Desígnscape

HIGH RES

the e-magazine for design

Salt Rock House, South Africa, Metropole Architects

Issue 013 / 2021-02

Luxury Penthouse, Vietnam, T3 Architects

House in Mishref, Kuwait, Studio Toggle Architects
That House, Australia, Austin Maynard Architects
Hieidaira House, Japan, Tato Architects
Cielo Mar Residence, Costa Rica, Barnes Coy Architects / SARCO Architects
Residential Building – Swissma Winkelwelt® Swissma Doppelwelt® Standing Seam Roof
Standing Seam Roof & Cladding

www.facebook.com/swissma

Swissma Snapwelt®
Roofing

Sin Chew Business The BrandLaureate 2015 - 2016 The BrandLaureate 2016 - 2017 The BrandLaureate 2017 - 2018
Excellence Awards 2016 – President’s Award – Most Sustainable Brand Award – Most Valuable Brand
– Product and Service Excellence
COPYRIGHT © DESIGNSCAPE 2012 - 2021
All rights reserved. The written and visual contents of this magazine are
protected by relevant copyright laws. However, permission is granted for
free distribution in its original electronic form, provided it is done in whole,
unamended and complete with all published pages.

Requests to reproduce parts of the magazine (eg ‘excerpts’ / ’reprints’)

should be addressed to info@designscape.xyz, stating the details.
Publisher DESIGNscape
All featured projects are directly sourced from the Architects / Designers / Editor Jaz Sidhu jaz@designscape.xyz
Owners. The copyright to the images and other data thereof remains the Communications Parv Sidhu parv@designscape.xyz
property of the said submitter of the features.
Issue 013 February 2021
e-ISSN 2289-2656 Produced in Malaysia for worldwide distribution

FREE
www.DESIGNSCAPE.xyz DESIGNSCAPE.xyz info@DESIGNSCAPE.xyz
 editor's note
The New Year 2021 is here and the world is finally
recuperating from a devastating pandemic, the effects
of which have been far reaching. World economies are
battered and the building sector - as it relies heavily on
physical work and the need for moving vast amounts of
building products - is especially affected.
With the roll-out of the vaccines over the past
months, it's now heartening to see some economies
opening up although for the near forseeable future,
its going to be very much a 'new norm' as far as public
activities are concerned. Still, we hope for the best!
Notwitstanding the tumultuous world, the editorial
team at Designscape has been hard at work and we
bring you another carefully curated collection of
projects from the far corners of this beautiful world.
In this issue, we present two flamboyant houses, one
each in South Africa and Costa Rica, a built-for-two-
families house in Kuwait, a 'just enough' dwelling in
Australia and a super luxurious penthouse situated
in Vietnam. A compact Japanese house-cum-atelier
rounds up our love for minimalist designs
We are also pleased with our increasing readership
throughout the world. Total numbers are not trackable
as we allow you to generously share the PDF copy with
friends, but we do hear from readers from new places
all the time. Keep your emails / messages coming in.
Meanwhile, do take care, be safe and stay healthy.
Hopefully the Year of the Ox would finally 'bulldoze' in
the much anticipated light and hapiness for all of us.

Jaz Sidhu
GONG XI FA CHAI
Welcome to the Year of the Ox

Strategic Partner
ASSOCIATION of CONSULTING ARCHITECTS MALAYSIA

This e-magazine can be downloaded for free from our website and distributed freely

FREE
www.DESIGNSCAPE.xyz DESIGNSCAPE.xyz info@DESIGNSCAPE.xyz
contents
REGULARS
NEWS
SHOWCASE
06
09
ACAM
FEATURED PROJECTS
SALT ROCK HOUSE
South Africa
A bold house on a steep site in
a picturesque coastal setting
featuring progressive
cantilever forms arranged
over three cascading levels
with a cantilevered pool
11
LUXURY PENTHOUSE
Vietnam
A super luxurious penthouse
incorporating two existing
units converted into an elegant
design with commanding
views of the Saigon River
and beyond
26
HOUSE IN MISHREF
Kuwait
An introverted composition
of two separate living units
grouped around an internal
open courtyard built for two
brothers and their families
40
click any project picture above to jump directly to the feature story
2021 02
104 acam
THAT HOUSE
Australia
An Australian home that is
almost half the floor area of its
neighbouring properties
yet without compromising
comfort, function or quality
of its spaces
56
HIEIDAIRA HOUSE
Japan
Located in rural Japan, the
house caters for an artist who
required a studio, living spaces
as well as to accomodate his
parents. A simplistic form with
minimalist design
72
CIELO MAR RESIDENCE
Costa Rica
An upside-down three-storey
house built into the hillside
and facing the ocean. Modern
exteriors combined with a
dramatic bridge and pool
makes it unique
87
news
Flying Alarm Clock
Many sleepers – especially those that have difficulties waking up in the
mornings – say that after they turn off the alarm clock they go on sleeping.
Researchers found out that one thing that sometimes wakes you up at
night and then prevents you from sleeping is the mosquito or blowfly flying
around your room. You can’t and don’t want to fall asleep again until you’ve
caught it! These produces adrenalin and requires movements.
The alarm clock blowfly works like a 'blowfly' that, at the desired time,
escapes from a cage in your room. It then starts moving and producing
sound around you – to turn it off you have to catch it and put it back in the
cage!
www.yankodesign.com
Board Games on Virtual Screen Display Table
Designed by Arcade1Up, the same group of people who brought back
cabinet-style arcade games like Pac-Man, Frogger, Mortal Kombat, Street
Fighter, and other iconic classics to life, the Infinity Game Table is the
ultimate piece of gaming furniture. Designed to be just like the coffee-table
you’d play board games or assemble jigsaw-puzzles on, the Infinity Game
Table comes with a touchscreen display built into its surface that lets you
play a multitude of board games from Monopoly to Yahtzee, Scrabble,
Trivial Pursuit, Candyland, Hungry Hippos, Tic Tac Toe, etc. The dynamic
display even allows you to assemble jigsaw puzzles, and since everything is
virtual (as opposed to physical board games), you can potentially save your
progress and continue playing your game after a couple of days, starting
where you left off!
Each Infinity Game Table comes with Wi-Fi that allows you to access
its seemingly infinite library of games, puzzles, and even comic books. The
Wi-Fi connectivity lets you partner with other Infinity Game Table users,
playing across rooms or even in different parts of the world. The table lets
you pair up with up to 6 different players at the same time, playing games
and bonding while you’re socially distancing from your individual homes.
www.yankodesign.com
2021
Oppo Expanding Rollable Display
02
Smartphone innovation is now heading into the display innovation territory
– we saw that with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the never-before-seen LG Wing
which enchanted us all with its swivel display. Sure they all are eye-popping
technologies, whether it be the folding action or the swivel mechanism.
OPPO is one OEM that’s known for its practical smartphone innovations
– literally changing the design status quo, and now there’s out with a rollable
phone display that already seems to be the future. And yes, it solves the
bulkiness issue fair and square, giving you a big-screen tablet-like format
when needed – only to retract back to a normal-sized phone when you need a
compact screen.
www.yankodesign.com
Ultra Short Throw Laser TV
The audio visual arm of tech company Substanbo Inc has hit Indiegogo with
a 4K UST laser projector that's gunning for your living-room TV. The Polaris
is reportedly capable of throwing up to 200 inches and includes a Dolby
Audio sound system.
The 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution and 0.25:1 throw ratio combination
means that you get a 200-diagonal-inch throw from 31 inches away from
the wall, or 100-inches from 10-inches away. The projector outputs 2,500
peak ANSI lumens, so should be good for viewing without dimming ambient
lighting or closing the blinds, and the system also supports HDR10 for
deeper blacks and brighter whites. Users can expect to get up to 30,000
hours of use from the light source before it needs replacing.
www.newatlas.com
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 6
news
Cross-laminated Timber Pavilion
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma used cross-laminated timber to build a
temporary pocket park pavilion and exhibition space in Tokyo. Called CLT
Park Harumi, the complex is located in Harumi, a residential area built on an
island of reclaimed land in the Japanese capital.
The main CLT pavilion holds a small park consisting of parallelogram-
shaped fins of cross-laminated timber (CLT) forming a four-sided pavilion
that contains a small park with a lawn of artificial grass in the middle.
Panels of TEFKA, a plastic film made by Japanese chemical company
Denka, form the transparent roof and side elements of the pavilion. The
plastic protects the occupants of the park from the elements without
obstructing views of the wood, while gaps allow air to still flow through.
Two events spaces flank the park pavilion, one featuring a staircase
covered in a sweeping sculpture made from stacked planks of CLT.
www.dezeen.com
Cycling Through The Trees
Cycling Through The Trees is a raised path that takes cyclists up to a height
of 10 metres above the ground so that they can ride amongst the tree-tops.
Built for tourism organisation Visit Limburg in the Pijnven nature reserve
in Belgium, the structure is a double circle that is 100 metres in diameter.
The three-metre-wide path is almost 700 metres long and rises at a gentle
gradient to a height of 10 metres before descending back to the forest floor.
Landscape architect BuroLandschap and architect De Gregorio &
Partners designed the structure to enable people to engage with the forest
but were mindful that the attraction should have the least possible impact
on its surroundings.
www.dezeen.com
2021
Transparent Washrooms
02
The Japanese have some unusual washrooms, but we'd guess most prefer
to use them without an audience. So what's the deal with these see-
through Tokyo public toilets by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban?
Well, though they're transparent when not in use, they turn opaque when
occupied.
The bathrooms are located in Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park and the
Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park, both in Tokyo's Shibuya area. One is cyan, lime
green, and blue, while the second is yellow, pink, and purple. Their colorful
transparent design definitely stands out, but has a practical reason too.
www.newatlas.com
Water Hose Festival
Twice a year, the picturesque and quiet village of Kayabuki no Sato puts on
a popular water display. Though the event does attract tourists, its true
purpose is to test the 62 fire extinguishers scattered across the historic site.
Just before the houses (and the passersby) are doused with water, small huts
designed in the traditional style of the village open up their roofs to reveal
hidden mechanical sprinklers. As each hut transforms to a fire-fighting device,
intense streams of water shoot up into the sky and rotate from left to right.
This occurrence is fittingly called the 'Water Hose Festival'.
The spectacle has an important backstory: a historical archive facility
sustained a devastating fire two decades ago that prompted future protective
measures. Through the cultural loss, a fun new tradition was born. Similar
processes occur at other vulnerable sites, such as Shirakawa-go, to celebrate
the effort to preserve history and culture.
Each structure in Kayabuki no Sato is designed in the Gassho style – a
typology developed to help houses survive the heavy snowfall and harsh
climate typical to the mountainous region. The name 'gassho' refers to a hand
pose that is used when one brings both hands together to pray. The thatched
roofs are brought together in a similar way and allow snow to easily fall off
the sides. This distributes the load and keeps the roof from collapsing.
www.mymodernmet.com
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 7
news
3D Printing Pen
Since WobbleWorks first lifted doodles off the page to form three-
dimensional art, we've seen the company's 3D-printing pen make its way to
the classroom and to professional designers. Now the firm is back with what
it's calling the world's most advanced professional-grade model.
A Kickstarter success story, the 3Doodler pens are able to draw animals,
models of tourist attractions, imaginary monsters made real, or just write
out your name in the air. The pen is aimed at architects, artists, designer
and engineers, and can print in a range of materials, including bronze,
copper, wood and nylon as well as PLA, ABS and FLEXY plastics. This gives
professionals the opportunity to use it for prototyping, to build impressive
works of art or even repair broken items around the workspace.
www.newatlas.com
Packaging That Turns Into Actual Furniture
The story behind the TEMP Chair is quite short and sweet. Hoyoung ordered
a couple of plywood sheets from a carpentry store. The sheets came
wrapped in woven straps, which Hoyoung unpacked carefully, orienting the
plywood sheets in the shape of a chair before securing the straps back in
place. Voila, that’s really all it took for Hoyoung to make the TEMP Chair.
The chair’s unburnished design and shortcut aesthetic is exactly what
makes it such an appealing piece. It comes literally flat-packed, easy to
assemble and even disassemble. The chair’s packaging (the nylon straps)
ends up being the very element holding the furniture together, giving you a
unique seating device with zero wastage. The wooden planks come together
to form a rather rustic looking piece of furniture, while the bright orange
nylon straps give it a pop of color. A ratchet sits on the back, allowing you to
tighten or loosen the straps.
www.yankodesign.com
2021
Woodsum DIY 35mm Camera
02
In the past, people could (and often would), build their own tech with a few
parts lying around here and there. Take a look at the Woodsum DIY 35mm
camera ... made entirely from laser-cut pieces of wood that you assemble,
the camera comes complete with a pinhole lens, shutter, viewfinder, film-
holder and winder, camera grip and a tripod mount. It uses no lenses (thanks
to the pinhole construction) and works completely without batteries.
The Woodsum looks and functions exactly like an analog camera would.
The pinhole lens allows for some eerily beautiful color pictures that have
a true vintage feel and the overall process helps you understand the basic
tenets of photography, like aperture, exposure, shutter speed. A perfect
camera for shutterbugs, hipsters, analog-lovers and DIY lovers.
www.yankodesign.com
Foldable Lightweight Kayak
If you want a kayak (that isn't inflatable), you typically also need a car with a
suitable roof rack. German product designer Daniel Schult has come with an
alternative in the form of a folding kayak that can be carried like a backpack.
According to Schult, his CLR Kayak weighs less, folds down smaller, and
can be set up quicker than other competitors' products: ready to go in one
to two minutes, depending on how many times the user has performed the
process before.
The CLR's body is made up of pre-folded corrugated polypropylene.
Covering that material, however, is a pliable protective coating of ethylene
propylene diene rubber. An assortment of straps and aluminum fasteners
hold the boat in the desired shape, once it's been unpacked. In its ready-to-
paddle configuration, the CLR measures 340 cm long by 65 cm wide, and can
carry up to 118 kg. The user sits on an integrated foam seat with a backrest.
Once folded up, the kayak measures 70 by 50 by 6 cm, and can be carried
utilizing an included set of straps. The whole thing weighs a mere 6 kg.
www.newatlas.com
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 8
showcase
QUICK FACTS
Location: Kuwait City, Kuwait
Building Function: Observation / Water Towers
Structural Material: Reinforced Concrete
Height: 185m, 145m, 113m
Volume: 9,000 cu m
Architects: Malene Björn & Sune Lindström
Engineers: Mustapha Rifai & Lennart Gerte
Structural Engineer: Vatten – Byggnadsbyzan
Contractors: RAD of Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Developer: Ministerio de Agua y Electricidad de Kuwait
Construction Period: 1971 – 1976
Officially Opened: 26 February 1977
Cost: KWD 4.7 million (US$ 16.45 million)
Current Owner: Touristic Enterprises Company
The Tower of Kuwait's (the name is used in the
singular but references a group of three towers)
construction was part of a water distribution project
run by a Swedish company whose architect Sune
Lindström, erected five groups of their typical water
tower 'mushrooms'. The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber
Al-Ahmed, wanted a more attractive design for the
sixth group, so ten different designs were prepared
and the one presented by Danish architect Malene
Björn (wife of Sune Lindström) was selected.
The towers are located in the northern part
of Kuwait City, standing on a promontory into the
Persian Gulf. According to the architect, the towers
refer to the ideals of humanity and technology,
represented by 'the sphere of the world' and 'rocket'
technology. The towers have become an urban
monument symbolizing the progressive economic
renaissance in Kuwait as well as a tourist landmark.
The main tower with its two spheres, and the
second tower with a single sphere, are reservoirs.
The third tower, with its extreme form of a thin
needle, has been built primarily to complete the
sculptural unit.
Tower of Kuwait,
2021
Kuwait
Rising to a height of 185m above sea level, the
tallest tower consists of ground floor and two areas,
the main area and gazebo area. On the ground floor
there is access to a large reception room – Royal Hall
– with an Arabic restaurant above.
At 75m above sea level, the main tower has a
water tank with 4,500 cubic metres capacity and
houses restaurants with a capacity for 90 persons,
an indoor garden, cafés and two reception rooms.
From the public spaces you get clear views of
downtown Kuwait and the Arabian Gulf.
Situated 123m above sea level and fully enclosed
with glass, there is a panoramic observatory of
Kuwait City. This rotating sphere makes a 360°
rotation every 30 minutes. There's an observation
deck on the lower level with a coffee terrace.
The second tower, with a height of 147m, is not
publicly accessible but holds a spherical tank with a
capacity of 4,500 cubic metres of water.
With a height of 113m above sea level, the third
tower serves to complete the composition, holds
electrical equipment and illuminates the other two
towers and the surrounding grounds.
DESIGNSCAPE
02
For architectural and town planning reasons,
the Tower of Kuwait had to be built near the coast
where ground conditions are bad. Complicated
foundation and the height of the towers, made it
necessary to use high-tech methods in design and
construction to solve foundation problems.
The foundation piles were drilled and filled
in-situ with reinforced concrete. The towers were
built with reinforced and prestressed concrete with
strengths of 35 and 40 MPa.
The solid spheres of the towers are finished
with 41,000 pieces of round, concave enameled
metal plates in eight different shades of green, blue
and gray, combining a reassuring harmony between
blue water and sky, while evoking the traditional
tiled domes of historic mosques.
The Tower of Kuwait, along with the Kuwait
Water Towers, were awarded the Aga Khan Award
for Architecture in 1980. During the first Gulf War,
the towers were damaged and later repaired in 2012.
en.wikiarquitectura.com / www.unsplash.com
www.skyscrapercenter.com
2021•01 9
 Sika Waterproofing Solution
- Neutor Bridge,
ULM, Germany

Sika Kimia Sdn Bhd

Tel: (00) 603 - 7957 0111
Fax: (00)604 - 7956 7921
Website: http://mys.sika.com
CONTENTS FEATUR E PROJ ECT

Salt Rock
House KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA
Metropole Architects

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 11
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 12
The house is a bold contemporary architectural design set into
the picturesque coastal suburbia that is the Dolphin Coast. The
area celebrates year round warm coastal climate, local indigenous
flora and fauna and magnificent 180° panoramic sea views.
Salt Rock House represents an uninhibited architectural
expression free from the restrictive stylistic design guidelines
typically found in the numerous gated housing estates located
in the area. The house stands proud on its steep site and is a
progressive cantilever form arranged over three cascading levels.
The road (public) facade is intentionally low slung, minimalist
and austere and hard up against the western site boundary
resulting in an architecture that visually engages with the street.
The relatively solid and planar western façade also provides
effective privacy to the inhabitants whilst at the same time
acting as an efficient barrier to bad weather and prevailing
strong winds coming from the south-west.
The entrance to the house is a carefully considered, striking,
one and a half volume arrangement of components in full-height
glass, timber and painted plasterwork.
A series of external and internal timber screen elements help
to provide a sequential reveal of the interiors of the house. High
level perimeter strip windows visually lighten the experience of
the building mass overhead and enhance the experience of the
vertical volume of the entrance area and main circulation spine
of the house leading away to the principal bedroom areas at this,
the upper ground floor level.
Both the master suite and second bedroom at this level are
generous spaces for relaxation with en-suite dressing rooms and
bathrooms, located at opposite ends of the linear floor plan so as
to maintain privacy.
Fixed vertical timber screens bring in filtered daylight to the
clean, modernist bathroom interiors, directing views to the sea
without sacrificing privacy whilst at the same time adding a
degree of detail and natural colours and textures to the modern
side façades. Private balconies to the master suite and second
bedroom allow the inhabitants to venture outside to the edges of
the cantilever on a veritable ‘lookout point’ and engage with the
sun, sea and breeze.
The kitchen, dining, and formal living areas are located
together with a sunken bar area and guest suite. A lightwell with
landscaped green wall delivers ventilation and filtered ambient
light to the rear of the single aspect plan.
At the lower ground level, open plan design with a minimum
of dividing walls, minimal internal doors and level thresholds
between inside and outside facilitate a user experience of a
single large multi-use space that is able to open up and connect
and extend to the outdoors.
A generous external covered verandah area with large linear
cantilever pool, open patio and manicured lawn area encourages
the inhabitants to indulge in and celebrate an outdoor lifestyle
of entertainment, play and relaxation. The combination of solid
slabs and framed timber pergolas overhead provide a variety of
experience and graded exposure to the sun from full shade to
filtered to open.
Interior styling, furniture and finishes are an ‘African
contemporary’ fusion of colour and texture that complement the
architectural spaces and synergise with a contemporary beach
aesthetic.
Glass balustrades are utilized throughout, enhancing
transparency and minimizing the impact on the ocean views.
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 13
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 14
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 15
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 16
Site Plan

Basement Plan

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 17
 Upper Ground Floor Plan

Lower Ground Floor Plan

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 18
Elevation 1

Elevation 2

Elevation 3

Elevation 4

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 19
Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 20
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 21
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 22
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 23
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 24
 CONTENTS

Salt Rock House

Location
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Architect
Metropole Architects
Nigel Tarboton
David Louis
Simon Wayne

Structural Engineers
Young and Satharia Consulting Structural Engineers
Rob Young
Riaz Suleman

Interior Designers
Olàlà Interiors

Landscape Design & Implementation

Image Landscape Design

Main Contractor
Schoeman Projects

Photography
Grant Pitcher

Built-up Area
530 sq m

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 25
CONTENTS FEATUR E PROJ ECT

Luxury
Penthouse
SAIGON, VIETNAM
T3 Architects

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 26
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 27
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 28
 This high-end penthouse is located in
District 2 in Saigon, Vietnam. The project
consisted of linking together two existing
penthouses to make a unique property with
one of the best views onto Saigon River.
The first penthouse is dedicated to the
private life of the owner, with a minimalist but
cosy and elegant design. The living spaces
open towards a small pool of koi fish with
tropical plants all around. The border between
indoor and outdoor is not completely defined
leaving the the choice according to your 'moon
of the day'.
The larger penthouse is dedicated to
wellness and entertainment with an organic
spa, jacuzzi, sky pool, bar, and dining area to
welcome frie. The owner also required the
creation of a private museum space to display
specific art pieces and belongings like luxury
watches, Italian shoes, large scale sculptures,
etc.
The architects designed a masterpiece
staircase as a sculpture playing with an existing
concrete column.
The two penthouses are connected
through a wine cellar, passing from a dark
space to natural light.

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 29
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 30
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 31
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 32
 Upper Level Plan
1 MAIN BEDROOM
2 BATHROOM
3 BEDROOM
4 JACUZZI
5 WARDROBE
6 PROJECTOR AREA
7 GYM

Lower Level Plan

1 KITCHEN
2 TOILET
3 DINING ROOM
4 LIVING ROOM
5 ENTERTAINMENT AREA
6 TERRACE

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 33
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 34
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 35
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 36
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 37
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 38
CONTENTS

Luxury Penthouse
Location
Saigon, Vietnam

Architect
T3 Architects
Charles Gallavardin
Tereza Gallavardin
Ha Tieu Thi
Nguyen Thanh Huy

Gross Built Up Area

700 sq m

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 39
CONTENTS FEATUR E PROJ ECT

House
in Mishref
MISHREF, KUWAIT
Studio Toggle Architects

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 40
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 41
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 42
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 43
This house in Mishref is home to two brothers and their families
with their varying lifestyles and needs for privacy and open
spaces. Essentially an introverted composition of two separate
living units grouped around an internal courtyard, the house is an
interpretation of the traditional courtyard house.
Presenting a clean and serene façade to the street, the
resulting massing can be best described as a white monolithic
volume poised elegantly on top of a stone cladded podium.
Rhythmic arrangement of louvered windows across the façade
softens the volume by lending it a sense of lightness.
The site is located in Mishref, a suburb of Kuwait City
comprised mostly of 2-3 story detached houses. The demographic
is mostly Kuwaiti and the neighbourhood values privacy and
quietness. The harsh desert sun in one of the hottest cities
in the world sees ambient temperatures rise up to 50 degrees
Celsius regularly during the summer. Dust storms are also a
regular phenomenon that dictates the planning and construction
strategies in the area.
Climate controlled internal spaces are preferred more than
open outdoor or semi outdoor spaces. Maximising the internal
built spaces dictates that windows on the perimeter walls become
the only source of natural daylight.
The house is organised around an internal courtyard cutting
across all the floors. The U-shaped volume faces this courtyard in
an Omani stone clad skin. The courtyard and the void results in an
inward-looking typology that can benefit from maximum diffused
daylight without compromising on privacy. The house, thus,
opens up towards the interior featuring a private citrus tree lined
courtyard with a sculptural fountain reminiscent of the gardens
from the Moorish Alcazars.
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 44
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 45
 Ground Floor Plan
1 PARKING ACCESS RAMP
2 ENTRANCE
3 LIVING + DINING
4 GUEST WASHROOM
5 OPEN KITCHENETTE
6 KITCHEN
7 LAUNDRY
8 CLOTHES DRYING
9 MAID'S ROOM
10 MASTER BEDROOM
11 BEDROOM 1
12 BEDROOM 2
13 BEDROOM 3
14 OPEN-TO-SKY PATIO
15 STAIRS
16 ELEVATOR
17 COURTYARD BELOW

Basement Plan
1 PARKING ACCESS RAMP
2 PARKING
3 DIVANYA
4 COURTYARD
5 GUEST WASHROOM
6 PANTRY + SILVER ROOM
7 PRAYER ROOM
8 STORE
9 DRIVER'S ROOM
10 PANTRY
11 PATIO
12 LOBBY
13 ELEVATOR

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 46
 Second Floor Plan
1 LIVING + DINING
2 GUEST WASHROOM
3 OPEN KITCHENETTE
4 KITCHEN
5 LAUNDRY
6 CLOTHES DRYING
7 MAID'S ROOM
8 STORE
9 MASTER BEDROOM
10 BALCONY
11 BEDROOM 1
12 BEDROOM 2
13 LOBBY
14 STAIRS
15 ELEVATOR
16 COURTYARD BELOW

First Floor Plan

1 FAMILY LIVING
2 OPEN KITCHENETTE
3 STORE
4 OFFICE
5 LIVING
6 OPEN KITCHENETTE
7 BEDROOM 3
8 BEDROOM 4
9 BEDROOM 5
10 STAIRS
11 ELEVATOR
12 LOBBY
10 COURTYARD BELOW

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 47
 Roof Plan
1 EXTERIOR DECK
2 POOL
3 HVAC
4 POOL TECHNICAL AREA
5 WATER TAMKS
6 LOBBY
7 ELEVATOR
8 COURTYARD BELOW

Section
1 LIVING + DINING (House 2) 9 LIVING + DINING (House 1)
2 BEDROOM 2 (House 2) 10 BEDROOM 2 (House 1)
3 BEDROOM 1 (House 2) 11 BEDROOM 3 (House 1)
4 MASTER BEDROOM (House 2) 12 MASTER BEDROOM (House 1)
5 BALCONY (House 1) 13 DIVANIYA
6 FAMILY LIVING (House 1) 14 COURTYARD
7 FAMILY LIVING (House 2) 15 DRIVER'S ROOM
8 BEDROOM 4 (House 2) 16 PARKING

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 48
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 49
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 50
 The 4-story courtyard and void presented a
question of human scale as well as connectivity
between the living units facing each other. A
circulation loop comprised of a dramatic floating
staircase connecting with balconies on multiple levels
addressed these issues by punctuating the void. The
staircase and the balconies also double up as viewing
platforms and social spaces by offering advantageous
vantage points and ease of access.
The interiors of the house feature a simple palette
of ethereal white and natural woods. The straight and
minimal lines of the massing is offset with the sleek
curves of spiral staircases. The furniture is carefully
chosen and boldly contrasted against the serene
ambience. The calming sound of the water and the
diffused light filtered through the louvered windows
make this house an oasis of tranquility in this busy
Kuwaiti suburb.
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 51
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 52
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 53
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 54
CONTENTS

House in Mishref

Location
Mishref, Kuwait

Architect
Studio Toggle Architects

Photographer
João Morgado

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 55
CONTENTS FEATUR E PROJ ECT

That House
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Austin Maynard Architects

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 56
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 57
Australian homes are the among the largest in the
world. These large homes, and their associated sprawl,
are highly problematic – services and infrastructure are
stretched at great expense to the public, financially,
environmentally and culturally.
Here too, the lot is neighboured by huge houses, but
thankfully the Architects were asked to provide ‘just the
right amount of space’. By creating large openings and
generous connections to the garden, the design team
aimed to make a modest size home feel abundant and
broad.
The house is a conscious effort to create a home
that is almost half the floor area of its neighbours,
without compromising function or quality. There are
three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs while the
ground floor has a kitchen, lounge, dining and living
areas.
There is also a study space on the ground floor that
can be converted into an additional bedroom. Hidden
within the extensive spotted gum timber-lined cabinetry
there are services and a variety of storage spaces.
Part of the front facade is recessed. A tree
penetrates through the roof whilst a garden bridges the
kitchen and dining. The line between inside and out has
been significantly blurred to bring the garden deep into
the house.
The house can also open up to the outdoors, to the
garden and to the street. More importantly, it is able to
adapt to multiple privacy needs through use of up-blinds
that enables complete control.
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 58
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 59
 external store wine store
01 external store external
02 pantry store 03

courtyard dining 01 courtyard 02 kitchen lounge 01

01

foyer
entry

study lounge 02

laundry

bathroom 01
external
store
04

Ground Floor Plan

ground floor plan

0 1 5 10

Site Plan
site plan

0 1 5 10 DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 60
 w/c ensuite
11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.
18.

walkway

bedroom 01 bath 02 bedroom 02 master bedroom

First Floor Plan

first floor plan

0 1 5 10

D
07

South Elevation south elevation

G G

north elevation
North Elevation

0 1 5 10

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 61
 Front View
front elevation view
front elevation view

ensuite
bedroom 01 w/c

Side View
d 01 dining 01 kitchen lounge 01

front elevation view

front elevation view front elevation view

long section

10
ensuite
bedroom 01 w/c

bedroom 01 w/c

courtyard 01 dining 01 kitchen lounge 01

long section
Section
courtyard 01 dining 01 kitchen
0 1 5 10

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 62

long section
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 63
... a home
with ... just
the right
amount of
space ...

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 64
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 65
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 66
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 67
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 68
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 69
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 70
 That House
CONTENTS
Location Builder
Melbourne, Australia Sargant Constructions

Architect Pool Contractor

Austin Maynard Architects Out From The Blue
Andrew Maynard
Mark Austin Photography
Kathryne Houchin Tess Kelly

Engineer Site Area

R. Bliem & Associates 514 sq m

Quantity Surveyor Built Up Area

Cost Plan 255 sq m

Building Surveyor
Code Compliance

Landscape Architect
Garden Design
Ben Scott

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 71
CONTENTS FEATUR E PROJ ECT

Hieidaira
House
SHIGA, KYOTO, JAPAN
Tato Architects

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 72
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 73
Located in a rural part of Japan on the flank of Mount Hiei,
north of Kyoto, this house was designed for an artist who
required a studio, living space as well as to accommodate
his parents. The house has been designed as a collection
of three independent but related structures that reference
the local vernacular of predominantly small pitched roof
cottages.
It was thought that to try to accommodate all of the
required programmatical functions in one structure would
result in a too large building. Also there were concerns from
the planning authority that activities in the studio may result
in disturbance to neighbouring residents.
The response was to design three independent forms,
arranged in two separate buildings. At the front of the site,
directly facing the street, the corrugated sheet metal-clad
studio stands sentinel, protecting the black-clad residence
behind. Due to the restricted budget, simple forms,
materials and construction techniques were employed.
The house is arranged over two levels with the ground
floor accommodating a self contained apartment in a
connected pavilion to the north. The link between the
apartment and the main house is a circulation space and
shared bathroom. The ground floor of the main house
contains an open plan living, dining and kitchen space as
well as a study. Upstairs, two bedrooms have been carved
out beneath the pitched roof.
As ordinary vertical walls would have made the loft
spaces too cramped, the partition walls lean to divide the
space diagonally, creating a ‘hill-like floor’ complete with
skylights in both the ceiling and the floor to create interior
and exterior views into and out of the loft bedrooms. Thus
it appears that a smaller cottage is living inside the larger
one and as if the house is extending upwards further than
it actually does. The interior features a polished concrete
floor, white painted walls and ceiling to the lower floor
and exposed lauan plywood to the upper floor.
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 74
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 75
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 76
Ground Level Plan Upper Level Plan

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 77
Section A-A Section B-B

Sectional Perspective

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 78
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 79
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 80
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 81
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 82
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 83
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 84
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 85
CONTENTS House in Hieidaira

Location
Shiga, Kyoto, Japan

Architect
Tato Architects
Yo Shimada

General Contractor
Takahashi Koumuten

Photography
Satoshi Shigeta
Yousuke Takeda

Site Area
490 sq m

Building Plinth Area

116 sq m

Built Up Area
186 sq m

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 86
 CONTENTS FEATUR E PROJ ECT

Cielo Mar
ResidencePENINSULA PAPAGAYO, GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA
Barnes Coy Architects / SARCO Architects

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 87
The home is a three-storey upside-down design,
created on a bluff with a sharp slope at the end
facing the ocean. The home appears from the road
as a simple, single-storey structure with a sloping and
curving wall, and really hides the rest of the home dug
into the hillside. The main level of the home is done
in the middle level, where all social spaces, outdoor
areas, master bedroom and pool are located. In the
lower level, the home houses additional guest rooms,
a gym and a media room.
The shape of the home was inspired on a bow-
and-arrow idea, with a concentric shape housing
the main social areas, and some bedrooms on the
opposite end, which represent the bow. The arrow
is represented by an entrance canopy that continues
outward as a cantilevered steel bridge over the
swimming pool.
The bridge became the central element of the
outdoor space, under which was created a space
for outdoor dining, used by the family and guests
throughout the year except when it rains. The bridge
also provided the structure from which to attach
retractable shading, created by the use of boat sails
full with sailing hardware to retract the sails in and
out. When furled up, the sails are neatly tucked
away in their rollers attached to the underside of the
bridge.
The exteriors of the home are modern, natural
and muted at the same time, with accents of color
in the exposed steel structural elements. Extensive
deck areas are done in natural Ipé wood from Brazil,
with the swimming pool finished in volcanic stone.
Exterior volumes are comprised of either glass curtain
walls done in wood-framed window system, the
kitchen & bar box clad in Porcelain tiles to replicate
cor-ten steel, and the 'Bento Box' at the other end
clad in Ipé wood siding. All exterior railings are
custom-fabrication 316 stainless steel with stainless
braided wire for horizontals.
This home was a massive construction and
engineering undertaking done by SARCO Architects
in many aspects. The swimming pool, for example is
of varying depth with 3 metres depth at the deepest
end, and still this is elevated around 2.1 metres off
the ground. The structural anchoring of the pool
to prevent from failure during earthquakes included
3 massive 3 x 3 x 3 metres reinforced concrete
anchors dug into the rock hillside, with reinforced
concrete beams attaching the anchors to the pool’s
floor structure. The engineering ingenuity and
safety measures were all in good measure, as after
completion, the home went through a 7.6-Richter
Scale earthquake whose epicenter was around 95
kilometres away from the home, with no damages.
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 88
 The steel bridge was manufactured off-site in two
sections and trucked to the site to be hoisted in place
by two cranes and welded on site to the inverted-A
frame steel support. The bridge cantilevers a total
of 8.8 metres from this point, aided by 50 mm thick
solid stainless steel bar tensioners to both sides of
the support.
The entire home was fitted with first-generation
LED lighting, with its design led by NY-based Gary
Novasel at PATDO Light Studio. At the time this was
the first full LED-equipped home in Costa Rica.
The Cielo Mar residence is a collaboration project
between NY-based firm Barnes Coy Architects, who
created the original concept & design of the home,
and SARCO Architects Costa Rica who performed the
design development, final plans and construction
management of the project.

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 89
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 90
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 91
 Main Level Plan

Lower Level Plan

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 92
 Roof Plan

Upper Level Plan

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 93
North Elevation

South Elevation

East Elevation

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 94
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 95
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 96
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 97
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 98
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 99
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 100
DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 101
CONTENTS

Cielo Mar Residence

Location
Peninsula Papagayo,
Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Architects
Barnes Coy Architects
SARCO Architects

Photography
Paul Domzal

Total Gross Area

1,995 sq m

Air-Conditioned Area
1,050 sq m

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 102

like this e-mag?
get your own copy

DESIGNSCAPE is a new-concept media dedicated to the design

domain and covers disciplines such as architecture & interior design,
graphics & product design, photography & art … and anything creative
in-between. Offered as high-quality, digital downloadable PDF books,
it's the perfect choice for design lovers to enjoy on their mobile
devices.

No longer do good design publications have to occupy shelf space

and gather dust – now, design aficionados can take these on the
road, read and refer to anytime, anyplace. Free of charge!

Download your own FREE copy from www.designscape.xyz

The Association of Consulting Architects Malaysia (ACA:M) is a
registered national-level organisation of architectural practices. It
is primarily an 'employer organisation' representing the collective
interests of architectural firms. ACA:M has 2 main categories of
memberships:

CORPORATE (firms / companies)

For Architectural Consultancy Practices (ACPs) registered with the
Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM). International Members are Invited!
NON-CORPORATE (individuals)
For AFFILIATES eg all bona fide building industry professionals, such
as a salaried Architects; or salaried or practitioner Interior Designers,
Professional Engineers, Landscape Architects, Quantity Surveyors
and the like, who are duly registered with their respective licensing
bodies in Malaysia or abroad. To know more, contact
and
For GRADUATES eg all bona fide Graduate Architects duly registered
with the Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM) as Graduate Architects Email ... info@acam.org.my
and employed full-time in LAM registered Architectural Consultancy
Practices in Malaysia. Call / WhatsApp ... +6018.328.4339

ACA:M’s activities and benefits include: SOME RECENT SEMINAR TOPICS:

• Evening Talks — Wednesday / Thursday evenings
• ArchiQ — Annual conference • Goods & Services Tax
• Part 3 (Architectural Professional Licensing Exam) Revision Sessions • Construction Industry Payments Adjudication Act
• 'Teh Tarik' Sessions — Casual, usually 1st Saturday of the month • Succession Planning
• Exclusive Principals Only Chat Group — Strictly Biz only • Legal Obligations of Architects
• Practice / Advisory Notes • Copyright for Architects
• Branding for Architects
All ACA:M events are on business and practice related matters, ie • Conservation Strategies
knowledge that practitioners yearn for. Majority of the events are FREE • How to Survive in Tough Economic Times
for members. Many are conducted online. • Impact of the COVID-19 Act on Practice

DESIGNSCAPE 2021•01 104

• Want to reach new clients ?
• Need to promote your company /
services worldwide ?
• Looking for an effective, yet inexpensive
way to advertise ?

DESIGNSCAPE is the new media of choice, reaching out to thousands* of readers worldwide ... readers
who are key decision makers with a keen eye for design details.

* As of January 2021, DESIGNSCAPE e-magazine is subscribed by over 20,000 design lovers worlwide & accessed by many more via our Facebook, WhatsApp & Telegram channels

GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR ADVERTISING DOLLAR !!

contact

+603.4161.8300

info@designscape.xyz

Bookings for next issue close 31 March 2021

 GONG XI FA CHAI
Welcome to the Year of the Ox

Don't forget to register at

www.designscape.xyz
to receive alerts of new issues
or Like us on facebook.com/Designscape.xyz