This is a house for a dozen cats, several dogs and 3 humans. It was formerly a corner terrace unit in an old residential neigbourhood of Kuala Lumpur, which we extended by adding an additional floor and side of the compound. The use of steel in the extension was primarily to reduce the structural weight of the overall construction and to create a feeling of lightness and airy-ness in the completed house.

Local authorities required us to emulate the existing pitched roof-scape of the nighbourhood, which explains the roof-form of the new house. We have used this requirement to great advantage in creating tall rooms with vaulted ceilings for upstairs rooms. The construction budget was very small despite the relatively large floor areas; the floor finish is cement render and the soffits of concrete slabs are left unfinished.

The cats live upstairs separated by the steel mesh from the dogs who live downstairs, the humans live in the rooms when they are allowed (by the cats).