Architecture uses the materials of wood to intensify the experience of space: the new Makio House

Architect Fabian Tan's design for Makio House, located on a corner lot in a private neighbourhood in the Malaysian capital, is intended to integrate an important element of matter into the original structure in order to enrich the experience of the surrounding space: by unifying the original architectural elements of the house through the use of solid wood panels, the architect creates a new, distinctive element which becomes the fulcrum of the house, the staircase connecting the mezzanine and the first floor

The continuity of the material is also brought into the mezzanine with the addition of a gallery extending the existing floor and wrapping around the periphery of the double volume of living spaces. This space serves as a walkway equipped with shelves and storage cabinets, and illuminated by tall windows. At the end of the gallery, there is a living/study area that both floats and casts its gaze over the treetops. The garden has been transformed into a sculpted rock garden which provides a peaceful retreat

The master bedroom has been extended at the expense of another existing bedroom in order to create an open-plan environment. The interior walls here were intentionally built lower than the ceiling height to allow the light to spread throughout the room. This light atmosphere amplifies the perception of an expanding space. The child's bedroom is re-imagined as a multi-level hide-and-seek game: a 3-storey bunk bed with a pull-out bed and a hiding place where you can peek out through an existing skylight

A steel staircase was added in the interior patio in order to connect the house to the roof level where a new out-door living room with a view of the city skyline opens up.
Overall, architect Fabian Tan's design for Makio House is an interweaving of echoes of maple and white marble, with existing elements and with nature in order to offer a balanced and serene environment