Architect: Ar.Choo Gim Wah, Principal of Choo Gim Wah Architect

Project Team: Lead Designer – Liew Yit Meng, Technical Designer – Tung Chee Quan

Completion: 2019

Site Area: 0.498ha

Built-up: 1,031sqm (internal) + 818sqm (external)

Contractor: Yap Chu Woon Enterprise

C&S: Ng & Ng Consult Sdn Bhd

Photographer: Lawrence Choo

This is the front view of the house featuring the concrete driveway leading to the car port on one side and the back of the house on one side.

This view of the house showcases the large balcony on the second level along with the incline of the roof.

This view of the side of the house shows the large balcony of the second and third levels facing the landscape.

This nighttime view of the house shows the balconies that glow warmly from the interior lights that escape through.

This is the lawn in the middle of the two structures of the property planted with tall trees.

The tall trees along with the balconies and roof of the houses provide shade for the middle lawn.

This is the far end of the lawn with a brick archway from the main entrance along with a covered walkway on the side.

This is the covered patio on the side of the house just outside the glass doors fitted with rustic decors and a bench.

This is the second-level family room with a comfortable sectional sofa across from the TV on a long entertainment cabinet.

This is the spacious living room on the ground level with sofas, glass walls and a large brick wall on the far side.

This is a look at the staircase that also acts as a barrier for the living room and the dining area on the same hardwood flooring.

This is a view of the art gallery of the house with white walls adorned by various art pieces adorned by the modern lighting on the ceiling.

The art gallery of the house has an industrial-style look to it with gray tiles on the floor and bare concrete ceiling with modern lighting.

This is the art studio with lots of natural light, open space for painting and a large brick wall on the far side.

This bathroom has a large white porcelain bathtub that stands out against the gray tiles of the floor and wall.

This is a large covered balcony with an outdoor dining area and a breakfast nook at the far corner by the glass railings.

This large balcony with the outdoor dining sets has a sweeping view of the surrounding landscape topped with a wooden ceiling.

This is the top level balcony just outside of the bedrooms with metal mesh railings.

A few steps from the large balcony covered patio is the infinity pool with a wooden walkway on the side.

The infinity pool has a clear view of the balconies and the surrounding landscape.

This nighttime view of the house glass walls showcases its warm glow that comes from the interior lights.

This view of the house shows the abundance of glass walls on the two levels of the house that glows warmly.

This is an illustration of the site plan showcasing the whole property.

This is an illustration of the basement level floor plan of the house with the various sections of the house.

This is an illustration of the ground level floor plan of the house with the various sections of the house.

This is an illustration of the first level floor plan of the house with the various sections of the house.

This is an illustration of the roof level floor plan of the house with the various sections of the house.

This is the illustration of the exterior staircase along with the finished look.

This is the illustration of the interior staircase along with the finished look.

This is an illustration of the side of the house showcasing its elevation facing the cliff.

Canvas Hill Residence was completed in mid-2019, its name, a combination of a painter’s medium and the sloping Janda Baik site, reflects the spirit of the homeowner – a renowned local artist – that on many levels intuits its use and genius loci within a modern yet traditional-infused architectural proposition, creating a family home, private workspace, and art gallery. The site’s naturally flat crest atop a 7m-high knoll proffered a datum that architect Choo Gim Wah would leverage on.

“The design I envisioned was a courtyard by the slope, framed by two pavilions. It had to be direct, bold, strong. Yet, it also needed to be light. “So we thought of the traditional Chinese courtyard residence, or siheyuan, but with three sides where an infinity pool forms the enclosing fourth side.”The courtyard, seen through the house’s yueliangmen or moon gate entrance, is ostensibly defined by the residence’s pavilions that frame the picturesque horizon beyond.

Of the two, the main dwelling-cum-art-spaces is the larger edifice; layered with cantilevered decks and flying roof, the three-story pavilion manages to effortlessly project off the sloping terrain. The second more diminutive guest pavilion, though visibly grounded, retains a similar language with its clever play of planes. The scheme as a whole is overly linear but is skilfully manipulated to elicit the necessary lightness and dramatic effect desired for such a prominent site.

Within the main pavilion, the residence’s three modes – private, semi-private, and public – are negotiated via stacking. As a family home, the pavilion’s basement and first floors house the semi-private spaces; living and dining areas are gallery-like in their open-plan configuration, exposed to both courtyard and the 2.1m-wide cantilevered timber deck with a view of Genting Highlands.

The second-floor family room and bedrooms are likewise encircled by a deck, connected to the level below through a bespoke steel staircase. An outdoor patio beneath the first-floor deck serves as the artist’s workspace. Its 3m-high ceiling invites natural illumination ideal for producing artwork, simultaneously shielded from inclement weather by the generous overhang above. The art gallery directly adjoins the workspace and features both the artist’s works and his private collection.

Open to periodic viewing, the space represents Canvas Hill’s public program, accessible by a dedicated entryway and guest parking at a lower platform separate from the home entrance. Views to the surroundings and the capture of the morning sun were priorities, revealing the purpose of behind the timber decks and the full-height glass façades that allow penetration of light deep into the interior.

Indoor temperatures remain surprisingly respectable, courtesy of the building’s axial orientation, the elevated climes, and cooler air; high-level louvers like those of traditional kampung houses ventilate the pavilion even when doors and windows are closed. On hotter days, the decks and flying roof provide shade and cooling without necessitating air-conditioning, making the pavilion’s passive design an all-in-one solution.

A closer examination reveals an eclectic palette of materials, embodying the Malaysian Nueva vernácula, characterized by clean lines, local materials, and rawness of finish. Where off-form concrete and clay brick are the de facto materials of this style, the inclusion of steel as structural framing adds a mild twist enhanced by its visual synergy with timber. Chengal is used in the decking, the hardwood ending warmth, durability, and color to the residence’s most distinctive features.

Vertical strips of Merbau are integrated into the steel columns, extending further the ambiance of wood into the private areas. “It was definitely more adventurous (doing this design). What you see is what you get,” remarks Choo on the collage. “But coordinating all of it was very tough. You have different materials that require different details, different methods of construction. To make everything seamless was an ongoing battle.”

Despite its appearance, with building finishes, details, and services all too exposed, the owner-painter is incredibly passionate about his highland home. “The house is in the middle of the jungle, and for him, it’s a wonderful place to create art. He finds it enjoyable. Like his art, the journey is a process; he’s constantly working on it beyond the original design. I think he’s adding a breakfast corner!” admit Choo. The unvarnished aesthetic to an artist is itself a blank canvas that invites creativity and experimentation to flourish.

Poignantly, the architect concludes, “The client once told me to keep the building ‘unpretty’.“Because it is in this state of being raw, that the building is true to its nature. It is original, pure. And it is stable.”