Situated in Tanglin, Singapore, a unique home has emerged on an unusual round plot. The distinctive design, devised by Wallflower Architecture + Design, was conceived to replace the outdated thirty-year-old property that no longer catered to the homeowner’s requirements. It provides greater privacy from their neighbors and maximizes the built envelope to create a stunning edifice. The curvilinear architecture harmonizes with the circular plot, while a water garden, lush plant beds, and a cool blue swimming pool create a calm and picturesque atmosphere.
The pool’s water cascades down into a waterfall feature that emerges at the entrance of the basement lobby. This holistic approach creates a magical scene and soundtrack that greets visitors as they enter the home. The exterior of the house involves a thick-cantilevered overhang with brutalist influences, which include a travertine exterior and sharply angled cutaways. Teak cladding adds warmth beneath the covered canopy with richly banded stones.
The home’s interior is both comfortable and welcoming, with a combination of muted green and beige upholstered furniture, softly cushioned ottoman coffee tables, and modern ceiling fans to cool the cozy-looking interior. Retractable doors connect the large, open-plan living space to the centrally-placed water garden, and wood-slatted roof overhangs keep the interior shaded from the hot Singapore sun. The pool terrace offers the formal dining room a stunning view of the pool with sparkling, clear blue water and fresh green trees. Teal blue dining chairs complement the color of the pool, while the teak dining table pairs nicely with the tree bark.
The kitchen located behind the modern dining set has glossy beige finishes that reflect the sunlight and the beautiful pool terrace view. Its soft colorway has a gentle impact on the open-plan living space, and a long island separates the modern kitchen from the formal dining area. The wooden bar stools seat up to eight people along the kitchen island breakfast bar, while tall cabinets at the back of the kitchen conceal appliances and hide extra countertop space.
The water garden surrounds the house, flowing around the curved plot, and through the center of the house. The garden at the bottom of the valley is inaccessible, but cascading pools and tiered terraces make sense of the sloping topography. The water element of the house’s design flows both inside and out, with reflection pools creating a calm, reflective atmosphere and a convenient glass elevator that rises through the modern staircase design. The sides of the house are softened with trailing vines, adding a curtain of natural beauty and extra privacy for the second-floor rooms.
Challenges arose from the circular shape and sloping topography of the building site, but creativity is a byproduct of limitation. The outward-looking design with C-shaped courtyards and tiered terraces gives the home its character. One of the owner’s wishes was to include a waterfall feature, which was honored with an elaborate design inside the basement lobby. Swimming pool water trickles down rugged basalt walls, creating a magical feature enjoyed by those entering the home.
Simplicity and efficiency were crucial components in the home’s design, and each level incorporates lush natural greenery to offset the lack of lawn area. The exterior and interior adopted a restricted palette of materials, including travertine, basalt, and teak, to create a sophisticated cohesiveness. Operable teakwood screens encase the facade, controlling sunlight influx and offering privacy from neighbors.
Beyond the front gate, a narrow, paved driveway ascends the slope of the valley toward the front entrance, and tall shrubs line each side of the driveway to create a shady, enveloping ambiance. Cantilevered elements make the house appear to be hovering, while green roofs create a bright, living canopy that blends with the surrounding environment’s greenery. Sloping roof lines smoothly anchor into Lady Hill’s hidden valley.
Surrounded by six large houses, mature trees provide the home with adequate privacy in a tight urban neighborhood. The site is perfectly circular from a bird’s eye view, which is unconventional for Singapore. A high wall was erected to block out the neighboring site’s prying eyes, and the view into the valley was filtered with trees. The water garden creates a connection between the heart of the home and the valley, adding a serene atmosphere to the already beautiful design.
In conclusion, the curvilinear home design with green roofs and a water garden is a remarkable feat of design and engineering, displaying a level of creativity and imagination that is rare in home architecture. A perfect blend of practicality and aesthetics, this unique home has realized the owner’s vision and demonstrates the endless possibilities of bringing nature into urban environments.
