Gardens, gardens everywhere 

MOST people in landed houses enjoy the benefit of a garden on the ground floor – but the family who lives in this semi-detached house looks out to gardens on every floor. This is clearly seen on its street-facing facade of the house designed by Hyla Architects, which features staggered bands of concrete planters flanked by two brick walls.

The reason for these gardens is twofold, explains Han Loke Kwang, the founder of the Singapore-based architecture firm. “One, there is a road coming at an angle towards the house, so I was a bit concerned about privacy for the family; secondly, the front elevation also faces west slightly at an angle. Hence, the gardens block the view of cars from the road (and from outsiders looking in); while providing shade from the western sun.”

The house re-examines the typology of the usual landed house in Singapore, he explains. “The series of landscaped terraces progresses from the front garden on the first storey to the attic level. The gardens also wrap around the sides on the second and third storeys to envelop the house in nature. The plants help to screen the rooms as well and define the edge of the spaces.”