Ng Sek San is a landscape architect famous for his untiring energy and passion that give areas lacking proper care the power of fresh starts. He’s the go-to guy when it comes to creating clean outdoor environments that produce positive effects on society and urban area. His masterpieces consist of a broad range of not-for-profit public space projects. Together they speak volumes for his role as an architect and productive member of the community, especially his native Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
He’s currently playing an important role in the restoration of Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, a midtown garden oasis occupying eight acres of land (about 20 Rai) with scenic views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. Formerly home to thriving community orchards and farms, much of it was left in less than desirable condition when he found it. And that’s precisely what gave rise to a concerted effort to restore it to a good state of repair, thereby creating a public green space for recreational use that’s accessible to everyone.
Kebun-Kebun Bangsar at present provides space and facilities for essential public services ranging from seminars, to workshops for discussing agriculture and ecosystem health, to venues for social gatherings and cultural activities. The story of Kebu-Kebun Bangsar isn’t one without obstacles. Like everything else, there were many challenges that had to be dealt with at various stages of development. In the end, it’s hard work, learning and the ability to create an understanding with the community that led to success. Outside, life goes on as usual. The park now serves as a desirable model of sustainable urban planning.
A little bit about Ng Sek San
A bachelor of civil engineering product of the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, Ng Sek San went on to complete his master’s degree in landscape architecture at Lincoln University, also in New Zealand. He founded his own architectural practice, named Seksan Design Landscape Architecture and Planning, in Kuala Lumpur in 1994. Needless to say, his works represent an amalgamation of 30 years of experience in landscape architecture and design for both residential and commercial projects large and small. Over the past three decades, he has done the work in both design and non-design capacities, a distinguished career in which being earth friendly is among the top priorities. Precisely, it’s about protecting ecosystem health and doing what is right in the best interests of the community as a whole.
(Re)Thinking inside the Box is a series of discussion events focusing on the issues abovementioned. It’s all a matter of perspective about what can be done to address the problem of limited living space in the city. It’s a forum for people to explore new possibilities and look at the problem from within, thereby turning a challenge into a solution. Hence, the title is (Re)Thinking inside the Box, as an alternative to outside-the-box thinking.
/ Story: Natthawat Klaysuban / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Courtesy of Formzero /
The publishers of room and Living ASEAN have the pleasure of introducing Lee Cherng Yih and Caleb Ong of Formzero, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, an architectural practice specialized in contemporary Tropical design. The two architects are renowned for their untiring advocate of sustainable residential design and creative ways to decorate with plants. Their eager embrace of green concepts has enabled the works of Formzero to stand out from the crowd. Worthy of attention are homes carefully thought out to blend beautifully with the surroundings and Tropical climates prevailing in peninsular Malaysia. In a few words, it’s about creating urban living spaces where people and greenery thrive in close physical association.
In addition to a distinguished career in design, the pair also teaches architecture at a university in Malaysia. Their working life in academia has given them the opportunity of combining formal knowledge with hands-on experience in the fields. One of their signature works is the “Planer Box House”, a narrow front home in Kuala Lumpur adorned with edible gardens growing luxuriantly from the ground up all the way to the rooftop deck. At the risk of stating the obvious, it’s designed to answer the need of a homeowner who has a preference for growing plants.
Together they give the home instant curb appeal that’s quite a departure from what people expect to see in a residential neighborhood. From architectural perspectives, it’s about finding a balance between sustainable living and overcrowding in the big city. According to the architects at Formzero, it’s a building design, style and classification that “go beyond the typology”.
Lee Cherng Yih and Caleb Ong were among expert guest speakers at the design talk titled (Re)Thinking inside the Box: Vol. 1 Living in Small Urban Spaces. Discussion topics include, among others, the challenges that test the abilities of architects, ways to deal with site constraints and ideas for improving in the quality of urban life. Fundamentally, it’s about raising public awareness of the issue and the importance of well-thought-out design in solving the problem of limited space in the city, especially in Southeast Asia.
Q: Basically, how would you describe Formzero?
Lee Cherng Yih: Formzero is a design studio under the leadership of myself, Lee Cherng Yih, and Caleb Ong. Besides the two of us, we also have a five-strong design team. Established in 2012, our office has been up and running for 12 years now. As an architectural practice, from day one we’ve focused our attention on creating designs that could effectively respond to the challenges of Tropical climates. We looked into how green spaces could be integrated in building design. In central respects, that’s pretty much the heart of our studio.
Q: From your perspective, how would you define Tropical architecture?
Lee Cherng Yih: In my opinion, Tropical architecture can be seen from two different points of view. First, it’s an architectural style that embraces climatic conditions prevailing in the locality. I’m not saying that everyone can live in a place without air conditioning. Rather, I’m talking about finding a balance between sustainability and energy consumption in homes. That said, we need a design that works, one capable of dealing with weather that changes seasonally.
Secondly, we cannot trust everything in the physical world, and the built environment on top of that. As humans, we are part of nature. We should make appropriate adaptations to fit in well with a new environment, rather than trying to change the environment to suit our needs. I think that these two points of view are of the utmost importance as we try to understand and reap the benefits of living in Tropical climates.
The Window House / Photographs: Ronson Lee – Twins Photography
Q: What’s your opinion on urban environments in Southeast Asia? How does the ecosystem of an urban area influence your work as designers?
Caleb Ong: Nowadays, urban areas across the region have become more densely populated, giving rise to the problem of lack of privacy. That said, we have to create spaces where people can live without being constantly observed or disturbed by others. Everybody wants to feel safe and protected from disruptions that come with living in a crowded place.
Lee Cherng Yih: In my opinion, it’s obvious that population growth only exacerbated the problem of overcrowding in urban areas. At the same time, there’s a need to protect the ecological sustainability of the planet. And that’s where well-thought-out design comes into play as we adapt to changes in our lives. It’s a challenge that tests the abilities of architects like us. We have to find a balance between urban living and saving the environment.
Planter Box House / Photographs: Ameen Deen
Q: Can you give a few examples that are the signature of your design studio, either completed or under construction?
Lee Chern Yih: The first project, called Windows House, is a home in Kuala Lumpur. It has double layer façades for two reasons. First, they are designed to keep direct sunlight out of the rooms during the hottest hours. Then, because the homeowners had expressed privacy concerns, we solved the problem for them by putting in architectural elements extending outward from the building facades. As a result, the inner walls perform a dual function providing sun protection while creating semi-outdoor room that’s snug and cozy. Meanwhile, the facades built of perforated materials make the home feel light and airy.
The Window House / Photographs: Ronson Lee – Twins PhotographyThe Window house / Photographs: Ronson Lee – Twins Photography
The second project, known as Vertical Park, is a high-rise building, which we entered into a competition. It’s located in a city where open public spaces are few and far between. So we experimented with the idea of incorporating greenery as the integral part of the building’s communal areas, business spaces, even children’s playgrounds. Together they form the building façade overlooking the street below. It’s an idea that begs the question. What is the façade, anyway? Is it a public space? Or is it a business venue? It’s both. We incorporated fun ideas in the design to invite people to visit for pleasure.
Vertical Park / Courtesy of FormzeroVertical Park / Courtesy of Formzero
The third project, called Planter Box House, is a home adorned with edible landscapes thriving on the front façade and rooftop deck. The principal face of the building holds planter boxes of concrete made for growing vegetables and fruit trees. It’s designed to blend in with other homes in the area, giving rise to conversations and promoting neighborly relationships. Needless to say, it caters to the homeowner who loves growing plants. Like a farm, it even has a place to store water for growing crops.
Planter Box House / Photographs: Ameen DeenPlanter Box House / Photographs: Ameen Deen
Q: To wrap it up, how would you define “sustainability” from your perspective? And how does sustainable design benefit your line of work?
Caleb Ong: I think that, viewed in its essential qualities, sustainable design is about finding ways to reduce energy use and creating a living space that’s easy to care for. In the big picture, sustainable design requires less energy to build and is flexible in terms of building performance. These are qualities that enable the building industry to thrive while causing the least impact on the environment.
(Re)Thinking inside the Box is a series of discussion events focusing on the issues abovementioned. It’s all a matter of perspective about what can be done to address the problem of limited living space in the city. It’s a forum for people to explore new possibilities and look at the problem from within, thereby turning a challenge into a solution. Hence, the title is (Re)Thinking inside the Box, as an alternative to outside-the-box thinking.
As part of the room X Living ASEAN Design Talk 2024, (RE)Thinking inside the Box Vol. 1 is on the theme of “Living in Small Urban Spaces”. Here, expert guest speakers will discuss ways to create small living spaces and enhance the quality of life, at the same time shedding light on site constraints, challenges, and possibilities for building decent homes in urban areas. In the fewest possible words, it’s about promoting good life and a good living environment.
Edible landscapes provide amazing benefits. But what if you don’t have space for them? Raised garden beds and planter boxes come in handy to deal with the challenges of living in a small space. This narrow lot home in Kuala Lumpur is a living proof of creative design and the advantage it brings to garden plants fit to be eaten. Done right, they thrive everywhere, building façades included.
Form panels made of bamboo strips leave their imprints on poured concrete surfaces and unadorned planter boxes on the building façade.
Boasting beautiful edible gardens and lush fruit trees, the modern home in KL affords 340 square meters of living and functional spaces. The overall effect is impressive notwithstanding its austere simplicity characterized by the rawness of concrete surfaces. But that’s precisely the quality that radiates curb appeal.
There’s more to it than meets the eye. The secrets to creating indoor thermal comfort and sustainable living environments lie in those planter boxes that adorn building façades at the front and back. Plus, the rooftop deck has even more room for raised garden beds filled with herbs, vegetables and fruit trees growing luxuriantly.
A drawing illustrates the positioning of living, functional and gardening spaces on all three levels of the house plan. / Courtesy of Ameen DeenA side-elevation view of the house plan in cross section shows front and rear façades bedecked with deep planter boxes starting from ground level all the way to vegetable gardening spaces on the rooftop. / Courtesy of Ameen Deen
Named the Planter Box House, it’s the brainchild of Formzero, a homegrown architectural practice renowned for advocating sustainability and design best suited to the geographical features and the Tropical climate prevailing in this part of the Malaysian peninsula.
That being said, it’s designed to be power efficient, thanks to passive building strategies that include deep planter boxes on the balconies where lush trees and edible plants grow. Together they work in tandem to keep the sun and heat out, thereby regulating indoor temperatures by allowing just the right amounts of daylight and fresh outdoor air into the home.
From a distance, the planter boxes crafted of poured concrete have a rawness feel to them that blends seamlessly with trees in the vertical garden landscape. The building exteriors are made to appear untidy and unrefined by design.
Take a closer look, and you discover more than 40 types of edible plants. For safety, big trees are securely anchored in deep planter boxes. Needless to say, they fill passers-by with curiosity as to whether it’s some kind of a fruit orchard tucked in the middle of an urban neighborhood.
A drone’s eye view shows planter boxes filled with fruit trees overlooking edible plants in the front yard garden directly beneath them.
For lack of a better word, it’s a home in a class of itself, one made attractive by a forest of lush foliage and the upper branching of trees that set it apart from everything out there. The poured concrete surfaces lack sophistication as a result of bamboo strips being used to make concrete form boards.
For the architects who designed it, the house represents a fusion between heritage unique to this part of Kuala Lumpur and a new design concept that attempts to redefine Tropical residential architecture from a modern perspective.
A concrete form board made of bamboo strips leaves its imprint showcasing ridges and grooves on the surface in its austere simplicity.
Take a look inside and, surprise! The solid, unsophisticated exteriors belie the fact that the house plan is quite open and airy creating a sense of space, thanks to windows and doorways glazed using clear glass with generous wall openings strategically placed for good ventilation all year round.
Downstairs sitting room enclosed by a clear glass wall affords a view of the front yard filled with thriving fruit trees.
The ground floor contains a kitchen and dining room lying furthest to the back of the house. A set of light and bright stairs crafted of steel separates them from a sitting parlor with comfortable furniture located upfront. The kitchen and dining room combo takes pride of place under a high ceiling that rises 6 meters from ground level.
It’s a spacious, well-lighted place, thanks to clear glass walls that stand tall from the floor to the ceiling. On the opposite side of the stairway, the sitting parlor affords a view of the front yard garden adorned with edible plants and trailing woody-stemmed vines handing down from concrete exteriors.
A steel staircase made light and airy by design separates the living room upfront from an open kitchen and dining room lying furthest to the back of the house.The homeowner enjoys his retirement busy making art in the dining room enchanted by high-ceiling design.A small piece of ground affords room for vegetable gardening right next to the kitchen and dining room.A large dining table takes the most prominent position under a high ceiling that rises 6 meters from ground level. The room serving multiple purposes feels light and bright enclosed by a glass wall with swing doors opening to a small backyard.
Climb a flight of stairs, and you come to the second floor that’s in fact a private mezzanine containing a bedroom and a sitting room en suite. From here, the stairway continues on to the third floor holding a quiet, secluded reading nook. Worthy of attention is that every part of the home is surrounded by vegetables and herb gardens growing luxuriantly at the in front and back of the building.
Concrete planter boxes and fruit trees provide a privacy screen for the semi-outdoor shower room enclosed by glass walls.
Proceed to the rooftop deck, and a beautiful panorama of the cityscape unfolds before us. Equally fascinating are lush and shadowy gardens developing vigorously covering the full extent of the deck space.
Low-profile barriers on the third-floor balcony afford a beautiful panorama of the cityscape.
Albeit small in size, it’s a living space that speaks volumes for the homeowner’s love of gardening. And it shows in the way raised garden beds and planter boxes are put in every possible place.
In the end, it boils down to ingenious design, the kind that’s fit for the warm and humid Tropical climate prevailing in this part of Malaysia. Plus, it’s a confluence of ideas resulting in crisp cool shade, good ventilation and indoor thermal comfort. Simply fantastic!
/ Story: Sarayut Sreetip-ard / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
Built on a slope, this three-story home renovation project sits beautifully ensconced by a vast expanse of lush vegetation. The front façade opens to the east to take in panoramic views of the rolling hills as the sun rises over the horizon. The back of the house facing the hillside holds a quiet, secluded area for living rooms and bedrooms.
Originally purchased as part of a development project back in 1980, it has gone through several improvements to maintain a good state of repair. After the children had grown up and moved out to start a family of their own, the home was last renovated from 2015 to 2018.
Among other things, the upper floors were tailored to meet the needs of aging Mom and Dad while rooms downstairs are reserved for accommodations for visiting children.
Drawings of floor plans for all three levels. / Courtesy of Zlg DesignA cross-section drawing shows the side elevation of the home renovation project built on the hillside. / Courtesy of Zlg Design
Back in the day when the kids were young, the interior of the house was divided into smaller rooms. Things have changed and hence all the room dividers were torn down to create a larger, more light and airy interior that’s compatible with the Tropical climate.
The result is a complete home renovation that brings elements of the outdoors into the home. They include rays of sunshine that stream in through openings in brick walls and skylights, plus fresh air and the smell of flowers in the room.
The first-floor bedroom overlooks the front yard that’s set apart from the entrance to the main living spaces on the second floor.The bedroom is tucked away at the farthest end while skylights illuminate a nearby utility area.The bedroom wall is fitted with plantation shutters designed for good ventilation. It opens to connect with the entrance hall and center court.
The first floor contains a studio apartment complete with bedroom, bathroom, laundry space and a front yard landscape. The second floor holds sitting room with a kitchen island and dining space that opens to the terrace overlooking the backyard.
All second-floor room dividers have since been removed to create an open-concept living space that connects with a green hillside landscape in the backyard.
To ensure safety, the backyard is made secure by retaining wall systems that protect against flooding and erosion as well as create usable land for plants to thrive, a setting that conjures up images of being in the great outdoors.
A semi-outdoor kitchen is hemmed in by retaining walls built into the mountainside.The room in the front of the house affords beautiful views of the mountain landscape. The façade is glazed in metal framing with window hinges recycled from the old house.Skylights in the rooftop illuminate the center court. They serve as engine that drives natural air circulation vertically and horizontally.
The third floor is accessible via a spiral staircase. It’s a quiet, secluded living space with sitting room, home office and bedroom set apart by divider curtains for easy updates. Open to the outdoors, it conveys a great deal about the inextricable connection between humans and nature.
A spiral staircase connects to third floor. It’s enclosed in perforated walls built of light mass brick that’s inexpensive, plus there’s no need for cement plastering. During the daytime, rays of sunshine streaming inside add interesting dimension to the room.The third-floor corridor runs the entire length of the weather-beaten cement wall. Framed art pieces line the interior wall reminiscent of a small gallery.
In terms of value it’s a good home renovation that stands the test of time thanks in part to quality materials that perform well despite the weather. Meantime, bare concrete surfaces and brick masonry walls blend perfectly into their surroundings.
The front façade has since been adapted to go well with metal window and door casings. For good looks, they are fitted with vintage hinges recycled from old homes.
There’s a part of the wall that’s made using light mass bricks without cement plastering. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to find locally. Where appropriate, openings are made in the brick walls to let fresh air and natural light stream into the home creating abstract reflections on the wall. It’s a way to keep the interior cool and comfortable without air conditioning.
Drapery hanging in loose folds divides the third floor into different rooms. At every level, the bathroom is set against the exterior wall to create ample living spaces inside.
The bathroom is enclosed in perforated brickwork for good ventilation. Nearby solid sliding doors and walls add privacy protection while the gap at the top lets air pass through.
The natural surroundings play a crucial role in making a home renovation full of life and energy. This place is no exception. It’s a happy home built on a good understanding of the environment and the humble nature of human and non-human elements in nature.
So it’s good to let nature take its course for a change. Let lichens grow. Leave those little mud stains on the wall alone. Let climbers thrive on the trellis and the wall. They are there for good reason.
The same applies to those unkempt ground covering weeds here and there. There is beauty in imperfections too, especially those semi-outdoor decks made of wood planks. They may be worn by exposure to the air.
Unpleasant, perhaps? But they serve the purpose as place to enjoy a good cup of tea, have a conversation, even prepare food and wash dishes, or just sit back and relax in the early morning quiet. That’s the secret to living a memorable life.
A relaxing nook on Floor 3 sits directly above the semi-outdoor kitchen on Floor 2. It opens to a vertical garden that fills up the retaining wall built into the hillside.
This house appears in the Special Bilingual Edition (English and Thai) of Baan Lae Suan and Living Asean, titled “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes”. It focuses on designs for cozy living in harmony with nature.
We have handpicked ten houses for this special edition that serve as the perfect example of design innovations in sync with the natural world. Front and center, it’s about the pursuit of ways to live more sustainably and create a better future for all. Looking for inspiration? Perhaps a glimpse into nature-inspired “Tropical Suburban and Country Homes” is a good place to start.
Delve into the new book today. It’s hitting Thailand shelves now. For more details, visit https://www.naiin.com/product/detail/592504
For bulk ordering, contact livingasean.bkk@gmail.com
/ Story: Samutcha Viraporn / English version: Bob Pitakwong /
/ Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul /
Working from home has become one of the various alternative methods of doing business in the aftermath of a Coronavirus pandemic that took the world by surprise in 2019. Adapting to change, the architecture firm Essential Design Integrated (EDI) interestingly transformed its office in Petaling Jaya into a multi-use space that blended with its downtown business communities. The updated package put a home office and living quarters on the upper floors, while the floor at ground level was rented out to a business selling soy milk pudding.
A Renovation Improves Light and Ventilation
Facing the New Normal, the property owner thought it was time to renovate to serve a new purpose. To begin with, there were two main problems in the original design that had to be resolved – light and ventilation.
The single-unit home plan was an elongated rectangle set along the east-west axis. It was 21 meters long with the usual narrow frontage to the street. As to be expected, the interior living spaces were dimly lit during daylight hours and ventilation was poor.
So, to create a bright and airy open-concept house plan, most of the room dividers had to be torn down. In no time, a restoration of the shop house that was part of a 40-year-old traditional building block was completed in a way that fitted beautifully into the bustling commercial neighborhood.
An Open Glass Façade Decorated with Plants
Chan Mun Inn and Wong Pei San, the two architects who designed it, said that initially the renovation project was completed a few months prior to the outbreak of Covid-19. At the time the interior was decorated with the lush greenery of a vertical garden on every floor.
Suddenly the Coronavirus disease came and social distancing became the norm. Everyone was keeping to himself. Soon the gorgeous gardens withered away and died due to lack of care.
The job of remodeling the home had to be done again differently. In so doing, the green spaces were revived to create positive energy and relaxation. This is evident in beautiful balcony garden ideas both in front and at the rear, plus the redesigned open glass façade that takes in natural daylight, fresh outdoor air and views of the city landscape.
Urban balcony gardens serve multiple purposes. Besides taking in the view, they double as privacy screens, filter out the sun’s harsh glare, admit natural daylight into the home and control ventilation, to name but a few.
To capitalize on vertical space, climbers and hanging plants are grown alongside an array of foliage plants that thrive in containers. Not long ago herbs, including mint and basil, were added to the mix.
The path along the front staircase is marked with container gardens at intervals. There are openings in the wall to let natural daylight shine through. To create a positive atmosphere, the entrance hall is illuminated by a moon-shaped chandelier, which can be seen from the outside.
Serving a Dual Purpose as a Home and an Office
Mimicking an open-concept home plan, the third floor comprises a sitting room, eating room and kitchen arranged in a way that improves traffic flows. Its space within a space design allows each area to easily change to respond to altered circumstances.
Take for example, the sitting room can transform into a workspace with coffee readily available. The meeting room can change into an eating room when not in use.
Like home, the office on the third floor is simple but cozy and comfortable.A living room-style kitchen island can easily change into a workspace if need be.
Across from the extra-long conference table there are storage shelves that double as stadium seating for fun team meeting ideas. There’s a floor-to-ceiling foldable partition that separates and protect the conference room from noises when a meeting is in progress.
The fully functional kitchen that lies at the farthest end can change into a venue for social gathering or a workspace if need be. The kitchen island is also good for work or spend time solo.
The third-floor meeting room becomes a dining room when not in use.
On the layout of the third floor, Chan Mun Inn said:
“The chief architect likes it here better than other places because it’s a flexible workspace. Come by and settle into a quiet corner, bring out a notebook and enjoy the peace and quiet.
“If there’s a meeting going on, simply escape to the nearby coffee shop. People can work at any place and from anywhere.”
The top floor is home to the perfect office space.
For the sake of convenience, there is another set of stairs at the rear that connects to lavatories on every floor. The second, third and fourth floors contain workspaces dedicated to teams of architects and interior designers, while the ground floor is rented out to a business selling soy milk pudding.
All things considered, it’s a renovation carefully planned to blend seamlessly into the surrounding downtown business landscape. The architecture firm that starts from the second floor is easily accessible via the front staircase.
Architect Wong Pei San wrapped it up nicely. He said that essentially the renovation package was about “bringing home to the office”.
It represented a complete rethink of the firm’s strategies to do what was right and appropriate under the present circumstances. The results were gratifying, which earned the architecture firm a Gold Medal award from the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers in 2021. Congratulations on a job well done!
In Malaysia and Singapore, the popular noodle soup is known as “Yong Tau Fu”. In Thailand, it goes by the name “Yen Ta Fo”. Different names for the same good food!
A mix of crispy fries is readied for a Malaysian-style Yong Tau Fu.
Originally a part of traditional Hakka cuisine, the scrumptious noodle soup is enjoyed by many people across peninsular Southeast Asia. Particularly in Malaysia, it has pride of place among top 100 dishes with a national heritage status.
Yong Tau Fu has been among many big hits on the menu for hundreds of years. Its various recipes were brought in by the Hakka people, one of major groups who migrated into the Region from southeastern China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Malaysian-style Yong Tau Fu with a side dish of crispy fried condiments. They can be added to soups or eaten with dipping sauces.
As its name implies, the recipe is made of tofu stuffed with ground pork and then deep-fried to give it a distinctive crispy flavor. It is the perfect match for a bowl of soup, good with dipping sauces, and makes a delicious accompaniment for noodle. Nowadays near-original versions of Yong Tau Fu can still be found everywhere in Malaysia.
Meantime, the Thais like their Yen Ta Fo slightly different from the original. They treat it as a noodle dish that comes either with or without deep-fried tofu. Instead, the Thai recipe features fish balls, pleasantly crisp calamari, pig’s blood cakes, and tender shoots and leaves of water spinach. Some Yen Ta Fo joints offer pork-stuffed tofu, while others may do without it entirely.
Known as Yen Ta Fo, the Thai noodle meal with its signature pink soup is served with pig’s blood cakes and tender shoots and leaves of water spinach.Hakka noodle, as the Thais call it, is a variation of the Yen Ta Fo recipe.
The Thai version is distinguished by the signature pink soup that gets its color from fermented red bean curd. The Thais also like their Yen Ta Fo with a variety of condiments, including taro fries, shrimp balls, jellyfish, and wood ear, aka black fungus. Some like their Yen Ta Fo the Thai way in spicy chili soups. A lot of people confuse Yen Ta Fo with a similar recipe without the pink soup. Although made with the same ingredients, the latter is known as “Kuaytaew Khae”, literally Hakka noodle.
Ingredient of Malaysian-style Yong Tau FuBe spoilt for choice! There’s nothing like a full-course Yong Tau Fu served Malaysian-style.
Traditionally, a Malaysian-style Yong Tau Fu begins with first-course meals consisting of a mix of crispy fries, such as tofu, purple eggplant, stuffed meals, and sweet pepper, aka bell pepper. It’s hard to beat a good dipping sauce to start with. Then it’s time to eat them with a soup and add noodle to complement a great meal. Yong Tau Fu is ranked among Malaysia’s top 100 dishes with a national heritage status, along with other big hits such as Nasi Lemak (a rice dish cooked in coconut milk with anchovies and hot sauces), Nasi Ayam (chicken rice), and Ketupat (rice dumpling in palm leaf pouch).
Queueing for a Yong Tau Fu in Singapore. If you’re patient, it will get to your turn.(Left) A Singapore-style Yong Tau Fu comes in a noodle soup. (Right) Crispy fried anchovies, locally known as “Ikan Bilis”, add flavor to a Yong Tau Fu meal.
In Singapore, where Yong Tau Fu is a culinary success story, rice vermicelli is served on a plate along with a bowl of spicy soup called Laksa. It is recommended to try this with Chee Cheong Fun, a rice noodle roll that comes in either dry or wet versions. There are plenty of Yong Tau Fu joints to be found. The price is reasonable, but keep in mind the line is rather long. If you are patient, it will get to your turn. Enjoy your meal!
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Living ASEAN has selected our favorite houses in the ASEAN for 2017. Of course, all of them present practical solutions for living in the hot and humid climate of Southeast Asia, including a bamboo house in Thailand, a concrete block house in Thailand and a modern tropical house in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Check them out!
THAILAND // A BAMBOO HOUSE EMBRACED BY NATURE
A bamboo house with contemporary appeal sits immersed in its natural surroundings. The home that’s also a medical clinic belongs to Nopharat Pitchanthuk MD, and his wife Kanyapak Silawatanawongse. Without question, his interest in the natural therapeutic concept is expressed in the warm, inviting atmosphere of the home office. The orthopedic doctor provides specialized care for the musculoskeletal system in the comfort of a peaceful country setting.
Intanon Chantip, INchan atelier architect and owner of this HUAMARK 09 building, designed it to test theories he’d arrived at through intense study and experience. He wanted the architecture to tell its own story through the charm of materials that change over time. Intanon and his wife Tharisra Chantip bought this a 30-year-old, 80 square wa (.8 acres) property in the Hua Mark district, demolishing the old house to erect a new four-storey mixed-use building with usable space of 490 square meters and combine office, residence, and art studio.
VIETNAM // MODERN TROPICAL HOUSE IN HO CHI MINH CITY
The architecture of this modern tropical house in Ho Chi Minh City is perfectly suited to the hot, humid climate, with an imaginative counterpoint of plants, greenery, and airy openings keeping it shady and pleasant inside and out.
This waterside tropical house brings back memories of Thai life as it was along Khlong Samsen in bygone times. From outside it looks straightforward and contemporary, but inside is a fascinating mix of antiques from the owners’ collections.
THAILAND // WOODEN THAI HOUSE IN THE LANNA TRADITION
This Lanna Thai house of wood is built based on ancient local traditions. It has a simple, relaxed, and open look. Natural breezes blow all day long through its exquisite form, full of the charm of conservation-friendly Lanna craftsmanship.
MALAYSIA // BOX-SHAPED HOUSE WITH THE TEXTURE OF MEMORY
This box-shaped house uses architecture, architectural elements, and coordinated interior design to tell stories of the present and the past. The house is located in the Petalang Jaya district of Selangor, Malaysia. This is a district of single homes, but with little space to put up a large house. Still, architect Dr. Tan Loke Mun rose to the challenge of house owner Kenneth Koh and tore down the former structure here to build a new 3-storey home in its place.
Ever wonder why this is a dream house for kind pet owners and their feline companions?.
“I live with my wife and our seven cats in this house,” said Chan Mun Inn of Design Collective Architects (DCA). “There used to be only four, but I adopted more cats. So I ended up with seven of them. They were the reason that we left our old apartment and built a new home in the suburb.”
This rectangular brick home in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City is designed for “hot and humid,” open to natural light and cool from air currents constantly streaming in and out through the bricks. Mr. Tung Do and Mrs. Lien Dinh, the owners here, are newlyweds who wanted a small house with a straightforward design for pleasant living. They had seen Tropical Space’s “Termitary House,” which won, among others, a 2016 Brick Award, and admired its form and design so much that – even with their limited budget – they engaged the Company to design and build their own home.
THAILAND // BOX-SHAPED HOUSE WITH A TROPICAL STYLE GARDEN
Box-shaped design highlights a perfect blend of form and function, plus an exotic Tropical style garden. The result: A lovable livable home with a panoramic view from the bedroom.
“This house was not built to be photogenic,” said Patchara Wongboonsin, architect at POAR, when asked about his outstanding design. The 350-square-meter, modern cube-shaped house took two years in the making.
The architect uses clever techniques to make this modern house look like it’s crafted entirely of wood. When her family wanted to build a new house in Thailand’s Northeast, Kanika Ratanapridakul was assigned the task of project architect. It was the first time she had to work directly with local builders and suppliers. Things didn’t go as smooth as planned, but the mission was accomplished – eventually. The key to success lay in being a bit more flexible to ensure things got done right and on schedule.
Bangkok was at the highest place on the chart of Top Ten Global Destination Cities attracting 19.41 million visitors in 2016, outranking London, Paris, Dubai, and Singapore. A Mastercard index released recently showed the Thai capital benefited the most from international travel, while further growth in visitor arrivals were in the forecast for 2017.
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Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Bangkok / Photo: Tanakitt Khum-on
Visitor Volume
The Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index predicted that Bangkok’s visitor arrivals would increase by 4.0 percent in the 2017 calendar year, while Singapore was forecast to move up one notch growing by 2.6 percent and outranking New York (at minus 2.4 percent). Meantime, Kuala Lumpur was likely to post a strong 7.2 percent gain in visitor arrivals for 2017, enabling it to keep its eighth place on the chart.
Kuala Lumpur / Photo: Sitthisak Namkham
From 2009 to 2016, two ASEAN cities also saw strong growth in visitor arrivals, namely: Jakarta up 18.2 percent, and Hanoi up 16.4 percent. Of all 132 destinations across the globe, Osaka was at the top with a whopping 24.0 percent growth in overnight visitor arrivals during the 8-year period.
Overall, international visitors to leading global destination cities increased in the 2016 calendar year. As for 2017, Tokyo’s visitor numbers were forecast to increase by as much as 12.2 percent, making it the strongest growth in visitors among the top ten.
National Gallery Singapore / Photo: Sitthisak Namkham
Cross-border Spending
The Mastercard index was more than just a ranking of top destination cities across the globe. Apart from international visitor volume, it also looked into tourist spending that contributed to furthering economic growth of countries. For the 2016 calendar year, Dubai was at the top with overnight visitors spending $28.50 billion, followed by New York ($17.02 billion), London ($16.09 billion), Singapore ($15.69 billion), and Bangkok ($14.08 billion), all in USD. Destination cities benefited greatly from tourism. Shopping accounted for 22.9 percent of tourist spending, local service 21.5 percent, and food and beverages 20.6 percent).
“Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!” Sixty years ago these chants ushered in a new era for thousands who descended into a large field to watch Malaysia’s new flag raised. Happy Independence Day Malaysia !!! These are the Malaysian houses we fell in love with…
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This beautiful brick house belongs to a family of 4 in Malaysia. The design work and use of materials such as bamboo and old brick taken from a pre-WWII colonial house make it special.
For 40 years this modest, two-story home has stood in a residential neighborhood near Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Selangor. Noise pollution has turned many people away, but architect David Chan has grown so acquainted with living in the area that he decided to stay. A frequent flyer, he thinks it wise to live a stone’s throw away from it all.
Living ASEAN takes you to a house that looks small, but was remodeled to answer the needs of all family members. From the front it has a straightforward, contemporary look. Inside it has great ventilation.
Here we are in Selangor State, Malaysia, where a sign in front proclaiming “Dday Haus” informs us we’ve arrived at Mr. David Chan’s residence. The unusual name comes from the first initials of his and his sons Daniel and Delan’s first names, even though the architect responsible for the house design, though, is actually more his wife, June Lim Sue May. You could say this is a continuation of David’s old house, which he uses as a home office and is tucked away right across a tiny village street.
This town house from the 90s retains its original façade but has been redone with better materials, giving it a contemporary flavor so that it stands out from its neighbors. Though the outward appearance hasn’t changed much, the interior is another story, featuring a full complement of conveniences, everything needed for comfortable modern living.
Perforated metal ceiling looks down from the balcony above – this is also a popular material for fences in Malaysia.Next to the parlor is the kids’ homework room, and their work adorns the brick wall.
Downstairs, the children’s homework room adjoins the parlor, with the . kitchen and dining nook behind. Second floor splits left into a family room and children’s bedrooms, and to the right is the master bedroom with a mezzanine. David tells that the other house is used for an office and receiving guests, while this one is just for family life.
“We started out thinking this would be an office, but after more research we leaned more towards what we needed in this stage of our lives.” As a result, there are now more rooms, and more opportunity for family togetherness and comfortable living.
David spent many of his earlier years living in apartments, and enjoyed it, and the house is designed to reflect that. For instance there’s a section reaching up the entire four storeys which he calls “the tower.” A staircase winds upstairs from the kitchen on the first floor to a laundry/drying room on the second, and at the very top, a private living room with a mini swimming pool for the kids.
The family room has perforated metal floor panels, allowing a view of the children in the homework room below.
Twist and turn up the stairs to a compact bedroom.
The house is designed to meet the challenge of balancing close family connections with the need for privacy. A unique solution here is in the see-through metal gratings found here and there in walls and floor, which build a feeling of lightness into the house and give it personality.
David places high value on interior ventilation as needed for comfort: wind direction and flow were important design considerations. The air flow comes straight in through the long front balcony out to the back, then up through a service opening placed above to allow the release of hot air as the cooler breeze blowing in below keeps the house cool all day.
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