Building Completion in Q4 of 2023

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Building Completion in Q2 of 2024

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The Almost Detached home was conceived with the idea to balance light and privacy in the tropics.

Although the building appears to share a form not unlike the typical semi-detached house, the internal living spaces are arranged such that they are offset from the party wall. This effects a relief space in between which in turn carves out a natural and unhindered passageway for light and wind.

Cross-ventilation and natural lighting are important to domestic ambience. The key to the design instinctively becomes the integration of natural light and ventilation. Most windows span entire walls, allowing the breeze to flow through rooms, creating a natural affinity between rooms and patios.

The pattern and proportion of the facade’s second skin was carefully and thoughtfully put together through various iterations as a means to optimise privacy yet achieving a consistent average of 300 lux* throughout each room.

The party wall is finished with an undulating Marmorino wall texture, serving as a strong visual anchor throughout the house. The intricate patterns formed by shadows from the external fenestration dance along the undulating wall finish throughout the day, introducing an ever-changing visual rhythm to the otherwise concrete space.

*Average across 1 year of study period from 8am - 5pm.

Design in Collaboration with Award Winning Architecture Studio, MJKY Architects.

A Study of the Relationship between framing the view across different time & Light of the day

A Simple Shophaus

Minimal Intervention to conserve the spirit of the Haus

Lightly touched by screens

Gently Restored

Chipped to expose the nature of bricks

Greened for liveability

The design approach was to have a single storey minimalistic house, filled with natural light and sustainable materials.

The design process was formulated with the interpretation of Ockham’s Razor. Several design options were generated for each space and the “simplest” design option in terms of intervention, construction & maintenance was selected.

Existing materials were reused in ways of refurbishment, repurposing and recycling.

Concrete floor, timber beams and timber flooring were refurbished and the timber decking were repurposed to shelvings in the kitchen. Knocked down concrete walls were reused as hardcore for infill for the water ponds in the entrance porch.

The remaining timber pieces were also recycled as benches in the client’s factory.

To achieve natural lighting for each space, a sky light was introduced at the kitchen to allow for natural light to fill the dining, kitchen, master bedroom & study room.

The aim for designing a house for a family of five was to create the right conditions by providing the best structuring of space with ventilation and light. The design also pursues to allow the family and their own personal preferences to flourish, bringing individual character and personality through use. Communal spaces are equally important to encourage conversations within.

The distribution of the spaces and their relationships are created to promote paths through an open shared space to reach a private one. These open spaces comprises communal spaces such as family rooms, gym and lounge areas. In this way, everyday life experiences this relationship of continuity between all family members living in the house.

On the ground floor, the granite cladded wall continues into the property and wide pivoted glazed doors open to reveal an open-plan living and dining room, which leads to a brightly lit kitchen adorned with angled skylights.

On the floors above, each bedroom faces the exterior promoting natural ventilation and sunlight while the attic bedrooms are filled with natural light from skylights overhead.

A combination of internal lightwells and rooflights ensure that the internal communal spaces are flooded with natural daylight to achieve a delightful shared space.

The mid-century modern influences comprising wood panelling, brass accents, and sleek profiles took inspiration from hotel lounges and bars.

Design elements include clean lines, muted tones and a combination of natural and manmade materials inspired its classy interiors, that was all about bringing the ideal hotel home to life.

Adorned with tanned European leather sofas, lounge chairs and bar stools, the once perceived dull colour of brown becomes the anchor to the design, fashioning a bold, sensual yet intimate space.

The design of the Tile Haus focuses on maintenance, functionality and storage, while interpreting the high performance house through fusing imagination and practicality.

It originates with a set of designer tiles from Mutina, Mattonelle Margherita, by French artist Nathalie Du Pasquier, which the client and ourselves fell in love with. The main spaces were designed to highlight this set of feature tiles while at the same time providing ample storage solutions for the family. A quirky mix of Japanese laminate , Italian Tiles, and marble-look tile flooring blend in an eclectic yet soothing space.

These tiles were selected for its anti-bacteria properties, in addition to their practical usage for hardiness, durability and the permutations of endless patterns and sizes. Laminates were chosen from the Fenix range and anti-bacteria range from Panaplast. Every joinery work are finished in laminates with anti-fingerprint, anti-bacteria properties, with additional self healing properties for the kitchen carpentry.

Pendant lightings were avoided to reduce unnecessary dusting, as well as cove lightings. Minimum downlights were provided to reduce maintainability for the light bulbs. As such, there was a need to find innovative ways to light the spaces in a functional yet stylish manner. The use of integrated LED strips were employed in the ceiling for the living and dining area. A unique mini-ledge detail was derived for all the bedrooms, achieving a diffused and comfortable ambient. All lights were specified to have a minimum of CRI** 90, for visual clarity and health benefits to the eye.

**Colour rendering index

The second Sunday Staples flagship store design was prescribed to be a precedent for all future Sunday Staples stores.

The design is informed by the re-invention of the shoe trying experience for the shoppers to linger around the store a little longer.

The entrance layout was composed to give a peek into the orange-pink hued store-in-store space, where the only way to enter this space is through the main space.

Special tags were designed to be displayed below the shoes for customer to collect the number tags. Shoppers are able to try on their shoes comfortably on designated sofas under the green arches. This achieved an improved efficiency for the service staff as well as a smoother experience for the shoppers.

Greenery is prevalent in every Sunday staples store.

With a vivd colour palette and bolder design, the third Sunday Staples store is contemporary & engaging for its patrons, while still offering a relaxed and homely atmosphere and hospitality experience.

The fondness for modern abstract art and form, design and hospitality informed its decision to create an immersive gallery-like shopping experience.

The design played with depth by applying vivid and nostalgic colour palettes of pale mint green and coral hues to the recessed arched walls, while softer beige, sand hues and earthy wood tones blanket the fanciful elements in the foreground.

The focal arched gallery spaces envelope a welcoming seating area that functions similar to a homely living room for resting and trying on shoes.

Bold, Insta-friendly details such as the signature Sunday Staples LED backdrop clothed with wild flower arrangements and bold dark ceramic pots filled with wild grass pepper the rest of the space.

Subtle copper detailing provides a bright, metallic contrast to the softer tones of mint green and coral hues.

“Design a house which my 3 daughters would want to live with us for as long as possible”

We interpreted the client’s love for their daughters through a various mix of circular spatial planning, symbolic representation and a youthful colour palette.

Spatial Loop - The kid’s room is located directly in the center of the house. The kids sleeping room designed to be on an elevated platform and directly connected to the master bedroom and study room, forming a circulation loop. The access to the kid’s room is through either of the both rooms. This visual and spatial connectivity promotes greater interaction between the family members, and still allow for a level of privacy.

This circular spatial planning is symbolically represented with 2 Arcs on the shelf and sliding door. When the sliding door is opened, the Loop is completed spatially and visually.

The design of the book shelf in the study room is translated from the names of the children in a non-linear manner.

The colour palette adopted was aimed to be complex and colourful while still adhering to a level of sophistication and balance.

A vibrant mix of yellows and russet hues, together with mint greens were applied to the kids room and toilet while earthy wood tones together with granite covers the rest of the space.

The vision was to transform the living space into a contemporary home for the enjoyment of the generous living and dining spaces. The main living space was initially segregated and compromised by entrances to the bedrooms.

This was achieved by allowing the full width and length of the living space to be experienced. The layout was revamped to enable a single open space while utilising the large length of the living room. Custom-made wooden cabinetry was introduced to recreate divisions within the home with seamless storage and hidden entrances to bedrooms.

The living room merges with the dining area, providing an uninterrupted, fluid ambience, making it easy to wind down after a busy day and prepare for a good night's dinner and family time.

The built­-in cabinetry ensures that the home remains uncluttered and space is maximised on a mental level.

The vision was to transform small mews with compromised rooms into a contemporary home with a great feeling of space. This has been achieved by opening up the plan and providing views into other spaces, allowing the full width and length of the house to be experienced. Traces of notslagic beauty of a tropical house were retained, which adds to the character of the house.

Re.Light

The design aspires to curate a light-filled open space with a neutral palette of tactile materials to form sensory warmth and relaxation. The home's sense of calm and tranquillity was created through the use of natural materials, organic textures and a neutral wood colour palette.

Each floor follows a "broken-plan" layout, in which built-in furniture and level changes help to loosely demarcate different areas.

The original deep plan created a dimly lit staircase zone, and to counteract that, the adjacent room walls were removed and replaced with movable louvers and a floating staircase was incorporated to control the light and wind flow through the house while allowing for privacy when required.

Re.Furbish

Existing 30 year old timber parquet floor were given a new lease of life through sanding and re-varnishing. The master bedroom walls were removed, with traces of the the old layout reflected on the floor of the refurbished parquet.

Re.Purpose

The staircase orientation was changed to maximise usable storage space underneath. Solid timber handrails and timber steps were reused as shelving for the entire house.

Re.Cycled

Sawed roadside trees slabs were gifted by an arborist friend. They were retained and used with their natural edge to express the beauty of the natural timber.

Re.Touched

Existing tiled floors were left untouched and overlaid with micro-cement finish to minimise hacking and retiling works. At the same time, this provides a seamless floor finish throughout. Experimentally, brass cut circular pieces were laid on the flooring along the central spine of the house which connects the apartment’s open plan with the bedrooms and living areas.

The first of its kind - The beginning of the Sunday Staple store design unfolded in parallel with the store’s branding.

We have collaborated and work hand in hand with Sunday Staples to create the best representation of the brand through ideation and conceptualization where we translate creativity to experiences with original designs.

This led to an exploration of form and colour, with the aim of designing a place where branding meets architecture.

The spatial experience, colour palette and even the brand’s logo was conceived together with the building the brand’s identity as the physical store becomes a public space for the customers to experience and this was made consistent through both the physical and digital channels.

The retail store look and feel aims to create an instgrammable home-away-from-home vibe, where customers feel comfortable and excited to be within the space. It becomes an environment that encourages conversations and photo taking rather than a single activity of shopping.

The store’s design favours the use of curves and warm lighting, moving away from the typical clean, professional look of sharp edges and white lights.

The curved edges together with wildflowers and fresh planting concocted a delightful social space where customers are more inclined to spend time here by snapping pictures and lingering in the store when they are comfortable.

An added soft touch was the central plant settee with fresh planting and a LED feature wall completed with wild floral arrangements.

Designed for an engaging and outgoing family of five whom host on a regular basis. The aim was to create maximum seating areas and space for interactions and gatherings. Bay window seats, island counters, large dining and sofa seating are completed with a large circular mirror to expand the space visually.

The conceptual design is about framing various design elements of the house through the use of a “L” shaped frame to highlight important elements. The frame is a repeated pattern that is used for the Living, Dining, Dry Kitchen and Wet Kitchen areas.

This project has been inspired from the interior design of mid-century American and Brazilian modernist uses of warm dark natural materials, granite look wall panelling and tactile tanned upholstery.

Photographs by: Bai Jiwen

Designed for owners who fly on a regular basis, the brief was to return to a home filled with warm tropical elements.

The design strategy was to use fluted panels throughout by wrapping the fluted panels from the unit’s entrance to the balcony. This fluted wall connects the different spaces within the unit.

The tactile and colour of the upholstery and furnitures were selected to complement this feature wall panel.

The play of texture and shadows is accentuated by the lighting placement to provide a soothing and comfortable space to wind down and relax after a long flight home.

The project is located along East Coast Park with direct view of the sea front. The owners envisioned a house which reflects the light sea breeze and a great place for their daughters to grow up in.

Light oak joinery together with beach-like hue of sandy tone laminates was designed to wrap the entrance, pantry and living areas. Rounded edges were detailed into the joinery for kid-friendliness. The same quarter arc language is applied playfully in the kids bedrooms with storage solutions integrated within the steps.

The light oak is brought to the master bedroom for a coordinated theme throughout the house.

The apartment is entered through a welcoming vestibule clad in warm timber.

The clean aesthetic is reflected in the choice of sharp lines and open shelves.

The use of robust yet tactile materials of masculine wood tones juxtaposed with dark stone laminate has been applied throughout the entire house. These laminate lines the walls of the living room tv console area which also leads up to a hidden entrance of the bedroom.

The bespoke joinery was enhanced with intentional use of subtle strip lighting throughout, highlighting the crisp sharp edges of the carpentry.

The project

Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church is 60-year-old church building that has had two A&A renovations to date. Originally a 2-storey church with a pitch roof and a main sanctuary on L2, the church was transformed into a 4-storey building with an additional L4 main sanctuary built above the existing L2 sanctuary during its first renovation some 30 years ago.

In 2018, the church underwent a second A&A with Treehaus Architects. Both sanctuaries were retained, key interior spaces were refreshed, and a new basement structure with additional rooms were added to the front and rear of the building.

Our approach

Layered Conservation

We took a layered conservation approach for the L2 sanctuary through retaining the existing pitch beams, but elevating the ceiling height to the bottom of L4 sanctuary and creating a new double volume space. The original round pendant lights from the original building were reintroduced, and the old L4 sanctuary ceiling design was abstracted and replicated for the new L2 sanctuary. Existing pews, altars, lecterns are refurbished and the roof batten which once held the roof tiles of the L2 Sanctuary were converted to accentuate the pitch beams as a nod to the first church from 60 years ago. As the new L2 sanctuary will be primarily used by the elderly congregation, these various elements from the original building will give the churchgoers a renewed nostalgic experience of the various stages of the church combined in one.

Layered Renewal

L3 Sanctuary retains its existing pitch structure but the internals are fully gutted. The church is looking to use the space for the youth and young adults, a rejuvenation of the sanctuary space. Treehaus’ approach to the design takes cue to “breaking” the pitch, and remoulding the space using parametric design, simulating the waves of water, we design an undulating ceiling which maximises the ceiling while breaking from the old form. The result is a “in the cloud” like experience when first entering and the the space can take on multiple personalities through the use of lights.

Layered Transformation 1

The mini chapel is a transformable space, during a small service, it can be split into 2 separate mini chapels with their own frontage, but when required, the space can be opened up. The focus on the cross is accentuated by the ceiling curve that bring the light in from seemingly the sky above.

Layered Transformation 2

The act of baptism involves a rebirth, a transformation of one’s being, to be reborn in Christ again. This experience is accentuated by 2 tall blocks of granite that for a moment frame a tree. While walking up the steps, one is deprived from the surrounding while they prepare themselves mentally to enter the pool. The pastor will then submerge the individual into the pool, and in that act, a fenestration from the pool side will allow water displaced by the Christian to be made visual as a mini Water Fall for the witnesses to witness.

The client’s brief was to craft their eclectic vision of a home into a striking, balanced, unified design. The client envisioned their home to be a place for friends to gather & share lively conversation and deep thoughts.

Design elements carry an understated flavour of old world Indochine charm, while abundant plant features and rougher accents such as industrial lighting and distressed surfaces rusticate and soften while adding another layer of interest to the space.

Curved arches and painted edges takes inspiration from the Indochine style as the design language found here follows classical timeless shapes while at the same time integrating retro and vintage elements of Southeast Asia.

The central living space incorporates an open kitchen, bar counter, abundant seatings and dining room, which leads towards an open study area. The kitchen was designed to be less of a separate space and more of an extension of a lounge.

These spaces are united by black painted arches, which informs the different usage of spaces but keeps the layout open for flexible use.

The colour scheme was decided on as a way of creating a harmonious interior by using subtle tonal changes. In order to create an environment that feels harmonious, subtle layering and tone in tone methods were used. Green colour was chosen for wall paint, tiles, wallpaper and joinery but in varying tones, scales and intensity.

Vintage chairs in rattan and tables in teak together with the dark wooden parquet floor adds a matureness to the overall colour scheme, while the aged mirrors and brass accents adds an industrial but luxurious feel to the space.

The guest bath is designed to be intimate, blanketed with copper and dark green hues. The master bath, in contrast, has a lighter, more utilitarian feel adorned with abundant greenery.

The brief

To build a differentiated experience for visitors and customers of the Audi Experience Center, who are likely there to receive their new car, or there to seek car repairs.

Our approach

Together with HEI Architects, we designed an experience center around Audi’s brand values of Luxury, Technology & Design

This led us to design meeting spaces wrapped in textures of granite, timber screen and timber veneers, reminiscent of a fine dining restaurant. The Cafeteria makes use of the double volume space with the same textured timber screen to provide a hint of what is located beneath B1 from the street level. A multi-use area with a large screen can be used to feature brand videos, or even hold informal presentations. This space is further pocketed with private seating spaces for those who treasure some privacy while waiting to drive home their new or repaired Audi.

This brief was our response to a competition for Audi Singapore.