Tropical Box House is a private residence located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was designed by WHBC Architects and covers an area of 7,500 square feet. The project was envisioned as an inward looking abode that safeguards its interior from the tropical sun and rain while at the same time, embraces the dense, natural floral enclave that the house sits within. The egg-crate structure is built of in-situ concrete as a sun-filtering device at the depth of 900mm.
The structure naturally allows daylight to filter through but resists radiation. Concrete fins of 150m thickness reinforce the structure by framing openings of various sizes at a controlled rhythm. This further facilitates the regulation of light intensity inside. The main spaces- living, dining and the pool are positioned at the entry level; the bedrooms are placed on the upper floor; finally, a garage and service area sits on the lower ground. This ensured that dampness and pest is kept away, keeping the house airy and dry. Looking beyond the pool and the garden, one is greeted with a clear and extended panoramic view of the forest. On upper floors, windows are specially designed to capture views of big beautiful trees. A seemingly heavy concrete box, it touches the ground lightly, places itself among the trees and encourages the enduring landscape to grow within it.
