Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Reconstructed Bungalow Lights up its Neighbourhood
Located on the corner of a busy main road, this four-bedroom bungalow was redesigned with a new, statement-making form
When the couple who bought the house on this site decided to have it reconstructed, they knew exactly who they wanted to do it. Having worked with Aamer Taher, founder of Aamer Architects, on two of their previous homes, they already had a chemistry with the architect. “This is the third house we are doing for them over the last fifteen years or so, hence why we are very familiar with their needs and lifestyle,” Taher says. He adds: “But since every site is unique, the design is developed according to different parameters.”
As a contemporary reconstruction of a small bungalow, the house bears the traditional massing, with a pitched roof topping a box. The traditional setbacks limit the size, but provide space for a pool and verandah outdoors. The similarities to a traditional bungalow stop there.
The reconstructed house has a sculptural quality to it, with its raw, off-form concrete dynamically soaring from the ground. The heavy concrete roof looks like it’s supported by a column that tapers to the ground – seemingly defying gravity. A filigree teak screen slyly reveals the actual structure that supports that heavy roof.
The “finely crafted solid teak screens veil and protect the house from its harsh urban environment without compromising on views, natural light and ventilation”, Taher says.
The “finely crafted solid teak screens veil and protect the house from its harsh urban environment without compromising on views, natural light and ventilation”, Taher says.
“The pattern of the timber screen is our own abstraction of traditional oriental privacy screens and was crafted in Bali, Indonesia”, he says.
While the teak screen makes the house appear light and open, “solid boundary walls and landscaping mitigate the traffic noise from the main road”, Taher says.
While the teak screen makes the house appear light and open, “solid boundary walls and landscaping mitigate the traffic noise from the main road”, Taher says.
The house has two levels and an attic. On the first level, floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors create an indoor-outdoor flow for the living and dining rooms, verandah and pool.
The gardens and the pool provide passive cooling to the house.
Three bedrooms and a library overlooking the double-volume living room are located on the second floor.
The master bedroom is located in the attic, and enjoys the cooling effect of deep overhangs, as well as plenty of natural light and long distant views.
Three bedrooms and a library overlooking the double-volume living room are located on the second floor.
The master bedroom is located in the attic, and enjoys the cooling effect of deep overhangs, as well as plenty of natural light and long distant views.
“We designed the fixed furniture such as the book shelves, bed frames, desk and library using dark stained plywood to blend with the solid hardwoods, but at a much lower cost”, Taher says.
“The rest of the furniture and decorations are the owners’ own collections. The details and materials of the house were meant to fit in with the existing furniture/style, but the house was not designed for specific furnishings. Rather, it’s intended to be flexible and neutral enough for the interiors to evolve over time if needed”, he says.
The architectural details are appreciated up close in the master bathroom. You can see adjustable timber louvres that provide natural light and privacy at the same time, juxtaposed with the concrete roof and the slab-like skylight.
“Proper calibrations were necessary for the off-form concrete formwork, to organise the groove lines and even conceal the lighting conductor strip on the roof”, Taher says.
“The openness in the planning allows for excellent natural cross ventilation and light, while the overhangs, screens, pool, decking and landscape all play a part to moderate the environment for comfort, in and out of the house”, he says.
“The openness in the planning allows for excellent natural cross ventilation and light, while the overhangs, screens, pool, decking and landscape all play a part to moderate the environment for comfort, in and out of the house”, he says.
Taher adds: “Most of all, for us and the owners, it’s about the sense of pride of having accomplished such an elegant product in spite of the many challenges.”
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See more of this project
TELL US
What strikes you about this house? Let us know in the comments section.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple in their 60s
Location: Siglap
Size: 349.95 square metres (3767 square feet) (GFA); 448.5 square metres (4827 square feet) (land area)
One of the quirks of the corner site was the bus stop along the main road that bordered it. This also set some of the design parameters.
Taher says: “The main brief was not to do a new erection but a reconstruction. This was to reduce cost but also to avoid greater building setbacks due to the site’s roads, and to address the harsh urban setting (like the west-facing frontage and the heavy vehicular traffic), while still having a tranquil living environment.”