Namly House by CHANG Architects in Singapore

Project: Namly House

Architects: CHANG Architects

Location: Singapore

Area: 6,038 sq ft

Photographs: Albert Lim K.S.

Namly House by CHANG Architects

The Namly House is a minimalist modern home designed by CHANG Architects. Located in Singapore with an area of 6,000 square feet, it was created as a home where three generations can live under one roof.

Multi-generational Home

Peter and Lucy wanted to accommodate three generations under one roof so they could enjoy their grandparents’ childhood without compromising the freedom, differing needs, and privacy of each generation. Peter is a fan of concrete architecture and wanted a tropical house made of reinforced concrete, a terrace where he can relax and enjoy the view, white-washed interior walls, minimal facade openings for privacy and noise control. Additionally, his wish list included:

• One house – two houses
• Simplistic yet beautiful
• Front and back
• Tropical but cool and breezy
• Natural yet refined
• Rough but elegant
• Indoor yet connected to nature
• Small but spacious
• Minimalist yet sufficient
• Less, but more

In this region, a tropical house is typically characterized by deep eaves, sunshades, blinds, extensive use of wood and more. This house reimagined the tropical home in a way that meets family needs while fitting into the site context and tropical climate.

Entrance to the interior is through a foyer, followed by a water feature. Integrated with the garage, this water structure collects rainwater and serves as a natural cooler for spaces, a green oasis, and a backdrop for passage. Air flows into the interior from above and below through stepped elements, which are cooled. The other end of this passage is Peter's terrace offering a panoramic view of the area. Diagrammatically, it serves as the central hub with bedrooms and service areas on either side. It is a gathering space, a play area, and a ventilation tunnel for northeast and southwest monsoons. Inside, isolated by the thermal mass of reinforced concrete walls, the interior remains cool all year round. At noon, the inside temperature is two to three degrees cooler than outside. In monolithic structures, spaces are illuminated during the day and decorated through various strategies of natural lighting and landscape element selection.

Landscape is an integral part of the architectural design to complement the raw concrete and mitigate the urban heat island effect caused by concrete surfaces. Specific plant species and trees serve various functions: sunshades, visual landmarks (e.g., coral tree), spatial determinants (philodendrons, dracaenas), connectors (schiffleras), to enhance sensations (pandanus leaves), therapeutic purposes (eucalyptus, tea tree), and for food production (chili peppers, kangkong, violets). The rainwater harvesting system is integrated for automatic irrigation of landscaped areas.

This house reflects the family. Its solid front facade conceals an open and transparent interior; beneath a cool concrete shell lies a cozy living space; its restrained monolithic structure hides a consistently cool environment adapted to the tropical climate. This is an example of excellent collaboration between family and architect. It demonstrates the potential for multi-generational families to live together, satisfying various needs and aspirations within a modern tropical setting.

–CHANG Architects