Going Against Type

ONCE IN A WHILE, Wu Yen Yen of Genome Architects is pleasantly surprised when a client comes to her without the usual demands to maximize land space and built-up area.

But having lived in apartments before buying this terrace house near Sembawang Hills, the Phuas - he a managing director of a MNC and she a homemaker - and their two kids aged 15 and seven, didn't see the need to go overboard with their design. "We're used to and happy to live in smaller spaces, and we knew how many rooms we needed," says Mr Phua.

Ms Wu says the client's brief to create a home that is comfortable for all allowed her to "design the house with a qualitative rather than quantitative approach." It also allowed for a more flexible design, such as having the common areas on the upper floors and bedrooms on the ground floors, or having the bedrooms at the back of the house.