59BTP House by ONG&ONG Pte Ltd

Architects: ONG&ONG Pte Ltd
Location: Singapore
Year: 2014
Photo courtesy: Derek Swalwell
Description:

This was an Additions and Alterations venture on a current house in Bukit Timah. The proprietor’s dad manufactured the first house and the building was in an ungainly position on the plot. As per the brief, the customer needed to have two main rooms alongside four rooms – this required extra floor zone as the first house territory couldn’t easily fit in the additional rooms. In any case, the designers made plans to make utilization of the current structure and keep up its introduction by essentially adding an extra volume to oblige the additional rooms and ensuite bathrooms.

The completed work is an effective amalgamation of the old house – with its 1950s look – and the new wing that nearly takes after the first structure whilst suitably overhauling it as indicated by cutting edge design patterns. For instance, a stonewall in the first house was supplanted with a solid divider to give it a more present day complete whilst as yet staying consistent with the soul of the prior outline. Wherever conceivable, the first material was held, for example, the mortar that structures the upper levels. Likewise, the architects attempted to keep up a comparative look, so the new structure imitates the outline of the old house by keeping the top volume greater than the first floor, which is recessed. Outwardly, the house seems, by all accounts, to be another building, yet there are scattered components that make the more established house unmistakable even inside of this more up to date manufacture, and that was basically what the customer sought for his adolescence home.

As a result of the size of remodel work required, the inside format of the first house was definitely adjusted, in spite of the fact that the primary passageway was kept in the same spot. In the old format, there was a five-stage staircase driving down to an indented lounge room and afterward up to the second floor. With the new format, the living territory was raised up to continue everything on the same level and the staircase was repositioned to the associating anteroom that now prompts the new wing. Situated at the passageway, this entryway frames the association between the new and old segments of the building and delightfully weds the two structures for a homogeneously present day look.

In view of the adaptability of this configuration, the house can be made private or more open by proprietor’s requirements. Another prerequisite from the customer was that every single social space be normally ventilated. All things considered, the whole living and eating territory has floor-to-roof glass windows that can be pulled back to make a totally open space that watches out into the pool and garden zones outside. The old kitchen was likewise crushed to permit the lounge area to be augmented while the remaining space was kept as the administration volume.

In the interim, the old guestroom was devastated to make the lower main room with ensuite washroom. This room has a parlor region and also an outside deck that ignores the pool. Stylishly, the primary volumes of the house give off an impression of being drifting on the surface of the pool, as a break was made at the base of the first floor, making the house’s structure look lighter.

The configuration likewise guarantees that the administration regions are shrouded yet remain totally useful, while the administration quarters are additionally intended for most extreme solace. To enhance person on foot access from road level, the first gated passage was upgraded to have the walkway developed and an extra volume made. The state of the extra structure fits in with the sporadic geometry of that edge of the site.

In the first design, the second level had a curiously molded open air pathway that associated the main room with whatever remains of the rooms in the principle building. Moreover, the old staircase’s position restricted the measure of space for the rooms, which were likewise sporadically molded. Post-redesign, the pathway was supplanted with a scaffold while the evacuation of the old staircase took into account the current rooms to be made greater. The rooms were likewise reshaped into more consistent structures to augment every room’s floor range. There are currently three rooms, and also a family room connected by a hallway.

The upper main room gloats an ensuite washroom, stroll in closet, and a gallery that watches out into the back greenhouse. For his room, the customer had additionally asked for a unique work area to be manufactured to shape the sponsorship of his bed, making it resemble a bed board. From this work area, he could likewise appreciate perspectives of the greenhouse.

The façade for the first floor volume is produced using solid while the second floor is in mortar. Every one of the dividers make utilization of mortar paint. With respect to the deck, the first level uses beige Travertine while the upper floor utilizes strong teak. The fundamental entryway is additionally produced using strong teak. In the main bathrooms, unadulterated dim marble was utilized, while whatever is left of the lavatory floors make utilization of sandalwood mosaic.

An open, cross-ventilation technique was utilized as a part of the design of the house, permitting it to be actually ventilated and enlightened for the duration of the day. Louvers in the morning-sun-confronting back façade control the inner temperature, while a water highlight at the front of the house additionally cools the encompassing air before it goes into the house. With this update, the nature of temperature and light control inside of the house was incredibly made strides. The customer was additionally exceptionally unyielding that the current greenery enclosures be saved however much as could be expected, so not very many of the first trees were removed.