Built-in cabinetry, Sunway Montana

1950s House Refurbishment in Petaling Jaya

This project involves the careful refurbishment of a 1950s residence in Petaling Jaya, completed with submission approval under MBPJ and subsequently issued CCC. Rather than reinterpreting the house through a contemporary architectural language, the intervention takes a quieter position, working through preservation, continuity, and precise insertion.

The design strategy began with identifying elements that defined the original spatial identity of the house. Existing steel-framed windows were retained and refurbished using installation methods consistent with the original construction, allowing the tactile logic of the building to remain legible. A curved wall, one of the defining spatial moments of the house, was preserved and reinforced through the introduction of a new reinforced concrete flat roof that aligns seamlessly with the existing roof plane. This move reduces the visual presence of the extension, allowing the new structure to read as part of the house’s architectural evolution rather than as an addition.

At the roof level, the original clay tiles were replaced with BMI Monier Marseille roof tiles, maintaining the visual familiarity of the house’s pitched roof silhouette while improving durability and performance. The replacement was approached as a continuation rather than a stylistic update, ensuring that the renewed roof remained consistent with the architectural language of the original dwelling.

Internally, the intervention remains deliberately restrained. The original in-situ terrazzo flooring was replaced with white terrazzo tiles following the homeowner’s feng shui considerations, maintaining continuity with the material character of the house while adapting its chromatic presence to contemporary inhabitation. The choice reflects a negotiation between cultural practice and architectural preservation.

Bathrooms were treated with similar restraint. Wall tiles are installed up to approximately four feet in height across most areas, preserving a domestic scale typical of the original house, while shower zones are fully tiled for durability and moisture performance.

Custom cabinetry throughout the house was fabricated using Semangkok timber, selected for its naturally rich reddish tone. The material introduces warmth into the interior while maintaining a direct relationship with the tactile language of mid-century domestic construction in Malaysia.

Rather than positioning itself as a transformation, the project operates as a continuation, allowing the house to retain its temporal identity while quietly accommodating contemporary living. The refurbishment demonstrates how small architectural decisions, when carefully aligned with the logic of an existing structure, can extend the life of a house without erasing its memory.

The Round Window House

This project reimagines a typical USJ 4 terrace house into a warm, contemporary façade defined by brick, shadow, and nature. The key gesture is the brick tower with a circular arched window, introduced as a strong architectural feature that anchors the elevation and creates a distinct identity for the home. To enhance privacy—especially with the property facing an open football field—layered landscaping is strategically added. The planting softens the frontage while forming a natural screen that filters views into the home without compromising light. The entire exterior is coated in deep matte black, allowing the brickwork to stand out as the main sculptural element. This contrast highlights the textures, shadows, and proportions of the design, giving the house a bold yet refined presence.

Vintage vibes. 🧡

Carpentry & Woodworks. 🧡

Kami bina rumah impian anda. 💫🩶

Carpentry & Woodworks. 🧡

PRAYER ROOM 🤍

Carpentry & Woodworks. 🧡

Dapur bukan sekadar ruang memasak, tapi tempat lahirnya aroma cinta sekeluarga.👩‍🍳💕

Selamat malam, bintang kecilku.💫

Carpentry & Woodworks. 🧡

Forest Green. ☘️🍃

More than decoration, it’s a reflection of your lifestyle. ✨

Modern touch, warm feeling. 💫

Cantikkan? Awak suka concept apa? Cer komen sikit.

Minimalist bukan sekadar gaya, tapi cara hidup.

Hitam. Kayu. Simen. Steel.

Custom Master bedroom TV Cabinets 😊

Cukup tenang dan kemas kalau kat rumah ada tv area macamni kan 😊

Barn modern style , contact us for more info at @kraff.my 😊

Description TBC

Design Statement

This booth exemplifies the collaborative efforts between Firadaus Khazis Architect and Panel Plus. It highlights the strength, flexibility, and quality of Panel Plus products through an innovative interlocking system. The design leverages counteractive forces, interlocking two panels to create a cohesive unit, and repeating this process with additional panels to form a self-supporting structure. As a result, 95% of the booth is constructed using Panel Plus products. The design incorporates a diverse range of colors and textures, demonstrating the adaptability of Panel Plus materials in bringing creative concepts to life within interior spaces. The selection of wood textures underscores Panel Plus’s capability to deliver convincingly realistic wood finishes. The fabrication was executed using a CNC 3-axis milling machine by Space Lab Design and Build Sdn Bhd.

“The Nest” was the winning entry of the KLAF 2025 PAM Pavilion competition, built in Hall 8 for ARCHIDEX at KLCC (23–26 July 2025) and presented by the Malaysian Timber Council.

The pavilion is a waffle structure of CNC-machined plywood assembled with an interlocking rib system, showcasing the versatility of Nyatoh timber; its curvatures were developed with parametric tools (Rhino/Grasshopper).

Images courtesy of Afi Architect via Archify, ARCHIDEX and Architecture Malaysia.