Pier House

Pier House, Langkawi, Malaysia
The project is a concept design for an exclusive extension of a renowned hotel on the island of Langkawi, Malaysia.
Conceived as a retreat place, the house is set in one of the most remote beaches of the island, which is oriented just right to not receive heavy sea swells.
Inspired by the traditional Malaysian wooden longhouses, the house takes the form of a 120-metre-long concrete pier that seems to float above the land—emerging from the trees of the jungle, crossing the sand of the beach, and protruding into the waters of the sea. Its plan bends slightly to create a sense of intimacy with the corner of the beach, where the house can be reached only by boat or by a long walk along the rocks.
To reinforce its character as a place of retreat, the sleeping areas are located within the jungle, sheltered from direct sea exposure, while the shared living spaces open fully towards the horizon.
Within the concrete floor and roof planes, a sequence of scattered wooden volumes defines the interior life of the house. Each contains a specific program—bedrooms, kitchen, living areas—and features like rotating timber shutters dissolve the threshold between inside and outside, allowing the house to breathe with the landscape.
Half hidden among the trees and half projecting above the water, the structure appears as a geometric, white, almost alien presence, at once foreign and belonging to its landscape. A continuous veranda runs along its perimeter, offering shelter during the rains and shade during the heat of the day.
The interior design, was conceived in collaboration with Saints at Sea, to merge Southeast Asian traditional elements with a contemporary sensibility.
A house that gently floats over the landscape with rigid lightness.
By Leonardo Marchesi Studio

Architecture: Leonardo Marchesi Studio
Interior Design & Decoration: Saints at Sea