The Jalan Bahasa House is designed as a modern reinterpretation of the elegant living afforded by the historic black and white bungalows that are unique to Singapore. Like its precedents, it is immaculately composed on a compact L-shaped plan, keeping itself to simple rectilinear forms, and yet, remains fully connected with the outdoors and the environment it sits on. On the 1st storey, the living and dining areas overlooks the pool and can be opened up fully to catch the passing breezes. In place of bamboo chicks, the upper floors are shaded by a continuous ribbon of foldable perforated aluminium screens. Even when fully closed, they allow views of the exteriors to be glimpsed from within. The house is topped by an inventive twist of a pitch roof with a gable end that cantilevers over the pool area and folds down onto the garden. Like a massive visor over an outdoor room, the section over the pool is punctuated by random pockets of skylights. Seen in its entirety, it is as if the house has been designed as a celebration of the roof eave, of a motif that represented shelter from the sun and rain, shadows over verandahs and of gracious living in the tropics. The house was featured in issue 74 of CUBES magazine.
Completed 2015. GFA 818.5m2.