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Architects: ONG&ONG Pte Ltd
- Year: 2017
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Photographs:Derek Swalwell
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Manufacturers: Equinox, Apaiser, Zirconwood
Text description provided by the architects. An elegant bespoke home, BT-House perpetuates a renowned design philosophy that harmonizes aesthetics, aspiration & imagination.
Brief
Sequestered in a quiet residential alcove along Bukit Timah Road, BT-House was tailor-made for the client’s family of six. A homemade to suit active lifestyles and predicated on comfort; to fulfil the clients’ exact needs, and more importantly, their hopes and aspirations.
Response and Concept
Tucked into a corner nook, the odd-shaped site contained a mature Ficus tree with sprawling branches stretching shade and shadow across a significant portion of the land. The design perceptively orientated the home to accommodate and celebrate the tree - transforming it into a distinctive feature within. The house encompasses an assemblage of shifted rectilinear volumes stacked atop one another. The home’s volumes were subsequently intersected by planar elements at specific sections, resulting in a final design that exudes clarity and simplicity. The main composition was conceived in three layers, with the topmost layer consists of a striking metal mesh that encases the attic and mechanical services. The mid-layer features an intricate timber lattice screen that cocoons the upper floor family rooms. And finally, a highly porous ground layer comprised of the kitchen and living areas set amidst lush greenery.
A Dramatic Introduction
The entrance hall mimics a bridge as slithers of light cascade through during the day. This naturally ventilated corridor even conceals a guest bedroom suite and powder room as it leads to the main living space. A feature wall figures prominently within the space, delineating the service areas from the living room, giving the ground volume much versatility. Concrete overhangs are utilized to provide shade, complemented by expansive travertine stone flooring.
The Heart of the Home
The ground level also boasts a system of fully retractable glass windows, which when completely opened are fully concealed - creating a seamless convergence of spaces. Joining the ground floor to the upper levels is a striking sculptured staircase that is undoubtedly one of the centrepieces of the home. The lithe, white spiral staircase provides eye-pleasing contrast to the fair-faced concrete volume holding the master bedroom and a junior suite was placed. A swimming pool traces the back edge of the main structure, as the white travertine floor bleeds into the delicate blue from the pool - amplified by a backdrop of lush green landscaping lying close behind.
Perfectly Suited
Dramatically ascending to reveal the bedrooms on the second floor, the focus is drawn from the stairwell to the zircon lattice screens that veil the upstairs interior spaces. Additional amenities and refinements come in the form of a private gym in the attic, and a professional-grade wine cellar adjacent to the kitchen, as the architects sought to cater to the personal pursuits of the client and his family as much as possible.
Materials Used
BT-House features a carefully curated elemental palette to complement the geometric simplicity of the Set against the predominately warm tones of the travertine and zirconwood wall; a system of fully retractable glass doors imbues the voluminous space a high degree of openness. The expansive travertine floor that flows from the living areas onto the outdoor patio further blurs the threshold between the inside and outside. Weathered to a silvery grey untreated Zircon lattice screens, veil the upstairs interior.
Able to slide and fold, these screens allow apertures within each room to be calibrated, making the ambience and privacy adjustable. Dark grey expanded metal brise soleils shrouds the outer surface of the attic, providing a unified surface against the random fenestration beneath while creating a lovely moiré effect. Air and natural light ventilate the upper-floor spaces through a carefully placed air well, as teak decking lines the second-storey providing a touch of warmth to the private spaces.
