Views looking in, views looking out and a fitness focus: these were the guiding principles for this home on the Singapore Island of Sentosa. The clients – a British man and his Japanese wife – asked architects, Ong&Ong, to create a “clean, modern design language” that would cater to their sports and fitness activities.
The new-build home is at the southern end of Sentosa and enjoys views across the adjacent golf course. However, the house is “hemmed in” on both sides by neighbours and exposed to the street, making privacy a key consideration.
“The house pivots around a central courtyard and introspection and contemplation are the motivations,” explains Diego Molina, Director Architecture at Ong&Ong. “The front facade is kept closed with timber louvers on the second floor. On the ground floor, creepers wrap round the front wall.
“The master bath has doors that can slide open completely to take in the surrounding landscape of verdant, unblocked views. There is also a roof terrace, again to allow the inhabitants and their guests the luxurious views around.”
The home benefits from the lush outlook and the architects have drawn this greenery inside by planting a large mature tree – craned in during construction – in the centre of the internal courtyard. While creepers are used to reduce heat gain and provide further privacy.
“The design is meant to be clean and sleek, with the use of muted colours,” Molina says. “To allow for maximum privacy, the house is inward-looking, but skylights and the courtyard let light in.”
A keen sporting family, the owners needed a house that would facilitate their fitness needs. To this end, Ong&Ong have also designed a large lap pool, home gym and a ground-floor shower.
“It’s important to have a continuous dialogue with the owners in order to understand their needs and to build a home… where they will be happy living.”
You can see another of Ong&Ong’s homes, the Blair Road House, in Issue 08 of Habitus magazine.
Ong&Ong
ong-ong.com
Photography: Derek Swalwell
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