Verticality in Residential Architecture

The Lotus House: Verticality in Residential Architecture

By : Abd. Mudeffar

If you’re a fan of architecture and happen to live in Malaysia or just visiting this wonderful exotic country, you might want to take a trip to Country Heights in Kajang. Located in this famous tourist spot also known as “Satay Town”, is a residence deserving of a page in any architectural magazine. 

The Lotus House, inspired by the plant of the same name, will surely awe you with its combination of nature and modern architecture. The two-storey house, the work of architecture firm 29 Design, is circled by a pond which gives its lotus-like characteristic. Surrounding the pond and the house is a perfectly kept lawn. So perfect that you’d assume someone painstakingly placed green carpet all over.

Another distinguishing feature of the Lotus House is its verticality. The use of vertical lines gives it the illusion of being higher or taller than it is. The architects added some continuity by extending the vertical lines from the house to a guest pavilion through a covered walkway.

Certainly, this home is an eye-catcher during the day but when dark sets in, that’s when it glows in radiance. Thanks to the vertical windows strategically placed on the front façade, on the sides of the house, and along the garden side, the house can take advantage of the natural light at daytime. The house literally glows at night as the windows give it a beacon-like effect.