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K2LD Architects dreams up a beautiful Good Class Bungalow with a stunning culinary zone that combines form and function and is tastefully fitted with Fisher & Paykel appliances
The enclave of Bishopsgate in Singapore is home to many of the country’s Good Class Bungalows, which are considered the most prestigious properties in the island-state’s real estate market. Originally built by the British, these dwellings are a hybrid of Western colonial style and regional architecture, to adapt to the local climate.
This particular house is situated on a flat terrain where the residences were originally constructed on an elevated platform to mitigate the effects of flooding, resulting in a basement area beneath. While most had been demolished over time, it is one of only two still standing on the street that has retained its 1.8m elevation.
These factors combined to create a project in which opportunity was born out of restrictions, says Ko Shiou Hee, founding principal of K2LD Architects, one of the country’s leading practices. Ko and his team were tasked with modernising this home for a repeat client, in order to create a stage for contemporary multigenerational living within the strict conservation guidelines.
A new beginning
Along with renovating the interior of the old house, the architects developed an innovative new extension that wraps around its back and side of the existing bungalow. Based on conservation requirements, the two structures could not physically touch, giving rise to a glass connecting structure that enables a flow between them, while merging into the environment.
“The addition was a way of creating a backdrop for the older house,” says Ko. “We also wanted to design it as a conversation between the two. Looking at the
old building, its most prominent feature is the terracotta roof. Rather than mimicking its neoclassical language, we took inspiration from that and created this screen of tiles that we ‘pixelated’ in response to the internal functions. It’s a very abstract approach, but our client loved it.”
He adds: “While we created the new addition as a way of differentiating the new from the old, the end result speaks of a harmony between two strong forms.” Likewise, the project is a testament to the unique character of Singapore itself, housing a diversity of cultures while blending traditional and contemporary daily practices.
