RESTORATION HARDWARE

Chengal House in Nibong Tebal, Penang, is an inspirational showcase of what can be achieved with salvaged timber

- Jennifer Choo

Before sustainability and adaptive reuse became buzzwords in design, Gooi Kok Wah built Chengal House almost entirely from architectural materials salvaged around Malaysia.

Gooi, who used to be an accountant, took the leap into making a business of salvaging timber structures from disused railway quarters, sawmills and kampung houses, which led to renovating and restoring old buildings over a decade ago.

STEADY GROWTH

As his business grew, Gooi needed to build a multi-purpose space to serve as a storage showcase and workshop, as well as for weekend stays or possibly his retirement home in the future. Nibong Tebal was a natural choice as he had grown up on the very land Chengal House would be built on, which used to be an oil palm orchard.

"This location is right at the end of Penang state where the borders to Kedah and Perak are within a three-km radius," says Gooi. "Here, there's clean air and blue skies all the time, and we still get fireflies at night. There are permanent forest reserves at the back of this property and a Penang State Water Reservoir just behind the hill."