traditional meets contemporary in ministry of design's 'thye kee residences' in malaysia

multidisciplinary and world-renowned architecture firm ministry of design (MOD) presents its 633 sqm loke thye kee residences in penang, malaysia. MOD’s design reflects the local community’s heritage, specifically the historic loke thye kee restaurant, its 100-year-old namesake and neighbor. designed amidst the footprint of the traditional shophouse courtyard and alleyway, each of the five suites is preluded by a lush garden forecourt and an intimate private balcony.

loke thye kee residences is situated in the heart of georgetown penang, one of five malaysian UNESCO world sites rich in heritage

MOD’s loke thye kee residences is where traditional meets contemporary — the traditional timber hardwood floors are contrasted with customized contemporary fixtures, that are designed to appear as if levitating. the rough texture of the original brick walls are visually enlivened by hidden LED cove lighting and the typically enclosed vanity and wardrobe spaces are celebrated as transparent glass boxes which seamlessly extend into the rest of the room.

traditional tiles are laid out in the rooms

‘we set out to find a design team that could capture our philosophy, avoid the clichés and most importantly understand what is truly asian… MOD’s balance of sensitivity to the heritage of the building, while not allowing this same respect to limit their ideas and concepts was key.’ says 1919 Global CEO, johnathan foo, ‘we had seen the team push many design boundaries in some of their previous projects, and we believed that this edge would enable us to have a distinct design that would befit this century old shop house row.’

exposed brick and plants decorate the interior, giving it a characterizing ambience 

MOD designed all the branding and in-room collateral in order to provide a holistic experience, ranging from a quirky pillow menu, to a food map navigating the area’s street food, the room service menu and TV menus

the residences recall the spirit of a bygone era but adds its own contemporary twist to update the living experience

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edited by: lynn chaya | designboom