Explore the wonderful world of Malaysian timbers through various applications, as shown here in various luxury resorts, residences and commercial spaces.
The " Longhouse " is one of the five spaces in Ferringgi Garden Restaurant in Batu Ferringgi. A long stretch of beautiful beach on the Malaysian Penang Island.
Named after its owner Richard Long as well as in direct reference to the native longhouse in the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, it is another property that is completely built from recycled materials, predominantly timbers sourced from old warehouses and schools. One hundred and fifty tons of recycled Merbau had been used to build the restaurant. Even the terracotta roof tiles are recycled.
As the name suggests, the Longhouse is a long, one-room space with exposed timber trusses, beams, battens, flooring, and panelled walls and doors. The most interesting features of this space are the timber panels and doors featuring various symmetrical designs. The parquet pattern on the upper part of the wall came from the floor of a demolished school while the vertical pattern in the middle was newly created to mediate between the top and the bottom panels. All these had been skillfully composed into an intricate yet harmonious design and stained to a consistent finish. A verandah runs the full length of one side of the Longhouse, which opens to a lush, well-cultivated garden.
As the name suggests, the Longhouse is a long, one-room space with exposed timber trusses, beams, battens, flooring, and panelled walls and doors. The most interesting features of this space are the timber panels and doors featuring various symmetrical designs. The parquet pattern on the upper part of the wall came from the floor of a demolished school while the vertical pattern in the middle was newly created to mediate between the top and the bottom panels. All these had been skillfully composed into an intricate yet harmonious design and stained to a consistent finish. A verandah runs the full length of one side of the Longhouse, which opens to a lush, well-cultivated garden.
Chef Shukri’s House, Langkawi, Malaysia
Set on a hill among rubber trees, overlooking paddy fields and the local villages in the island of Langkawi, Chef Shukri’s house resembles a Malay dignitary’s abode of a bygone era.
It is a solid three-section wooden structure assembled without nails and raised high above the ground on timber posts and beams based on traditional Malay house-building techniques. The Malay kampong house is in fact a brand new house built with fresh Chengal. The entire house was built in the traditional method without the use of a single nail. Timber members were connected and held together by dowels and wedges.
The designs, from planning to detailing, were conceptualized by Chef Shukri himself. The design is of the Malay house of the noble families typically built in the Malaysian state of Kedah. Raised high on stilts, the space underneath was meant as a work area or for the storage of food supplies and farm equipment in the old days. In fact, every part of a traditional Malay house was designed with a specific purpose. Malay houses commonly have a linear design with its living quarters right in front, followed by the sleeping quarters in the middle section and the kitchen in the back.
The layout of Chef Shukri’s house presents a central living space, flanked by one large bedroom in the left wing and another large bedroom as well as the kitchen and dining area in the right wing. The construction process, which began in 1989, took three years. It involved the installation of 72 chengal pillars and beams.
One specific pillar positioned slightly to the left of the house as one faces it is the Tiang Seri or central post of the house. Its significance is both structural and symbolic: it is the first piece of wood to be erected in the construction of the house, and its installation is often accompanied by prayers and rituals to ‘lock in’ good luck and prosperity for the house owner. According to Shukri, the Tiang Seri is always positioned to the left (of the house), representing the position of the heart in a human body.
One specific pillar positioned slightly to the left of the house as one faces it is the Tiang Seri or central post of the house. Its significance is both structural and symbolic: it is the first piece of wood to be erected in the construction of the house, and its installation is often accompanied by prayers and rituals to ‘lock in’ good luck and prosperity for the house owner. According to Shukri, the Tiang Seri is always positioned to the left (of the house), representing the position of the heart in a human body.
Choosing the right spot for the Tiang Seri is the all-important part of the pre-construction stage as it would be the main factor in determining the position of the rest of the house. The basic elements of nature are first taken into consideration. Shukri stressed that one has to know where the sun rises and sets to determine the position of the main entrance and the bedrooms. “It suits me well to have the morning sun coming through the front part of the house when the first meal of the day is served, and have the bedrooms face the back of the house to catch the sunset.” In Malaysia, West-facing bedrooms are also associated with the direction of Mecca for daily prayers, usually a private ritual in one’s sleeping quarters.
As one approaches Chef Shukri’s house, a covered grand staircase with ornate carvings on the balustrades leads to the anjung, the front verandah, which leads to the main section of the house, known as Rumah Ibu (Mother house). Typically, the main stairs would have been the entrance for the men, and ladies would use another set of stairs leading straight to the Rumah Dapur (Kitchen house). The verandah, with or without seats, would have been the space for receiving guests who were not that close to the family. The Serambi, on the other hand, which is also a verandah but situated at the opposite end of Rumah Ibu, is meant for family gatherings and discussions, usually accompanied by a spot of afternoon tea, before the family members retire for the day.
As one approaches Chef Shukri’s house, a covered grand staircase with ornate carvings on the balustrades leads to the anjung, the front verandah, which leads to the main section of the house, known as Rumah Ibu (Mother house). Typically, the main stairs would have been the entrance for the men, and ladies would use another set of stairs leading straight to the Rumah Dapur (Kitchen house). The verandah, with or without seats, would have been the space for receiving guests who were not that close to the family. The Serambi, on the other hand, which is also a verandah but situated at the opposite end of Rumah Ibu, is meant for family gatherings and discussions, usually accompanied by a spot of afternoon tea, before the family members retire for the day.
With a built-up area of 2,900 sq. feet (269.4 sq. m), the house comes with an A-frame roof with wooden gables resembling butterfly wings. This main roof sits atop the Rumah Ibu. Different living spaces are demarcated by wooden panels of Nyatoh.
Chef Shukri’s bedroom is in the right wing of the house, closer to the kitchen (naturally!). The Rumah Ibu in the middle connects all the other living spaces, and is also where the spacious formal-dining-cum-living area is. Nyatoh is used for all the doors, windows, wooden panels and plywood partitions with decorative beadings, while Merbau is used for the flooring. Timber lattices made of Chengal adorn both sides of the house for decorative and sun-shading purposes.
The centre of the house has a two-tiered roof with the end gables featuring the Suluh Bayu design found on boats. Other carvings such as the window panels depict jasmine flowers, a local Malaysian fruit called the mangosteen, and palm trees. The fascia or papan cantik is in the shape of a house gecko. Most of these carvings are based on traditional Malay designs incorporating some Chinese elements. For example, the window panels carry pineapple motifs which look like temple vases.
The house is very airy and cool: a perfect cocoon against the harsh tropical heat. Despite its traditional design, the spacious kitchen and en-suite bathrooms are fitted with modern conveniences, making the house a perfect showcase for the seamless fusion of the old and the new.
The Four Seasons Langkawi, designed by Thai architect Lek Bunnag, is one of the most exquisite havens on this Malaysian resort island.
This Arabic-Indian-Moorish-inspired beachfront resort in a Malaysian kampong setting comprises 91 guestrooms and 20 spectacular beachfront palatial suites featuring double-height ceilings and private plunge pools.
The structure featured here is the Rhu Bar, a freestanding West-facing pavilion with a cruciform plan located on the resort’s own strip of private beach. An oversized swing fixed in one external wing of the Rhu Bar adds a nice touch for a romantic sundowner. A timber latticed screen suspended from a horizontal beam is an elegant shade against the glare of the tropical sun and when viewed from the inside out, frames the seascape nicely with its simple but classy arc.
The shingled roof on exposed timber trusses and battens is supported by round timber columns on masonry stumps. Inside, the central space is characterized by a system of trusses forming an inverted pyramid which adds drama to the central space. From this dramatic core, other spaces emerge and are partitioned by a series of delicate timber screens with intricate carvings, providing a semi-private space for several alcoves set for two.
At the Rhu Bar, the internal timber screens hint of an Arabic influence, particularly with its mihrab-shaped doorways. Mood illumination is provided by inverted cones of pendant lights which, although a strong design feature in itself, do not overwhelm the bar’s overall design.
At the Rhu Bar, the internal timber screens hint of an Arabic influence, particularly with its mihrab-shaped doorways. Mood illumination is provided by inverted cones of pendant lights which, although a strong design feature in itself, do not overwhelm the bar’s overall design.
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