Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Building a Black-and-White Bungalow – From Scratch
Fulfilling his lifelong dream to live in a colonial-era house, this owner commissioned a new home built in his beloved style
“It has been the home owner’s dream since childhood that he will one day live in his own black-and-white bungalow,” shares architect Aamer Taher of Aamer Architects. “He realised that dream upon his retirement and now lives with his wife and children in this re-creation of a traditional ‘black-and-white’ in a Good Class Bungalow (GCB) area of Singapore.”
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
David couldn’t fulfil his dream of having an actual colonial-era house because “there are very few colonial black-and-white bungalows for sale in Singapore as they are usually conservation properties held by SLA (Singapore Land Authority)”, Taher says.
So the owner commissioned a modern-day black-and-white bungalow on a gently sloping piece of land instead.
David couldn’t fulfil his dream of having an actual colonial-era house because “there are very few colonial black-and-white bungalows for sale in Singapore as they are usually conservation properties held by SLA (Singapore Land Authority)”, Taher says.
So the owner commissioned a modern-day black-and-white bungalow on a gently sloping piece of land instead.
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
Taher and his team did a lot of research, although the architect says that there are no design guidelines when it comes to proportions and forms for a traditional black-and-white bungalow.
“We researched and studied the black-and-white bungalow and its many interpretations, but had to come up with our own that specifically fits the site. In terms of the layout, it is totally different from traditional black-and-white houses. It is only in the architectural style and details that it resembles a black-and-white house: Lots of timber flooring, timber doors and windows, traditional clay roof tiles, cobblestone driveway and, of course, the ubiquitous black-and-white bamboo blinds, which we custom made to size”, says Taher.
Taher and his team did a lot of research, although the architect says that there are no design guidelines when it comes to proportions and forms for a traditional black-and-white bungalow.
“We researched and studied the black-and-white bungalow and its many interpretations, but had to come up with our own that specifically fits the site. In terms of the layout, it is totally different from traditional black-and-white houses. It is only in the architectural style and details that it resembles a black-and-white house: Lots of timber flooring, timber doors and windows, traditional clay roof tiles, cobblestone driveway and, of course, the ubiquitous black-and-white bamboo blinds, which we custom made to size”, says Taher.
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
The house is made of two two-storey blocks, the master and the children’s, which are connected by the foyer on the ground level, and an expansive verandah on the second level.
To coordinate David’s Asian art collection – a lot of which are Chinese paintings – with the family’s preference for oriental Chinese interiors and the colonial-style architecture, Taher worked with interior firm Design Basis.
The house is made of two two-storey blocks, the master and the children’s, which are connected by the foyer on the ground level, and an expansive verandah on the second level.
To coordinate David’s Asian art collection – a lot of which are Chinese paintings – with the family’s preference for oriental Chinese interiors and the colonial-style architecture, Taher worked with interior firm Design Basis.
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
The house is a new build, but it has a cosy, lived-in feel, as if the place has been in David’s family for a long time.
“The interior style is very oriental Chinese, so we had to customise some nice timber screen details (between living and dining),” Taher says.
Like the traditional black-and-white bungalows, the rooms open out to verandahs that are surrounded by lush landscaping. Some rooms, like the living room here, and the dining room behind it, enjoy cross-ventilation from two parallel openings.
Unlike the traditional black-and-white bungalows, this modern interpretation features a pool nestled between the two blocks.
The house is a new build, but it has a cosy, lived-in feel, as if the place has been in David’s family for a long time.
“The interior style is very oriental Chinese, so we had to customise some nice timber screen details (between living and dining),” Taher says.
Like the traditional black-and-white bungalows, the rooms open out to verandahs that are surrounded by lush landscaping. Some rooms, like the living room here, and the dining room behind it, enjoy cross-ventilation from two parallel openings.
Unlike the traditional black-and-white bungalows, this modern interpretation features a pool nestled between the two blocks.
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
There’s also a basement level, designed for entertainment. Taher says that the design brief specified this space to cater to movie-watching, games and karaoke.
There’s also a basement level, designed for entertainment. Taher says that the design brief specified this space to cater to movie-watching, games and karaoke.
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
Like the ground floor, the second level enjoys balconies that provide cross-ventilation and refreshing views.
Like the ground floor, the second level enjoys balconies that provide cross-ventilation and refreshing views.
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
The master bedroom, for example, has a balcony on one side of the bed, and another balcony in its lounge area.
The master bedroom, for example, has a balcony on one side of the bed, and another balcony in its lounge area.
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
All rooms have ensuite bathrooms, and are luxuriously appointed not only with well-planned spaces, but larger-than-normal windows.
All rooms have ensuite bathrooms, and are luxuriously appointed not only with well-planned spaces, but larger-than-normal windows.
Photo by Sanjay Kewlani
In keeping with the black-and-white bungalow tradition, this new house also features ceiling fans to cool the verandahs, timber framed railings, clerestories and custom-made bamboo blinds to keep sun and rain out of the verandahs.
In keeping with the black-and-white bungalow tradition, this new house also features ceiling fans to cool the verandahs, timber framed railings, clerestories and custom-made bamboo blinds to keep sun and rain out of the verandahs.
There’s even a separate guest house, patterned after the outhouses of old, but situated just off the main house, but within steps of the pool. Together with an outdoor shower, the bathroom here doubles as a powder room for guests.
Fleshing out the design first in a scale model helped the architect and his team track the cross-ventilation and circulation within and out the house.
“The original intention was to retain the existing house and do an A&A (addition and alteration) but after several rounds of design meetings, David decided to build a new bungalow as the old house had too many existing conditions that would have hampered the dream house”, Taher says. For the family who’s now able to enjoy their dream black-and-white recreation, that was definitely a decision well made.
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“The original intention was to retain the existing house and do an A&A (addition and alteration) but after several rounds of design meetings, David decided to build a new bungalow as the old house had too many existing conditions that would have hampered the dream house”, Taher says. For the family who’s now able to enjoy their dream black-and-white recreation, that was definitely a decision well made.
See more of this project
TELL US
What’s your favourite part of this home? Share in the Comments.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: David, his wife and two children
Location: Maryland Drive
Size: 1,405 square metres (land area) / 882 square metres (built-up area)
Project duration: About 2.5 years (construction was 15 months)
In colonial times, a black-and-white bungalow was the epitome of the luxurious life. Built before World War I, when Singapore was a British colony, these visually distinct, typically two-storey dwellings housed families of British officials and servicemen. Pre-air-conditioning, the architects and designers of these mock-Tudor-Elizabethan-inspired villas had to figure out passive ways of cooling the spaces within.
Taher, who is also a part-time design tutor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Architecture, says “It is the best part of the traditional black-and-white houses, that they are so well designed to fit our climate with their deep verandahs and overhangs”. He kept this in mind for this unique commission: to build a black-and-white bungalow in 21st century Singapore.