Redoing the tiny apartment

IN THE layout of a typical HDB flat, it is common for the living area to be joined to the bedrooms by a corridor. This “dead space” is the main thesis of a project by Open Studio, whose inventive home designs caught the eye of a young husband and wife. 

“The couple that live with their two cats came across our work on social media and liked how we approach residential projects radically, where the interior layouts are customised around existing structures to suit any lifestyle,” says Jax Tan, who runs the firm with her husband Lam Jun Nan. Both graduated with a Master of Architecture from the National University of Singapore.  

The owners, who work in tech, wanted to overhaul this resale flat that they purchased as their matrimonial home. At 65 square metres, the flat is not large. It did not help that the original layout felt claustrophobic, with a compartmentalised plan where the main door opens into a combined living-dining area. The original corridor leads to two bedrooms, a kitchen, yard and common bathroom. One bedroom also has a compact bathroom en suite.