Tropical villas

Location: Kon tum city, Kontum VietnamStatus: Under constructionClient: Mr AnArchitecture design.Year: 2019 More

Maravilla Los Cabos is a private residential community situated between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, directly on the sparkling waters of the Sea of Cortez. More

One of those stimulating occasions where owner and architect are effectively collaborating, in sync, resulting in a pleasant process & cool project. This house sits on Siglap Hill, the highest point in a residential suburb in Singapore, the site is breezy and enjoys spectacular views of the city skyline and the surrounding low-rise neighbourhood.   The owner, a businessman, was then a bachelor who enjoyed entertaining at his house ('bachelor's pad'). The main spaces of the house are elevated off the ground to fully exploit the views and catch the breeze. The main “public” spaces – living room, dining room and open kitchen – are placed on the second level while the private spaces – master bedroom, stu... More

This unique residential development, comprising of a mixture of 30 semi-detached and 10 bungalow homes, will be located in the Chestnut area of Upper Bukit Timah. Although the target group naturally differs between the two types of landed housing, a common architectural language was adopted for both to maintain consistence in the development's contemporary architectonic look. This is evident in the choice of material, such as fare-faced, or exposed concrete. Another special feature of Michaels is its boundary-less concept. The additions of terraces, balconies or planter boxes to each bedroom helps to create an open and lofty atmosphere within the house. Furthermore, the absence of gates between neighbouring houses unifies the individual gar... More

This is a home that can endure the tropical climate with minimal environmental impact, by tapping on available natural resources. Four levels make up the building, each catering to the family's various social and entertainment needs while also accommodating each member's individual need for solitude. Achieving space maximisation and privacy were also factored into this design, in view of the house's close proximity to neighboring units. As a result, the internal spaces face inward into a multi-functional courtyard which acts as circulation pivot, light well and ventilation exhaust, while also serving as a visual focal point. Dense foliage also provides a natural means for additional privacy. The building's slimmer east and west facades are... More

Aluminium panels are used to clad the upper portion of the rear façade of the main house, powder rooms and primary stair core. The primary steelwork is finished in pearl night blue, the secondary steelwork in stove black reminiscent of the colour palette used in Richard Rogers’ own home in London. The private upper floors are finished in solid timber while all other floors are finished with white French limestone to match the rear façades and retaining walls. The wet areas are finished in Italian marble and granite. The buildings are primarily steel-framed structures with concrete shear infill walls, where required. The main house stability system is anchored by the lift and stair core which provides lateral stability. The principal faç... More

Although the site was devoid of any development during the inception of the project, it was foreseen that the future built environment would be dense with neighbouring residences barely metres away on either side. The tropical sunlight falling on this resort island could also be harsh and intense but the proximity to the sea also blesses it with breezes that tend to channel through the waterways that are unique to the cove. Most properties along the waterway which also affords them best view, and the narrow rectangular project site was no different. In response to the projected urban density and the site’s local environment, the home is designed with a thick, nine metre high wall that forms the entrance façade which wraps around to conti... More

Hidden away from the road, the site is surrounded by a verdant screen of mature trees from adjacent properties. Breezes blowing transversely across the site being another notable aspect of the location. The owner had wanted a contemporary home that prioritized environmental coolness as a consistent attribute and to be able to enjoy the luscious tropical surroundings. The concept developed for the home inverted planning and hierarchical norms common in local residential planning. To fully appreciate the mature and variegated natural environment and stretch the potential for visual depth and distance, the main living room and study were located in a pavilion on the second storey. It was designed with minimal enclosing and supporting str... More

This house is located on a new housing estate on the island of Sentosa adjacent to Singapore. The plots are not large and neighbouring buildings are built close to the sides of each house. Thus our strategy was to build a solid wall to each side neighbour to provide privacy where possible, while creating a central light and stair well which would funnel the sea breeze through the centre of the building. The front and rear of the building meanwhile, terrace back allowing each storey to have visual or actual access to greenery. The intention was to try to allow each roof garden provided a base for the storey above allowing the layered effect to make each storey feel like it was a single storey dwelling sitting in a garden.as much as we... More

The scale and programme of the house suggests more of a communal dwelling for a multi-tier family. The family called for a design that can accommodate a long wish list of desires of every members and the flexibility for change and expansion of the household. The house is organized in two linear volumes, split by a common pool in the middle but connected on the upper floors by the family space. The 2-storey volume houses the parents’ master en-suite on the upper floors, floating above the main living space. A lawn garden sits above on the roof. The 3–storey block primarily, apart from the dining and kitchen on the ground floor, are tailored to the lifestyles of the 3 siblings yielding to their individual narratives. Apart from this t... More

‘LANDED-NESS’ We are interested in the notion of ‘landed-ness’ in the terrace and semi-detached landed typology. With regard to these types of real estates, the building footprint often occupies most of the plot, leaving little room for outdoor space. However, these outdoor spaces are essential for one’s connection with the land or at least the perception of living in a landed property as opposed to living in a high-rise condominium. The semi-detached house at Jalan Rendang gave us the platform to investigate ways to expand this idea of ‘landed-ness’ when the building usually occupies the maximum allowable footprint. Our key strategy was to seek out and reclaim incidental spaces or surfaces of the building envelope. The main areas we looke... More