The Mandai Courtyard House project was designed by Singapore-based design studio Atelier M+A. Completed in 2011, the luxuriously designed property can be found in Mandai, Singapore.
According to the architects: “Setting amidst the nature reserve that bounds the Upper Seletar reservoir, the contemporary Singaporean property is bestowed with the serenity and repose rarely found in buzzing Singapore. On the island where every inch of land is precious, the owner’s brief for a single-storey bungalow house was unusual, and reflects a nonchalant attitude towards the mainstream practice of maximising the space available and building to planning policy by the authority.
“The contemporary house in Singapore is designed in an orthogonal ‘doughnut’ shape, with the interior spaces surrounding a central open courtyard. The ‘doughnut’ configuration allows the owner to enjoy a secured outdoor space in the evenings or after work. The roof has been laid with timber deck so the living/dining space is a great space for al fresco dining. This outdoor space makes up the front of the house that opens up to the road along the front boundary. A wall-to-wall timber deck strip aligns each side of the living/dining space where one could sit to enjoy the front garden and the courtyard, not unlike the ‘engawa’ concept of the traditional Japanese house, which is a transitory space between the ‘inside’ and the ‘outside’.
“Floor-to-ceiling glass sliding panels open the interior and the central courtyard to the outside world to blend the exterior into the interior. Natural light floods the interior rooms and a constant breeze of fresh air is a welcome during the hot summers days.
“An overhanging canopy floats in front of the entrance door to create a weightless statement in contrast to the grounded house form. Black and white colour from the ‘gargoyles’ accentuate the window frames and are a tribute towards the monochrome colonial bungalows which are synonymous to Singapore.”
Images courtesy of Robert Such.
