18/04/2025
Project: The Interlocking Boxes House
Location: Bukit Rimau, Selangor, Malaysia (2024)
Architect: Place Making Design Workshop
Lead Architect: JY Chook
Built-up Area: 6,800 sq ft
The house is organized as three interlocking L-shaped volumes, creating a central courtyard that serves as the spatial and visual core. This configuration allows for hierarchical zoning—public areas on the ground floor, private family spaces above—while maintaining visual connectivity between levels. The courtyard acts as a lightwell and natural ventilation conduit, reinforcing passive cooling strategies.
Spatial Organization
On the ground Floor, a multi-functional forecourt extends from the car porch, accommodating events and daily activities, with direct access to the prayer room.
The living and dining areas face inward toward the courtyard, emphasizing indoor-outdoor continuity. A double-height living space opens to a terrace, linking to a games room for extended leisure use.
A tea room, kitchen, guest bedroom, and service areas complete the program, ensuring functional clarity.
At the first Floor:
The master bedroom features custom perforated aluminium screens for privacy and ventilation.
Three additional bedrooms and a family lounge overlook the living area below, maintaining spatial dialogue.
Dedicated to recreation and retreat: a gym, AV room, library, and open terrace engage with the courtyard below, reinforcing vertical connectivity.
Natural ventilation is prioritized through cross-flow openings, courtyard-assisted stack effect, and screened façades.
Aluminium sun screens (notably in the master bath) provide shade and privacy without compromising airflow.
Large glazed openings and strategic voids ensure daylight pe*******on to all interior spaces.
The house is structured around two key principles:
Family-centric circulation – The courtyard anchors daily movement, fostering interaction while allowing separation when needed.
Climactic adaptability – Overhangs, screens, and spatial buffers mitigate heat gain, reducing reliance on mechanical cooling.
Passive design integration (courtyard as microclimate modulator).
The result is a layered yet cohesive residence where interlocking volumes define function, light, and airflow without sacrificing spatial fluidity.
