The interior arrangement of this house was previously fragmented into various enclosed spaces, stacked upon one another, with a narrow stairwell leading to each of these rooms.

To reimagine the dwellers’ experiences in a more connected living arrangement, the entire house was pared down to an empty state. We focused on the idea of connecting the different types of spaces through the composition of geometries and openings to create a breathable and spacious environment.

On ground level, the outdoors is introduced from the front yard into the living hall and the activity basement, connecting the three spaces through a distinct use of the terracotta floor material. The living hall’s tall vertical volume is architecturally expressed by the juxtaposition of the round mezzanine sitting above a timber block that housed the kitchen. On the upper floors, walls and openings are orchestrated along the stairs, leading to a curved surface that filters in soft natural daylight from the roof window, culminating the sensory experience of feeling light and space at home.

The composition of openings recur throughout the design, to express connectedness and privacy, movements and stillness, light and shadows.

Year of completion: 2025
Location: Holland Grove, Singapore
Floor area: 3500 sqft
Client: Private
Project team: Ye Xiaoxuan
Photography: Fabian Ong