House 4B

The house is nestled near the Dempsey enclave and the client saw it as a serene environment to build a multi-generational home for himself and his grown-up children.  Together with the client’s fengshui requirement to keep the center of the house clear, we saw it as an opportunity to create a lush central courtyard that will anchor the layout of the house.

Spaces are organized around the courtyard and a deliberate attempt was made to engage it. A common corridor, a glimpse to someone’s room, a nook for a private moment, these provided layering to the courtyard experience. The basement kitchen, dining and causal living area are also wrapped around the courtyard. This gives a serene quality to the main communal space as one will have sightlines to the external greens and the internal courtyard.

Privacy was of upmost importance to the client as three sides of the house are surrounded by neighbors, only the rear opens out to greenery. Externally, the façade takes on a masculine outlook with strong walls cladded in Aston grey granite, providing privacy for the inner sanctuary. To steer away from appearing like a fortress, these shielding walls are “folded” and “opened up”. The “folds” give a sculptural effect as the slanted walls capture light from various angles at different time of the day. The “openings” create curated views of the surrounding greenery and encourage cross ventilation within the inner parts of the house.  As the site is sloping, the rear basement opens out to an expanse of greenery.  We responded by removing the shielding walls for this corner and the dining and living area opens out to the pool and greenery.

Today, the courtyard is very much the heart of the house and is home to a beautiful Barringtonia Racemosa tree. It blossoms and grows with the family through the seasons and years to come.