,” says Melvyn.
Full Height Glass Doors
Because of its lofty location, the immediate views are of the canopy of trees, and Melvyn capitalised on this by designing full-height glass doors that can slide away, thus creating a feeling of being among nature.
Sustainable Interior Design
The owners did not specifically request a green house, but Melvyn’s design philosophy has always been to create houses that are sustainable.
Many passive environmentally-friendly elements were incorporated, including a “safari” styled roof, and water features that provide natural cooling.
Removing Curtains for Openness
“All measures were taken to blur the lines between the interior spaces to the pool and view beyond.
Even though the dining room faces the morning sun, I managed to convince my client to omit curtains in order to keep the sense of openness, and to emphasise the connection to the external environment,” Melvyn enthuses.
A Lovable Home
The end result is a liveable and lovable home, which surpasses the initial brief and is just as “green” as the picturesque tree canopy surrounding it.
This article first appeared on Sona Decor in 2017.