Houzz Tour: A Four-Bedroom Bungalow Gets a Modern Makeover
Located on the corner of a busy main road, this bungalow was redesigned with a new, statement-making form
When these homeowners decided to rebuild their recently purchased home, they already had an architect in mind. They had worked with Aamer Taher, founder of Aamer Architects, on two of their previous homes and had great chemistry with him. “This is the third house we are doing for them over the last fifteen years or so, hence why we are very familiar with their needs and lifestyle,” Taher says. “But since every site is unique, the design is developed according to different parameters.”
As a contemporary reconstruction of a small bungalow, the house bears a traditional form with a pitched roof topping a box. The setbacks from the property line limit the size, but provide space for a pool and verandah outdoors. The similarities to a traditional bungalow stop there.
The reconstructed house has a sculptural quality to it, with its raw, off-form concrete soaring from the ground. The heavy concrete roof looks like it’s supported by a tapered column – seemingly defying gravity. A filigree teak screen slyly reveals the actual structure that supports that heavy roof.
“Finely crafted solid teak screens veil and protect the house from its harsh urban environment without compromising on views, natural light and ventilation,” Taher says.
Check out these eco-friendly options for roofs
“Finely crafted solid teak screens veil and protect the house from its harsh urban environment without compromising on views, natural light and ventilation,” Taher says.
Check out these eco-friendly options for roofs
“The pattern of the timber screen is our own abstraction of traditional oriental privacy screens and was crafted in Bali, Indonesia,” he says.
While the teak screen makes the house appear light and open, “solid boundary walls and landscaping mitigate the traffic noise from the main road,” Taher says.
While the teak screen makes the house appear light and open, “solid boundary walls and landscaping mitigate the traffic noise from the main road,” Taher says.
The house has two floors and an attic. On the first story, floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors create an indoor-outdoor flow for the living and dining rooms, verandah and pool.
The gardens and the pool provide passive cooling. Three bedrooms and a library, which overlooks the double-height living room, are located on the second floor.
See these spectacular pools from around the globe
See these spectacular pools from around the globe
The master bedroom is in the attic, and enjoys the cooling effect of deep overhangs, as well as plenty of natural light and distant views.
“We designed the fixed furniture such as the book shelves, bed frames, desk and library using dark stained plywood to blend with the solid hardwoods, but at a much lower cost,” Taher says.
“We designed the fixed furniture such as the book shelves, bed frames, desk and library using dark stained plywood to blend with the solid hardwoods, but at a much lower cost,” Taher says.
“The rest of the furniture and decorations are [from] the owners’ own collections. The details and materials of the house were meant to fit in with the existing furniture style, but the house was not designed for specific furnishings. Rather, it’s intended to be flexible and neutral enough for the interiors to evolve over time if needed,” he says.
In the master bathroom, adjustable timber louvers provide natural light and privacy at the same time, juxtaposed with the concrete roof and the slab-like skylight.
Here’s why you should bring louvers into your home
Here’s why you should bring louvers into your home
“Proper calibrations were necessary for the off-form concrete formwork, to organise the groove lines and even conceal the lighting conductor strip on the roof,” Taher says.
“The openness in the planning allows for excellent natural cross ventilation and light, while the overhangs, screens, pool, decking and landscape all play a part to moderate the environment for comfort, in and out of the house,” he says.
Read more:
Bangalore Houzz: This Home Balances Principles of Vastu & Good Design
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in the Comments below.
Read more:
Bangalore Houzz: This Home Balances Principles of Vastu & Good Design
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this home? Tell us in the Comments below.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple in their 60s
Location: Siglap, Singapore
Size: 349.95 square metres (3767 square feet) gross floor area, not counting the deck, on a 448 square metres (4828 square feet) plot
Architect: Aamer Taher, Aamer Architects
One of the quirks of the corner site was the bus stop on the large road that borders the house.
“The main brief was not to do a new erection but a reconstruction. This was to reduce cost but also to avoid greater building setbacks due to the site’s roads, and to address the harsh urban setting – like the west-facing frontage and the heavy vehicular traffic – while still having a tranquil living environment,” Taher says.