RE-ROOFING THE CANOPY: Activating Idle Tropical Roofscapes
Jibungae KBBQ @ Hock Bee
Type: Restaurant, Rooftops, Adaptive Reuse
Location: Kuantan, Malaysia
Occupying the 1970s Hock Bee Bros Building roof on Jalan Besar, Jibungae KBBQ represents JUJURWORK’s latest venture in adaptive reuse. It transforms an underutilized mechanical deck into an elevated civic vantage point, offering sweeping views of the Kuantan River, the State Mosque, and Menara 188. By reclaiming this abandoned slab, the project actively participates in the architectural revitalization of Kuantan’s historic core.
The design translates the high-density sociology of Seoul’s street culture to a tropical Malaysian rooftop through three core spatial typologies:
Pojangmacha: Mirroring Korean street-side drinking tents, this modular layout utilizes flexible, weather-resistant furniture to foster casual, unscripted social interaction.
Hanok: Traditional Korean residential silhouettes are abstracted into an open-air structural pavilion. The sweeping, upward roofline is modernized into a skeletal, laser-cut steel framework that serves as the rooftop's visual anchor.
Cinematic Streetscape: Moving away from clinical minimalism, the design layers graphic lightboxes and deliberate illumination gradients to replicate the neon-lit density of Seoul's commercial alleyways.
The floor plan prioritizes structural integrity, fire safety, and circulation efficiency. Guests arrive via a retrofitted 1970s concrete lift shaft. A central skylight was boldly re-engineered; heavy masonry and polycarbonate covers were replaced with a flush, structural glass floor that transitions the front and rear zones while doubling as a live performance stage.
To minimize new loads on the concrete slab, the commercial kitchen and beverage stations cling to the original stairwell and lift cores. The central double-sided hanok booth is angled precisely to preserve river views for all diners, while custom perimeter booths integrate vertical light fixtures inspired by public transit. A stylized skyline screen masks a dilapidated neighboring roof on the northern boundary. The floor below provides a weather refuge, event space, and a dedicated surau.
Transporting heavy materials to an active rooftop necessitated an industrialized pre-fabrication strategy, which ultimately became the canvas for Jibungae's high-contrast brand palette of orange, red, and black.
The central hanok pavilion epitomizes this approach. Fabricated off-site into twelve precision steel components (six bases, six unroofed tops), it was craned onto the roof and assembled with a vibrant, high-saturation orange powder coat. Ribbed polycarbonate backs and integrated LED rafter lighting clarify the structure's silhouette against the Kuantan sky without obstructing the open air. This dominant structural orange is punctuated by deep crimson red lightboxes and solid black accents across the broader space, weaving the brand identity directly into the physical architecture.
Photos by HeartPatrick
Visit Jibungae KBBQ at their location / website / instagram.