Lumos, a 9-storey serviced apartment located at Jalan Ong Tiang Swee, Kuching, Sarawak. It sits parallel behind a local primary school, like a shield shielding the much smaller-scale institution. Adjacent to the residence is the single-storey corporate office of the apartment’s developer, Benta Mewah Sdn Bhd, interconnecting with a communal sports hall made accessible for the apartment’s residents through a connecting bridge on the first floor or from the office itself.
Due to the slender contours of the site, the apartment is arranged in a single tiered design facing the north-south orientation. Four different types of layouts were introduced with areas ranging from 1100 sqft to 1300 sqft to cater to diverse niches. All units are equipped with their own balcony that is veiled by pivot louvre screens and ventilation blocks to ensure privacy and shade.
Lumos embraces the ethos of contemporary design, off-form walls are utilised to elegantly induce the tactile expressions and innate rawness of materials. On the front façade, the external concrete staircase exhibits clean lines and depths. Planter boxes are strategically placed along the single loaded corridor along the front elevation, planted with bamboo and hanging plants, which help screen the corridor from harsh sun and rain while bringing in a soft edge to the apartment’s unwieldy body.
The office and communal sports hall also share the sae design language. The office is a concrete structure with a pavilion space at the centre. One will enter the office through a steel box protruding from the off-form wall front façade leading to the pavilion, of which the space is encapsulated by steel lattice screens with planters of lush plants. Further inside are the office spaces where the expanse of the outdoors is merged with the indoors through a series of openings framed by concrete fins. Located right behind the office is the communal sports hall, a series of cast-in-situ reinforced concrete fins stand tall along the promenade, leaving a striking memory of this space with its dynamic sense of scale.
LUMOS exemplifies architectural excellence in high-rise living, integrating passive design strategies, green façades, and contextual sensitivity to elevate comfort, sustainability, and urban elegance.
To achieve sustainability, the apartment’s lift lobbies are enhanced with ventilation blocks to allow natural ventilation, reducing energy demands with the omission of the usage of ceiling fans or air conditioners. Rainwater harvesting systems are also integrated within the building for efficient irrigation and nurturing of landscapes. Furthermore, each apartment units are completed with smart devices to avoid overconsumption of energy while embedding modern efficiency into everyday life.
Lumos value its residents’ sense of exclusivity. The guard house at the entrance ensures security; the communal sports hall is exclusively catered to the residents only and can be easily accessed through the elevated walkway on the first floor. Community events can also be held in the hall when needed. With only 72 units in total, the low-density community greatly improve the quality of life of the inhabitants by providing more tranquillity in a controlled environment, ideal for multi-generational family living.
Amidst the urban fabric of Kuching, Lumos’s comprehensive and sustainable design stands as an architectural dialogue between human habitation and the well-being of the living, both the environment and the people. For some, Lumos will always be the light that symbolises home, forever illuminating a part of their life.
