Designed Evolution- A Semi Detached House on Jalan Binchang

This quiet and un-assuming low-rise cul-de-sac of semi detached houses at Jalan Binchang is similar to many in Singapore. Constructed mostly in the 1970’s, the pairs of two storey brick houses are now at the stage in their building lifespan where renovation is eminent. The designers saw the development of the quaint neighborhood and its natural evolution as a main source of inspiration in the design of no. 67 Jalan Binchang. They brainstormed on how to enlarge and rejuvenate the existing semi detached house while maintaining a harmony with the existing built environment, the history of tropical residential buildings and with the natural environment. The designers looked at the existing building as one would study a living organism that needed to adapt to a new environment. Instead of demolishing its embedded history and reinventing it as something completely new, they decided to use its structure, its internal logic of organization and meaning as a starting point to the design, and to build upon this pre-existing pattern and structure to evolve it into a new form and space. The architects find it important to study how space can evolve with time and with the changing conditions of the inhabitants so that the lifespan of construction can be increased. Also as a way of reducing waste, savings cost on the project, and minimizing disruption to the neighbor’s house, the designers decided to retain the entire 2-storey semi detached house on the site. Between this structure and a newly added 2 storey plus attic extension, a spatial gap between the old and new structures was kept to bring light and wind through the house as well as to allow for the settlement of the new structure independently from the old. Only small bridges at the 2nd storey span over the gap and allow views diagonally through the house. The internal building’s logic of the front facing public room, rear facing services and private second storey of the existing house was maintained and carried over to the side extension.

In another effort to minimize material, as well as to link the two structures together, the designers used the 5th elevation of the house, the roof form, as the main façade of the old and new parts of the building. They bent and folded this form around the top and sides of the house. This roof was conceived as an evolution of the traditional sloping gable tropical roof and retains the history of the visual and function importance of the roof in the tropics. The organically wrapping independent roof creates an insulating buffer between the harsh tropical sun and the internal and external living spaces below. An example of resource efficacy in the design is the use of simple, locally available materials to construct a “breathing” wall out of organically organized painted brick on the North-East face of the building. This multi-functional permeable wall helps to cut down noise from the nearby Category 3 road of Bishan Street 22 as well as allows the prevailing winds to flow through the building and to reduce heat in the house so as to lower the building’s dependency on air conditioning. The prevailing winds in Singapore blow from the North-East and South-West directions, so the designers took advantage of this to place the “breathing” wall strategically to allow these winds to run through the house and into the central courtyard which is further cooled by a large swimming pool and water feature. The permeable wall, as well as the main internal spaces of the house wrap around and open into this courtyard and enjoy its shaded and naturally cool environment. Aesthetically, this breathing wall creates beautiful patterns of light across the inner surfaces of the house, creating a calm and peaceful atmosphere where space is in harmony with its history, its climate and with the natural elements.

On this humble inter terrace site of under 1400ft2, the architects have managed to create a sensation of surprising openness and limitless space within a lush green environment, while still very comfortably accommodating all the functions of home. Situated within the narrow streets and densely packed rows of terrace houses of Opera Estate, it is difficult to imaging that such an open and well-ventilated house could be achievable, but through clever design and the immersion of natural greenery throughout the internal and external spaces of the house, the feeling inside the home is of being in a boundless garden with a gentle constant breeze blowing through it. To achieve this sense of spaciousness, the designers have tucked all the main service areas of the home into a part basement, leaving the ground floor as a vast open space with a central courtyard. Within this triple volume courtyard grows a leafy ficus tree in a bubbling water feature which is bathed in a gentle light from the skylight above. The center of the home, which is in many inter terrace houses a dark and uncomfortable space, is here transformed into a lush and pleasant internal garden.

The front and the back facades of the main 1st storey living spaces have been opened up to the maximum, using transparent roller shutters that disappear into the ceiling and allow the prevailing winds to flow through the house. Surrounding this main living area are two external gardens at the front and back of the house. The front garden is a quaint chill-out area that was planted on top of the car porch roof below, which creates a sensuous green backdrop to the living room. The rear of the house is designed as a small swimming pool directly off the dining area that is nestled in front of a textural boundary wall embedded with plants and ventilation blocks. These three main garden and courtyard spaces of the home allow the occupants to feel the movement of the natural light across the house throughout the day while shading them from it harsh impact. Several levels of tiered opens spaces can be seen while looking above the central courtyard, each planted with trees and creeping plants that bring the eye up and diagonally through the house and enhance the long views through the various spaces and greenery to the blue skies beyond.