Black and White House
SINGAPORE｜completion date, Feb. 2022.
"Fusion" is already one of the most specific keywords in Singapore. As a city with distinct colonial culture, the multi-ethnic characteristics of British, Chinese, Malay, and Indian are vivid flowing. In this busy modern city with its glamour and traditional styles, Eastern and Western cultures are brought together, showing their unique personality. But the tropical climate also unconsciously shows its earthy and leisurely side.
"Black and White House" is one of the leisurely oases in the concrete jungle, surrounded by a large area of greenery. The original building is the "Black and White House" in the British colonial era in the early 20th century, featuring white walls and black windows, a high red tile roof, and a large corridor. The high ceilings, and shutters, are echoing the lifestyle at that time, maximizing the sense of air circulation, and adapting to the acclimatization brought by the tropical climate. Now under the care of the Singapore Land Authority, these heritage properties are available for rent by the public.
"Black and White House", the architecture with its history of more than a hundred years. As cultural preservation and respect, we redefined the distinctive mark of this "black and white" house. Keep the black lines to outline the toughness of the entire building but magnify the refreshing sense of white color to fit the weather of the tropics. The "white" vision is extended from the outdoors to the indoors. The borderless "white" blurs the boundaries of the space and highlights the freshness of the home decors and artworks.
The sense of sequence comes from the orderly windows which are the original design of the architecture, connecting the natural without gaps. The flow and cooling of the air are still the focus of living comfort in the tropical area, and the cool airflow from the unobtrusive air conditioner is hidden in the space.
With the bright greenery of the courtyard setting off, the azure water surface becomes a sparkling wave that reflects the sky. The large open pavilion beside the pool is full of laziness and relaxation with the atmosphere of Southeast Asia in the afternoon.
The outdated garage has become a quiet existence, transformed into an independent tea space that leaves the hustle and bustle, it satisfies the oriental lifestyle and touches the elegance sense of Zen.
As the space becomes a contemporary residence over time, it is necessary to adapt to changes in users' lifestyles, not just to subvert everything, the most important design thought is trying to integrate and respect appropriately.
