Teresformasi is a renovation of a 1980s intermediate terrace house in Melawati, Kuala
Lumpur, designed by 6IX Design Office. The project reworks an existing 2,000-square-foot footprint without extension, focusing instead on spatial reorganisation to adapt the house to contemporary Malaysian family life

The design is structured around a single architectural move: reopening and enlarging a
sealed service airwell at the centre of the house. Once closed off through successive
renovations, the airwell was doubled in size to bring daylight and natural ventilation back into the interior, transforming what was previously a dark and compartmentalised plan into a more open and legible spatial sequence.

Spaces are arranged around the airwell in a clear hierarchy of served and servant zones.
Communal areas such as the living, dining and kitchen spaces are open and continuous, while bedrooms and service areas are compact and efficiently planned. The lightwell functions as both a climatic device and an organisational spine, guiding circulation and visual connections throughout the house.

Structural modifications were required to accommodate the expanded void. Existing
columns were consolidated into a single structural wall beside the staircase, and beams
were reinforced to maintain column-free living spaces. Where ceiling heights were
compromised, the living area floor was lowered to enhance spatial proportions and
strengthen its relationship to the double-height lightwell.

Material choices are deliberately restrained. Brick, timber and concrete form the primary palette, with custom white bricks embedded with recycled chippings used as part of a double-skin façade that reduces heat gain while allowing daylight into the interior. The project prioritises passive environmental strategies and reuse of the existing structure, positioning renovation as an alternative to demolition for ageing terrace housing in Malaysian cities.