A brick house in Singapore shared by three generations of a family
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A brick house in Singapore shared past three generations of a family
Later bringing upwards his children on this plot, a retired homeowner now grows old with his grandchildren in a newer, larger business firm on the same piece of land.
The facade of this multi-generational family unit home is characterised past a layered brick facade. (Photo: Studio Periphery)
09 Jan 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 09 Jul 2022 02:09AM)
Twenty-eight years ago, a couple bought a house built in the 60s to bring up their ii children in. Clad in brick, it had amuse and tactility. The interiors were breezy due to its location on the pinnacle of a hill and there was a big garden for carefree running and playing.
The possessor enjoys the peaceful and informal neighbourhood, which is surrounded past nature. "You tin can see and hear unlike types of birds chirping and singing, and squirrels running from tree to tree every morn. Information technology is like we are living in the countryside or a resort although we are non far from the city," he said.
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When the children left to written report overseas, the owner rented the property to a childcare centre. A few years ago, he decided to live in information technology once more just wanted a new house to accommodate the needs of his girl and his family unit who would stay with him. He also decided to maximise the footprint for potential investment purposes.
He engaged The Pattern Dwelling house, who worked with WKL Architects on the project. The Singapore-based firm has designed many homes as well every bit several hospitality projects, including Natra Bintan (formerly The Canopi) – a glamping resort in Bintan.
Following the owner'southward request, the business firm'south founder Ewan Wong and its director Adrian Ong (who has since left the company) first relocated the driveway to the other road-facing side of the corner plot. The original entry was close to the junction and driving into the house was inconvenient.
The driveway's relocation also means the living room now faces a more expansive garden. "We enjoy nature and greenery, so having to go along a big portion of the land for landscaping was important to u.s.a.. We like gardening and growing our ain edible plants. I besides relish taking my morning and evening strolls around my own garden," said the owner.
The new plan reads as two blocks – one for each family – glued in the centre with an open up courtyard. The blocks' staggered levels trace the slope's natural topography. "The stair and lift core was then inserted in between to weave the levels together," explained Wong.
On the lower side of the first storey is the common living room and invitee room, which can become a "granny room" in the future should the owner and his wife decide to live downstairs in their after years.
In the living room, there is no television as the owner believes this space is for bonding. The dining and kitchen are in the higher block next to the new driveway.
"We relish nature and greenery, so having to keep a big portion of the land for landscaping was important to us. We like gardening and growing our ain edible plants." – The homeowner
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INTERNAL Diplomacy
The courtyard is an important part of the internal feel. Information technology connects the 2 zones across the different levels with windows looking in, also as enhances privacy, daylight and ventilation for the internal spaces. The outdoors is brought in with landscaping, which the girl described every bit her excursion breaker projection.
"Nosotros tried to abound grass simply it did not grow. So I started growing [other plants] in pots. They survived very well like this and are easier to maintain," shared the daughter – a freelance interior designer who contributed to the projection with her expertise.
Her father also had his own initial plan for the courtyard, which was shelved. "I thought of constructing a fish pond with edible fish like tilapia so that when friends come over, I can fish them out and cook them like in a seafood restaurant," he shared.
The hassle of building infrastructure and hiring an engineer to piece of work on the task deterred him. At present instead, there is a large pot with small fish, which is just as mannerly.
From the living room side, a slit window to the basement can exist seen at the courtyard. "The basement was designed to exist a movie or karaoke room but now we're not maximising the usage of the entire firm so it's just used for storage," said the owner.
Behind the courtyard is another garden – this time, a rock garden that adorns the base of the staircase. "This was sentimental because some of the rocks and the stone pagoda is from my grandfather's business firm," said the daughter. Some of the large rocks were discovered on site when the builder tore the house down and excavated the soil for the basement.
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LEVELLING UP
The owner and his daughter'southward bedrooms are located on the 2nd storey, separated by half a level. They are virtually symmetrical in plan except for some programmatic differences relevant for the two households.
"Each family has its ain space so we don't borrow on one some other. My daughter and son-in-law'southward friends tin can hang out on their side and if my friends want to watch football with me, they can come to my family room on the second storey in my wing," said the possessor on how the home'south design accords privacy to each family.
Aside from the bedroom and bathroom, in that location is a family room, study room and prayer room in the possessor's fly. In the daughter'due south wing, at that place is a minor chamber and bath for her 2 pre-schoolers, as well as a large written report that is currently a playroom.
"I call the children'due south chamber the nursery because when they are immature, they tin can sleep here simply when they get older, they tin can slumber in their own rooms," said the daughter.
In the attic are three small bedrooms with en-suites allocated for this purpose. They are currently unused. "When y'all build a house, you think of a ten- to twenty-year plan," explained the daughter.
In the new house, Wong inserted a balustrade but information technology now goes effectually the house on the 2nd storey, and functions as an external corridor outside the rooms or a space to bask the tropical conditions under shelter.
A facade of alternating perforated, aluminium and brick screens wrap this semi-outdoor space, giving the interiors privacy.
"The brick screens are reminiscent of the old off-white-faced brick house. We explored a layered brick design, meticulously laid by the builder CapitalGold," explained Wong.
The perforations are reduced when facing direct sunlight, and more porous where it faces away from the sun. They are also adept for natural ventilation. "It is so breezy here that we don't slumber with the air conditioning. We just sleep with the windows open," said the daughter.
When it gets especially stormy or windy, she even has to necktie the shutters down, as they are not lockable. The porous brick walls continue to clad the bathrooms of the possessor and his daughter. In each, an elevated planter capped with a skylight gives the occupants the feeling of showering outdoors.
Half a flight up from the attic bedroom is a generous roof terrace that is sheltered but open at the sides. Offer unblocked views all around, information technology is some other wonderful space for both communal and solitary activities.
The children tin play here, and the family watched the National Day fireworks from here this year. Meanwhile, the owner, armed with merely his mobile phone, comes regularly to have postcard-similar photographs of brilliant sunsets in myriad hues.
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/obsessions/singapore-house-tour-family-home-three-generations-246796
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