The neutral palette used in this industrialstyle terrace house produces a surprisingly bold look that is anything but dull.
The concrete screed
ceiling and timber
board-formed
concrete walls,
paired with the epoxy
terrazzo flooring on
the first level, create
the perfect backdrop
for displaying
designer furniture
pieces such as the
B&B Italia sofa from
Space Furniture.
WHO
A couple in their 40s, their mothers, and six-year-old son.
HOME
A three-and-a-halfstorey intermediate terrace off Siglap Road.
SIZE
2,260sqf (land), 4,800sqf (built-up).
Gwen customised a
matte black tabletop
for her dining
table, using EDL’s
Fenix NTM (which
is fingerprint-,
scratch-, water- and
mould-resistant).
The Counterbalance
wall light by
Luceplan was
purchased during
the couple’s trip
to Denmark.
How many homeowners can proudly declare that their house is in fact the Building of the Year? Architecturally trained husband-and-wife duo (and business partners of Formwerkz — an award-winning architecture firm in Singapore) Berlin Lee and Gwen Tan are the proud owners of one. The multi-generational terrace house, which they designed, was awarded the accolade at the Singapore Institute of Architects’ Architectural Design Awards last year and was commended for its clever use of space despite the narrow site it sits on. Gwen shares with us the design process of the approximately $1.5 million renovation (not including the furnishings).
The spaces in the
house are visually
interconnected
to allow easy
engagement
between the
family members.
What was your strategy when it came to tackling the west-facing front?
A typical strategy is to have lots of sun shading, or the curtains down all the time, but we didn’t want any of that because we really love the outdoors, natural ventilation and daylight. Therefore, we designed the rooms to face the east; this opens them up to good views of the park behind. On the facade, we used ash wood screens to help regulate the sunlight entering the house. At different times of the day, shadows are cast on the walls, creating beautiful patterns.
The understated
nature of the
homeowner’s
homeware collection
complements
the straight lines
running throughout
the home’s design.
The towering
Pink Mempat
tree (Cratoxylum
formosum), known
colloquially as the
Singapore Sakura,
provides shade
above the entrance
to the house on the
first floor.
WHAT IS BOARD-FORMED CONCRETE?
Board-formed concrete is made through a process of patterning concrete that results in a woodgrain finish. This technique is used to soften the look of exposed concrete and is especially wellsuited for external facade finishes.
The home is
completely naturally
ventilated, without
any glass windows
on the facade.
Tell us about the style adopted for the interiors.
We were very inspired by the design of a house we had just completed for a client, which utilised timber board-formed concrete to achieve an industrial look. The material weathers well, which is important, considering that our house is exposed to external elements. We used it to create the structural walls of our home, and this provides a canvas where we can then include loose pieces of furniture to give the interiors colour and a personal touch.
For the staircase, we chose to use black powder-coated steel beams to complement the look. They don’t just serve an aesthetic purpose, but also work as railings, barriers and stiffening elements to the whole structure.
Gwen and Berlin
appreciate the ash
wood used on the
stair treads for how
pronounced its
grains are despite
being stained black.
How did you achieve your open-concept master bedroom?
I wanted my room to have a view of both sides of the house so that I can enjoy views of the pool and the park at the same time, so I designed the bathroom to be in front of the pool. This opens up the space and there is no need to enter the shower area via the room, especially after a swim. To keep the colour scheme in the room consistent with the rest of the home, we chose large pieces of Black Metal tiles from GF+A.
The clean lines
of the architectural
form give the
industrial-style
interiors a
refined look.
How did you address the needs of both your mother and mother-in-law?
We wanted the home to be a place where we could stay connected to each other while still being able to find private areas of our own. My mum helps to take care of my son, and throughout the day, she’s busy in the kitchen on the first floor. My mother-in-law, on the other hand, prefers to stay upstairs, so we designed an apartment on the top floor for her. That space is filled with the facilities she needs so she doesn’t have to make multiple trips across the different levels of the home.
Ash veneer is
used throughout
for the wardrobe
doors and dresser
in the master
bedroom, to give
a uniform and
sleek finish.
Tell us an interesting experience you’ve had since moving into the house.
When we first moved in, I noticed people walking stealthily in the park, peering through binoculars, and thought to myself, “what are they peeping at?”. I later realised they were actually birdwatching!
We get many species of birds here because the trees bear a particular fruit that many of them love. We’ve seen parrots, woodpeckers, kingfishers, golden orioles and many others. Recently, there were even hornbills playing at the balcony of my son’s room!
The open-concept
bathroom has
views of both
sides of the
house, with blinds
that can be closed
for privacy.
As an architect, how do you feel about designing your own home?
Berlin likes to joke that it’s too stressful and we shouldn’t do it ourselves next time (laughs). Overall, it’s satisfying, but also a constant work in progress because there are things we like to fine-tune. It’s also about managing expectations and paying attention to what’s most important to us, just to make sure we stay on track throughout the process.
Natural light
illuminates the
interior of the
master bedroom,
with windows that
span the entire
length of the eastfacing
facade.
WHERE TO GO
Formwerkz, TEL: 6440-0551.
PHOTOGRAPHY VEE CHIN ART DIRECTION DON TAN.
