Natural Selection
Deep within the Kuala
Lumpur city center, beneath the shadow of the iconic twin towers lies a domain
like no other. It is man-made, that is true, but its inspiration lies beyond
the urban jungle it calls home. Located in the One KL development, a luxury
serviced residence which made news because each condo unit came with its own
private swimming pool, the designers were so inspired by the grandness of
nature that they imbued this home with an abundance of references to our
natural world. Walking into the entrance foyer, a basking bronze hippopotamus
lies in wait under a mirrored trail of clouds
, volunteering a
tantalising hint of what lies beyond in the living room. Once through the
threshold, the visitor is immediately captivated by the tableau populating this
expansive double volume space – the designer takes visitors on a journey
through a landscape of organic forms starting from the monolithic sofa which
recalls majestic glacial blocks, the pristine stream
in gradations
of turquoise depicted on the slim sliver of carpet and mountainous ’hills
and cliffs’ provided by the leather armchairs. A custom designed pendant
light in the shape of stylised clouds dominates the ceiling and has the
advantage of being able to be enjoyed from the mezzanine floor's eye level as
well. The dining table is an unusual leaf shape which is surprisingly practical
and can accommodate up to 10 persons. Adjacent to the main living space is the
dry kitchen, a pristine snowscape of linear plains accented by a modern
chandelier of icy stalactites. The bedrooms are serene habitats created for
rest and the nature theme is carried through here with accents—whether its
sculptural driftwood as artwork or bespoke carpets with timber grains. The
children's room is a whimsical wonderland created to encourage play and
stimulate the imagination with a bunk bed complete with a slide and a magical
carpet which captures the colours of the rainbow.