Located in the centre of Singapore, Niven Road is an intimate residential neighborhood situated between Little India and Orchard Road, Mount Emily Park and the Middle Road arts and entertainment district. A once charming and bustling residential community with a stylish cinema, late night eateries, a hilltop park with a public swimming pool, prestigious Chinese and English medium schools, and home to the Singapore Sikh community. In the first half of the 20th century, Chinese, Indians, Malays, Eurasians, Jews and Sikhs lived side by side. With the new MRT stations nearby and the up and coming arts and entertainment district, optimism is growing in the small community. Niven Road could be transformed into a vibrant urban edge where young and old, local and foreign, affluent and modest can create a community that is relevant to their time and place.
NIVEN ROAD STUDIO The Niven Road Studio is a historic secondary settlement conservation site where the existing 2 storey building is conserved with a tall rear extension comprising a Basement, Three Stories and an Attic.
The tall rear extension provides a new back entrance at the hilltop while the main entrance remains on the fully preserved front façade facing the heritage street at ground level. The conservation strategy of juxtaposing old and new develops the project in to a 21st century heritage building. Designed for minimum visual impact from the heritage street, the rear extension comprises three levels of double height space screened from the East and West sun by deep vertical fins.
Beyond the old and new exterior, the architecture presents a rich duality spatial experiences formed by the architectonics of the load bearing off form concrete walls against the existing dual tone red brick walls and the ventilated terracotta roof tiles. The rawness of the materials is presented against the fine detailing of metal, wood and glass elements that enrich one’s experience through the house.
