A layered composition of split volumes creates a private yet open home in South Tangerang, using courtyards, circulation and outdoor spaces to connect everyday life with light, landscape and ventilation.

In a residential estate in BSD, South Tangerang, Split Mass Residence by K-Thengono Design Studio uses its corner-site position to shape a home around movement. Designed to balance openness with privacy, the house is organized as a series of interlocking volumes, framed views and outdoor spaces that bring natural light and ventilation deep into the interior.

Photo credit: Mario Wibowo

Photo credit: Mario Wibowo

Photo credit: Mario Wibowo

Rather than treating the corner site as simply an exposed edge, the design uses it to structure a sequence of views and courtyards. A public L-shaped volume occupies the ground floor, following the front and side boundaries of the plot. Its configuration encloses a quieter outdoor area at the rear, creating a visual focal point while establishing a gradual transition from the street to the more private parts of the home.

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Private functions are placed in a larger volume above. This upper mass is divided and shifted to create a more dynamic relationship between the different levels. At the front, the volume drops toward the ground, forming a vertical connection between the two floors. At the rear, it rises toward the sky, extending the sequence of outdoor spaces and opening the house to the elements.

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Movement is particularly central to the second-floor experience. The circulation area doubles as an indoor theater for movie screenings before leading to the rooftop swimming pool. From the pool, the route continues upward to an outdoor yoga space at the highest level. A fully planted green roof completes the vertical sequence, adding another layer of landscape to the house.

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

These interconnected routes turn circulation into more than a functional necessity. Moving through the residence reveals changing views and relationships between interior and exterior spaces, creating multiple loops across the different levels. The result is a home that encourages its occupants to experience the architecture through movement rather than from a single fixed perspective.

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Environmental performance is integrated into the same strategy. The layered arrangement helps promote cross-ventilation and allows daylight to penetrate further into the house. Circulation areas around the building are enclosed with operable woven panels made from recycled PET rattan. The panels filter sunlight, maintain privacy and allow air to circulate, while their adjustable nature enables the building to respond to changing conditions throughout the day.

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Material and form further reinforce the relationship with the site. Rounded corners soften the transitions between the different volumes while responding to the geometry of the corner plot. At ground level, bamboo-textured concrete gives the base of the house a tactile quality.

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Photo credit: Finbarr Fallon

Through its split massing and circulation-driven planning, Split Mass Residence makes movement a defining part of domestic life. Architecture, landscape, daylight and ventilation are brought together across a sequence of levels, turning the act of moving through the house into an experience in its own right.

K-Thengono Design Studio

Their philosophy centers on a deep responsiveness to contextual factors and client needs. Through careful understanding and thorough exploration, they aim to deliver innovative solutions that address economic, environmental, and social challenges. Their goal is to shape environments that strengthen the connection between inhabitants and their surroundings, prioritizing well-being through the thoughtful incorporation of natural light, access to water, and ample ventilation.