island 17

Island 17 is a three-storey terrace house in Taman Lucky, Kuala Lumpur, rebuilt as an artist residency and private gallery. Designed by formzero, the project reinterprets the spatial qualities of Ipoh’s limestone caves, the owner’s hometown, through thick curved walls, compressed circulation and carefully controlled natural light. A double-height gallery forms the heart of the house, illuminated by indirect skylights and sculpted into an organic interior. Rough stucco surfaces and shifting daylight create a constantly changing atmosphere, while pockets of wild vegetation around the house echo plants growing between limestone formations.

Collaborator | Yu Xuan   
Video | Bil Halim
Photograher | Ameen Deen
Location | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Year of Completion | 2026
Size | 325m²