When the owner of this house in Singapore wakes up in the morning, she is greeted by greenery outside the full-height glass windows. Elevated on the second storey, a sheltered path meanders around the perimeter of her bedroom, edged by landscaping. Beyond, the crown of tall trees – both in her estate and those of neighbours with equally lush gardens – add to the bucolic view.
The house is designed by Guz Architects, whose approach delivers on both scenic and comfortable tropical architecture . Greenery is always the protagonist, experienced as part of the built form rather than outside of it or as an afterthought; almost every space has views of gardens and access to semi-sheltered outdoor spaces. Rejecting the house as a gloried showpiece, the owner wanted it to be a retreat for her family, offering tranquillity and a sense of rest.
“This is her dream home because her former houses were much smaller,” said Cherin Tan, founder and creative director of LAANK, who was engaged for the interior design. This project is an anomaly in Tan’s portfolio, as the firm is known more for its commercial and hospitality works such as Violet Oon’s Peranakan restaurants and the recently opened Roia in the 1912-built EJH Corner House at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. In her choice of furniture and tactual materials for the bathrooms, it is clear that Tan is as adept at creating nuanced domestic projects as she is working with brands.
The large footprint of this Good Class Bungalow (.