Local firm Chang Architects helped to transform the plot on this Good Class Bungalow estate into a sanctuary-like home surrounded by green terraces and a stunning water feature.
Tropical Paradise
“The owners wanted to create a tropical paradise,” says Chang Yong Ter, founder and principal architect of Chang Architects.
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Third Time Moving
This was the third time the owners, in their 50s, had moved, and they wanted this home to be their last. “They want a home their three children (who were in their 20s) would never want to move out of,” adds Chang.
In addition to the interiors, the architect proposed using charcoal to line the walls of the entrance as well as on the façade of the house. According to him, the material acts as natural insulation and also becomes a base where orchids can grow out from.
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Modern Desire for Nature
It’s not an easy undertaking, harmonising the desires of modern-day dwellers with nature, but Chang, with his eye for detail, was ideal for the task.
His achievements include a series of award-winning houses – the Lucky Shophouse, which won 2013’s President’s Design Award; and Elok House, an earlier project where he first explored this progressive vision of living with nature.
The intricate nature of his designs can be seen from the rich texture and details of the home’s façade.
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Plant Landscaping
“In homes, we tend to have a clear boundary between space for plants and space for humans,” explains Chang, whose work on Elok House caught the attention of the owners.
“Here, plants share the same breathing space as the occupants.” Plants grow abundantly along the sloping terraces leading down to the centre of the property.
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Charcoal logs from North Malaysia
Even from the façade, this Good Class Bungalow located in the Bukit Timah district stands out. It is clad entirely in sliced charcoal logs sourced from northern Malaysia, and also provides natural air purification.
Orchids, which thrive in charcoal, creep out from the facade just as the architect had envisioned.
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Downward Sloping Land
Located on a slope that steeply drops from street level – traditionally regarded as “inauspicious” from a Feng Shui perspective – the bungalow’s site was the perfect setting to play up the idea of a tropical paradise.
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Paddy Fields-Inspired
Chang eschewed the idea of a flat pitched roof. He chose, instead, to have the roof “cut” akin to the steps of a rice paddy field, so visitors could have access to a view.
Spaces, such as the dining area also look out into the pool. In this way, all the areas of the home are visually connected in a seamless manner.
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All-Natural Swimming Pool
And what a view – a waterfall cascading into a koi pond and an all-natural swimming pool, both flanked by fruit trees and lush vegetation.
Little wonder then, that this two-storey house was shortlisted in the House – Completed Buildings category at last year’s World Architecture Festival. A wealth of natural elements, rocky surfaces and greenery help to create the illusion of a verdant forest setting.
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Breath of Fresh Air
But how does living in such a home feel?
On a hot, sweltering day, the air within the bungalow cools beneath the lush vegetation, and the temperature in the rooms can drop dramatically by as much as 11 deg C from that of the street.
“It’s also the joy of getting fresh air,” says Chang. “The air is fresher. It’s different.”
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In Happier Moods
There have also been happy surprises.
After living in the home for around six months, the owner’s elderly mother, who suffers from dementia, talked more and was more cheerful. Chang is particularly gratified by the results.
He says: “I observed her for a period of time. When I first talked to her, she used to stare blankly at me. Now, she smiles back.” Even in the bathrooms and powder rooms, plenty of natural light and natural ventilation help the residents to feel free and at one with nature.
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Waterfalls’ Negative Ions
It’s arguable that nature has played a part. “When you have moving water, it produces a lot of negative ions,” says Chang, “It’s been proven that negative ions have a positive impact on moods. When there’s a thunderstorm, people rarely quarrel. The gush of water produces trillions of negative ions.”
This is especially beneficial when it came to the design of the sleeping areas. The tranquil surroundings mean the bedrooms all enjoy the same level of serenity and peace.
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Built-In Nature
Wandering around the grounds, what becomes clear is the way natural elements seem to blur into the physical structure to offer a more open, unpredictable way of living.
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Fragrant Pandan & Lemongrass
This is one of those places, where, if you breathe in deeply, you might catch a fragrant waft of pandan or lemongrass. Or, where heading to a bedroom means crossing a bridge built with recycled wooden railway sleeper planks that continue to mature against the elements.
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Hosts Up to 60 Pax
Or, most wonderfully, how under the auspices of nature, the occupants can experience a sense of privacy, as well as the joy of communal living. The owners and their extended family often have gatherings here, with up to sixty people being hosted at times.
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Nature As Partition
“There are a lot of in-between realms for people to gather, without disturbing the family members,” says Chang. “Nature becomes a medium between a space and another space, without creating a wall.”
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Inviting Nature Back Home
And this seems like the most extraordinary idea of all for urban nomads living in a hyper-connected world: that inviting nature into our home helps us get back in touch with one another, and with ourselves.
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Nature Brings Warmth
“When a house is done in a minimalist way, somehow it feels cold, and lacks warmth,” says Chang.
“Nature brings back the warmth.” For the inhabitants at Cornwall Gardens, it is the hope that this warmth will create an enduring bond for years to come.
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A Special Project
“All our lives revolve around our three children,” shared the owners during a tea session with Chang and his consultants. “This project is very special to our family, and there is no way to describe how special it is in words.”
This article first appeared in The Peak in 2017.
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