Sustainable Asian House

October 21, 2013
With exciting photographs that convey expanses of space and frame jaw-dropping elements such as courtyard swimming pools and stairwells that seem to levitate, McGillick’s book highlights powerful elements of International Modernism: transparency, texture, protection, and integration with the landscape. McGillick (Concrete, Steel, Glass) and photographer Kawana showcase a series of aspirational houses located in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Phillippines. A so-called “party house” in Singapore has its own karaoke lounge. The architect for a Malaysian home chose a steep lot that requires a dramatic, 56-step entry up a sweeping concrete spiral stairwell, illuminated from below and culminating in dramatic views of both the landscape and the interior. Built with recycled timber, Prachachuen House in Bangkok houses an extended family. Carphenie House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, utilizes cavity walls to reduce heat penetration and a free-standing wall that provides enough privacy to enable the windows to be left permanently open and also generates cross-ventilation. An appreciation of cultural heritage, use of eco-smart materials, and the strategic capture of natural ventilation are elements that make these elaborate homes sustainable.

December 1, 2013

At first, this looks like yet another glossy publication filled with color images from a skilled photographer. But the author (25 Tropical Houses in Singapore and Malaysia, with Patrick Bingham-Hall) has given careful thought to the nature of domestic sustainability and--perhaps initially as an excuse to include more selections--defined the term to embrace "more engagement with the natural world" and even extended it to family and cultural traditions. Despite this contrivance, the text, covering 27 houses in five countries with emerging economies, is convincing. Each entry has an informative essay on the urban context, as well as a precise description of the spatial and tactile elements--leading to the conclusion that the author has visited and knows each house intimately. Although there are no figure numbers linking the text to the gorgeous photographs by Kawana, the captions are detailed enough to overcome that omission. A second shortcoming is the absence of dates for any of the houses, although all appear recent. Clear floor plans for each selection and occasional cross-sections add considerable value for visual learners, whether students of architecture or interior design. This title commendably surpasses Robert Powell's The Tropical Asian House from almost a decade ago. VERDICT Recommended for architecture and interior design libraries serving students studying sustainable residential design.--Paul Glassman, Felician Coll. Lib., Lodi, NJ

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