TYPE: Landed Residential
LOCATION: Tai Keng Gardens, Singapore
HOME TO: 2 Adults
STATUS: Ongoing
OVERVIEW
Home to an eclectic pair, our clients opted for a modern brutalist concept for their abode. Concrete surfaces and muted hues can create a dark, brooding ambience. However, Nick transforms the often austere aesthetic of concrete into a delicate, deft backdrop for modern living. The stone-like material plays out beautifully across the three storeys of the home, complemented by the restrained landscape architecture. In addition to organic textural surfaces, the furnishings, wall coverings, decorative objects, and architectural design produced spatial depth. Moving through the house, the use of a limited palette of materials and changing volumes and outlooks provides interesting visual experiences.
Space Segregation
Given the sheer size of the original footprint, Nick was cognisant to avoid creating vast and impersonal spaces. However, the subtle separation of the public and private areas achieves a comfortable scale for private family living. Changes in floor levels hint at the creation of zones, mixing up the traditional segregation between formal and informal spaces. Downstairs, the space is occupied by multiple communal areas, such as the living room, the kitchen and the dining room. Upstairs, the floor is dedicated to the bedrooms, each with an enviable view.
Bright and Airy
The groupings of slot windows differentiate the service and circulation spaces from the open nature of the living spaces, creating changing light and shadow play on the interior surfaces during the different phases of the day. The large windows reveal open living spaces to both the North and the South, capturing the Northern sun whilst enjoying the panoramic views to the southern garden setting.
The house adopts various passive sustainable design elements, including sliding doors at the opposite ends to enable cross ventilation. The staircase also acts as an air well to supply consistent airflow throughout the interiors. They provide abundant avenues for cross ventilation, creating a cooling, comfortable environment for the residents.
Ambient Lighting
The pitched roof introduces indirect ambient lighting, without the harsh heat from the Sun. It also pays homage to our local culture of the shophouses’ pitched roof.
The Treehouse
Being avid nature enthusiasts, our clients desire their home to be deeply rooted in nature. Their inspiration derived from the basic structure of a tree: the roots, the trunk and the leaves. The basement mimics the roots of a tree as it provides the foundation for the house and is semi-public to enable intimacy for the nurturing of family bonds. A tree’s trunk is the transit space for various animals therefore, resembling the communal areas on the ground floor. They provide room for socialising events to entertain family and friends. The second storey mirrors the tree foliage that offers shelter to small critters, making it the most private area of the house. Additionally, fluted concrete panels clad the toilet stacks to mimic the look of tree barks.
Cleansing Ritual
Cleansing is a personal and pure process so, the emphasis on the bathrooms’ design elevates the daily mundane experiences. This intimate space should feel like a sanctuary for the occupants. The grey walls allow them to switch off their busy minds, transitioning from a long day out to a comfy night in.
Social Tree
The social spaces are split into three aspects within the abode. The semi-private sitting room in the basement is a warm, personalised refuge, with cosy nooks perfect for reading and relaxation. The first storey is a spacious communal area to welcome and entertain guests, regardless of numbers. The second storey is a personal space for the occupants to mingle or retreat to their private quarters.
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