Light Tunnel House | Terrace Transformation | Sustainable Architecture
“This part of the house reminds us that life is like a blank canvas. When you look at the wall, it’s up to you how you want to live it.” shares Debbie, the owner of this rustic and green industrial home.
My name is Alex Lee, and I’m from Design Seed. This time, we bring you to another stunning terrace transformation episode. This old terrace house that used to be an office has been transformed into a green and rustic, low-maintenance home.
The blank canvas of this home has been shaped by history, sustainability, and creativity. Embracing minimal waste and repurposing materials, the homeowners created this green home. The perfect example of this is their kitchen countertop, made of repurposed roof tiles, transformed into a statement of their conscious living philosophy.
The tall wooden doors open into a house embracing nature. On the ground floor, the foyer leads directly into an open-plan dining and kitchen space. Natural lighting streams in from a skylight running the length of the house.
The living room is, in fact, situated beside the foyer and dining, divided by glass doors. With the porch just outside, using similar red brick flooring creates the impression that the landscape is part of the interior spaces.
“We like the outdoors. We like nature. We don’t like to be cooped up even though we are at home. So we want to have an outside-in, bringing the outdoor-indoor kind of concept,” shared Debbie.
“When the client first approached us, they wanted to renovate this very old house. I think it’s around 30-40 years old. We were inspired by the client’s lifestyles. The client loves nature and does a lot of recycling,” explained the designer, Choong Wei Li of Futurground.
“The first impression when I first visited the house was that it was quite dark. I think that’s very typical for a terrace house. Also, we found that the floor-to-floor height was kind of low. We took out the floor slab and let the light penetrate into the house, especially at the core of the house. The internal airflow is actually much better because it circulates through the ceilings,” Wei Li shared.
“We want a house that will self-maintain in the long run. If you look at this house, there’s a very minimal amount of surfaces that are actually painted. Over time, houses need repainting, which is quite toxic and requires a lot of resources and manpower. Walls like these require zero painting,”said Debbie.
With exposed red bricks, beams, and pillars, a rustic industrial feel is created. This is a balanced interior design, with wood adding warmth and concrete adding function. Combining man-made and natural materials makes the space feel durable yet serene.
“With all the material debris, we upcycle it. For example, the old marble floor—we removed it, cracked it, and made it into a terrazzo floor. A handmade terrazzo floor,” explained Wei Li.
The handmade terrazzo and marble floor in the open dining area bring a unique vintage yet modern spin. The kitchen countertop, made of the house’s old roof tiles, creates a statement of the owners’ lifestyle and personal philosophy.
Debbie said, “We wanted to keep parts of the history of this house. If you remember the history, it will also help us be more grateful for the fact that we have a roof over our heads every day.”
This house responds well to Malaysia’s tropical climate by including a lot of plants indoors. They not only increase humidity levels but also enhance the visual atmosphere. The addition of the skylight creates spaces to enjoy both natural light and pockets of greenery simultaneously. Adding a small pond under the staircase creates a calming focal point with the soothing sounds of water.
“I also like the wood of the staircase. In old houses, the staircase came with very solid wood. We kept parts of the house as a tribute to how the house was and the original materials used,” explained Debbie.
The first floor is divided into two rooms, with the master bedroom occupying the deeper half of the house and the guest room at the front with its own private balcony.
“There’s only two of them, the couple, so they don’t need many rooms. Instead of breaking it into three rooms, we combined three rooms into one big master bedroom with a flexible wall that can open and close anytime they want. Instead of maximizing, we minimized and allowed for a much more spacious and double-volume ceiling to let light penetrate every single corner of the house,” said Wei Li.
Using a different interior style of Muji in the master bedroom creates a different atmosphere entirely. The clean lines and wooden textures create a simple yet warm space, perfect for rest and relaxation. Every morning, natural light floods the bedroom through the open sliding panels of a window nook, emphasizing the skylight’s importance in bringing light in.
“It’s one of my favorite places. I sit here because of the natural sunlight. You can read here, place a mini table, and work here. It’s multi-purpose,” said Debbie.
The exposed ceiling in the guest room adds character and rustic charm in a nod to the home’s industrial style.
“Sometimes necessity is the mother of invention. We actually left the balcony kind of empty. We were trying to figure out together how to close off the very open space. When we looked at different ways and ideas, they were going to cost us a lot of money. So we thought that the money could be put to better use,” shared Debbie.
“From my travels, I have seen different things. There was one particular house I stayed in, somewhere in Croatia, where they had creeper vines. I said, “Why not do creeper vines?” Other than adding aesthetic value, the creeper vines also grant another layer of privacy from the busy main road. When the spaces are opened up, you can even gaze across from the master bedroom to the green-filled balcony.”
The spatial choreography of the first floor revolves around natural light and pockets of greenery.
Debbie shared with us, “It really depends on what you want. If you have the tenacity and patience to do it, old houses are very well built. You get to create something that you can enjoy.”
Wei Li agreed with her, “I think this is a much more sustainable way when it comes to construction. Instead of building new houses, we should alter the old ones to fit modern lifestyles.”
In this home, history is reclaimed and proudly celebrated. By embracing sustainability and nature, the homeowners have created a unique sanctuary that reflects their values and lifestyle. Every thoughtful design detail reminds us that design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about living with intention.
For more green and sustainable houses, check out this urban garden house in Malaysia.
Thank you for taking the time to read this Article. Stay tuned for more updates!
