BRIGHT HEIGHTS

Genius Loci has crafted a palatial penthouse high above Kuala Lumpur, with personality to spare

- Rohan Yung.

Perched up in the sky at an altitude of almost 500 feet, this penthouse in the heart of Kuala Lumpur combines modern luxury with quirky whimsicality. The unique personality of the whole space is in line with the approach of design firm Genius Loci, whose Latin name translates, fittingly, to "the spirit of place".

With offices in Singapore, Jakarta, Surabaya, Kuala Lumpur and Chengdu, the company has made a name for itself by bringing passion and playfulness to projects ranging from private residences to hotels and shopping malls.

That element of joyful creativity is very much evident throughout this particular residence.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

The sheer size of the penthouse presented both an opportunity and a challenge. Benjamin Kim, creative director and co-founder of Genius Loci, says: "Based on previous experiences managing very large residences, it is always difficult to craft each space and put in place a balanced narrative." The danger was that the magnitude of the square footage might distract from the spatial harmony of the interior and overshadow any sense of character.

What helped was that Genius Loci could steer the design course from the very outset.

Kim explains: "We were involved during the architectural process-we could ensure that the spaces were logical and that they integrated the emotional experience that would fit the family's lifestyle."

The first step was to delineate the respective uses of the apartment's three floors.

The central floor was the main entry point, so having the living room there made sense. It then followed naturally that the upper floor would be for the bedrooms, and the lower floor for entertainment and sports.