Designed as a humble seaside retreat in a rural village in the forest, Gajah Air (in Bahasa for water elephant) is an alteration of a dilapidated hut with a magnificent view of a nearby island looking like a submerged elephant in the sea. It is conceptualized as a paradise away from the urban metropolis on Hong Kong island for an Indonesian banker, where time stands still.
In an attempt to exploit the panoramic scenery, the facade is dramatically altered to bring the sea into the master suite. At the same time, some views were closed to gain privacy, and functions in the house swapped to manipulate the sequence and experience of the interior spatial narrative. The use of local materials and traditional graphic motifs make for a modern contextual reference to times gone by in the rural village. These patterns flow from interior laser cut screens to handmade concrete stepping stones and laser cut environmental signage in the outdoors.
- ScopeConcept | Schematic | Design Development | Construction Documentation | Implementation
- TeamJerome Lee | Mike Yiu | Queeny Wong
- PhotographerBéton Brut
