Squares at Bernam Jaya

Work is currently being carried out on a new housing scheme in Hulu Bernam in the north of Selangor, just across the border from Tanjung Malim in neighbouring state of Perak. This is my first opportunity to showcase a rectilinear version of my original Honeycomb layout.

This idea came about in response to objections from builders who would only be comfortable with rectangular shapes and 90 degree angles.  But it is also an attempt to find an acceptable form of the Honeycomb cul-de-sac layout that is acceptable to the conservative section of the the Chinese community. Here,
  • there are no dead-ends
  • all houses and rooms are rectangular
  • the overall lot sizes are square
  • the houses have a wide frontage
The 'Squares' housing concept aims to improve the external environment of a housing neighbourhood and at the same time increase green area by reducing the area of surfaced roads whilst reducing traffic to ensure a safer residential area for children, cyclists and pedestrians.




Each house is designed to be acceptably cool without air-conditioning. The houses would face a small community park with small birds and large shady rainforest trees, providing a safe playground for young children and encourage sociable neighbourhoods.

This housing concept has been recently adopted by PKNS (Selagor State Economic Development Corpration). This project will offer a variety of affordable alternatives to terrace houses normally available to Malaysians -  from RM210,000 (USD70,000) to RM300,000 (USD100,000).




8 to 22 houses are arranged around a courtyard, essentially like friends sitting around a table, forming a “Village Square”. There are numerous places for children to play. A place friendly to children is friendly to all. The residents would know their neighbours and strangers stand out. Cars automatically slow down in the cul-de-sacs and through traffic is eliminated.



Each house faces a park planted with giant, wide canopy trees that cools the external environment and provides food and habitat for birds and small animals.




The courtyards are linked by footpaths that encourage residents to walk. The proximity of such a pleasant social space to every resident – young, old or disabled – is conducive in fostering a sense of community in this housing scheme.

 Have a look at the layout. You will find quadruplex and duplex units mainly arranged around courtyards:



TYPE C QUADRUPLEX 

In this development are quadruplex and duplex units. Below is one of the quadruplex housetypes.



The proposed quadruplexes have large front yards. Each lot is 42’x 42’ such that the house can be 32’ wide.and 22’ deep



Unlike terrace houses, the 'Squares' house is not confined by their neighbours on each side. Every unit is a corner unit with more visible external walls for windows to provide light and ventilation.





The 'Square' layout is based on a patent pending concept of a cluster layout design which creates a neighbourhood that is:
  • safe
  • friendly, and
  • green


This is the layout for the following Phase 4B



This is the area breakdown for this housetype:



Cluster House Type B
In addition to the type C house, there is this smaller and cheaper alternative.



Like the Type C clustre house, each residential block is composed of four houses. These houses are clustered around pocket parks, creating a collection of "Village Squares" throughout the development.



The houses proposed have large front yards. Each lot is 42’x 42’ such that the house can be 32’ wide and 22’ deep.



Each house has a spacious 42’ x 20’ front garden with a porch for at least 2 cars. The front elevation portrays the look of a 40’ x 80’ high end semi-detached house.



Unlike terrace houses, the 'Squares' house is not confined by their neighbours on each side. Every unit is a corner unit with more visible external walls for windows to provide light and ventilation.





Swmi-Detach House Type A

These are not quadruplex or cluster houses that look like semi-D's. These are the real ones!



They are located at the edges of the site accessed from cul-de-sacs within the site, and with the dining rooms at the rear looking onto the main road or a neighbouring land.



Like the other houses, each Type C Semi D house has a spacious 42' x 20' front garden with a porch for at least 2 cars.



But the Semi D lots are slightly bigger - 42' x 45' (ratehr than 42' x 42') such that the house is 32' wide and 25' deep.







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