JOURNAL

17 Oct 2026

Author : - Noor Hadi, Design Director

Today marks four years since Abah passed away. Thinking of him made me want to write about home, the home I grew up in, and what made it enough.

I wanted to begin this journal with something close to me. There will be more stories here over time, including thoughts from the architects on my team. You’ll get to know how we see spaces, the things we question, and what matters to us when we design. But let me start with home.

Today marks four years since Abah pergi. I’ve been thinking about him, about the home I grew up in, and somehow, that made me want to write.

 I initially wanted to become a doctor. Abah encouraged me, and I liked the idea of being able to help people.

Medical dramas probably had something to do with it too. The rushing around, the adrenaline, saving someone’s life. At that age, the purpose seemed very clear to me: you become a doctor, you help people.

I eventually took a different path and studied Urban architecture (Abah’s wishlist) . As time goes by, Human behaviour became a big part of what interested me. How people move through a place. Where they gather. How a space gets used, sometimes quite differently from what was originally planned. When I think about those things now, my mind goes back to the home I grew up in. We were well looked after. Our home wasn’t lavish, but we had what we needed. Tak mewah, tapi cukup.

We didn’t have a dedicated library or a special room for every activity. But there was space for me to sit and study. It didn’t need a particular name. It was simply there, part of the home and part of my life growing up.

Cukup means quite a lot when I look back at it now. That memory stays with me when I think about what a home should provide. Before we decide what to put in it, we need to understand the lives that will happen there.

 One thing I always question is the urge to fill every available space.

An empty corner appears, and suddenly it needs a console. A room looks spacious, so we add more furniture. Then there is a formal sitting area, another sitting area, and one more corner to sit in. Banyak sungguh tempat duduk. Last-last semua berkumpul dekat meja makan.

Before adding another setting, ask who will use it and when. If a space is almost never used, hantu lah dok situ. Meanwhile, you are paying to furnish it and spending time keeping it clean.

An occasional-use room can still have real value. If hosting a big family gathering matters to you, make room for it. The important thing is knowing why you want that space. You do not need to copy someone else’s idea of a complete house.

Maybe your family needs a generous dining table because that is where everyone talks, eats and does their work. Maybe you need a quiet corner. Maybe leaving an area open gives your children somewhere to play and everyone else enough room to move.

Tak payah penuhkan semua tempat.

I think back to my own childhood home. There was no dedicated library, but there was room for me to learn. That is something I want to keep asking in my work: have we made room for what actually matters to the person living here?

Remembering Abah brought me back to home, so it feels right to begin this journal here.

As we continue writing, my team and I will share more of our thinking about architecture and interiors. For this first entry, I want to leave you with a question: what would make living in your home better?

Be specific. It could be somewhere comfortable to read, a kitchen that is easier to use, or finally having enough room around the table for everyone. Let your answer guide what you invest in.

Rumahku syurgaku. Patutnya.

Jangan sampai rumah saja cantik, kita sendiri yang tak senang duduk.