Cover At dusk, warm interior lighting highlights the bungalow’s tiered terraces and gabled form
At dusk, warm interior lighting highlights the bungalow’s tiered terraces and gabled form
1 / 1
This Singapore bungalow by HYLA Architects introduces a modern twist to the traditional gabled roof, creating a multigenerational family home where European country charm breathes with the tropics.
The gabled roof is an archetype commonly associated with vernacular architecture in both eastern and western cultures; it defines buildings like farm barns and kampung houses. Its simple form evokes the most basic idea of a house, connoting warmth, welcome and family.
HYLA Architects has expanded upon this feature with a house called Gabled Gardens. The idea was to create a contemporary expression of “a sustainable, family-centric home [for a] close-knit, three-generational family with active kids who love to swim and study together,” says the firm’s founder and principal Han Loke Kwang, who worked on the project with director Nicholas Gomes and architectural associate Aaron Lau.
Also read: Home Tour: A detached house in Singapore wrapped in egg crate-like screens
Above The gabled roof stretches downward in steel-framed ribs, shading staggered terraces and pockets of greenery
Above Oblique view of the front elevation reveals the stepped terraces and gabled profile articulated with steel ribs
The gabled roof stretches downward in steel-framed ribs, shading staggered terraces and pockets of greenery
1 / 2
The owners themselves had desired a pitched roof for its “homely quality.” They wanted the “timeless feeling of a home, not a luxe hotel,” says Kwang, referring to the household that bonds over daily home-cooked meals. Instead of extended eaves typical of conventional tropical houses, his abstracted iteration sees the roof articulated with steel ribs that stretch downward to articulate a "container" of cosy spaces.
“Planters along the entire length of the attic peek out from the ribs. A clay-tiled roof set above the steel I-beam further expresses the form of the gable,” Gomes highlights. Beyond aesthetics, the gabled roof is also pragmatic. It efficiently channels rainwater and enhances natural ventilation through the stack effect, reducing reliance on mechanical cooling.
Above At the entrance, modern Shaker-style panels and a grey palette set the tone, softened by an oversized olive tree in a sculptural planter
At the entrance, modern Shaker-style panels and a grey palette set the tone, softened by an oversized olive tree in a sculptural planter
1 / 1
On the front façade, staggered planters enhance the house’s biophilic qualities. “As the building ascends, stepped-back terraces beneath the gable provide shaded outdoor spaces, reducing heat gain to the interiors,” says Gomes. These green nooks also provide privacy for the family, as the house faces two 20-storey apartments in the near distance.
Between them is a sliver of green vistas. “The house is primarily oriented forward to capture pocket views of the Singapore Botanic Gardens just beyond the apartments at its front, while a private rear courtyard creates privacy and a green outlook to the back rooms. Family life unfolds on these verdant terraces, fostering a connection across levels,” says Gomes.
Above The roof structure shades the terrace and pool, revealing double-volume spaces on both the first and second storeys
The roof structure shades the terrace and pool, revealing double-volume spaces on both the first and second storeys
1 / 1
Like many dense residential estates in Singapore, neighbouring houses flank the house closely. HYLA turned the former semi-detached house adjoined to the rear neighbour into a bungalow by detaching it, hence increasing the amount of natural light and ventilation to the home.
The aforementioned rear courtyard that stretches two storeys augments this while providing the bedrooms in this part of the home with green views. The staircase was also placed here so that moving up and down the home is enhanced with green views. Its position in the core of the plan also improves family interaction.
Above Under the downward sweep of the gabled roof, lush planting fills a terrace pocket
Above Pendant lights cascades through the central staircase, amplifying the verticality and openness of the bungalow's core
Under the downward sweep of the gabled roof, lush planting fills a terrace pocket
1 / 2
Above The bungalow's double-height living room opens fully to the decked terrace, garden, and organically shaped pool
The bungalow's double-height living room opens fully to the decked terrace, garden, and organically shaped pool
1 / 1
As the attic level has the best vantage, the master bedroom suite is placed here. It is buffered from the street with one of the lush landscaped terraces at the façade. On the first storey, large glass openings bring the pleasant ambience of the garden into the house. The swimming pool also contributes to the view, shaped with organic edges like a pond.
Above A lush, two-storey rear courtyard brings daylight and ventilation into the heart of the bungalow
Above Centrally positioned, the open-riser staircase enhances vertical connection across levels and draws in daylight from a skylight above
A lush, two-storey rear courtyard brings daylight and ventilation into the heart of the bungalow
1 / 2
The first storey’s fluid common areas make it conducive to family life. This also occurs in section, with a family room overlooking the two-storey living and dining area. A second family room next to the living area also has double volumes so it enjoys the view of the rear courtyard positioned one level up.
The sense of connection with nature is enhanced with the choice of beige face brickwork, which Gomes describes as having a domestic and timeless finish reminiscent of cosy country homes that the owners like. “We used grey painted steel as a gesture to express the gabled form and the horizontal planes of the terraces,” he adds.
Above Seen from the second storey, the bungalow's double-height living area opens directly to the pond-like pool and garden
Above The bungalow's common area features a fluid layout between living and dining spaces, designed to encourage family interaction
Seen from the second storey, the bungalow's double-height living area opens directly to the pond-like pool and garden
1 / 2
Above In the attic master suite, full-height glass doors open to a lush terrace, offering a serene buffer from the street
In the attic master suite, full-height glass doors open to a lush terrace, offering a serene buffer from the street
1 / 1
Like the face brickwork, Gomes chose DGL powder-coated aluminium for the privacy screens for its longevity. “The privacy screen was detailed with a twist in that we inverted the vertical L-angle frames, creating deeper shadow recesses between each panel as a nod to traditional timber shutters,” he points out.
The owners’ love for traditional European country homes continues into the interior through joinery designed in a modern Shaker style with French panelling, as well as grey and white tones. “We used a light interior palette of American Oak and travertine-like, large-format floor tiles to contrast the grey metalwork and brighten up the spaces,” says Gomes.
Above A courtyard screen in beige face brick filters light and air—part of what makes this “little brick home that breathes with the tropics,” as the owner fondly describes it
Above The double-volume dining area connects to a sleek open kitchen, with the family room overlooking the space from above
A courtyard screen in beige face brick filters light and air—part of what makes this “little brick home that breathes with the tropics,” as the owner fondly describes it
1 / 2
Above In the bungalow's attic master bathroom, a skylight beside the tub invites sunlight and greenery into the space
In the bungalow's attic master bathroom, a skylight beside the tub invites sunlight and greenery into the space
1 / 1
He adds, “Recognisable domestic elements through the finishing and gabled form lend to the cosy quality of a ‘traditional home’, though it is contemporary in terms of the space planning and expression.”
The owners describe their new abode as “our little brick home that breathes with the tropics”. The husband elaborates, “The natural airflow, lush courtyards and seamless indoor-outdoor [spaces] make every day feel effortlessly serene. The attention to usability and harmony with nature has given us not our dream brick house in the tropics, but a true family haven.”
NOW READ
Home Tour: Old Chang Kee chairman’s gorgeous Singapore house immersed in nature
Home Tour: A Bukit Timah Good Class Bungalow inspired by art
Home Tour: A Good Class Bungalow in Singapore future-proofed for a multigenerational family
Credits
Photography: Derek Swalwell
