Cover The porous architecture allows occupants of the Bukit Timah house to enjoy the surroundings
The porous architecture allows occupants of the Bukit Timah house to enjoy the surroundings
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Ensconced in Singapore’s Upper Bukit Timah area, this home cleverly blends functionality, sustainability and timeless elegance for a family of five
Nestled in a corner plot of an Upper Bukit Timah estate, this three-level house by RT+Q Architects paints a distinctive figure in the neighbourhood with its barn-like roof and modernist facade.
Entering the premises, one is struck by the porosity of its ground floor, which features clever spatial planning articulated in humble materials that together create a rich textural tapestry.
Its design vocabulary—striking moon gate, deep verandah, modest ratio between the indoor and outdoor spaces, and excellent passive cooling system—showcases a sophisticated understanding of how to harness all the glory of tropical living.
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Above View of the house from the main street
View of the house from the main street
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Rumah Bayu—so named by the owners of the house in Malay, which translates to “Breeze House” in English—is home to a lawyer husband, a homemaker wife and their three children. The Penangite husband was the architect Rene Tan’s childhood schoolmate in Malaysia.
“We’ve known each other since 1977,” shares Tan, who moved to Singapore in 1996 and established his own practice, RT+Q Architects, with TK Quek in 2003. “He moved to Singapore earlier than I did, so I used to joke that he was my first friend ever in Singapore, and I’m honoured that he trusted us to build his dream home.”
Above The geometric openings on solid planes lend a distinct look to the house
The geometric openings on solid planes lend a distinct look to the house
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Tan, together with a design team that comprises Quek, his architect son Jonathan Quek, and designer Wang Ziyi, completed the Upper Bukit Timah house in about three years. It represents RT+Q Architects’ latest exploration of the modern tropical dwelling typology.
The couple’s brief to Tan was straightforward: to create a sustainable, practical home with outdoor spaces and natural ventilation, and which would suit their family’s active lifestyle. “We wanted something liveable and functional, not just aesthetically pleasing,” said the wife.
Above The built area leaves ample room for a sense of breathability on the site
Above The porous architecture allows occupants of the Bukit Timah house to enjoy the surroundings
The built area leaves ample room for a sense of breathability on the site
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RT+Q Architects responded with a clever design. The heart of the home is a negative space—an open-air courtyard, born from the concept of stacking three C-shaped blocks. “This architectural gesture gives rise to courtyards and sheltered verandahs on each level, transforming into pathways for the wind to navigate the expanse,” says Tan.
Above The circular opening in the courtyard is a nod to the traditional Chinese moon gate
The circular opening in the courtyard is a nod to the traditional Chinese moon gate
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Through strategic spatial subtractions and additions on each level, the overlapping C-shaped configuration facilitates natural ventilation across its open-sided courtyards, augmented by operable windows encircling the central courtyard. Thanks to the ample airflow, the family rarely uses air-conditioning during the day. “The breeze is constant,” says the wife.
Above A bird’s eye view of the pond through the circular opening
A bird’s eye view of the pond through the circular opening
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The home also reflects the couple’s values of sustainability, focusing on natural ventilation and reducing energy consumption. The wind is not the only force of nature invited into the house; the architecture also welcomes drizzles that might occasionally accompany the airflow. This is, in fact, not a flaw of the design, but a feature of the Upper Bukit Timah home that celebrates tropical living.
“It also reminds us of our shared childhood in Penang,” says the husband, who actually enjoys sitting on the verandah on a rainy afternoon to unwind. “I don’t mind getting a little drizzled on,” he laughs.
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Above The curvy powder room enjoys ample natural light and natural air from the gap below the ceiling
Above The Bukit Timah home’s permeable indoor-outdoor connection
The curvy powder room enjoys ample natural light and natural air from the gap below the ceiling
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This is also a feature on the attic floor, which features an aerator floor opening in the husband’s office dubs the “monsoon window”; it ensures airflow in rainy weather and has become one of his firm’s signature approaches to tropical house design.
“Don’t be afraid to put the right thing in the wrong place—that’s my motto,” Tan quips, referring to the unorthodox placement of this operable fixture.
Above Deep verandah provides ample room to lounge and entertain
Deep verandah provides ample room to lounge and entertain
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Two water features cool the breezes on the Upper Bukit Timah home's ground floor: a lap pool and a pond that take pride of place in the courtyard. The latter features a school of koi fish and algae that serves as a natural water filter.
A pondside Ficus longifolia tree nicely occupies the vertical opening, provides shade and adds a biophilic feel; its softly drooping leaves were chosen by the wife to lend a poetic touch to the space.
Above A Ficus longifolia tree lends a poetic touch to the courtyard
A Ficus longifolia tree lends a poetic touch to the courtyard
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Bronze-painted screens complete the courtyard tableau. These were window grilles salvaged and upcycled from the old house that formerly occupied the plot.
Together with the porthole window in the wine room and the moon gate, which were not part of the initial brief but emerged organically during the design process, these decorative screens were inspired by the Chinese symbolism of completeness and unity.
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Above A covered walkway bridges the gap in the C-shaped layout on the second level
A covered walkway bridges the gap in the C-shaped layout on the second level
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This symbolism was also manifested in one more subtle yet impactful way in the design. “We have designed this house to have as few dead ends as possible, so that the family can always be connected and rediscover their own house,” says Tan, who also believes that architecture is all about surprises.
Most rooms have two entrances, and a corner means a passage where one emerges in another room with unique spatial experiences. “When we talk about the sustainability aspect of the design, I believe you also need to sustain an amount of curiosity about the house,” he adds.
Above The built area leaves ample room for a sense of breathability on the site
The built area leaves ample room for a sense of breathability on the site
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A selection of new and old furniture fills the home, with many pieces brought over from the couple’s previous residence. They are also gradually adding more furniture as they settle into the new space.
Practicality is key in the design—Tan skilfully balances aesthetics with the couple’s need for functionality, especially with three children in the home. “We had to blend functionality and design, which sometimes may be a bit challenging, but this house is the right balance between art and functionality,” says the wife. “It’s a house that will grow with us,” adds the husband.
An evening view of the Bukit Timah house reveals the transparency of the fence
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Jakarta-born, Bandung-raised and Singapore-based, Asih Jenie trained in Visual Communication Design at Bandung Institute of Technology and Architecture at Parahyangan Catholic University. She brings both rigour and heart to design journalism, infused with a distinct Southeast Asian voice.
As a child, she doodled on the edges of her schoolbooks and never outgrew her fascination with all things well-made and well-told. Her 15-year career spans editorial roles and bylines in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia, across spatial design titles such as Dwell Asia, Cubes, Design Anthology, Habitus Living, and Home & Decor.
After a brief stint in public relations, she returned to publishing in 2023 to lead Tatler Homes Singapore, where she continues to tell stories about how we shape the spaces that shape us.
