By Willy Wilson | Jul 5, 2010
Fareed Hamzah behind closed doors
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| Dashing: Managing director of ISBRO Fareed Hamzah at home |
Managing director of ISBRO development corporation, Iskandar Fareed bin Hamzah, is a trained architect whose design aesthetic is best resembled in his private residence.
Located at Damansara Perdana, his duplex unit has been extensively renovated since he bought it in year 2006. The typical renovation in a condominium unit usually revolves around knocking down walls to allow spatial clarity. But this architecture graduate from the Edinburgh College of Art did what most people would not attempt in a confined space - he built more walls to hide some spaces.
Colloquially, such a concept is simply known as concealed rooms. Concealed rooms are usually hidden behind secret doors that are camouflaged so that they appear to be an architectural feature such as a wall or a built-in bookcase. And this is exactly what makes Fareed’s duplex unit special.
StarProperty.my chatted with the dashing architect about his sophisticated bachelor pad, creative interior and architecture scene in Malaysia.
Blessed with natural sunlight and armed with two balconies, this is a stunning duplex unit. Tell us more about the unit.
Access to natural light and outdoor space (balcony) are some of the important criteria for me when buying a high-rise property. Having more than one balcony is of course a blessing. I also like the fact that it has a staircase within the unit. I bought this 2,300sq ft unit about four years ago.
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| Mix and match: A range of high and low-end furniture can be found in the living room |
Why did you choose to reside in Damansara Perdana?
I bought this place because I was attracted to the fact that it is surrounded by the ‘green’ and close to amenities such as IKEA and IKANO.
Has there been any renovation work done to this unit?
There has been an extensive renovation done to this unit. I have enlarged the kitchen and re-designed the bathroom layout in my room. It is safe to say that I probably have the largest kitchen layout in the whole building.
One of the most interesting renovation works is that I decided to conceal some of the rooms with what appear to be a wall or a built-in bookcase, while a part of them is actually a door.
But is it advisable to have concealed rooms in an apartment unit, given the limited space?
Well, the concept of concealed room is certainly not new in architecture. It goes way back in architectural history. Traditionally, concealed rooms were built in a large house, accompanied by a secret passage, to compartmentalise spaces and was mainly for security reasons.
In modern architecture, however, building secret passages and concealed rooms is more of a personal choice. But the bottom line is, it is a clever device to hide certain parts of a house that you would rather keep private.
Which part of the house did you disguise with secret doors?
I apply this technique to disguise the main living room, bedroom and prayer room. While the bedroom is disguised with a built-in bookshelf, the living room and the prayer room are hidden behind what appears to be walls.
Is there any particular reason as to why you incorporated such an unusual technique to the engineering of your house?
Well, I always like things that are a little different and quirky. I like to surprise my guests. The idea of concealed rooms has suspense and fantasy to it, which is probably lacking in modern architecture.
Indeed, such architectural surprises often challenge and provoke the way we see a space.
What is the concept of the house? And how did you apply that concept in terms of design and décor?
I personally believe that your style preference changes, and so I don’t have a specific design style to my home. What I liked a few years ago may not seem all that attractive to me now. Therefore, it is always wise to keep your house versatile.
I don’t have any specific design concept to this house. Perhaps, you can say that my house has a tropical concept, if you will.
I have a mix of furniture items that I bought from local shops and IKEA. Some of these furniture items are my mother’s [laughs]. When it comes to decoration, I have an inclination towards ethnic style. I have Islamic calligraphy painting in the living room. A lot of the ethnic decorative items such as rugs, cushions and other knick-knacks were bought overseas.
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| Natural sunlight: The master bedroom is blessed with natural sunlight (left); the living room is hidden behind what appears to be a wall (right) |
What do you think about the architecture scene in Malaysia?
I think that the architecture scene in Malaysia is still in its infancy. Yes, there is a huge range of architectural styles in Kuala Lumpur, as a result of bringing foreign architects to work in collaboration with the local architects. But I truly believe that there is a lot more to explore in terms of style and sustainability.
Designing your own space must be very different from designing your clients’ space. Share with us some of the projects that you have completed recently.
My company, ISBRO (Iskandar Brothers), has been specialising in institutional architecture, overseeing projects such as school buildings and dormitories. The most recent project that we completed is Cempaka International Ladies College (CILC), a fully residential girls’ school in Bandar Enstek, Nilai. Sitting on a 35-acre land, the institution houses 283 female students. It took us three years to complete the project. Nowadays, we are venturing into interior design and housing as well.
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