![House at Neil Road / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd - Facade, Windows, Courtyard](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55ae/f280/e58e/ce6c/0700/00cd/medium_jpg/portada_IMG_9526.jpg?1437528693)
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Architects: ONG&ONG Pte Ltd
- Area: 520 m²
- Year: 2013
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Photographs:See Chee Keong
![House at Neil Road / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd - Table, Windows, Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55ae/f1fa/e58e/ceb3/3000/00b6/medium_jpg/IMG_9809.jpg?1437528555)
Text description provided by the architects. Located within a conservation district, this home celebrates the traditional charm of Peranakan shophouses with the addition of new spaces that are sensitive to the building’s rich heritage.
![House at Neil Road / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd - Stairs, Windows, Handrail, Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55ae/f168/e58e/ceb3/3000/00b2/medium_jpg/IMG_9465.jpg?1437528412)
Akin to traditional shophouses, the spaces are interspersed with courtyards that serve as visual focal points. The original courtyard – with its preserved ornate fish mould centerpiece and accompanying water feature – forms the heart of the common areas while a newer courtyard marks the transition from the old structure into its new extension.
![House at Neil Road / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd - Image 37 of 39](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55ae/f3e5/e58e/ceb3/3000/00bc/newsletter/House_at_Neil_Road_4.jpg?1437529052)
A young tree in the centre of this new courtyard adds a touch of nature to the urban ensemble. To the rear of the house are the kitchen and a retro spiral staircase that leads to the second floor master bedroom and rooftop terrace.
![House at Neil Road / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd - Windows, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55ae/f0fb/e58e/ceb3/3000/00ae/newsletter/IMG_0209.jpg?1437528301)
Many original elements were retained as well as restored, such as the timber flooring, doorframes, window shutters and iron gates. Clay bricks were also recycled and incorporated into a partition wall as salvaged glazed tiles were put to use in the bathrooms. Even the blue paint for the walls was restored to a more authentic tone by using mineral silicate, while a pigmented grouting mixture helped to recreate the five-foot way’s red cement flooring.
![House at Neil Road / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd - Countertop, Table, Sink, Kitchen, Chair](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55ae/f0e8/e58e/ce6c/0700/00c1/newsletter/IMG_0151.jpg?1437528286)
Interestingly, the forecourt’s boundary wall displays a similar progression from old to new, with its paint-stripped bricks revealing layers of the shophouse’s history. The bathroom floors were also given a terrazzo finish as a nod to the age-old craft that is fast dying out.
![House at Neil Road / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd - Windows](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55ae/f0c9/e58e/ce6c/0700/00c0/medium_jpg/IMG_0107.jpg?1437528254)
With its blending of old and new elements, this house not only preserves a unique cultural heritage, but also acts as a storytelling device that narrates the histories of its past and present occupants.
![House at Neil Road / ONG&ONG Pte Ltd - Chair, Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55ae/f0d8/e58e/ceb3/3000/00ad/newsletter/IMG_0127.jpg?1437528269)