When the two children living in this house return from school, they walk into a ‘cafe’, and choose from banquettes or high stools by the 3.8-metre-long kitchen island counter to take their lunch. Through the day, they might bounce on the netted hammock hung in the stairwell, rearrange the play area’s modular sofa seating for pretend play or enjoy a game of Scrabble on a custom-designed cabinet.
When the weather turns unbearable, a rooftop pool surrounded by pink walls and lit by petal-shaped skylights beckon. At night, stepping into a curved portal at the study room transports them into a reading space, made snug with beanbags. Above, a slanted glass roof brings close the night sky.
Clearly, this house was designed for children – entirely. Play is not tucked away in another room so that the main areas can remain neat and mild for guests. It is the driver for everything in the home – from the layout to the colour and patterns, down to the choice of furniture.
“The homeowners wanted a home centred around family life. They desired spaces that encourage togetherness and quality time. Their goal was to create enriching environments for their children to play, explore and grow,” said Iskandar Idris, founder of architecture firm Super Assembly.
To do that, Iskandar aimed for a visually stimulating and engaging home using manifold colours, shapes and forms to inspire curiosity and creativity. He explained that the spaces were intended to be anything but typical, nurturi.