Dear customer: The following project was carried out in order to fulfill as much as possible with your requirements, as well as respecting local regulations and requirements.
First, the main focus was on trying to keep the existing structure as much as possible, trying to avoid construction problems. Based on this and looking to illuminate the staircase, as a starting point it is decided to demolish the portion that, on the 1st and 2nd floors obstruct any possibility of lighting the staircase, but keeping the structure (beams) so as not to compromise it and including it to the design. At this point, it includes a plane of external water at ground level and new bamboo trees that allow a relationship with nature almost direct when the stairs are lowered, healthily enhancing the presence of the beautiful palm trees. Continuing in this sense it was decided to redo the longest sections of the stairs without changing the original span. Thus a more permeable and modern staircase is introduced that allows the relationship with the outside; as well as direct lighting thanks to the new glazed box, also glazed sloping ceiling and following the neighbor’s line, so it does not compete with your immediate environment.
It expands the house on the ground floor, achieving a comfortable entrance with entrance hall and a space to leave and expose the client’s bicycles, nuanced from the rest of the environments with a divisor based on natural bamboo reeds that contain vegetation and bring a spontaneous and authentic touch to the new modern environment. The spaces are developed in a predominantly open concept, passing to the dining room and the double living room, with a simple space to be and look outside and a space where you can watch TV or raise another activity, without losing relation to the rest of the house and the natural preponderance of the garden that is introduced into the interior through large glazed cloths and sliding windows doors. From the living room you can go out to the outside gallery, where you will find a space for barbecue, eat with family or simply to be able to be.
As for the kitchens, which was a very important point in the bases of the contest, it was sought to integrate with the possibility of participating, and include the taste for family coffee in the more open part of the dry kitchen. A partition with countertop, nuanced from bamboo slats and folding glass doors, offers us an exclusive space to prepare coffee, as well as the central island incorporates in its design a bar/table comfortable to drink coffee or make a quick snack. Behind the partition is the quick cooking area of the dry kitchen, thus allowing us to integrate or separate the kitchens as needed. Then, following to the bottom of the house we find the wet kitchen, more equipped in number of ovens and burners and with more spacious sink space. Here there is also an exit to the outside, to the back garden from this kitchen. To the side of the kitchens is a battery of utility rooms: a bathroom, closer and accessible from the social area; the pantry, accessible from the dry kitchen; and the laundry room with built-in internal clothesline, as well as a storage room, or installation of necessary machinery room, such as air conditioning equipment, water tanks etc.
On the 2nd floor, you will find the sleeping area and the closed entertainment room. The master bedroom, with dressing room and private bathroom with double sink is oriented towards the main facade in the corner. Here the decision is made to expand the spaces on what used to be balconies and on the basis of light construction, based on the "Steel Deck" system, landscaped green terraces are made that flood the house with green, both from the inside, giving the feeling that the vegetation could be within the spaces. Also the visual from outside, immensely charged with nature, thanks to ferns, mainly of the Asplenium family, favorable to the climate of Singapore, hanging and imposing its presence. Nuancing the visual from the outside, but allowing visibility from the inside out, work with a fixed enclosure based on bamboo canes that enhance the natural image of the house, while modernizing and unifying it. These terraces are not considered as accessible, due to their lightweight construction to avoid as much as possible new beams and reinforced concrete columns. However, it is proposed that the enclosure of bamboo canes have an opening module to access only for cleaning the terraces.
It should be clarified that in all floors the integrity of beams and slabs is respected, working with the existing unevenness.
In the room of the child, oriented towards the rear area of the house, the situation of the terraces is replicated. A private bathroom is also provided for the child, and it is equipped so that it has playful and sheltered spaces. It is expected that in the future a new bed could be incorporated in this bedroom, and this is explained in the corresponding plan.
The entertainment room, theater cinema, is a small space with the possibility of closing, raised with enclosures suitable for acoustic efficiency, equipped with a comfortable sofa (which could be sofa bed in case it is necessary to transform it into a guest room), with a short-wave projector and screen and sound equipment incorporated into the furniture.
On this floor, there is also a third "free" bathroom, in case we have guests on this floor, do not have the need to use exclusively one of the bathrooms of the rooms.
On the third floor, the same situation arises with the landscaped green terraces and the fixed facade enclosure of bamboo canes, the shape of the walls of the existing dome is maintained, especially because it is believed that they contain structure. It seeks to disguise the shape of the dome with a new flat and light roof, higher that allow the entry of light from fixed glasses. It was not considered necessary to reach the maximum height of the previous dome, since thanks to its privileged corner location and height, added to the new renovations, the image of the house is imposing and striking without needing to be the highest.
On this floor the gym develops a comfortable bathroom in relation to the gym containing the infrared sauna and a space accordingly. The third level also houses a comfortable work office for the sr, and a storage room with built-in bed that can be transformed into a guest room.
A separate mention deserves the stone wall of the main facade. This wall seeks to maintain and enhance its expression, changing the cladding for a new and accessible stone in the Singapour market. This decision is key when counting the meters of external walls to be demolished to rebuild, since the fact of maintaining most of this large wall helps not to exceed 50% of walls to be demolished.
Suspended ceilings play an important role, due to the irregularities of the structure, thus they are used to cover these situations in the most disadvantaged areas trying not to lose height in the most important or central spaces. They are also used to channel central air conditioning through vents in the suspended ceilings and for mechanical ventilation, mainly in the kitchen area
Hoping that the project will be to your liking. I greet you cordially.
