BAUHAUS BRILLIANCE IN SINGAPORE

A draw for design devotees, Cuscaden Reserve stands as an emblem of the influential modern art movement.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

"The luxury condominium at Cuscaden Road in District 10 comprises 192 apartment units."

Founded in 1919 by architect Walter Gropius, the Staatliches Bauhaus art school served as an incubator for the movement’s credo, which in the field of architecture, aimed to bridge the gap between craftsmanship and architecture, so that one no longer built a house but rather one that invoked its totality. While the school was forced by the Nazis to shut in 1933, the movement lived on through the work of its students, such prominent alumni as painter Paul Klee, industrial designer Wilhelm Wagenfeld, and Marcel Breuer, the architect behind the UNESCO buildings in Paris and The Met Breuer in New York City.

CUSCADEN RESERVE: THE BAUHAUS LEGACY IN SINGAPORE

The Bauhaus legacy has been so pervasive that a century later, its influence continues to be very much present, and nowhere more so than in Cuscaden Reserve in Singapore – a residential property by developers SC Global Developments and New World Development Company. Rising 28 storeys over the Cuscaden Road neighbourhood, the sleek gold-finned tower was conceived by SC Global in collaboration with Singapore-based SCDA Architects. For lead architect Soo Chan of SCDA, the rigours of the Bauhaus discipline has long been a driving force in his practice, not least because he had studied under Leslie Laskey at Washington University, himself a protégé of Bauhaus teacher Lázló Moholy-Nagy.

Inspired by the Bauhaus ‘free plan’ approach to design where physical divisions are kept to a minimum, flexibility informs the layout of Cuscaden Reserve. Each of the 192 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments wraps itself around a core of facilities – the kitchen, bathroom and the like. The surrounding spaces are then altered by the usage of sliding doors. When fully open, a seamless expanse is created. Conversely, doors, when shut, lend privacy to bedrooms.

“The concept of creating a flexible living space is one that we successfully developed in Martin No.38 to worldwide acclaim and is perfect for inner city pied-à-terre style apartments,” says Simon Cheong, CEO of SC Global.

In a nod to Marcel Breuer, the tower is lifted off the ground in a cantilevered fashion to allow the landscape to literally flow under and through it. In the same way that the Bauhaus practitioners took control of the entire project, the developers of Cuscaden Reserve have commissioned SCDA to curate the extensive landscaping and customise all millworks, working with artisans to craft cabinetry and woodworks.

“Driven by a design concept that draws from an enduring architectural tradition, Cuscaden Reserve promises to be a refreshing contribution to Singapore’s real estate,” says Cheong.

Private previews commence in September 2019. Sales Gallery located at 8 Cuscaden Road. Viewing by appointment only. Tel: +65 6100-2323 www.cuscadenreserve.com
 
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