Diamond House
The house along Cove Drive in Sentosa sits on a slightly tapered site that faced a man-made lake. Built for a small family that greatly cherish their privacy, the house turns it back on the street and the sides where the neighbors are in close proximity. Like a monolith resting over the gardens, the single, faceted volume house the main spaces with their primary view of the waterway.The main entrance brings one into the center of the house with the living and dining space on the sides. The upper floors are split down the middle into two volumes that house the daughter and the parent’s bedrooms.
Courtesy of Formwerkz Architects – Photography: Albert Lim
The basement accommodates the guest room, entertainment, services, and garage, lit and ventilated largely by the sunken courtyards. The massing on grade is kept deliberately small to create more garden spaces within the tight site. The geometry is derived from negotiating with the planning parameters imposed on the neighborhood and the desire to simplify the building form. The front and side facades are pared down with openings strategically position to allow optimal daylighting with minimum compromise in privacy. The sloping walls at the corners allow for a smaller footprint while expanding the spatial volume at upper levels.
Courtesy of Formwerkz Architects – Photography: Albert Lim
Like its simple form, few architectural materials were used. The facades are entirely wrapped in ironwood. The interior adopts a lighter palette of oak and travertine. At nightfall, fragments of the internal spaces are seen on the facade. The muted, impenetrable volume gradually gives way to the volumes of internal light, revealing the intricacy within.
Courtesy of Formwerkz Architects – Photography: Albert Lim
Project Info
Architects: Formwerkz Architects
Location: Singapore
Design Team: Alan Tay , Foo Yuet Yee, Cai Xun
Structure: Portwood & Associates
Builder: Sinwah-Apac Construction Pte Ltd
Area: 5000.0 sqm
Year: 2012
Type: Residential
Photographs: Albert Lim
