Modern Singapore Home With Impressive Swimming Pool

Designed by ONG&ONG, this family house is situated in Singapore's King Albert Park

Designed by ONG&ONG, this family house is situated in Singapore's King Albert Park

This Singapore house, located in the island’s tiny King Albert Park, is a textbook example of what can happen when the natural setting and judicious orientation are factored into the design.

For starters, the six-bedroom house backs onto the overgrowth of the abandoned Malayan Railway track. For architects ONG&ONG, the lush green corridor creates an ideal framing device. They incorporated shakkei, the traditional Japanese design philosophy of borrowed views for the home in order to capture the rustic landscape as much as possible.

In particular, the house is comprised of three neatly stacked volumes of reinforced concrete. The first volume links the driveway with the foyer and a guest-room that opens up into the garden; the second volume contains the living room, kitchen and dining area; while the final volume sits above the public spaces and contains the bedrooms.

All three volumes are carefully orientated away from direct sun, and towards views of the railway corridor, while creating cross-ventilated rooms. The upper floor bedrooms are clad in a shell of retractable zircon timber screens that extend the entire length of the house, while deep overhangs provide passive climate controls, and shelter from the elements.

The use of natural materials is pervasive: the driveway is lined with limestone and textured concrete, the floors with zircon timber, granite in the bathrooms, travertine in the living room, and tobacco-hued cohiba stone in the basement.

The jade-green landscaping reinforces the impression of a tropical bolt hole to create a seamless relation between interior and exterior spaces. The architects inserted a glass panel in the underground multi-media room that peeks into the 25m lap pool above.

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The house was designed in relation to the nature around it and taking into account the country's warm climate

The house was designed in relation to the nature around it and taking into account the country's warm climate

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The six-bedroom house also backs onto the overgrowth of the abandoned Malayan Railway track

The six-bedroom house also backs onto the overgrowth of the abandoned Malayan Railway track

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The structure comprises three neatly stacked volumes of reinforced concrete and modern design

The structure comprises three neatly stacked volumes of reinforced concrete and modern design

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One of these volumes contains the living room, kitchen and dining area

One of these volumes contains the living room, kitchen and dining area

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Another volume sits above the public spaces and contains the bedrooms and bathrooms

Another volume sits above the public spaces and contains the bedrooms and bathrooms

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Finally, a third volume connects the driveway with the foyer and a guest-room and garden and impressive swimming pool

Finally, a third volume connects the driveway with the foyer and a guest-room and garden and impressive swimming pool

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The architects' open-plan approach helps link the interiors to the leafy gardens and surrounding nature

The architects' open-plan approach helps link the interiors to the leafy gardens and surrounding nature

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All three volumes are carefully orientated away from direct sun for less air-conditioning

All three volumes are carefully orientated away from direct sun for less air-conditioning

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Key materials include limestone, textured concrete, zircon timber, granite, travertine, and tobacco-hued cohiba stone

Key materials include limestone, textured concrete, zircon timber, granite, travertine, and tobacco-hued cohiba stone

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The jade-green landscaping reinforces the impression of a tropical bolthole

The jade-green landscaping reinforces the impression of a tropical bolthole

Source: wallpaper