55 Blair Road by Ong & Ong

Happy Tuesday! Check out this house in Singapore. It was a renovation and restoration project of a traditional art deco style shop house.

Static walls were replaced with glazed partitions which could either segregate the outdoor pool from the rest of the first floor, or merge them into a single, large space if so desired.

To brighten up the house, the courtyard also serves as a large light well with reflective aluminum cladding on the walls to reflect sunlight. This set-up is also ideal for effective cross-ventilation to cool the interior naturally. The lounge walls also double as both exhibition canvas and storage space, with large art pieces cleverly concealing recesses within the concrete.

This residence demonstrates a balance between nature and contemporary living, exciting the senses by promoting light open plan living.

Photographs: Derek Swalwell