About Us - EPIC Homes

Epic Homes

Epic Homes aims to build relationships between the urban and rural divide through the act of building homes for underprivileged communities, currently focusing on the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia, the Orang Asli.

Design Principles

Modular System

A modular design system allows for the flexibility and efficiency to cater different family sizes.

Flexibility

The house is made up of various components which are interchangeable for flexibility and allows for future modifications and improvements.

Durable & Adaptable

Designed to be durable and adaptable to different site conditions and climates.

Portable

All components are designed to be lightweight and portable to allow for transporting, particularly to remote areas.

Fast Construction

Designed to be built within a certain time-frame as it is built by everyday people. Our houses currently can be built within 3 days.

Easy to Assemble

Can be easily constructed by ordinary people with minimal training and guidance from a build manual and using basic power & hand tools.

How it Works

We empower and mobilise everyday ordinary people to come together for a common goal, to build an Epic Home for a villager or family in need.

A typical build usually takes no more than three (3) days to complete and can be done with as little as 30 volunteers with an addition of an Epic Homes Core Team that consists of a Master Builder, , Specialists and Experience Coordinator that acts as leaders and facilitators – ensuring that each build is as successful as it can be.

The Asli House is designed to cater for different family size according to “adequate shelter” guidelines by the UN and do not believe in a one-size-fits-all model. The design is to suit the lifestyles of Orang Asli families and their environment incorporating some of the traditional elements in it whilst being simple & quick to be build to ease the burden of the families to take time off from work to build their home.

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Our Philosophy

We believe that the presence of relationship is what truly differentiates a ‘Home’ from a ‘House’.

When an Epic Home is built, a family does not just get a new house, but they also become connected to a larger community who genuinely cares for them; a community that seeks to understand their challenges, and who seeks to solve it together with them.

12,000 families are currently living in unsafe housing conditions. Over 77% are classified as poor. We mobilise volunteers to homes with families in need.

So that… we can build relationships between families and builders,

So that… we can develop a support system that can address key areas of intervention

So that… we can facilitate the power of choice, restore dignity and self-belief.

So that ultimately… they believe in their own talent and capacity to make a difference within their own lives, and the lives of others – they become an epic person.

Our History

Epic Homes began in 2010 as a small one-off toilet building and house painting project at an Orang Asli village. After viewing a man’s home on the verge of collapse, the team back then (John-Son Oei, Loh Jon Ming, Jayne Kennedy, Jasmine Ng) learnt that he had been living in such unsafe housing conditions for over two years.

Building a home seemed like a simple solution, but they also knew that they wanted the community to be part of the process in creating long-term sustainability, and they wanted to build relationships with this community to understand their challenges on a deeper level. Inspired by Lego and Ikea furniture, the team looked for help from others so the community could build together.

Prima Avenue became the first sponsor to volunteer their services, and provide the necessary architects, engineers and contractors. In October 2010, this idea became a reality when the first home was built for ‘Pak Cihong’.