While the plot of land that this semi-detached house sits on doesn’t allow for a garden, any available outdoor space has trees planted in it, with even one growing in the middle of the home. The live tree sprouts out of the courtyard, from a corner of a shallow pond, right next to the dining area.
Having a tree in the middle of the home wasn’t quite on her mind initially, but Jennifer Cheng is loving the tree and the pond, which help keep the house cool.
Above the courtyard, is a skylight with a rain sensor. Besides automatically closing when it detects rain, the open skylight means that hot air from the ground floor rises and escapes through the open space.
To ensure that the kids’ and the master bedrooms have ventilation and light, Kee Jing Zhi, a founding partner at Freight Architects, strategically placed square and rectangular-shaped openings on the walls along the corridors. From these openings, the family can look down into the courtyard. “Most homes look outwards for the view, but here, I’ve also created a home that looks inwards,” he says.
Chengal wood screens that are moveable allow for privacy and ventilation.
View of the garden from the car porch.
Looking down onto the open living and dining areas from the mezzanine.
Photos by Darren Soh.
This story was first published in The Business Times. Click here to read the original story.