Shelter @ Rainforest by Marra + Yeh Architects

Shelter @ Rainforest by Marra + Yeh Architects is a zero-energy structure in the jungle of Borneo in Sabah, Malaysia. Designed by Marra + Yeh Architects and commissioned by a local forestry company, this house is a zero-energy structure built amidst 100,000 hectares of tropical rainforest that regenerates sustainable reforestation. 

Shelter provides accommodation to the company manager, his family, and guests of the forestry company.  

Location Context

Set amidst the dense jungle of Borneo atop a ridge, a few of the concerns of the location was its inaccessibility, rugged terrains and lack of skilled labor in sight. Moreover, accommodating the company manager and his family without compromising the company operations was a concern for the client.

As a result, the client’s key aim was to create an environmentally friendly housing unit and economically feasible retreat sympathetic to the forest surroundings and the company’s project activities.

Design Philosophy 

The house reflects the vernacular longhouses with a frugal wooden structure influenced by the design philosophy of Thoreau’s Walden Pond with its message of simple living and self-sufficiency, ensuring a sustainable and vernacular design approach.

Shelter @ Rainforest is environment friendly with a low budget cost with solar power cells, a biogas unit, and rainwater collection for the housing facility.

As a part of the planning processes, the residents of the house are obligated to replant the rainforest at a ratio of 30:1, meaning for every 1 tree they cut down, they must plant 30 more trees.

Planning & execution 

The primary building material is locally harvested and processed timber and was constrained in two small section sizes, 100×50 and 50×50. 

Planning was done to address the present scenario of limited resources, increase the yield of usable timber per tree, and logistical issues like manual handling of all building materials. The project’s planning included the planting of 100 indigenous tropical hardwood species.

Material & construction 

Shelter @ Rainforest is divided into two mirrored halves by an entrance ‘dog run’ and a long veranda overlooking the forest. Individuals within a group and each group benefit from this composition in terms of both privacy and community. 

Since the vital material is locally harvested timber, the houses are built as an array of poles and planes, vertical and horizontal components that serve as a framework as well as scaffolding. Plywood produced locally is utilized as the diaphragm for walls and floors as well as the module standard. 

Rooftop photovoltaic panels and biogas units supply power for the home, while rainwater captured on the roof is preserved in cisterns inside the house.

Strong winds and unpredictable weather demanded some engineering ingenuity, such as the tying together of roof rafters by threaded rods, one counterbalancing the other during high winds. Owing to the scarcity of skilled artisans in Borneo, the construction of the houses required large models to be created and brought in as a reference for less skilled workers from neighbouring villages. 

Interior architecture 

The “guests retreat” is distinct from the principal residence, giving both the guests and the forest manager sufficient privacy.

 Separate volumes within the residence allow for spatial separation. Guests socialize in some areas of the house, whereas others are designated for a serene, solitary space. Sliding doors with slats provide natural ventilation in the rooms. 

A timber verandah stretches down to the rear of the house, pulling in the natural splendour of the forest beyond. 

The residential design is also ecologically conscious, with verandas and overhangs to shield the interior from midday heat and ample sunlight throughout. A screened clearstory and monsoon floor tiles enable constant ventilation, maximizing the house’s natural airflow due to its location on top of a ridge.

Sustainability 

Every house is self-sufficient with solar power, garbage recycling equipment, and rainwater collecting. Despite the tropical latitude temperature of 34 degrees Celsius and heavy humidity, the design ensures a comfortably ventilated indoor environment of 26 degrees Celsius.  

The design approach incorporates a modular system based on the rigid geometry of a plywood sheet, small-scale timber sections, and research into vernacular and climate-adaptive architecture in Asia-Pacific. Sustainable design ensures that the framework provides freedom and flexibility, allowing for various building styles and adaptability to individual site conditions, which is crucial in a remote area.

Marra & Yeh created a team of botanists, anthropologists, and structural engineers with the goal of creating architecture that is environmentally, socially, and technically relevant. The resulting architecture incorporates most of the local materials and manpower, as well as structural engineering expertise and sophisticated jointing techniques. This low-cost building solution is a visible representation of environmental sustainability for the client company.

This project has hallmarks of sustainable reforestation, locally acquired materials, solar energy, rainwater harvesting, biotechnologies, and minimal site disturbance. As revamped vernacular, it is dominant in its endorsement of environmental diligence, a lesson in both outstanding craftsmanship and the political correctness of its sustainability philosophy.

References: 

• Shelter @ Rainforest, Marra + Yeh Architects. Available at: http://www.marrayeh.com/pdfs/publications-SpecifierShelterAtRainforest.pdf (Accessed: 14 July 2023) 

1. Sustainable Community – Shelter@Rainforest. [online]. (Last updated on 29 November, 2020). Available at: https://marrayeh.com/2020/11/29/sustainable-community-shelter-at-rainforest/ [Accessed on 17 July 2023]
2. (2020) Shelter @ Rainforest: Green Architecture. Available at: https://marrayeh.com/project/green-architecture/ (Accessed: 15 July 2023).
3. (2012) Shelter@Rainforest, Sabah State, Borneo, Malaysia by Marra + Yeh architects. Available at: https://www.architectural-review.com/awards/ar-house/shelterrainforest-sabah-state-borneo-malaysia-by-marra-yeh-architects (Accessed: 12 July 2023).

Harvard Citation Style Guidelines

To generate citation, please use: https://www.citethisforme.com/cite/website/autocite. 

Harvard citation style is a parenthetical referencing system consisting two main components:

• In-text citations are an author-date system that includes the author’s surname and the year of publication—both should be shown in brackets wherever another source has contributed to your work/ idea. And, if necessary, the page numbers are included in the parenthetical citations. 

For example: (Joyce, 2008).

• A reference list outlining all of the sources directly cited in your work. 

For adding the references in Harvard Style at the end of your article, paste the URL in any of the following sites: 

https://www.citethisforme.com/citation-generator/harvard; 

https://www.mybib.com/tools/harvard-referencing-generator;

And then you can copy-paste the citation generated here in your REFERENCES LIST at the end of your article

For better understanding, follow through with the points mentioned below:

1. Books

Citations for books with one author:

Last name, first initial. (Year). Title. Edition (if not the first edition of the book). City of publication: Publisher.

For example:

Davis, B. (2013). A History of Chocolate. Nottingham: Delectable Publications.

Davis, B. (2013). A History of Chocolate. 3rd ed. Nottingham: Delectable Publications.

Citations for books with two or three authors:

Last name, first initial., Last name, first initial., and Last name, first initial. (Year). Title. City of publication: Publisher.

For example:

Jones, F. and Hughes, S. (2006). Eating Out: A Definitive Restaurant Handbook. Nottingham: Delectable Publications.

Citations for books with four or more authors:

Last name, first initial., Last name, first initial., Last name, first initial., and Last name, first initial. (Year). Title. City of publication: Publisher.

For example:

James, P., Croft, D., Levin, S. and Doe, A. (1998). How to Succeed in the Restaurant Industry. Nottingham: Delectable Publications.

2. Articles

Citations for Print Journals:

Last name, First initial. (Year). Article Title. Journal name, Volume (Issue), Page/s.

For example:

Jenkins, O. (1996). Unusual Recipes and Cantonese Cuisine. Culinary Research, Volume 5 (8), pp. 47-59.

Citations for Journal Articles accessed on a website or database:

Last name, First initial. (Year). Article Title. Journal name, Volume (Issue), Page/s. Available from: URL. [Accessed: date].

For example:

Jenkins, O. (1996). Unusual Recipes and Cantonese Cuisine. Culinary Research, Volume 5 (8), pp. 47-59. Available at: www.culinaryresearchjournal.com/jenkinsocanteonese [Accessed: 5 June 2016].

Citations for Newspaper Articles – Print or Online: 

Last name, First initial. (Year). Article title. Newspaper name, Page/s.

Last name, First initial. (Year). Article Title. Newspaper name, Page/s. Retrieved from: Journal name/ URL if freely available.

For example:

Bell, Y. (2016). Man with unusual tastes eats chalk for breakfast. The Weekly Herald, p. 4.

Lees, P. (2015). Freaky eaters. The Weekly Herald, p.21. Available at: www.theweeklyheraldonline.com/freakyeaters2015 [Accessed 21 June 2016].

Citations for Magazine Articles – Print or Online:

Last name, First initial. (Year). Article title. Magazine name, volume number, Page/s.

Last name, First initial. (Year, Month Day). Article Title. Magazine name, [online] Page/s. Retrieved from: URL

For example:

Ilkes, J. (2006). Five Ways to Eat More Fruit and Vegetables. Healthy Lifestyles, (12), pp. 34-36.

Ilkes, J. (2009, September 20). Why Dried Fruit is a Diet Staple. Healthy Lifestyles. Retrieved from: www.healthylifestylesmag.com/driedfruitilkes2009

3. Online sources

Citations for websites:

Author/Source if no specific author (Year). Title of web document/page. [online]. (Last updated: if this information is available). Available at: URL [Accessed date: Day/Month/Year].

For example:

HealthTips (2015). Superfoods and where to find them. [online]. (Last updated 20 May 2015). Available at: www.healthtipsarticles.com/superfoodsandwheretofindthem [Accessed 20 June 2016].

Citations for emails:

Sender’s last name, First initial. (Year). Subject Line of Email. [email].

For example:

James, D. (2016). New business plan for McDowells. [email].

Citations for Social Media:

Last name of author, First initial. (Year). Title of page [Social media format]. Day/month/year written. Available from: URL. [Accessed: Day/Month/Year].

For example:

Proud, F. (2014). Food lovers group [Facebook]. Written 5 June 2014. Available from: www.facebook.com/foodloversgroupproudf2014 [Accessed 25 September 2016].

4. Images/visual mediums

Citations for films/videos/DVDs:

Full Title of Film/Video/DVD. Year of release. [Type of medium]. Director. Country of Origin: Film studio or maker. (Any other relevant details).

For example:

The World’s Best Curries. (2011). [Film]. Directed by J. Hertz. U.K: Foodie Studios.

Citations for YouTube videos:

Username of contributor. (Year). Video Title, Series Title (if relevant). [type of medium]. Available at: URL. [Accessed: Day/ Month/ Year].

For example:

Yummydishes. (2012). Egg custard – simple recipe!, Baking 101. [YouTube video]. Available at: www.youtube.com/yummydisheseggcustard [Accessed 13 June 2016].

Citations for broadcasts:

Series title and episode name/number. (Year). [Year of broadcast]. Broadcasting organisation and channel, date and time of transmission.

For example:

World Kitchen: Nigeria, episode 5. (2011). [Broadcast 2011]. BBC 1, first transmitted 30 July 2011, 20:00.

Citations for images/photographs – Print or Online:

Last name of artist/photographer, first initial (if known). (Year of production). Title of image. [type of medium] (Collection Details if available – Document number, Geographical place: Name of library/archive/repository).

For example:

Hewer, D. (1995). Women enjoying a cup of tea. [Photograph]. (Document number 345, London: Food Photography Library).

Citations for maps:

Map maker’s name. (Year of issue). Title of map. Map series, sheet number, scale. Place of publication: publisher.

For example:

SpeedyQuest maps. (2003). Map of Biddiford. Local Maps, sheet 5, scale 1:50000. Nottingham: Local Publications.

Citations for podcasts:

Broadcaster/author’s name. (Year). Programme title, series title (if relevant). [type of medium] date of transmission. Available at: URL [Accessed date: Day/Month/Year].

For example:

Yummydishes. (2015). Innovative Baking, Innovative Food. [Podcast]. Transmitted 16 October 2015. Available at: www.foodiepodcasts.com/yummydishesinnovativebaking [Accessed: 17 April 2016].

5. Other source types

Citations for reports:

Organisation/author. (Year). Full title of report. Place of publication: Publisher.

For example:

Marks and Spencers. (2014). A report on the sales of ‘2 Dine for £10’. London: M&S Publications.

Citations for dissertations:

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For example:

Neath, G. (1998). An examination of Mexican food in popular culture. Masters level. Oxford Brookes University.

Citations for interviews:

Last name of interviewer, first initial, and last name of interviewee, first initial. (Year). Title/description of interview.

For example:

Ferman, H. and Bill, O. (2004). Discussing cooking.

Citations for presentations/lectures:

Last name of author, first initial. (Year). Presentation/lecture title.

For example:

Yates, R. (2008). The benefits of herbs.

Citations for music:

Performer/writer’s last name, first initial. (Year). Recording title. [Medium]. City published: music label.

For example:

Luce, F. (1996). Delicious. [CD Recording]. Nottingham: Delectable Music.

Citations for computer programs/software:

Name of software/program. (Year). Place/city where software was written: Company/publisher.

For example:

RecipeGen. (2008). Nottingham: Delectable Software.