8th October 2022 Saturday - home alone

222 Moorabool Street, Geelong

Sean has gone to Penang with Judy, Sara had a busy day and worked that evening. We got through the day doing what we had to do to get through the day - phone calls, work sketches, Netflix, tennis - and then at 6pm we got dressed up for dinner with Ivy, Swee and Lin Ho who was in town for a shoot. Some days seem not blog-worthy but yet they are because life is like that most of the time. Unless we write it down and garland it with a note about a conversation in the morning with Bob and Jo about Sara's plans; something which took the words/ questions out of my mouth. Or a request from family who were curious about Sean's new 'friend' - Sean takes such good photos, I think he should insist.

And later that evening, Sam and I shared a private joke about how much I liked her new eye-lashes.

The Tropical Malaysian House II

8 houses in Sarawak will be featured in Robert Powell's next edition of The Tropical Malaysian House, the 'Prof' and photographer Lin Ho have been travelling around Kuching in the past few months visiting the houses, interviewing the owners and architects.

The selected houses are a good cross section of styles and sizes in different locations. Megan and Chuan's renovated timber house is in the centre of Kuching, while CheeWee's bungalow in the Padawan Highlands, Mike Boon's tiny house for his friend is in sharp contrast to Sam Lau's cluster of family villas designed with Andra Matin. William Khoo's Borneo Mansion in fair-faced concrete recently won a Silver Medal at the PAM Awards - one in a series of courtyard houses which will be featured in the book. Mingi's nestled house is 2 blocks linked around a courtyard, while Arlene Chew's Keranji House is a series of pavilions laid out in a mature garden with trees. Richard and Dona's house for their 4 sons was selected after I sent Robert photos and sketches of the house.

I also sent him photos of The Ramp House, which he agreed to publish. I underestimated the amount of pleasure and pride the owner derive from this inclusion - a reminder to constantly record our work. 

The book is scheduled to be launched during DATUMKL next year.