FORM Singapore Volume 06 2009

Vol 6 2009

BOLD COMMUNE • Six visionaires @ Lien Villas

BLACK CONVERTS • Xtra’s 20th anniversary icons • Alessi cult objects • Lalique crystal

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Fritz Hansen Essay table design Cecilie Manz Fritz Hansen Series 7 design Arne Jacobsen

Space Furniture South East Asia’s largest collection of contemporary design

Singapore Millenia Walk, Level 2, 9 Raffles Bvd t 65 6415 0000 Kuala Lumpur 65 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar Baru t 603 2287 8777 www.spacefurniture.com Fritz Hansen available exclusively at Space Furniture

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Fritz Hansen Essay table design Cecilie Manz Fritz Hansen Series 7 design Arne Jacobsen

Space Furniture South East Asia’s largest collection of contemporary design

Singapore Millenia Walk, Level 2, 9 Raffles Bvd t 65 6415 0000 Kuala Lumpur 65 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar Baru t 603 2287 8777 www.spacefurniture.com Fritz Hansen available exclusively at Space Furniture

PROOF IS IN DESIGN Opening at ION Orchard

P O LT RO NA

F R AU V I T R A

I O N

BA R BA R A BARRY CAPPELLINI WALTER KNOLL PAOLA LENTI KENNETH COBONPUE KNO L L R IVA 1920 VERDESIGN SARTORI TUFENKIAN VISUAL COMFORT

O RC H A R D

S H OW ROOM T E L :

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#03-15

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P ROOF LIVING E x c l u s i v e ly ava i l a b l e at P ro o f L i v i n g I o n O r c h a r d S h ow ro o m 2 O r c h a r d T u r n , I o n O r c h a r d, # 0 3 - 1 5 , S ( 2 3 8 8 0 1 ) + 6 5 6 5 0 9 0 5 5 5 retail @ proof.com.sg w w w. p ro o f. c o m . s g w w w. b a r b a r a b a r ry c o m pa n y. c o m

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30 Hill Street Unit 01-02 Singapore 179360 Tel. +65 6338 2822 E-mail: minotti@marquis.com.sg

Pagina 1

Hamilton, seating system design: Rodolfo Dordoni

Minotti S.p.A. 20036 MEDA (MI) ITALIA via Indipendenza, 152 Tel. +39 0362 343499 www.minotti.com - info@minotti.it

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www.armanicasa.com

328 NORTH BRIDGE ROAD, RAFFLES HOTEL ARCADE, #01-33/34, SINGAPORE

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DOUBLE ENTENDRE SPURRED BY THE SUCCESS OF ITS FIRST BOUTIQUE ON DEVONSHIRE ROAD, BOCONCEPT OPENS ITS SECOND OUTLET AT PARAGON WITH A TWO-DAY CELEBRATION

A tad smaller than its predecessor, BoConcept Paragon packs quite a punch with a comprehensive range of its wares displayed elegantly over 4,300-sq ft of oor space

Viggo Molholm (president and CEO of BoConcept) and Yung Ong (director of BoConcept Singapore)

David Barila and Janice Njoo

(L-R) Winston Tan, Raymond Tan, Alan Leong and Alfred Tan

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NEW INSTRUMENT BR 01-93 24H GMT 46 MM . SECOND TIME ZONE IN 24H

F J Benjamin Service Centre • 230 Orchard Road, #04-230 Faber House, Singapore 238854 • Service Centre: (65) 6736 3933 • Office: (65) 6737 0155 • www.fjbenjamin.com

www.bellross.com

Available at: All Watches Wisma Atria Tel: 6733 2823 • Cortina Watch Ion Orchard Tel: 6509 9218 Millenia Walk Tel: 6339 1728 Raffles City Tel: 6339 9185 • Dickson Watch & Jewellery Centrepoint Tel: 6734 5822 Sincere Fine Watches Lucky Plaza Tel: 6737 4593 Ngee Ann City Tel: 6733 0618 Suntec City Tel: 6337 5150 VivoCity Tel: 6278 1698 • Watches of Switzerland Paragon Tel: 6732 9793 Tampines Mall Tel: 6783 6535

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Title:

Job No:

Bell & Ross Ad for (Metafusion) L1009-292 / 4028 ~Form Dec~

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F L I R T

Jason Ong and Kent Neo

Willis Yap and Tan Hwee Bin

Kalye Chow and Eric Yeo

(L-R) Ong Kok Thai (managing director of Vanguard Interiors), Sharifah M. Alsagoff, Mei Lin and Cray F.

(L-R) Herve Housse, Pierre-G Housse and Nathalie Housse

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The perennial favourite Mezzo sofa is enlivened by vivacious cushions and plush carpeting

Ying Ong and Benjamin Wei

PICTURES COURTESY OF BOCONCEPT

Lisa Nguyen and Franz Gonzales

Rock chair

(L-R) Damien Lee, Ong C.H. and Daniel Tang

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no limits in cool design

Ice Hotel - Sweden

design a cool cup. become the next international designer. Win fame and a designer chair.

no style is is out of reach. no style is the same. no limits in boconcept.

This holiday season BoConcept gives you the opportunity of designing and winning your very own cool cup.

The six winning designs will then be produced and sold in every BoConcept store all around the world. The fabulous prizes include a set of the winning cups as well as an imola chair in a leather or fabric of your choice.

Send in your entries by 31 December 2009. Visit www.boconcept.sg for more information.

BoConcept Brand Stores: Paragon 290 Orchard Road, Paragon, #04-01/02/03, Singapore 238859 Tel. +65 6736 0777 Devonshire 20 Devonshire Road, Devonshire Building, Singapore 239850 Tel. +65 6735 0330 Email. retail@boconcept.sg

Form_Vol06_2009

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F L I R T I TEXT EUNICE LEW

LUSH LIVING JOHN ERDOS FOUND A NEW HOME IN THE ABUNDANT VERDURE OF DEMPSEY ROAD, COOKING UP A POTENT MIX OF FURNITURE, ART AND FOOD FOR HIS GUESTS AT ITS OPENING Home to lush foliage, cosy cafes and quaint furniture shops, Dempsey Road welcomed a new kid on the block in October with the unveiling of John Erdos’ new abode, comprising John Erdos Home, John Erdos Art and a soon to open fusion café called E. Kickstarting the evening with a traditional lion dance to usher in prosperity, the cosy affair saw the self-taught designer mingling with guests, including local celebs Wong Lilin and Ivan Heng. Compared to his award-winning shophouse on Kim Yam Road, this 30,000-sq ft premises is a fresh change as it exudes rustic charm and industrial modernity to complement John Erdos’ classic and contemporary designs. F

A lion dance troupe blesses the showroom

John Erdos officially opens his new store

(L-R) Wong Lilin, Justin Hill and Philip Chin

PICTURES COURTESY OF JOHN ERDOS

JOHN ERDOS 7A + 7B Dempsey Road Tel: 6735 3307

(L-R) Joyce Chua, Arhad and Lisa Park

John Erdos with Cynthia, Ros and Rob Sinclair

John Erdos chats with Joseph Lim

John Erdos and Lev Entchev

(L-R) Tony Trickett, Justine Moss, Jacki Nicholas and Ivan Heng

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EARTHLY PLEASURES PROOF LIVING HOSTED AN INTIMATE SOIREE WITH KENNETH COBONPUE AT ITS VANGUARD BUILDING WHERE THE MULTI-AWARD-WINNING FILIPINO DESIGNER SHARED HIS NATURE INSPIRED CREATIONS From working

with natural materials like rattan, buri and bamboo to being on a first name basis with celebrities like Brangelina, Kenneth Cobonpue is arguably one of the most sought after designers to emerge from this side of the globe. Touring around the world, he jetted in from South Africa and took the stage at Proof on October 7 to offer his insight on sustainable designs and the finer points of some of his signature works. The savvy designer also consorted with guests over canapes and fine wine. F

Kent Neo and Julian Coombs

PICTURES COURTESY OF PROOF LIVING

Mark Robitz and Shirley Kwan

(L-R) Siti Hanisah, Chalisa Boonmanee and Laraine Jazel Manzanero Macapagal

Multi-award-winning Filipino designer, Kenneth Cobonpue

Joel Villegas Alonso and Abigail

(L-R) GunaRaj Sundrajekar, Sheila Cayetano and Sabine Beck

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For enquires, email : Rado@swatchgroup.com.sg www.rado.com ad_r5.5_232x308_H.indd 1

CORTINA WATCH Raffles City • DICKSON WATCH & JEWELLERY Centrepoint, Suntec City • LIN KONG WATCH & PEN Peninsula Plaza • TAI HONG HUNG People’s Park Complex

28.10.09 08:26

F R O N T I E R I TEXT EUNICE LEW

MOLECULE BRINGS ITS FRESH GROOVY MIX OF FURNITURE AND HOME ACCESSORIES TO TOWN WITH ITS NEW BOUTIQUE IN ORCHARD CENTRAL Unveiled on S e pte m b e r 2 9 , th e n ew M o l e c u l e s h owro o m is a n i nte r i o r e nth u si a s t ’s h ave n . T h e c a p a ci o u s 10,000-sq ft showroom is nearly double the size of the company’s original outlet in Great World City, making it impossible to miss as you stroll along the third level of Orchard Central. Deftly complementing the vertical concept mall with its open concept, it takes full advantage of the mall’s full length windows to highlight its offerings by day. As night falls, incandescent lighting gives the interiors a warm, welcoming atmosphere as it reels you into the store to be seduced by the many cosy lounge sofas.

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PICTURES COURTESY OF MOLECULE

With its modish furniture and newfangled knick-knacks, this furniture showroom is an instant draw for homemakers and newlyweds looking for stylish furnishings to adorn their pads. Its expansive range comes from far corners of the globe like Italy’s Vibieffe, Netherlands’ Karlsson as well as Blavi from Spain and Fatboy Headdemock from Holland.

The furniture swings every way with avant-garde pieces juxtaposing plush lounge sets while the small accessories range from the futuristic and hippie genres to the symmetrical and elegant. Of course, no Molecule store is complete without their signature wall-mounted clocks. Here, you can check out its latest timekeepers that include psychedelic and mod art designs for the extraordinary finishing touch to your abode. F MOLECULE Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road #03-07/08/23-26 Tel: 6509 0227

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RADO FEATURE

Pure Genius

BORN FROM THE CREATIVE BRILLIANCE OF RADO AND INTERNATIONAL DESIGNER JASPER MORRISON, R5.5 HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES WITH ITS MINIMALIST CHIC FORM AND STATE-OF-THE-ART CONSTRUCT

s

omething magical is bound to follow the meeting of great minds. And this has never been more evident than when Rado first joined forces with maverick designer, Jasper Morrison, in 2007. Reinterpreting its beloved Ceramica Chronograph, the flawless melding of the essentialist ethos of the Swiss horologer and Morrison’s pared-down aesthete is nothing short of legendary. Even as watch lovers and design buffs are still clamouring for a piece of the limited edition timepiece, these notable talents have come together again to create the r5.5 – a collection of timekeepers that is sure to delight aficionados who appreciate unpretentious yet stunning design.

Emanating Morrison’s elegantly austere style by the spade loads, the r5.5 is characterised by its puristic and harmonious profile. Rendered in Rado’s signature high-tech ceramic, its exceptional square silhouette with rounded edges and integrated bracelet signals its allegiance to the ‘less is more’ approach. Not one to scrimp on functionality, it ensures optimum readability with blithe indexes and counters as well as luminous hands standing in stark contrast against a black sunbrushed dial. Powered by precise Swiss made quartz movements, it is available as a sporty chronograph or classic three-hand models with or without date display.

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SWAROVSKI SINGAPORE TRADING PTE LTD BUSINESS UNIT ARCHITECTURE 2 ALEXANDRA ROAD #03 – 01 DELTA HOUSE SINGAPORE 159919 TEL: (65) 6273 0707

Madison

INNOVISIONS IN LIGHTING LIGHTING STRUCTURES ORGANIZE SPACES AND JOIN CEILINGS AND FLOORS Crystal and light enchant spaces, turning your visions into reality.

Swarovski is opening up entirely new interior-design possibilities to architects and lighting designers with its sophisticated luminaires and lighting systems. Let us surprise and convince you!

WWW.ARCHITECTURE.SWAROVSKI.COM

LIGHTING HOUSES OFFERING SWAROVSKI LUMINAIRES AND LIGHTING SYSTEMS: LC Lighting Centre Singapore 360 Balestier Road #02 – 16 Shaw Plaza Singapore 329783 T: (65) 6358 3353

Lightology 534 & 536 Balestier Road Singapore 329860 T: (65) 6252 5585

Vlux Lighting 722, 724, 726 & 728 Geylang Road Singapore 389633 T: (65) 6742 7288

Lighting Centre 217 East Coast Road #01 – 100 Singapore 428915 T: (65) 6346 7255

Casa Nuovo 9 Penang Road #02 – 21/22/23 Park Mall Singapore 238459 T: (65) 6338 5633

Lumiere 355 Balestier Road #01 – 359 Goodwill Mansion Singapore 329782 T: (65) 6353 3188

Lighting Centre 400 Balestier Road Singapore 329802 T: (65) 6560 5300

Light Collection 241 River Valley Road Singapore 238298 T: (65) 6737 5518

Arco Holdings Pte Ltd 302 Jalan Besar #01 – 01 Singapore 208963 T: (65) 6358 0828

F L A S H I TEXT JOSHUA YAP

When it

DOMICIL 11 Gul Circle Tel: 6863 0555 (weekdays), 6864 4676 (weekends)

XZQT ION ION Orchard #03-19 Tel: 6734 0290

PICTURES COURTESY OF DOMICIL

TOP-RATED FURNITURE BRAND, DOMICIL, STAMPS THE GERMAN IDEALS OF SUPERLATIVE QUALITY STANDARDS IN ITS TIMELESS, LAVISH AND RELIABLE CREATIONS

comes to manufacturing standards and quality craftsmanship, nobody does it better than the Germans. Waving the German flag proudly on the furniture front since 1978 is Domicil — a trusted name among top designers and leading establishments, thanks to its exquisitely designed and stoutlybuilt furniture. Rigorously tested to ensure optimum durability, the brand’s signature sofa collection is its crowning jewel as it is made of first-rate leather and fine fabrics from premium European mills. Ranging from timeless elegant styles to novel contemporary creations, Domicil’s sofas as well as its comprehensive range of furniture and upholstery are on full display at its sprawling 20,000 sq-ft showroom in Gul Circle. Do keep your eyes peeled for a new Domicil showroom

by XZQT at ION Orchard. F

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Larus sofa and coffee table

TRAIPSING FROM THE RUNWAY TO YOUR HOME, FENDI CASA REELS YOU IN WITH ITS STYLISH OPULENCE AND DESIGNER CLOUT

Available at DA VINCI LUXURY 10 Tanglin Road Tel: 6738 6333 Fendi Piano in white embossed leather

PICTURES COURTESY OF DA VINCI LUXURY

As if

tempting us with its covetable baguette handbags and stylish threads weren’t enough, Fendi has also been enticing fashionable homeowners with its home collection, Fendi Casa, since 1989. Staying true to its roots, the collection regularly brandishes the Italian fashion house’s signature FF monogram, but its current offering would have style-meisters going weak in the knees with its world-sourced lavish materials. From premium leather embossed with exotic crocodile skin motif, hand-printed silk with gold powder and precious furs, to handwoven wool and silk carpets, and stunning chandeliers created by Murano glassmakers, Fendi is sparing no effort and expense to create the ultimate luxury home collection. F

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Masterpiece sideboard

Murano blownglass Pegaso horse sprinkled with gold dust

MERONI LEADS THE PACK IN CLASSICAL FURNITURE, LIGHTING AND HOME ACCESSORIES, OFFERING ALL THAT YOU NEED TO OUTFIT YOUR CASTLE

Adone sofa and side table

Available at MERONI 6 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square #03-308/339/340 Tel: 6336 8230 www.meroni.com.sg

PICTURES COURTESY OF MERONI

Whether you

are dreaming of living it up like Louis XIV or cavorting in finery like Marie Antoinette, Meroni will have you feeling like royalty in no time. Brimming with heirloom-worthy baroque, classical, Art Deco and lifestyle furniture, you can be sure that each item has been painstakingly selected and imported from the best European manufacturers. Created by master craftsmen from the finest materials, each piece is built to last and pays incredible attention to detail like the intricate ash and walnut inlays of the Masterpiece sideboard and the luxurious white gold finishing of the Adone sofa and side table. For that finishing touch, Meroni also stocks a comprehensive range of home accessories including Murano blown-glass sculptures and porcelain figurines. F

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ROYAL COPENHAGEN HERALDS HAPPINESS, PEACE AND LOVE WITH ITS ANGELIC CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS If you

are aiming to create a heavenly Christmas ambience this festive season, make a beeline for Royal Copenhagen and check out its magnificent collection of Christmas ornaments. The star of the show is an enchanting porcelain angel that can be seen adorning candlesticks, Christmas mobiles and charms. Hat tipping Royal Copenhagen’s handmade porcelain, its wings ingeniously take the form of a section of the Danish marque’s Blue Fluted pattern that has been around for over 233 years. This angelic form can also be seen on the Star Fluted Christmas service where it is joined by hand-painted strings of spruce and bows of red ribbon as well as nostalgic Christmas motifs like hearts, drums and Christmas parcels. F ROYAL COPENHAGEN Isetan Scotts Level 4 Tel: 6733 1111

Takashimaya DS Basement 1 Tel: 6735 5298

PICTURES COURTESY OF ROYAL COPENHAGEN

F L A S H I TEXT JOSHUA YAP

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AN ALL-STAR CAST OF RAVENHUED ICONIC FURNITURE HERALDS XTRA’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY Home-grown furniture retailer, XTRA, is celebrating its 20th birthday with a threemonth long exhibition at Park Mall. Gathering 20 of XTRA’s most popular offerings from internationally renowned brands since its inception in a quaint pre-war shophouse in Tanjong Katong Road, the exhibition offers you a rare opportunity to browse through celebrated works from the likes of Herman Miller, Andreu World, Thonet and Artifort in timeless black guises at one go. Keep a lookout for specially commissioned limited editions of the Magis Puppy (40 pieces), Dedon’s Obelisk (20 pieces), Eames lounge chair and ottoman (20 pieces) and Eames Aluminium Group lounge chair that are bound to loosen the purse strings of any self-respecting collector. F XTRA 20th Anniversary – The Black Collection Exhibition December 11 – 15, 2009 9 Penang Road East Atrium, Park Mall 11am – 8pm daily December 16, 2009 – February 13, 2010 XTRA 9 Penang Road #01-01/02-01 Park Mall Tel: 6336 0688 www.xtra.com.sg Eames Aluminium Group lounge chair

Magis Puppy

Eames lounge chair and ottoman

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F L A S H

PARMENIDE

KITCHEN TIMER

LA CUPOLA GIROTONDO

SHIP SHAPE CARLO, A LITTLE GHOST ON THE TOP OF A BOTTLE

MAGIC BUNNY

TIGRITO

LILLIPUT CICO

Best known for letting loose the funky, quirky and brash colourful sides of the world’s best known designers, most of Alessi’s plastic home accessories have often come up against resistance from the sworn-to-mutes style pack who considers the cheerful palette too garish for their palate. But Alessi is set to overcome that prejudice by issuing black versions of its classics such as the La Cupola coffeemaker designed

by Italian architect Aldo Rossi as well as the playful numbers which include the Ship Shape butter container with attached knife, and Cico egg cup with attached spoon, both designed by Stefano Giovannoni.

In the Fall-Winter 2009 edition of the Alessi View On magazine, the description for the collection says: “Achromatics takes the colour black and places it in contrast with white and with some hints of colour in different types of finish ranging from matt to satin, and from lucid to translucent and transparent. We begin from the expansion of the qualities of this non-colour in order to compose a material-chromatic scene; a landscape that invites onlookers to discover all the reflections and shades of the colour black.” F

Available at XTRA Park Mall #01-01 / #02-01 Tel: 6336 0688 Vivocity #02-12 Tel: 6376 9667 ALESSI 2 Orchard Turn ION Orchard #04-22/23 Tel: 6509 8117 www.xtra.com.sg

PICTURES COURTESY OF ALESSI

GIROTONDO

AFTER A LIFETIME OF REFLECTIVE METAL AND BRIGHT FLUORESCENT HUES, ALESSI GIVES SOME OF ITS BEST-SELLERS AN ‘ACHROMATICS’ MAKEOVER IN MAINLY BLACK WITH WHITE FOR CONTRAST

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F R A M E I TEXT RYAN WU PHOTOGRAPHY TIM NOLAN STYLING PIECE OF MINE

LIKE A SUN-WORSHIPPING BEAUTY, THIS RESIDENCE IN SENTOSA COVE BY TIMUR DESIGNS DONS THE SKIMPIEST OF ARCHITECTURAL ATTIRE TO SEEK A DIALOGUE WITH NATURE

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TIMUR DESIGNS INTRODUCED AN ELEMENT OF WATER TO PLAY UP THE WATERFRONT AMBIENCE; HENCE THE REFLECTING POOL THAT WRAPS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE LIVING AND DINING ROOMS

As with the rest of the house, the facade treatment is simple. Natural materials such as granite, river pebbles and recycled timber form a seamless communion with the landscape

If ever

a client of Timur Designs were to request a demonstration of the firm’s capabilities, the architects need not fuss with Powerpoint presentations, models or a phonebook’s worth of plans, sections and elevations. They need merely to invite said client to cruise down Ocean Drive in Sentosa Cove where practically every bend in the road reveals yet another superlative residence installed by the architects. A four-dimensional portfolio, if you will. Along the way are exemplars such as the Fisher House, the McGregor House, the Pawley House and the Hutton House; not forgetting the Sentosa Cove arrival plaza and show bungalow. Each is articulated in a manner appropriate to site, climate and context, and each good-naturedly abides by the development’s stringent building codes.

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FURNISHED WITH PIECES IMPORTED FROM CHINA, THE LIVING ROOM LOOKS OUT ONTO A TIMBER DECKED PATIO AND THE PUTTING GREEN BEYOND. PLEASURE IS DERIVED FROM OBSERVING THE LANDSCAPE EVOLVE FROM DEWY LUSHNESS TO SUNDRENCHED FIELDS OF GOLD. THE SOFT FINISHES AND ACCESSORIES ARE FROM PIECE OF MINE

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F R A M E

The latest feather in Timur Designs’ cap is built on one of the smallest plots for detached houses in South Cove. But what the plot lacks in physique, it more than makes up for in panorama. Across the waterway is the rambling expanse of the Sentosa Golf Club where Ian Poulter snagged the Barclays Singapore Open title not so long ago. The borrowed scenery (and the absence of fencing, one of the building requirements) makes the grounds of the house appear to stretch as far as the eye can see.

The three-storey, 4,800-sq ft house — built for a retired Malaysian couple — is designed such that the side facing the golf course is virtually transparent, maximising views from within. In keeping with Timur Designs’ signature edict, the transparency is expressed not in the form of vast glass panels but through sliding and folding doors, shutters and louvres that can be opened to facilitate natural ventilation. Partner Chan Wai Kin explains: “As with the design of all our other houses, the most important aspect is true tropical living, where the house is as open as possible to let the outside in and to let the interior spaces flow out seamlessly.”

Because of the relatively small plot size of 6,500sq ft, Chan devised a simple plan consisting of two blocks orientated around a central stairwell. The stairwell’s external walls are mostly porous panels of adjustable glass and timber louvres, while the staircase itself comprises flights of open risers to accentuate its lightness.

Rooms fan out from this central circulatory core and are oriented towards the scenery.

They are sparsely furnished as the owners use this as a holiday home, until, according to Chan, such a time that Sentosa Cove is fully developed, when the proverbial and literal dust has settled, that they may decide on a permanent move south of the border.

IN KEEPING WITH THE TRANSPARENCY AND POROSITY OF THE HOUSE, THE STAIRCASE IS PARED BACK TO ITS SKELETAL STRUCTURE WHILE GLASS LOUVRES ADMIT COPIOUS LIGHT IN

In the stairwell, impervious glass skins are passed over in favour of semi-permeable membranes of adjustable louvres

Keen to maintain effective cross-ventilation throughout the house, the architects kept internal structures to a minimum. Note the use of timber strips as balustrades and the absence of architraves FORM 50

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TWILIGHT REVEALS THE TRANSLUCENCY OF THE HOUSE AT ITS BEST

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THE BEDROOM ON THE SECOND STOREY IS AUGMENTED BY A GENEROUS BALCONY

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F R A M E

CARESSED BY CROSS BREEZES, THE ATTIC LEVEL IS A DELIGHTFUL PERCH IN WHICH TO ENJOY A SIMMERING CUP OF PU-ER TEA WHILE SURVEYING THE EVER-CHANGING VISTA OF ROLLING GREEN HILLS ACROSS THE WATERWAY Consequently, planting is minimal and internal finishes are low maintenance — the first storey flooring uses homogeneous tiles, for instance. The external hardscape, however, is a feature unto itself, with old railway sleepers imaginatively resurrected as rustic building material. “The owner found a timber supplier in Malaysia who collects old railway sleepers for recycling. It was up to us to figure out ways of using these sleepers creatively. The wood is roughly textured so they are more appropriate for exterior rather than interior finishes, hence the fence, paver slabs, benches and even outdoor furniture,” says Chan.

To accentuate the waterfront ambience of Sentosa Cove, Chan installed a reflecting pool that cradles the living and dining spaces as well as a small infinity pool at the attic level. One suspects this went down extremely well with the owners, if not for aesthetic enhancement then for feng shui purposes. The couple, after all, shares keen connoisseurship of Chinese tea, furniture and artwork, as evident from the interior decoration. They went so far as to order bespoke wooden panels from China to fit the available space in the foyer — surely a mark of the house-proud. Chan, for his part, played the role of dream maker to a fault, using a simple, time-honoured vernacular design language to take advantage of the site’s best attributes while simultaneously concealing its flaws. F

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Edmund Ng, Metropolitan OfďŹ ce Experimental Randy Chan, Zarch Collaboratives

Terence Chan, Terre

Colin Seah, Ministry Of Design (MOD)

Ko Shiou-Hee, K2LD Architects

Franklin Po, Tierra Design

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TERENCE CHAN ALTERNATES BETWEEN MODERNITY AND NOSTALGIA IN HIS REHABILITATION OF THE PATRIARCH HOUSE. THE NEW EXTENSION BLOCK IS A STARK PURIST BOX WHILE HIS CONSERVATION EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE INTERIORS, ARE REMINISCENT OF MOVIE AUTEUR WONG KAR WAI’S IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE

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TERENCE CHAN, 38 TERRE FORM 57

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THE PATRIARCH HOUSE STANDS AT THE TOP OF THE COMMUNE, COMMANDING A PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE NEWBIES

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CAREFULLY RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL SPLENDOUR, THE TIMBER DOORS AND LOUVRED WINDOWS REMAIN INTACT. THE LINKED ROTUNDA OCCUPIES WHAT WAS THE FORMER LIBRARY

Why did you choose to design the new wing as a pure, linear and rectangular protrusion that does not echo any characteristic of the patriarch house?

How did you reconcile the split personalities?

TC: It was an instinctive decision not to mimic the ‘old’ house. We wanted to create a simple volume to respect and complement the patriarch’s home. The spatial planning had to be rational, reflecting the functions from within. The facade reflected the circulation and planning of all the rooms and engages the occupants with the surroundings. This is facilitated through a combination of large full height ribbon openings and controlled openings that serve to reveal and compose views, almost like in a motion camera.

By maintaining a comfortable distance between the two wings, it allowed the two volumes to have a dialogue as opposed to fusing them. A covered glazed linkway connects both wings and serves as part of the orchestrated route, guiding the guest right from the start, the entrance at the new wing, into the upper level and finally into the lower level of the ‘old’ wing.

Throughout the entire journey, one is able to catch glimpses of the ‘old’ wing as well as the rest of the development.

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The patriarch’s original house has been designed as a private clubhouse for the Lien family and you are also responsible for designing the interiors.

Tell us how you managed to convey the sense of history throughout the different rooms from the internal architectural fittings to the furnishings.

TC: The external solid facade of the new wing screens the old house from external prying eyes. Other than ribbons of linear screens and controlled openings geometrically composed, the only hint of an entrance is an intimate porch with a pair of timber screen doors. A sequential route guides one through the new wing into the ‘old’ wing, revealing a picturesque photographic moment of the ‘old’ before entering. The path is orchestrated the moment one enters the new wing, a double volume courtyard greets guests, a bronze plaque, a stone object and three tree ferns.

Designing the interior of this house must require great sensitivity as its original owner Lien Ying Chow was a banking icon in Singapore and the family must hold cherished memories of his life and times spent in it. Tell us

THE ORIGINAL ENTRANCE FOYER OF THE PATRIARCH HOUSE HAS BEEN CAREFULLY RESTORED IN A STYLE REIMINISCENT OF THE OLD DAYS WITH DARK TIMBER PANELS AND AN IMPRESSIVE STAIRCASE the intensity of the design experience in sifting through the family’s memories and mementos to achieve the ideal interior.

TC: On a macro level, we understood from the very beginning that we had to work within the existing framework and to incorporate these elements into the design of the Liens’ villa.

We understood the ‘old’ wing’s aesthetic. Hence, we kept the architectural expression of the new wing simple and focused on the architectural details. The selection criteria for materials, architectural detailing, the interiors, bathroom, light fittings and fixtures had to have an element of ‘old world’ charm to unify both wings.

Which aspects of the architectural conservation of the house and interiors are you especially proud of and why?

TC: We had an understanding client who presented us with a brief and allowed us to drive the design direction of the project. I enjoyed the entire design and construction process and the exchange of ideas with the clients. To name an aspect that I am especially proud of would be difficult. I am glad that the family is finally occupying the villa and having a ball… I understand that family members gather on regular basis at the villa and are enjoying the home.

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REHABILITATED INTO A PRIVATE CLUBHOUSE FOR THE OWNER’S FAMILY, THE ROOMS ON THE UPPER FLOOR ARE FURNISHED WITH A MIX OF MODERN DESIGNER FURNITURE AND BOTH AUTHENTIC AND REPLICAS OF OLD HEIRLOOM PIECES SUCH AS THE MID-20TH CENTURY ARMCHAIRS WITH SPLAYED LEGS

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IN CONSIDERATION OF THE NEED FOR AIR-CONDITIONING, THE ORIGINAL TIMBER LOURVED WINDOWS WERE RECONFIGURED TO ALLOW THEM TO BE OPENED IN BOTH TOP-HUNG AND CASEMENT STYLE TO ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITIONAL LAYER OF GLASS WINDOWS

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F R A M E

We managed to salvage several incomplete sets of retro (mid-20th century) furniture pieces from the patriarch’s home. They were restored, reupholstered and redistributed in new groupings with Terre’s own collection for the games room, living and lounge areas on the upper level of the ‘old’ wing. A significant retro built-in set that the family had an emotional attachment to was recreated from old photographs and it currently sits in the living space above the old porch, together with some original pieces.

You have opened up the internal spaces which used to be dim. Tell us how you brightened the spaces with natural light, especially the idea behind the rotunda-like dining room with an oculus above the dry kitchen and the flat roof which functions as an open-air lounge.

TC: Natural lighting was a key consideration in the planning of the ‘old’ wing as the interiors of the original house was dim. The front facade of the ‘old’ wing was extended to wrap the entire volume to address new relationships with the adjacent plot 6 (house designed by architect Edmund Ng), the garden and its new wing component. Services such as kitchens, pantries, stores and toilets were reconfigured and pulled towards the central core, freeing up the external facade. This reduced the overall depth of the rooms, while maintaining the original footprint of the ‘old’ house and enabling all the main spaces to enjoy the outside views.

THE ROOF TOP OF THE ROTUNDA FUNCTIONS AS AN OPEN-AIR LOUNGE

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THE GOLDEN SUNBURST PATTERNED METAL SCREEN IS ONE OF THE MORE FLAMBOYANT DESIGN GESTURES CHAN DREAMED UP TO BRIDGE THE PAST AND PRESENT INSIDE THE HOUSE FORM 66

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F R A M E

A CIRCULAR SKYLIGHT BRINGS DIRECT OVERHEAD SUNSHINE INTO THE DRY KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM IN THE ROTUNDA The lower level of the original house had a relatively dark interior with dark timber paneled walls, ceiling and floor. White marble with distinct veins in brush finish was selected to brighten the first storey. Internal walls were finished in plaster paint with the timber panelling works kept to a minimum, highlighting the ‘old’ staircase.

A rotunda skylight was created to light up the ‘show’ kitchen within the dining area while the roof serves as an open terrace. The rotunda skylight echoes and complements the single-storey amorphous extension of the dining room (which used to house the library).

What would make you smile with fondness if you were to recall this project 10 years later?

TC: Members of the Lien family and their friends having dinner parties, chilling out on the roof terrace, having great conversation in the living areas, having a cigar with some good old vintage wine by the poolside, having continuous overnight mahjong sessions in the games room, singing their lungs out at the music room or just kids growing up and enjoying spending time at the clubhouse.

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CAPTAIN AND MASTER PLANNER FOR LIEN VILLAS, KO SHIOU-HEE ALSO DESIGNED A NEW HOUSE THAT RESPONDS TO THE VINTAGE PATRIARCH'S AND ITS MORE ANGULAR NEIGHBOURS WITH AN ORGANIC PAVILION AND CASCADING ROCKERY THAT INTRODUCES A SOFT CARESS TO THE COMMUNE

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KO JUXTAPOSED THE ORGANIC AND BLOCKISH. THE CONTRAST IS ECHOED IN THE HOUSE'S OWN POOL AND THE NEIGHBOURING ONE BELONGING TO THE PATRIARCH HOUSE

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F R A M E

How did you resolve the contradiction between the flamboyant glass pavilion and the stately colonial architecture of the conserved patriarch house? What design elements were used to abrogate the strong contrasts?

SH: The strong landscape axis designed by Tierra from the main entrance of the patriarch house reinforces the idea of the patriarchal status of the old house. There is respect in a subtle form like K2LD’s ‘receding’ and Colin Seah’s low-lying turfed roof house while the other architects have taken the challenge to design something contemporary to bring life back into the compound and revitalise it with different ideas while respecting the past in their own way. As mentioned, having six architects with their own style and design ideas, and the desire to make a presence, is a difficult task of constant check and balance, of when it is enough and when it is too much.

As the master planner for the Lien Villas collective, what would you say were the most challenging aspects?

SH: It would be having six architects each with their own style and design ideas for the plot, and balancing the need for a distinct identity for each house and making sure at the same time that the design of the houses complement one another on site.

Architects inevitably have their own egos. How much compromise and what kinds were necessary to bring about a happy reconciliation of the various creative differences?

SH: Every architect is given the brief and basic parameters to respect – especially the programme and budget. An interview process was set before deciding which architect was selected. We found a bunch of young architects who are very receptive to this refreshing idea of a collaborative commune project and are more then happy to share their views and approaches, offer mutual criticisms and checks on each other. The personality of the architects was one of the most important characteristics and factors that eventually determined the success of a project of this nature besides design.

Sunshine and the view of the pools and patriarch house filters into the living room pavilion through the timber strips

Each house flaunts its own identity and a distinctly different style. Unlike the Commune by the Great Wall in China, this site is more compact and helmed in by greenery. How has it affected the project for better or for worse?

SH: It helps that there is a definite precinct to work within. In fact, when the trees are more mature, they will serve to blend and connect the spaces created by the new houses. The motivation for using six architects instead of one was exactly to facilitate different contemporary expressions, ideas and thoughts.

In fact, the proximity forces us to have constant dialogue with each other about distance and levels and views instead of the Commune by the Great Wall where each architect has almost complete freedom to design as they please.

Our site has many factors that without mutual consultation would have been impossible.

What sort of positive impact do you think Lien Villas will make on the potential for the advent of such projects in Singapore and the region?

SH: The collaborative Lien Villas project has been a rewarding and successful experience for all who were involved. It takes an incredible vision and commitment from the client to commission such a project. It takes an inspiring group of professionals from architects and engineers to contractors to finally bring it to fruition. Although the impact is extremely positive on the professional scene, it is not for the faint-hearted to replicate and attempt a project of this nature. I have personally conducted collaborative design studios at the National University of Singapore, and am committed to a few projects that bring together various architects. It is complicated and requires much more work. However, the result is sure to be unique and of better quality.

The reasons are that people put in competing environments tend to perform better with checks and balances. The difference is that everybody is a winner in this case.

View of the bridge and pavilion with the patriarch house in the distance

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UPSTAIRS, A TIMBER TRELLIS FILTERS THE SUN RAYS PIERCING IN OVERHEAD THROUGH THE GLASS ROOF WHILE VERTICAL TIMBER STRIPS ON THE FACADE FILTER THE AFTERNOON SUN Tell us what first flashed through your mind when the client agreed to your proposal to roll out the commune concept. Now that the villas are completed, what are your emotions?

SH: This commune was not my first attempt. It started with seeing how others have done it like Nexus I & II and the Gifu Housing master-planned by Arata Isozaki, Bundersberg Housing, Case Study Houses and Commune by the Great Wall. When the client decided that there should be no boundaries (fence or wall) between the plots, I immediately thought of it as a one-in-a life-time chance to do this unique project in Singapore.

After savouring this architectural orgasm, what would it take for you to reach another ‘high’?

SH: I think some form of recognition by professional and International bodies (awards) for the Lien Villas project would be fantastic. Personally, I would like this spirit of sharing and collaboration to proliferate in the professional field, that the idea of ‘No Boundary’ will inspire more to choose this form of development rather than the cookie-cutter model.

Master-bathroom with timber strips extend privacy

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THE WATERFALL CASCADES DOWN THE SIDE OF THE POOL AND THE ROCKERY ADJACENT TO THE SPACE BENEATH THE LIVING ROOM PAVILION WHICH DOUBLES AS AN OPEN SIDED PATIO. AND THE PATRIARCH HOUSE LOOMS INTO VIEW

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RANDY CHAN, 39 ZARCH COLLABORATIVES

RANDY CHAN SIGN-POSTS HIS PROVOCATIVE POST-INDUSTRIAL CONCRETE AND STEEL EDIFICE WITH A RAISED PAVILION CAGED IN BY A SQUARE BLACK METALLIC BIRD’S NEST GRID. ON THE OPPOSITE EXPERIENTIAL SPECTRUM, THERE IS A BEDROOM AKIN TO A GREY PRISON CELL

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Trendy and edgy yet monumental and imposing, tell us what flashed through your mind and gripped your imagination when you decided to design this house.

The concrete and steel edifice conjures up images of East European communist era architecture as well as the austere style of Tadao Ando and Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh. Tell us the inspiration and similarities if any and why you chose the dominant materials. More importantly, how did you differentiate the house from the above mentioned architectural typologies?

RC: A series of floating pavilions amidst dense vegetation. The idea of a self-contained pavilion which has its own staircase… in fact the initial concept has 11 staircases linked individually (the house eventually ended up with three).

RC: Chandigarh was electrifyingly intense for me in terms of form and materiality and I stood there for a day marvelling at the Corbu masterpiece. Tadao Ando’s works are poetically violent in the use of space and light. For this house, there is this interplay of both in terms of spatial definition; how the spaces relate to each other vide the intermediate levels and also the materiality where different cubes are experienced through their own scale and also by the tactility. In that sense, there is a strong hierarchy. There are also the voids which are perceived as ‘intended spaces physically’ rather than the normal perception of being mere empty spaces.

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FRAMED AROUND A CENTRAL COURTYARD DESIGNED FOR DISPLAYING ART INSTALLATIONS, THE ASSORTED PAVILIONS WITH THEIR DIFFERENT TACTILE FINISHES FROM TIMBER STRIPS TO CONCRETE PANELS AND TRANSPARENT GLASS WERE CONCEIVED TO ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUAL SPATIAL EXPLORATIONS AND EXPERIENCES The plot you worked on has the flattest terrain of all the sites in the commune yet you have created a complex of staggered levels, courtyards, and passage ways. What inspired you to do so, why is it necessary, and how does each element enrich the architectural experience for the permanent occupants and temporary visitors?

RC: It started with a perception of a clearing in the forest and how one can demarcate a space or position on this site. The house was designed with a character in mind…. It is not about permanent occupants/temporary visitors. I even did some experimentation by getting various artists to respond to the different spaces. It was fun as each of them responded very differently.

The house throws up numerous spatial surprises from a glass enclosed sunken living space to a prison cell-like bedroom and an open-air patio enclosed in a black steel grid cage. Tell us the underlying intentions and themes for this multi-faceted approach.

RC: There is no theme. The intention is always about experiencing the house personally on an emotional level as well as physically, encouraging a greater awareness of the surroundings through our bodily gestures as we manoeuvre through the house. In that sense, there is a theatrical dimension in the experiential journey such as in the midst of crossing the link-bridge, climbing the stairs or sitting down in the sunken courtyard.

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You have crafted the house with a great sense of adventure and daring. On a personal level, what drove you to do so and how much of the design reflects your own dream home?

RC: The house was designed during the twoyear period of my sabbatical, and in some sense the process of thinking and doing was very intense and different. There was a lot of model making and discussion in the office to see how to create that personalised spatial experience.

It is not craft per se that I am talking about in the design of this building which is a current ideological trend here. Instead, we were focused on exploring the bodily experience within the premise of architecture space and materiality as a medium for creating that.

In that sense, there is a turning back to how architecture can be practised.

For my dream house; it should be a space for me to do all the above. I think I just need a small (contained) space for my basic needs and lots of void spaces to spur me in my imagination and the creative ideas for my art installations.

Camouflaged by stands of green bamboo, the white and grey facade fronting the entrance and car porch gives away little of the six differentiated pavilions that make up the house

ANYTHING BUT UNIFORM, THE ELEVATION FACING THE MAIN AXIS FLAUNTS AN ARRAY OF PAVILIONS. THE ONE IN THE MIDDLE FEATURES A CANTILEVERED BALCONY. IT IS FLANKED BY A TALL SINGLE-VOID STRUCTURE WITH WIDE SHELTERING EAVES AND CONCRETE SCREED FLOORING AND AN OPEN-AIR PAVILION ENCASED IN A STEEL GRID CAGE

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DRAWING INEVITABLE COMPARISONS TO BEIJING’S ‘BIRD NEST’ OLYMPICS STADIUM, THE BLACK METAL GRID-CAGE PAVILION IS THE MOST ARRESTING STATEMENT IN THE COMMUNE; ACTING LIKE A SCULPTURAL TOTEM POLE

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CHAN’S BIRDCAGE HAS A METAPHORICAL CONNECTION TO KO’S OVOID GLASS AND TIMBER PAVILION

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AN ASSORTMENT OF STAIRCASES, RAMPS AND WALKWAYS CONNECT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS AND INDIVIDUAL PAVILIONS What would be your reaction when people describe the house as avant-garde in an adverse manner and how would you argue that it is relevant and appropriate?

RC: Personally, I do not think it is avant-garde in any sense whether it is form making or spatial. I want people to be attracted to explore, discover and experience the spaces within. It is from this that its relevance and appropriateness becomes apparent to each individual. I had invited Art Fisson and Brian Gothong, a multimedia artist to do a site specific response to the house and it was very interesting. You will see how a dancer responds to the blank wall and how he works through the space. On the other hand, through a multimedia artist; the wall facing the courtyard becomes the spectacle for theatrics. It was fun.

You have addressed the tropical climate throughout the house. Tell us how the house responds to the natural elements?

RC: I think I wanted to return to the idea of a shelter; a solid one. I felt the current ideology running through our practice has been `over-craft` to the point that it dematerialises and since the economic downturn last year, the ‘climate’ is poised for a change. I think the idea and relevance of the house as shelter and refuge is the more intense preoccupation here. This house increases the perception that climate and the weather is increasingly and even more unpredictable than ever metaphorically, ecologically, economically.

The blackened facade of the guestroom quarter on ground level

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There appears to be small tell-tale signs of retro Singapore architecture such as exposed red bricks stacked to create porous ventilation openings that were popular in the 1960s.

Tell us how you dug into the vintage memory bank, what other details hark back to the past and why you did so?

RC: It came from the client who suggested the red bricks for the guest area during one of the discussions. We took it up and the idea of a porous wall in that very small section was a little palette to experiment with the form and pattern other than ventilation. In some sense there was a quirky touch to it.

There is an arching sense that you have sculpted this house like an artwork. Tell us about your alter-artist persona including the artworks you produce and how your practice and love for art has shaped and enriched your architectural design in relation to this house.

IN A RETRO THROWBACK TO MID-20TH CENTURY VERNACULAR SINGAPORE BUNGALOWS, CHAN USED EXPOSED RED BRICKS FOR A POROUS WALL WITH AIR-VENTS Responding to the climate, the open-air shower brings the greenery into the grey sleeping quarters

RC: I guess my interest in art installations and interaction within the artist communities do inspire me a lot in terms of how things can be perceived other than with the normal eye. Doing architecture is very different as it involves the ďŹ nance bit as well as the time. It is about patronage as well. Doing art and loving it helps me to keep my humility while keeping the experimentation going for me.

How do you think this house converses with the others in the commune including the patriarch house and how would you describe it if you were to describe its personality as a sibling in a family of ďŹ ve children?

RC: I think all the houses responded very differently to the brief and to the overall master plan as well. The context of the response for me was the axis which was created directly facing the patriarch house. It was important that we respected that and my response to my immediate neighbour and the axis, for example, was the cage which acts as a counterpoint to create a visual pause in the composition.

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THE CONCRETE WALLED BEDROOM EVOKES A HIGH SECURITY CELL-LIKE AMBIENCE

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FRANKLIN PO ROTATED AND TWISTED A STACK OF BOXES INTO A TIGHT HUDDLE ON A WEDGE-SHAPED SITE AT THE BOTTOM END OF THE LIEN VILLAS COMMUNE, CONJURING UP A VISION AKIN TO A COOL, AUSTERE COTTAGE AT THE EDGE OF A FOREST

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COMPRISING A STACK OF BOXES, ROTATED AND TWISTED WITH NO CORRIDORS OR HALLWAYS, THE OVERALL FORM WITH A MIX OF FLAT AND SLOPING ROOFS STAGGERED AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS IS CRISP, CLEAN AND COOL

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F R A M E

The house bears a passing resemblance to Alvar Aalto’s Villa Carre in France, designed for art dealer Louis Carre, with window openings at different heights to bring in the natural light to illuminate the internal spaces that function like galleries for displaying Carre’s art collection. Tell us about your solution to the natural illumination of this house, and why you decided to install the sky roof and what are its intended effects.

FP: It does bear some resemblance to Aalto’s Villa Carre and we perhaps share the same plainness of the exterior walls in white with sculptural window openings and the same fondness for art of which the interior of the house has many walls to hang art from. But the antecedents were from Herzog/De Meuron’s Rudin House, David Chipperfield’s River and Rowing Museum, Louis Kahn’s Fisher House, Miller & Maranra’s Villa Garbald and John Pawson’s Walsh House.

These great architectural specimens of good design were the inspiration for our concept and we took it from there to the final built product. The distinct separation of white boxes were to be expressed; its walls are surfaces bereft of adornment and embellishment with simple and differently sized rectangular windows placed at different heights considered from within the house as well as from outside for views and sculptural quality.

As there are no corridors and hallways inside the house, how do you resolve the transitional experience from one space to another to make it less abrupt, and what sort of responses do you expect from those more used to a ‘slow procession’ of space.

FP: We did not consciously bother with the ‘slow procession’ of space. Corridors are often a necessary evil and to rid them of it is to maximise use of space. Frank Lloyd Wright let his rooms flow from one to another. Mies van der Rohe used walls and implied continuation of walls to allow one room to borrow from another room. This created ambiguity of space and is intentional in space planning.

Natural illumination of the house was carefully balanced by the use of the windows and an interior courtyard shaft surrounded by the cluster of boxes. During the day there would be no need for artificial lighting. Lux levels (the measurement of light) in each room was carefully calibrated to not only maximise visual comfort levels but to also avoid harsh and uncomfortable glare.

WEDGED UP AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, THE TWISTED BOXES OPEN ONTO AN ODD ANGULAR INTERNAL COURTYARD INSTEAD OF THE USUAL RIGHT-ANGLED TYPOLOGY View of the house from the entrance and car porch. Its wedge-shaped site takes up the bottom end of the main axis of the Lien Villas commune where the former driveway entrance to the patriarch house was located

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F R A M E

This house has a traditional sense of procession as there is hierarchical definition of functions. The front entry is clearly defined and is a part of the entry structure which hovers over the grand front door and allows its overhang to shelter the entry ‘stoop’ Chris Alexander speaks about in his book Pattern Language. From that entry point, the stairs ascend into the living room space which looks out onto the timber pool deck and conserved existing trees.

The functional aspects of the semi-private spaces are clearly demarcated, as the living room, dining room and kitchen are clustered together, separated only by the small vertical atrium light-well. Bedrooms are attached to the room of the central staircase within the private section of the house.

The house is quiet, reticent and timeless. It segues and blends into its natural surroundings seamlessly like a modernist woodcutter’s cottage at the edge of a forest.

Tell us how its architectural language reflects your design philosophy and the aspects you take particular pride in.

FP: We are glad that you describe the planning and design as dovetailing into the site surrounds. We had hoped that it would do this or appear to do this. This effort to blend and tuck into the hillside was a very conscious effort to fulfil the URA zoning and building guidelines. Solving the requirements was a priority to the design of a building which looks smaller than its 7,000sq ft.

We had to break down the massing of the house into its various prescribed room components. The outcome is a house (or set of rooms) that would exude a quiet attitude with good scale to fit into this prominent but quiet corner of its neighborhood. We did not want it to be glaringly conspicuous because of its huge mass, which it would have been if the entire living area were fitted into one building, with basement and two storeys.

You conceived the landscaping for the entire commune.

What were the main challenges in landscaping the commune, and has it in any way influenced your other role as the architect of this house?

FP: We had to consider how the houses were going to have a dialogue with one another, how they were to keep company with each other.

Existing trees on the site had to be conserved as the site is in a tree conservation zone. We also perceived that there had to be homage paid to the existing Lien Villa, which was situated at the highest point of the property. Fortunately there was a counterpoint at the far end, at the lower portion of the site: a magnificent 60-year-old Eugenia grandis.

This relationship resulted in the alignment of the site to accommodate an axis from Lien Villa at the top, to the large tree at the bottom.

In considering new lot lines and demarcation of properties, we were fortunate to accommodate six new plots with Lien Villa being the largest plot; the other five were then realigned to contain exactly 1,402sq m (15,000sq ft) of land each, which is the minimum size of what is classified in Singapore as a Good Class Bungalow. As an architect with Tierra involved in landscape design for many years, it gave us the opportunity to constantly look at design in totality: the house in the garden, the garden as part of the house, and the garden (atrium) inside the house. The choice of architectural boxes as a concept precludes the notion of the house as part of the garden, which in this case is not how the design was approached.

The architectural machinations gave rise to a set of rooms which fit into the site and its environs. The garden was in itself a composition that the house fits into. All six houses had to fit into the planned axis established as part of the site plan. All that was left was to plant the garden and to provide strategic screening between the homes at appropriate places. Landscape is about evolving spatial outdoor spaces over time, never static, always changing as plants and trees grow. The tenants will change the plants in their gardens themselves, adding little bits here and there, even removing plant material if they so choose. We will continue to assist through the coming months to ensure that there will be a garden befitting the specialness of the Collective.

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AN OPEN-SIDED STEEL AND TIMBER STAIRCASE RISES THROUGH THE CORE OF THE HOUSE

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IN A REFRESHING CHANGE FROM THE USUAL UNIFORM WINDOW ARRANGEMENTS, PO INSTALLED THEM IN A VARIETY OF SIZES AND AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS TO ENHANCE VISUAL EXCITEMENT

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F R A M E

Skylights and small slits in the roof complement the windows in bringing natural light into the kitchen and individual rooms

Architects in the West appear to hit their stride and make their mark when they are past 50 and those like Frank Gehry are still aspiring for greater heights at 72 when in Singapore most are in retirement mode. As a successful 63-year-old architect and landscape designer, what do you think experience has over youth?

FP: We have not considered retirement as an option as there is still so much more to do in the design field. Tierra’s expertise as landscape architect belies the real work we do. It’s more than putting plants and trees in a garden; it is to provide design in many extra curricular areas. Some of which are allied professions and others are not! In 1995 when we founded Tierra, the landscape architect was considered as an unnecessary cog in the wheel. Since then Tierra has become one of the big three in the building industry.

We were happy to have come back to Singapore and participate in the maturing of the landscape design profession. Our attempt to raise the level of this profession has been somewhat gratifying. We have seen the opening up of ideas and Design Singapore is thriving all across the board! The job of mentoring and teaching will continue as long as we have the energy to do so; we do not at this time see it abating!

Tell us if you think the house you designed belies a different maturity from the other four in the commune designed by a younger generation and in what ways, and how it relates to the commune as a family.

FP: Maturity may not be the question here nor is it the answer. There are many architects with years of experience who strive to find their form; there are others who never discover theirs.

Passion without talent will not take you where one would like to go; talent without passion on the other hand is probably telling us that the person is in the wrong field of endeavour! But put passion and talent together and we may have the beginning of a lovely journey in life!

The challenge is to sustain this throughout a lifetime. Frank Gehry and others still have it!

We hope we still have it at his age!

What do you consider the most satisfying aspects of designing the house and the overall landscape?

FP: This was not a one-man show. We did this in collaboration with some very talented young people in the office. Opportunities to do a project like the Lien Collective come rarely in life; we were very fortunate to have a client with vision. This project is one of the smoothest run projects in all my years of practice. All six architects went about the business of their own craft, each one contributing their input at the right time and at the right pace. And the contractor was extremely cooperative in monitoring the work of each house.

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F R A M E

COLIN SEAH, 37 MINISTRY OF DESIGN (MOD)

What is the romance of the single-storey detached bungalow that inspired you to design this house? Please share with us peculiar memories which fuelled your imagination and creative process.

CS: My reference point was not necessarily personal but drawn instead from the collective imagination of a bygone era where land was not as scarce as it is now and the propensity to increase density unnecessary. We were hoping to achieve a form that would be allowed to figuratively ‘breathe’ freely on its site, and not become yet another modern Singapore behemoth.

You have devised the low, long rectangular sprawl of the house plan with kinks and created a maze-like effect best appreciated from the birds-eye view of the flat green-turfed roof. What prompted the quirky manipulations and what design agenda did you wish to address and achieve by doing so?

CS: The absolute impossibility of the site’s shape – a slender triangle that was further constrained by the regular property setbacks and a tree smack in the centre of it. A bit of background here, all the sites on the Lien collective were balloted for among each of the architects and right from the onset, I relished the thought of working on the impossible site – as fate would have it, I got my wish.

Looking at the concept diagram, the evolution of the building’s snaking form is clearly unfolded.

We exercised an almost extreme form of rationalism in designing the form, it’s hard to argue with, there seems to be almost no subjectivity involved. Immediately, the value of the form on a multitude of levels became crystal clear — as a spatial experience, as architectural icon, as an abstracted parti diagram — I am very pleased.

CONCEIVED AS A SINGLESTOREY TO ALLOW MORE VISUAL BREATHING SPACE FOR THE OTHER HOUSES IN THE COMMUNE, THE DYNAMIC ROOF RESEMBLES A PUTTING GREEN FROM UP HIGH

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COLIN SEAH REVISITS THE ROMANCE OF THE SINGLESTOREY BUNGALOW WITH AN ABSTRACT MULTI-KINKED STRUCTURE WITH A FLATTURFED ROOF THAT LOOKS AMAZINGLY LIKE A GREEN MAZE

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THE BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF THE MAZE-LIKE GREEN-TURF ROOF IS THE DEFINING FEATURE; MAPPING OUT THE KINKS AND TAPERING FORM OF THE FOOTPRINT OF THE HOUSE

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F R A M E

You have designed a long seamless passage inside the house and minimised the compartmentalisation of the space except for the bedrooms.

What is your intention in doing so and what do you consider the advantages of this smooth, unimpeded spatial flow?

A LAP POOL RUNS ALONGSIDE THE LENGTH OF THE HOUSE, ACTING AS A SUNKEN BARRIER REEF TO THE MAIN GREEN AXIS OF THE COMMUNE

CS: If it were a house for myself, there might not be any permanent walls. Having derived what is effectively a single storey form, (there is a basement level that houses a host of services a la Kahn’s Servant versus Served organisation) we had the opportunity to rethink the typical residential typology and subvert the conventional vertical dichotomy between public versus private spaces found in multi-storey houses. Instead, our house simultaneously layers its different zones and indoor/outdoor environments through visual and circulatory connectivity. An interesting phenomenon results, an acute sense of this spatial dynamism is palpable, you feel projected through the house even when you are standing passively in one corner of it. The spatial characteristics of a form has a deep impact on the way it is used, and I imagine life in this house to reflect this uniqueness — it’s a little like a social experiment.

Highly transparent inside and out, light also floods into the basement entrance and car porch from the openings indoor and outdoor above ground

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F R A M E

There appears to be a nod to Japanese aesthetics in the origami-like folds of this house. Tell us if there is any such contributing influence and how it makes your architecture more compelling vis-a-vis this house.

CS: A visitor from A+U team also remarked on the distinctive un-Singaporeanness of the house.

To him, it was more akin to what he was familiar with back home in Japan. That intrigued me because we neither set out to be un-Singaporean or conversely, pro-Japanese. I didn’t dwell on it but your reference to origami is intriguing. If there are any overlaps with the art of origami, I sense it may be in the abstraction of the subject matter — an abstracted crane is perhaps more evocative of the crane’s essence than a lifelike replica of a crane — it needs to be convincing. I would like to think of our house this way.

The interiors of the house are completely open and transparent to outside view and vice versa; sharing a kindred spirit with the Philip Johnson glass house in New Canaan, Connecticut. Tell us how you mitigated the paradox of exhibitionism and privacy in the various spaces.

CS: Not only is it primarily transparent and seeking a sense of lightness, it also foregoes the formality of having a distinct orientation; there is no front and rear to speak of. Entry into the house is via a street level basement portal that introduces one into the heart of the house immediately, without passing through any of its visible elevations. Tectonically, it is intentionally reserved — white plaster walls, glass and timber. Floors for rooms, corridors and outdoor decks are conspicuously homogeneous, each zone blurring into the next more seamlessly. I think this house will prompt its inhabitants to live in a certain manner and they will themselves find a balance between being on display and enjoying privacy.

Tell us in detail about the occupants you had in mind when you designed this house and how their unique profile and lifestyle helped you determine the architectural character.

CS: There was no conscious image of an inhabitant. The client did provide some must haves in terms of rooms and functions, but beyond that, as designers, we surrendered to our subconscious.

There is an assumption that vertically challenged individuals tend to overcompensate by outperforming in other areas. Tell us if and how you have attempted to do the same either consciously or sub-consciously with this singlestorey house to measure up to the taller heights of the other houses in the commune.

CS: The analogy is funny though I’m not sure it’s appropriate. In our case, we were not ‘born short’ but chose to ‘be short’. Another reason for going single storey was to provide more visual space

For greater privacy, the bedrooms are located away from the main axis, opening onto the frontage facing the boundary

for the houses designed by our collaborators in the surrounding plots. The dynamic roof form of our house gives them something interesting to look at, too.

One would assume that the roof is covered in authentic grass and not the synthetic turf that it is. What are the constraints that prevented you from growing green turf on the roof and what are the true ecological responses inherent in this house?

CS: Our roof is experienced visually, and always from a distance. It needed only to be visually crisp.

What excites you most when you look back on the experience of designing this house?

CS: This is consistent with MOD’s approach, a careful selectiveness of what to accentuate from a sea of possibilities — allowing our work to capture some essential qualities.

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Deceptive as it may seem, the single-storey house actually has a basement and it is visible in a belowground opening (seen in the foreground)

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F R A M E

EDMUND NG, 37 METROPOLITAN OFFICE EXPERIMENTAL

You must have received numerous comments on the black-painted solid concrete wall which blindsided the entire facade of the house facing Queensway. Conceived to reduce noise pollution, visually it has also piqued the curiosity of motorists on the expressway. Tell us why this wall is an architectural linchpin to understanding this house and how it has affected the design.

EN: One of the greatest challenges for us when we came onboard was to seek some form of identity to the place. We needed something to stand out from the rest. We wanted an architectural statement feature to give an identity, a strong identity to the house itself. And the black wall was conceived through resolving contextual issues such as noise, sight and sun path as well. All these contextual parameters were steered in such a way towards this architectural manifestation: the huge, great black wall that fronts the whole house.

You mean the black wall was based on your site analysis?

EN: Yes, it’s something that evolved when we began to work on the house. The site itself faces the expressway and we need a barrier that cuts the house off visually from the public and the noise from the traffic. We also need to provide a form of protection from the harsh west sun.

There is a strong yin-yang trait in the facade treatment as the length facing the conserved patriarch house is light, open and transparent, looking directly onto the patriarch house. Tell us how you resolved the relationship between the modern architecture of your house and the vintage style of the patriarch’s and whether you attempted to make any physical connection or metaphorical links and in what shape, form or material.

EN: The rear facade of the house facing the patriarch house is completely in glass. Glass is a ‘super cool liquid material’, meaning it is actually a liquid but in frozen state at room temp/normal temp. The metaphysical characteristic of the glass is the effect that is almost mythical. It dissolves the whole facade and it is non-confrontational. We want to purposely strike that contrast with the patriarch house which has the architectural language of plaster paint finish, timber wood with dark stain and pitched roofs.

Facing Queensway expressway, the solid black-painted concrete wall is a dark strong architectural statement that arouses the curiosity of passing motorists even as it resolves the contextual issues of traffic noise, visual privacy and west sun FORM 100

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EDMUND NG STAMPED THE IDENTITY OF THIS LIEN VILLA WITH A SOLID BLACK WALL FACING THE EXPRESSWAY, RAISED IT FOUR METRES HIGHER ON A BASEMENT PLATFORM TO SOAK IN THE VIEW OF THE COMMUNE AND DRENCH THE WHITE INTERIORS OF ITS PURIST RECTANGULAR BLOCKS WITH COPIOUS NATURAL LIGHT

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GLASS FACADES AND FLAT TOPS ALLOW THE HOUSE TO RECEDE AND DEMATERIALISE WHILE ITS MODERNITY SERVES AS A CONTRAST TO THE VINTAGE ARCHITECTURE OF THE PATRIARCH HOUSE

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F R A M E

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CLINGING TIGHT TO THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, THE GLASS-WRAPPED LAP POOL POSSESSES THE ILLUSION OF AN INFINITY EDGE

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F R A M E

It appears that you have designed the L-shaped configuration of the house, comprising two wings, to recede into the boundaries at the back so as to allow the patriarch house to enjoy centre stage. What were the challenges this posed and how did you overcome the constraints?

EN: The house is conceived like a main gate to the whole development. And knowing that the patriarch house is the main star, we felt there is a need to complement them as well by not blocking their view.

The facade of our house that faces it is just a sheer piece of glass, all glassed-up and this is a contrasting language between the houses built in different eras. The patriarch house reflects the olden days while ours is a transparent facade that assumes almost no segmental identity. It just blends in and dissolves into the environment. Our glass facade also serves as a conscious effort not to subdue the powerful nature of the patriarch house. We deliberately designed the building to be just a simple block. Basically, a stacking of blocks that break some rules of what a typical house would be. It is also a deliberate attempt to disassociate it from the patriarch house.

How do you compensate for the unsightly view blocked by the black wall?

EN: It is also derived from the contextual part where we inverted the whole house. Normally, the back wall is solid while the front is more opened up. In our design, we flipped it. The front is a solid wall and the back of the house is where the best view is.

As for the metaphorical link, the black wall straddles the two blocks like a gateway. It also creates the notion of a physical back gate to Lien Villas; like a gate post if one were to imagine going to the garage of the old patriarch house.

Hmm… challenges? One of the greatest challenges is the terrain itself, the ground level of the patriarch house and ours has a topographic difference of close to four metres.

How do we connect them? Actually, we have originally a physical connection with it other than visual connection. This is where the location of the planter box is right now.

How would you describe the main architectural language of the house and who or what are your major influences?

EN: Our main architectural language is clean, modern, contemporary in style. Minimalist?

Hmm… yeah... Basically we didn’t want to follow a fashion, trend, or fad. Rather, we want a house that evolves through its own parameters, its own needs. Where the language is concerned, it just happens that it got the minimalist look.

We are inspired by Le Corbusier and greatly influenced by his works such as Villa Savoy. His work has a connection to modernist language as well as with the environment.

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F R A M E

Flipping the house back to front away from its entrance car porch, the transparent facade brings the view of the commune into the lightflushed all-white interiors

Our plot is not the highest. In fact, ours is one of the lowest. However, we knew this would be a disadvantage. For a house to have a commanding view of the whole commune below is a form of our connection with the rest of the blocks. If our design is to sit right in like a one-storey building then we would be physically & visually cut-off from the rest of the commune. So our strategy is to build a platform basement. This helped us to overcome the 4m topographic difference and therefore our first storey now is on par with the living room of the patriarch house. We also took advantage of it by putting another slab above our living room. The residential block is perpendicular to the main axis of the whole commune (where the landscape is). That helped us to have an overall view of the whole commune itself. All these turned a problem to an advantage: assuring the house of a commanding view to connect with the rest of the commune, otherwise it would have sunk down and be hidden.

We understand that you designed this house on a tight four-week deadline. How has this challenged your creativity and what did you gain from the experience?

EN: We had a very short timeline. In fact, the conceptual design stage took only one month because it has been very straight forward from the first day. As long as there is an understanding of the surroundings and the contextual issues, it will never be difficult to design. We had always a clear solution since the beginning up to its completion, and there were no changes. The only major modification was the second-storey block arrangement. This block and the first-storey block were originally proposed to be in ‘crossed’ position but due to some factors, we needed to shift them to recede into the boundary at the back.

Four weeks is tight but our concept is strong and it has grasped our massing approach in relation to the whole project. This time frame is good enough to think about the architectural massing and as the project progressed, it gave us time to refine the details. F

Raised on concrete columns so that its living room and lap pool are on par with that of the patriarch’s house, Edmund delivered this plot from being sunken and hidden while ensuring a commanding view of the commune

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F O R M A T I TEXT JOSHUA YAP Formerly a 19th-century convent, Cavour220 preserves the heritage of the original buildings with quaint slat windows and charming Romanesque cornices

PROVING THAT MODERNITY CAN COEXIST SEAMLESSLY be it for us to recommend that you deck yourself from head WITH HISTORY, GIORGIO Far to toe in Armani threads, it’s a completely different story when it comes ARMANI INJECTS A WINNING to interiors, as nothing epitomises subtle opulence like an apartment from wall to wall in the minimalist chic trappings of Armani/ COMBINATION OF SUBDUED engulfed Casa. Come 2010, this dreamy vision will become a reality for the GRANDEUR AND TRADITION privileged residents of Cavour220 — a prestigious serviced apartment in the heart of Rome. Boasting 24/7 concierge service, it is INTO CAVOUR220, A project developed by Doughty Hanson (one of the most prominent names PRESTIGIOUS SERVICED in pan-European real estate) and property guru, Europa Risorse, and more importantly holds the bragging rights of being the first European APARTMENT DEVELOPMENT residential project of such scale to be blessed with the inimitable Giorgio IN THE HEART OF ROME Armani touch.

An intriguing interplay of textures and opacity typifies the interiors where each element has been meticulously custom-created and appointed to epitomise the Armani/Casa ethos

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Comprising 62 units spread across six interlinked buildings that surround a sprawling garden, Cavour220 is located on the iconic Via Cavour that leads to the Coliseum and Fori Imperiali. Originally a 19th-century convent, the historical site has been lovingly restored to its former glory complete with charming terraced gardens and Roman architectural elements. Mindful of the rich heritage of the locale, Armani eagerly took up the gauntlet to infuse the development with a hefty dose of contemporary ourish while retaining its oldworld allure.

DRAMATICALLY CLOAKED IN SILVER TRAVERTINE FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, THE BATHROOM ADROITLY RELATES TO ITS MODERN SETTING WITH CLEAN LINES AND MINIMALIST STAINLESS STEEL FITTINGS FORM 110

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Comprising 62 units spread across six interlinked buildings that surround a sprawling garden, Cavour220 is located on the iconic Via Cavour that leads to the Coliseum and Fori Imperiali. Originally a 19th-century convent, the historical site has been lovingly restored to its former glory complete with charming terraced gardens and Roman architectural elements. Mindful of the rich heritage of the locale, Armani eagerly took up the gauntlet to infuse the development with a hefty dose of contemporary ourish while retaining its oldworld allure.

DRAMATICALLY CLOAKED IN SILVER TRAVERTINE FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, THE BATHROOM ADROITLY RELATES TO ITS MODERN SETTING WITH CLEAN LINES AND MINIMALIST STAINLESS STEEL FITTINGS FORM 110

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A RICH SPECTRUM OF BEIGE, GREY AND TOBACCO BROWN CONSPIRES TO ENVELOPE YOU IN SUBDUED EXTRAVAGANCE WHILE SUBTLY EVOKING THE ARMANI STYLE

“The Cavour 220 project was particularly stimulating, posing the challenge of taking such a unique place, so steeped in history, and bringing it up to date,” he says. “The scheme was conceived from the desire to transform the ancient buildings of a quarter on the slopes of the Palatine Hill into a prestigious , sophisticated, cutting- edge residential complex. The design solutions, from intervening in the existing volumes of space and layouts of the courts to the choice of materials and colours for the communal areas and apartments, refl ect the dichotomy inherent in a project that seeks to create a comfortable, modern living environment within a historical framework”.

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F O R M A T

Most evident in this juxtaposition between the old and the new, is Cavour220’s choice of materials. Deftly linking the past and the present, traditional Roman materials like travertine stone and marmorino plaster provide an intriguing counterpoint to modern features like Eramosa limestone and luscious liquid metal finishing on the vaults of the private seating areas adjacent to the foyer.

However, for a truly immersive Armani lifestyle experience, venture into the living quarters of the complex where its stylish interiors have been assiduously orchestrated by the Armani/ Casa design team. Exemplifying the muted elegance of the Italian fashion house, the colour palette is an indulgent tapestry of beige, grey, black and tobacco brown. At every turn, you can witness a captivating interplay of textures and contrasts where glossy, matte, transparent and opaque surfaces blend harmoniously with luxurious materials like silver travertine, rosewood, bronze, ebony and lacquer. Needless to say, each element has been designed and custom-made to create an exclusive, timeless and serene haven. F

PICTURES COURTESY OF ARMANI/CASA

CAVOUR220 On-site sales office: Via Lanza 129, Rome Tel: +39 06 4891 3808 www.cavour220.com

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PICTURES COURTESY OF WHITE BOARD BY NOBEL

THE ORNATE CHANDELIER IN THE DINING AREA PROVIDES JUST THE RIGHT DOSE OF DECORATIVE FLOURISH TO AN OTHERWISE RIGOROUS, GEOMETRIC SPACE DOMINATED

BY THE STRONG LINES OF THE CONTINUOUS SHELVING UNIT AND ARCHITRAVE

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F O R M A T

ACCENT COLOURS OF PALE BLUE, GREEN, ORANGE AND YELLOW APPEAR IN CONTROLLED QUANTITIES ON WALLCOVERINGS, UPHOLSTERY, DECORATIVE LIGHTING AND ARTWORKS

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F L I N G I TEXT EDDY KOH

ARCHITECT ANDRE FU OF AFSO CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF ASIAN CALM AND TRANQUILITY IN THE UPPER HOUSE, HONG KONG’S BOUTIQUE HOTEL OF THE MOMENT WHOSE TIMELESSNESS TRANSCENDS HYPE

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Hong Kong’s hip set has made the secret garden and lawn on level 6 of the Upper House their favourite lounging and smooching spot, casting the manicured open-air setting as the modern apparition of Impressionist painter Georges-Pierre Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte

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F L I N G

Andre Fu aces with his first hotel project

Regal mortis begins from the formal architecture of the ground level entrance

The Upper

House has created a huge buzz since opening in October. In an email to FORM, Hong Kong-based architect Andre Fu confides that the hotel has gotten positive response from creative giants such as starchitect Frank Gehry, hospitality design gurus Yabu Pushelberg and Tony Chi, and shoe maestro Christian Louboutin. Conceived as a luxurious private residential abode, the interiors of the 117-room hotel are primarily Asian inspired yet whisper international chic.

Andre’s design for the Upper House is the perfect third millennium definition of the contemporary urban resort, appealing to the metropolitan warrior keen to revive himself in a tranquil setting after a bruising day. It has been a long time coming since Aman resorts stamped the iconic farflung Asian retreat formula and Philippe Starck wowed fashionistas with his quirky boutique model that began with the Paramount and Royalton hotels in New York two decades ago. There has been no shortage of attempts to bridge the two extremes. The Chedi in Chiangmai by Kerry Hill Architects came close but then the city was too sleepy. Juxtaposed against busy bustling Hong Kong, the Upper House’s calm demeanour bursts out like a dream.

The calming effect begins the moment you step onto the escalator that brings you from the car porch up to the entry hall. The series of timber arches framing the escalator, inspired by Japanese

temple gates or torii, works like a monkish architectural chant, but it is the generously sized rooms that will have you swooning. The smallest is 73-sq ft and the en suite bathroom which occupies almost half the space boasts breathtaking sea or island views. In their former lives, the rooms were serviced apartments.

The larger 83-sq ft rooms and the 21 suites and two penthouses are even larger. But it is the attention which Andre paid to every design detail that’s amazing. He even incorporated a cleverly concealed door in the suite that allows your other half to slip out without being noticed when you are with guests in the living area.

Rather than have you continue listening to us, we let Andre and the pictures of the Upper House do the talking.

Eschewing conventional check-in counters for PDA-toting guest relations officers, the private residential feel begins when you enter the lobby of the Upper House FORM 122

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ANDRE FU DETAILS THE UPPER HOUSE What did you imagine The Upper House as when you were commissioned to design the hotel?

I intended it as a small intimate hotel reminiscent of a private residence with all the comforts of a stately home. It was conceived holistically as one poetic journey with a design language that is consistent throughout; with the building-up of layers to conjure up the overall experience and sense of tranquility. The use of natural materials, original sculpture installations and seamlessly proportioned spaces are integral to the Upper House’s sophisticated and modern Asian influenced residential feel. I also designed it with a strong respect to balanced geometry and symmetry. The palette is restrained and the use of bamboo and lacquered panels create an oriental sensitivity but the flavour of the scheme, when viewed in its entirety, remains international.

INSPIRED BYJAPANESE TORII TEMPLE GATES, SQUARE ARCHES FRAME THE ENTRANCE ESCALATOR TO CONJURE UP A MEDITATIVE RIDE UP TO THE UPPER HOUSE

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F L I N G

ANDRE TRANSFORMED THE FORMERLY DOWDY ATRIUM INTO A DRAMATIC SPACE GROUNDED BY A RIPPLING POOL WITH BESPOKE ARTWORKS SCALING THE FULL HEIGHT, CULMINATING IN A TIMBERFESTOONED SKY-BRIDGE AND OCULUS AT THE TOP You started on a relatively clean slate as The Upper House is but the Swire Group’s second hotel after The Opposite House in Beijing. Were you required to follow the same spirit and what are the similarities and differences between the two hotels?

We started the Upper House in spring 2006 prior to the Opposite House.

Both hotels are designed to be personalised, unique hotels that cater to the high-end niche market. In my personal opinion, The Opposite House is contemporary and edgy, whilst the Upper House is one of calmness and elegance.

What prompted the strong underlying Japanese influence that is evident throughout the interiors of The Upper House and why?

The desire to create a hotel of calmness naturally inspires me to keep the palette restrained – without being literal – and the hotel is designed with a strong spatial clarity in mind. It is the balance in architecture that makes the hotel appear Asian, but I would not agree that there are specific Japanese influences as such.

Tell us which particular aspects of Japanese art, architecture and culture moved you to incorporate them into The Upper House?

On level 38, the first level of the hotel suites where guests can gain a dramatic view up the 40m high void reaching to the pinnacle of the hotel, I installed a rippling pool to ground the atrium, whereby floodlights pick up the water ripples and transpose them vertically onto the bespoke artwork, Rise, by Japanese artist Hiroshiwata Sawada.

This translation of what is normally horizontal onto a wall 40m up is very intriguing.

You have interpreted the Japanese influence with a refreshingly modern, cosmopolitan eye. What do you think are the reasons for your ability to blend and merge Japanese traditions with the latest international trends to achieve an enviably seamless and timeless quality?

It is not intentional as such – it is merely a result of the desire to create a hotel of quiet taste.

The Torii gate inspiration begins from the escalator tunnel.

Tell us why you decided on such a spectacular abstract temple-like entrance.

Spatially, all guests are guided to ascend from the main arrival lobby to level L where an extensive outdoor lawn is located. It is this sense of upward journey that is critical to the experience at the Upper House where guests have to ‘work’ their way up the property. The Torii arches create a visual tunnel to demarcate the journey from the urbane world into a place of tranquility.

Why do you find the Torii gate fascinating as the inspiration appears elsewhere in the hotel such as the low consoles beneath the vanity counter in the en suite bathrooms?

The geometry of the low consoles is merely designed with a degree of simplicity in mind – rather than having direct reference to the Torii gates.

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F L I N G

The sky-bridge on level 49 links the Sky Lounge and Cafe Gray Deluxe

Why and how did you create the amazing sense of tranquility that pervades the hotel?

Contrary to the typical hotel establishments in Asia, the Upper House’s sophistication lies in its restrained material palette and having its journey made up of intimate pockets of spaces – its grandeur comes from within, rather than being in your face.

One of the perfect moments you have created is the reflection of light playing on rippling water to subtly illuminate the artwork on the wall of the indoor atrium on the lowest level of the lift lobby leading to the guestrooms. Tell us where the guest could encounter more of such quiet meditative scenes.

Indeed, at level 38, guests would gain the most intriguing view up the atrium void. Another intriguing moment would be on the lawn – a rare sight in Hong Kong. For me, it summarises the Upper House experience – simplicity done with quiet taste.

Bamboo is the dominant material in The Upper House. What is so compelling about bamboo and what is it able to communicate that makes you decide to use it so extensively instead of more conventional and popularly used timber such as dark wenge or blond oak?

Bamboo ties in well with our vision to create an Asian influenced hotel. It is also a green ecofriendly material which goes hand in hand with our design philosophy.

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What guided you in planning the spatial layout of the generously-sized guest rooms as they echo a crisp and amazingly clear delineation of purpose and aesthetics? How have the surrounding city and harbour views, the inherent architecture of the building and the demands of the guests contributed to the layout schemes?

Echoing the hotel’s spatial experience, each room is also designed to have a journey of its own. It is highlighted with moments of surprise (the hidden open rain shower and the commissioned ‘cocoon’ sculpture by artist Marvin Feng).

The inherent architecture is indeed proven to be extremely challenging, yet it opens up an interesting moment of delight at the bathroom.

It creates an unusual spatial treatment whereby its tip is anchored by an artwork with a built-in uplight fixture.

You have paid special attention to every minute detail from the bedside tables with a V-opening in the base to the woven-wicker covered base shelf in the wardrobe and the moveable pelmet concealing the electric sockets at the desk.

Why is it important for you to custom design every detail and why do you think such meticulous attention matters to The Upper House guests?

Guest experience is all about designing with their experience in mind – we aim to address their needs to have the product designed to reflect such considerations.

The palette you have chosen is incredibly soothing. Tell us the colours and why or how you decided on each particular shade and tone to calm the nerves.

Each of the Hotel’s 117 spacious guestrooms is designed to provide a sense of understated luxury.

The contemporary monochromatic design features natural timber, shoji glass, limestone and lacquered paper panels. All rooms including 21 suites and two penthouses are presented in two colour schemes: Bamboo with solid ash flooring, bamboo timber and lilac upholstery; and Celadon featuring green tea upholstery, limed oak flooring and creme oak timber.

The Sky Lounge is everything the sophisticated traveller envies in an intimate residence from the understated furnishings to the blazing fireplace and backgammon set on the coffee table FORM 127

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F L I N G

GENEROUSLY SIZED AND INGENIOUSLY PLANNED TO STRIKE A DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN COSINESS AND OPENNESS, THE GUESTROOMS ARE COMPOSED TO RADIATE AN ETHEREAL, ECO-FRIENDLY SERENITY WITH AN EARTHY PALETTE THAT INCLUDES BAMBOO WOOD AND LIMED OAK FORM 128

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UPPER SUITE

PENTHOUSE

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DESIGNED TO PAMPER GUESTS WHO DERIVE AS MUCH PLEASURE FROM STANDING UNDER THE DELUGE OF A RAIN SHOWER AS WELL AS A LONG SOAK IN THE TUB LOOKING OUT TO A PANORAMIC VIEW, THE EXTRA-LARGE BATHROOM PAYS HOMAGE TO BATHING AS A RELAXING RITUAL You seem to have comprehended and captured the Japanese love for their leisurely bathing rituals to perfection in your design of the bathrooms. Tell us the aspects which you personally adore about the bathrooms at The Upper House.

The soaking tubs clad in Turkish limestone, Terre D’oriente and also the open rain shower are the unique design features in each suite – not only do they offer panoramic views of the city, their sense of openness also create an unparalleled sense of luxury.

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Tell us your essential approach to crafting Cafe Gray Deluxe. Why did you choose to endow it with a little more glimmer and sheen than the other spaces in the hotel?

Cafe Gray Deluxe, a 21st century grand cafe overlooking Victoria Harbour, marks the highpoint of aspiration. Created as a pair of wings that feeds off the main dining area, the vibrant restaurant is highlighted by a 14m-long open kitchen and equally long bar in portoro nero marble.

Inspired by the shimmering harbour at sunrise, the main dining room has a seating capacity of 100 and is adorned with a collection of bespoke furniture and bamboo lighting pendents in a lush palette of champagne gold and deep purple. A series of twisted timber panels are also introduced to provoke a sense of movement and motion.

Instead of the schlock and quirk or shock and awe approaches, you have always preferred the understated in your designs. Tell us where The Upper House fits in the evolution of your design style and how it differs from your earlier projects?

The Upper House is my first (comprehensive) hotel project – I have adopted a holistic approach whereby the entire journey up the hotel is conceived as an overall experience. It reflects my vision of what a hotel should be – a place of comfort and calmness.

Positioned as a hotel with a calm residential feel, how much do you feel that you are completely in your comfort zone when it came to designing The Upper House?

Four years in the making, the project is a true journey in itself. Creating a place within an existing structure undoubtedly poses a huge amount of challenges, but it is the joy of infusing life into a space that makes the design process extremely rewarding.

What overwhelming emotions or rush of passion did you feel when you finally saw the completion of The Upper House, especially as it is your first hotel project encompassing all areas?

As a designer, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing customers enjoying the product. The real overwhelming emotions mostly come from having customers responding to the spaces and appreciating the passion that we have put into designing it. It is truly a labour of love. F THE UPPER HOUSE Pacific Place, 88 Queensway Hong Kong Tel: +852 2918 1838 www.upperhouse.com

Cafe Gray Deluxe

PICTURES COURTESY OF THE UPPER HOUSE

A 14m long open kitchen

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DVC NATUZZI FORM 232X308MM

DVC NATUZZI Form.indd 1

N10_7324 NC7225

03.10.09

D18/A12

150

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Rx_Form_Dec09.pdf

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